Sick Galapagos Tortoise

[Cheryl Hills]

Hi. We had been feeding produce, hay and chow for years. But last summer when she got sick the vet said hay, grass, weeds, cactus - only foods that are natural for her with high fiber. With respect to iodine, the vet at the University of Florida told us the exact kind he wanted her to have because it comes in different forms and not all forms can be absorbed and utilized by the body. Hence, I've got this particular type that seems to traumatize her no matter how I try to disguise the flavor. I've tried hiding it in all kinds of fruit, even though she really shouldn't have fruit. But she gags, spits it out, and won't speak to me for a week afterwards, lol. I wish it was available in pill form. Have only fed kale on rare occasion. Have read that it's not good for them but it seems many people feed it with no problems. And when I read all the foods they shouldn't have, the only thing left is grass, weeds, hay and cactus.

Maybe try the pill iodine. If she is not getting the one your vet wants, at least she will be getting something.

 

[Ben02]

What does Galapagos scepticemia look like as they are dark in colour??.

I wish You and your tort good luck

 

[Turtle Love]

Female, 25 yrs. Entire body swollen, worse in neck. She won't move or eat for 3 days. Same problem 6 months ago. Vet at University of FL in Gainesville thought low blood protein caused by inability of protein to pass thru gut into bloodstream causing body to compensate by leaking fluid. Flagyl helped but 6 months later problem returned. I'm wondering if it could be renal failure but don't know why vet didn't suggest renal problem. Flagyl isn't helping this time. She is very sick. Can anyone help?

Hey Everyone, Great News! After reading everyone's helpful posts, my better half now realizes how urgent the situation is with my galap and has now agreed to help me get her to a vet!!!!! YAY!!! I'm so excited and happy I could burst! I just pray we can get her to a vet in time. They are so busy and always say they can't see her until after the holidays. But I will keep you all posted. Thank you again everyone. It's all because of your posts!

 

[Turtle Love]

Where are you located? I am a veterinary hospital manager. My wife is a vet. If you are close enough to west palm beach I can come and draw blood to check her values and help develop a treatment plan. Call me at 561-727-9288. My name is Michael Knox. I have a final exam tomorrow from 2-4 pm but you can reach me any other time. I hope my reply isn't too late.

Hi Mr. Knox. Great news! After reading these posts, my better half is now convinced of the urgency for my galap. She seems quite weak today as though she is getting worse. I left a message on your recorder. Is your wife an exotic pet specialist? If so, can we bring her to you and your wife? Please call me as soon as you can. Is there room for her at your facility?

 

[Turtle Love]

What does Galapagos scepticemia look like as they are dark in colour??.

I wish You and your tort good luck

Thank you. With my tortoise, the septicemia wasn't so much in how she looked. It was in how she acted. Not eating, not moving, sleeping all the time, very weak. The one thing that was visible though was that her mouth was extremely pale from anemia. Her tongue was almost white and her inner eyelids were white. She was very sick.

 

[SBTortMom]

Thank you SO MUCH! But I am actually much closer to the University of FL in Gainesville where we took her 6 months ago when the swelling, weakness, and lethargy occurred the first time. She recovered with Flagyl back then but it isn't helping this time. Now that I think she might be in renal failure, I've taken her off the Flagyl as it is contraindicated. But I don't know what, if anything, WILL help. I could send you a copy of her lab work from 6 months ago if it would help. Are there any particular values you are interested in? The vet at UF said that kidney malfunction doesn't show up very well in lab work so not sure why he didn't entertain the idea that she could be in renal failure. Please look at the pictures I posted in this thread in response to a request.

Lab work from six months ago is likely not meaningful now unless compared to current (comprehensive) values. If me I’d avail myself of the kindly offer from the Vet Hospital Manager and DVM (assuming that both have considerable Herp experience). Looks & sounds to me as if your poor tort is i or near critical condition. Hoping you can get her help in time.

 

[Ben02]

Thank you. With my tortoise, the septicemia wasn't so much in how she looked. It was in how she acted. Not eating, not moving, sleeping all the time, very weak. The one thing that was visible though was that her mouth was extremely pale from anemia. Her tongue was almost white and her inner eyelids were white. She was very sick.

That makes sense,

I hope everything goes well for you

 

[Turtle Love]

Lab work from six months ago is likely not meaningful now unless compared to current (comprehensive) values. If me I’d avail myself of the kindly offer from the Vet Hospital Manager and DVM (assuming that both have considerable Herp experience). Looks & sounds to me as if your poor tort is i or near critical condition. Hoping you can get her help in time.

Hi SBTortMom. Thank you for your response. YES! -- I'm TRYING to take your advice! I posted a message to the Vet Hospital Manager yesterday AND left a message on his phone but have heard nothing back from him. Getting worried.

 

[SULCY]

I know Camp Kenan is not a great source but a video I have seen he went to someones house who raises Galapagos Tortoises. He had a sick tortoise that they found out gets very sick around once a year not eating can barely walk and they found it was endophytes in the hay causing the animal to get very sick. He now tests the hay before feeding, No idea if that is your problem but maybe something to check.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Hi SBTortMom. Thank you for your response. YES! -- I'm TRYING to take your advice! I posted a message to the Vet Hospital Manager yesterday AND left a message on his phone but have heard nothing back from him. Getting worried.

