This is a long one so tldr at the end 😬
My Russian cadwell won't get out of bed and his eyes seem a little puffy. He rubs them a little too.
If I get him up he will eat and go back to bed. He's walking fine (if a little slow). He's alert when he's up. No runny nose or apparent breathing issues. It seemed to start after a heat wave we had recently. He seems to get like this after every drastic weather/season change.
In the past I've panicked (I'm a worrier and over cautious) and taken him to the vet. My fav vet (she has torts herself) has closed while they build a brand new surgery so I take him to a different one (both exotic vets) This vet has ALWAYS prescribed antibiotics without fail. He's had at least 3 courses in the 3 years I've had him. The vet ALWAYS prescribes antibiotics to my other tort whenever he seems rough too. He's also had probably 2-3 courses.
Lately I've opted to just give extra care to them when they seem off. I've increased cadwells temps slightly, I'm giving him eye drops with vit A and plenty of hydration (longer, warmer baths every 2/3 days) and peace. I get him up once a day to make sure he eats and then let him go back to bed with little fuss.
My question is am I doing the right thing? As mentioned every time I take him to the vet they just give antibiotics. This is really stressful to him as he can smell them on food and won't eat it so it has to be injections. Surely this cycle can't be good for his organs? They always snap out of it eventually and I'm not sure if it's the antibiotics or the extra care. So I just nurse them back to health now and it usually works.
Both torts came from the same batch and both had health problems straight away. The trusted vet seemed to think they didn't have the right start at the breeders so I think they are just fragile.
TLDR: Russian gets "unwell" often. Everytime I take to vet gets prescribed antibiotic injections. Decided to stop and nurse him instead.
My Russian cadwell won't get out of bed and his eyes seem a little puffy. He rubs them a little too.
If I get him up he will eat and go back to bed. He's walking fine (if a little slow). He's alert when he's up. No runny nose or apparent breathing issues. It seemed to start after a heat wave we had recently. He seems to get like this after every drastic weather/season change.
In the past I've panicked (I'm a worrier and over cautious) and taken him to the vet. My fav vet (she has torts herself) has closed while they build a brand new surgery so I take him to a different one (both exotic vets) This vet has ALWAYS prescribed antibiotics without fail. He's had at least 3 courses in the 3 years I've had him. The vet ALWAYS prescribes antibiotics to my other tort whenever he seems rough too. He's also had probably 2-3 courses.
Lately I've opted to just give extra care to them when they seem off. I've increased cadwells temps slightly, I'm giving him eye drops with vit A and plenty of hydration (longer, warmer baths every 2/3 days) and peace. I get him up once a day to make sure he eats and then let him go back to bed with little fuss.
My question is am I doing the right thing? As mentioned every time I take him to the vet they just give antibiotics. This is really stressful to him as he can smell them on food and won't eat it so it has to be injections. Surely this cycle can't be good for his organs? They always snap out of it eventually and I'm not sure if it's the antibiotics or the extra care. So I just nurse them back to health now and it usually works.
Both torts came from the same batch and both had health problems straight away. The trusted vet seemed to think they didn't have the right start at the breeders so I think they are just fragile.
TLDR: Russian gets "unwell" often. Everytime I take to vet gets prescribed antibiotic injections. Decided to stop and nurse him instead.