Possible RI

[TheLastGreen]

I don't even want to type the words. I'm scared shitless, but I need help.
Sunny is growing great, he is a hingeback around 120g and is a yearling.
The last day or two, I've seen him randomly, almost push his head out, but almost halfway and then relax, and breathe in, it isn't at all a long motion like pneumonia I've seen.
Temps
Hot 30C
Middle 24C
Cold 24C
Humidity 80%
(The last few days I've raised it a bit to around 33C in hot end, 28-30C in cooler end)
I've seen some people say that the motion could just be regular breathing, as they can't really expand their diaphragm.
He isn't lazy anymore and is extremely active, walking on all fours and determined to explore. Please do help! (I know you all always help, I'm just really feeling scared)

 

[wellington]

Basking should be 38C for basking areas.
Raise temps at least 5 degrees higher then normal and leave for a couple weeks and keep close eye on her.
Be sure there is nothing in her throat or withing her neck/shell area poking her.

 

[TheLastGreen]

Basking should be 38C for basking areas.
Raise temps at least 5 degrees higher then normal and leave for a couple weeks and keep close eye on her.
Be sure there is nothing in her throat or withing her neck/shell area poking her.

Thanks @wellington , I just wish there were more caresheets for hingebacks, I'll raise the temps

 

[norma.b]

Basking should be 38C for basking areas.
Raise temps at least 5 degrees higher then normal and leave for a couple weeks and keep close eye on her.
Be sure there is nothing in her throat or withing her neck/shell area poking her.

Just want to comment that the hinge back that I had for a while also used to extend his neck and stare around for a while . He was healthy and active with no problems. Let's see what other more experienced owner say. Good luck.

 

[TheLastGreen]

Well, I can try showing a video like this, I don't think apple users can open it, but here it is

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10_1fNumvN5l8ghpGxuDPgd-84rIKNClb/view?usp=drivesdk

In an older thread someone was worried that his tort had a neurological disorder, but it was just breathing. @Markw84 if you can access the link above, do you think it's the same thing?

 

[norma.b]

I do hope your hingback is ok and doesnt develop any serious problem. Just know that there are many caring people on this forum.

 

[TheLastGreen]

(Here is Facebook if it doesn't work)

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1070747453028436/permalink/4275141065922376/

 

[Maro2Bear]

Well, I can try showing a video like this, I don't think apple users can open it, but here it is

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10_1fNumvN5l8ghpGxuDPgd-84rIKNClb/view?usp=drivesdk

In an older thread someone was worried that his tort had a neurological disorder, but it was just breathing. @Markw84 if you can access the link above, do you think it's the same thing?

I could watch the video, but it’s only 15 sec long. Not much activity happening.

 

[TheLastGreen]

I could watch the video, but it’s only 15 sec long. Not much activity happening.

Here by 11 seconds he extends his neck, and that's what I'm worried about, but, perhaps it's nothing?

 

[jeff kushner]

I hope your little guy is ok brother....it's hell worrying about what we cannot "fix"......especially in those we care about.

jeff

 

[TheLastGreen]

I hope your little guy is ok brother....it's hell worrying about what we cannot "fix"......especially in those we care about.

jeff

Thanks for the kind words Jeff, as we say in Afrikaans, better to be scared than dead, but I have a bit of good news.
The last few weeks he's been lazy, but for the last week he's dropped it and is extremely active, he still eats a lot. The last two's days since I've raised the temps, it's been starting to space out between it's neck stretch
I think for the time being I'll mostly feed him earthworms, (hingebacks absolute favourite thing to eat). I'll keep the temps higher and handle him to a minimum, only when feeding etc, don't want to stress him out you know?

 

[TheLastGreen]

Also I must add that if anyone can remember a few months ago I had a little hingeback which was off coloured and had a RI, she stuck his neck out etc, but after loads of effort she passed.
What's weird to me is that they just don't have mucus coming out of their nose like in other RI, perhaps this is just a hingeback thing? @Jacqui have you seen this in your hingebacks?

 

[TheLastGreen]

I'm going to the vet in one hour, he'll probably give me oral baytril, but I want to get x rays, something isn't right.
(@zovick @mastershake , is it ok for a tort to get an x ray just once?)

 

[zovick]

I'm going to the vet in one hour, he'll probably give me oral baytril, but I want to get x rays, something isn't right.
(@zovick @mastershake , is it ok for a tort to get an x ray just once?)

Yes, it should be fine as long (as the vet knows the correct milliamp setting and exposure time to use for a small tortoise).

 

[TheLastGreen]

Yes, it should be fine as long (as the vet knows the correct milliamp setting and exposure time to use for a tortoise).

Would you mind telling me what it is for safety? (Here in SA it's illegal to have torts, so I'm not sure if it's taught)

 

[zovick]

Would you mind telling me what it is for safety? (Here in SA it's illegal to have torts, so I'm not sure if it's taught)

I cannot tell you that because it will vary depending upon the type of X-ray machine which the vet has.
90 KVP and one half second would be what I would use with my dental X-ray machine, but as I said, it can vary with the machine.

If you are that worried about the X-ray exposure , just forget about the X-ray for now and use the oral Baytril for a ten day period, THEN if it does not improve, get an X-ray done.

 

[TheLastGreen]

I cannot tell you that because it will vary depending upon the type of X-ray machine which the vet has.
90 KVP and one half second would be what I would use with my dental X-ray machine, but as I said, it can vary with the machine.

If you are that worried about the X-ray exposure , just forget about the X-ray for now and use the oral Baytril for a ten day period, THEN if it does not improve, get an X-ray done.

I think I may do the x ray, what's weird is that in both my hingebacks they didn't have mucus or anything, just this weird motion when pushing their heads out. Can torts get a RI without expelling mucus?

 

[zovick]

I think I may do the x ray, what's weird is that in both my hingebacks they didn't have mucus or anything, just this weird motion when pushing their heads out. Can torts get a RI without expelling mucus?

I cannot answer that accurately. Maybe the mucus is only produced in certain cases, such as an upper resp. infection in the sinuses. Perhaps a deeper type of pneumonia down in the lungs would not cause it, even though it would still cause the tortoise to struggle to breathe, thus making it extend and retract its head to force oxygen into the lungs.

 

[TheLastGreen]

I cannot answer that accurately. Maybe the mucus is only produced in certain cases, such as an upper resp. infection in the sinuses. Perhaps a deeper type of pneumonia down in the lungs would not cause it, even though it would still cause the tortoise to struggle to breathe, thus making it extend and retract its head to force oxygen into the lungs.

Thanks @zovick , I'm extremely grateful for your help!

 

[TheLastGreen]

Just by the doctor. It was a f'ng nightmare. He was old, turned my tort upside down poor thing gasping, he gave him one baytril and he pissed over the doctor, long streams of pee, I was too shocked to say anything. I feel awful, I should have said something!
I'm going to soak him know in nice warm water for 2 hours and feed him a lot of earthworms
This may have costed my torts life in the long run😢