sick box turtle

[turtlesfriend]

I have a box turtle that is sick. Her eyes have fluid from them when she opens them. She has bubbles from her nose, not every time she breathe but enough to know it is not water from a drink. I can not get her to a vet until thursday. What can I do in the mean time? She has also lost 20 grams of weight in the past 3 days. I currently have her inside with 95 degree temperature. She has stopped eating, I got a peanut size stool from her today, it was normal. I think she has that RI I have read about. Can I give her small amount of amoxicillian until I get her to a vet? Will she live until thursday? I am so sad. She is my favorite out of the 5 we have. Three toed box turtles.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Turtlesfriend:

I'm so sorry to welcome you to the forum under these circumstances.

You are doing the right thing by upping the temperature. Good, long soaks in warm water will also help. Unless you know the correct dosage, I wouldn't administer any amoxicillin. You didn't mention it, but it would be good for her to be in a hospital habitat all by herself.

Good luck with her. Keep us posted on her progress after you see the vet (don't allow the vet to give her a vitamin shot, especially not vit. a).

 

[turtlesfriend]

She is all by herself. The others are still outdoors. I am in Texas so it is not cold out here from them yet. Is this a common illness that they get? She was thriving gaining 30 grams or so since June. She stopped eating for 2 days I would say, I was thinking a late batch of eggs. Then one day I noticed her out in the middle of the day. I picked her up to check for eggs and seen bubbles at the nose. She has been inside since. Today was day 2 inside. Is the RI fatal, will she survive until thursday? She has lost 20 grams in 2 days. Some I think is from the soaks. When I soak her she tries to get out the whole time.

 

[Yvonne G]

I really don't think its a respiratory infection. I'm sure its something else going on. Maybe egg bound, or maybe a large parasite load. There's no way for us to know.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

What makes you think it's a resp infection? I would add strained carrots (baby food) to her soaks until you can get her to the vet. Why not until Thurs?

 

[turtlesfriend]

Well she is having bubbles from her nose when breathing. She also has fluid draining from her eyes when she closes and opens them. The eyes are not swollen though. Her stool she left in the soak last night was small but it was in good form and color. Her eating was slowed to a stop, I would say over the course of 1 1/2 weeks. She is not pacing at all, when bringing her inside she normally goes crazy wanting back outside. When she came in 2 days ago she found a warm spot and has sat there pretty much the whole time she has been inside. Reason I can not make the vet is work. I can not take off any more this year. I get off to late to go in the afternoon. Next day off is thursday. I know I shouldnt have but last night I gave her 1mg of amoxicillian orally. It was a capsule that I diluted with water and mathematically dosed 1mg. This morning she was able to open her eyes without a soak. Something that took a few minutes before the amoxicillian. Does anyone know the frequency the antibiotic should be given, I know they are given the amoxicillian for other bacteria infections. It is not as good as Baytril for this situation but if it keeps her alive for a couple more days...

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Can you get a tube of terramycin eye ointment on line and use that for her eyes? Also soaking her in the strained carrots will give her some of the nutrition she is missing now...

 

[turtlesfriend]

I just got home and have her in warm water with carrots that I blended into a sauce. Here eyes are not as they were yesterday. They were open. I am not sure if that is from the amoxicillian I gave her or not. But I will not give her more because she looks 100 times better today. After I settle in and stuff I will examine her condition and post what I see. Thanks :=)

 

[turtlesfriend]

She still has bubbles, she is alert when I am in the room with her. When I go away she sleeps. Not sure how she like the carrot soak but she got one! I let he in there for 30 minutes or so. Her weight from yesterday to today is the same. I feel a bit better today now that she is not seeping stuff from the eyes, and she kept the weight the same. Thank you for the help. If there is anything else I can do please let me know.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

As long as she is sick I would soak her daily in the carrots and try to get that eye ointment. You might find it at your local feed store as well as on the 'Net

 

[turtlesfriend]

I did not give ant amoxicillian last night and the eyes are bad again. I know the amoxicillian helped. Today my prayers are answered. My work let me have the day off. The rain has us slow for the day and I was not given any assignments. I will be taking her to the vet ASAP. I am soaking in carrot juice again, hoping for a stool for the vet. I will report the findings when we get home. Thank You. Oh, I ordered some of the eye medicine from online as well, TY.

 

[turtlesfriend]

I am home from the vet. My turtle was given a shot of Baytril and some medicine for me to administer at home, also Baytril. It is .2ml every 48 hours in case anyone needs to know. The vet also looked at my other 5 turtles, they were all OK. I just want to say thank You to everyone for the help given.

Thank You

 

[cordell]

I have a turtle (3 toe) that was just sick herself. The vet gave her baytril and it worked pretty fast! She is already eating and going back outside during the day time. I still bring her indoors at night, that way she stays closer to 90 degrees, the warmth helps them heal. Hope your recovers quickly

 

[Yvonne G]

Baytril. It is .2ml every 48 hours in case anyone needs to know.

Just a note of caution to anyone who might want to use this formula for dosing their own turtles and tortoises...Baytril comes in different strengths, and is administered according to the weight of the animal. The .2ml formula is only good for Turtlesfriend's box turtle. Every turtle or tortoise needs to have their own dose figured according to the animal's weight and according to the strength of the Baytril.

 

[cordell]

Baytril. It is .2ml every 48 hours in case anyone needs to know.

Just a note of caution to anyone who might want to use this formula for dosing their own turtles and tortoises...Baytril comes in different strengths, and is administered according to the weight of the animal. The .2ml formula is only good for Turtlesfriend's box turtle. Every turtle or tortoise needs to have their own dose figured according to the animal's weight and according to the strength of the Baytril.

Agreed, the vet uses a concentration of 22.7mg/ml of baytril. There are however many different solutions out there, a concentration for dogs, cats, cattle, and humans. All of which are different percentage, lets say you drink a Budweiser. Then you drink the same amount (12 oz) of Jack Daniels, same holds true with baytril. There are different levels for different animals, so the .2ml that turtlefriend got was prob the 22.7mg per ml. If you had some baytril prescribed for your dog and gave your turt, it would more than likely fry its kidneys! One could dilute but that is to risky when a vet trip is under $75.