I know @MKNOX had a final earlier this week. I don't know if he might have had any other finals this week. If he did, that or some emergency at the veterinary hospital might temporarily affect his availability.

However, it is extremely clear that @MKNOX cares deeply about the health and need for urgent care for your Duchess. She may be a Galop, but she's still your baby. I'm sure he will be checking in just as soon as he is able.

 

[Turtle Love]

I know @MKNOX had a final earlier this week. I don't know if he might have had any other finals this week. If he did, that or some emergency at the veterinary hospital might temporarily affect his availability.

However, it is extremely clear that @MKNOX cares deeply about the health and need for urgent care for your Duchess. She may be a Galop, but she's still your baby. I'm sure he will be checking in just as soon as he is able.

Oh, I SO HOPE you are right. @MKNOX seems so knowledgeable, as though he is aware of ALL the possibilities about what could be wrong with my baby. It seems like he won't get stuck in one paradigm of thought. I'm worried that it's so close to Christmas, I won't be able to get ANYONE to see Dutchess until after the holidays. WAY too long! Also worried that maybe @MKNOX and his wife have gone somewhere for Christmas and not even available right now because he seemed so concerned and aware of the urgency, but now nothing.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

@Turtle Love - I just tried starting a new conversation (personal message) with both you and @MKNOX... and I got an error message that the system couldn't find either of you. It's possible there's a glitch interfering with notifications or @MKNOX's ability to log in. Stay tuned.

 

[Turtle Love]

I know Camp Kenan is not a great source but a video I have seen he went to someones house who raises Galapagos Tortoises. He had a sick tortoise that they found out gets very sick around once a year not eating can barely walk and they found it was endophytes in the hay causing the animal to get very sick. He now tests the hay before feeding, No idea if that is your problem but maybe something to check.

Hi SULCY. Is it the video where the man found his galap bleeding from the nose and mouth and it was found to have fungus growing in its lungs? It had a feeding tube inserted and then the owner found the fungus in the hay? If that's the same video, I DID see it. It left me shaking my head and wondering "how could this happen?" It's good to be aware of the possibility so thank you for reminding me of it.

 

[Turtle Love]

@Turtle Love - I just tried starting a new conversation (personal message) with both you and @MKNOX... and I got an error message that the system couldn't find either of you. It's possible there's a glitch interfering with notifications or @MKNOX's ability to log in. Stay tuned.

Gosh! THANK YOU!!! I'm computer illiterate and would have no idea how to do what you are doing to check the system. Lord, I can't even figure out how to unwatch a thread and don't even know how I watched it to begin with! And this forum is so confusing to me that I think I have replied to MYSELF a few times and I totally LOST a lengthy private message that someone spent a lot of time typing to try to help me. In short, I'm a DANGER to this forum! LOL! But I also called @MKNOX and left him a message. Still nothing. Worried he may be out of town for Christmas and unavailable.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Gosh! THANK YOU!!! I'm computer illiterate and would have no idea how to do what you are doing to check the system. Lord, I can't even figure out how to unwatch a thread and don't even know how I watched it to begin with! And this forum is so confusing to me that I think I have replied to MYSELF a few times and I totally LOST a lengthy private message that someone spent a lot of time typing to try to help me. In short, I'm a DANGER to this forum! LOL! But I also called @MKNOX and left him a message. Still nothing. Worried he may be out of town for Christmas and unavailable.

Well, the extent of my ability to check the forum system is to ask @Yvonne G to look into it and to please contact Josh.

Unfortunately, there are a LOT of veterinarians and veterinary hospitals in the West Palm Beach area. That's great for all the people living near West Palm Beach, but not so good for us trying to narrow down WHICH veterinary hospital we're looking for.

Do you know if his phone number is a mobile or a landline? You might try a text message to contact him as well. Those don't need much bandwidth to go through.

 

[Turtle Love]

Well, the extent of my ability to check the forum system is to ask @Yvonne G to look into it and to please contact Josh.

Unfortunately, there are a LOT of veterinarians and veterinary hospitals in the West Palm Beach area. That's great for all the people living near West Palm Beach, but not so good for us trying to narrow down WHICH veterinary hospital we're looking for.

Do you know if his phone number is a mobile or a landline? You might try a text message to contact him as well. Those don't need much bandwidth to go through.

Thank you so much! No, I don't know if he provided his cell phone number or the hospital number. Let me try doing a reverse search. Be right back.

 

[Turtle Love]

Well, the extent of my ability to check the forum system is to ask @Yvonne G to look into it and to please contact Josh.

Unfortunately, there are a LOT of veterinarians and veterinary hospitals in the West Palm Beach area. That's great for all the people living near West Palm Beach, but not so good for us trying to narrow down WHICH veterinary hospital we're looking for.

Do you know if his phone number is a mobile or a landline? You might try a text message to contact him as well. Those don't need much bandwidth to go through.

Reverse lookup says it's a mobile phone number. Doesn't say whose number it is though.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Reverse lookup says it's a mobile phone number. Doesn't say whose number it is though.

Your number should show up on the caller ID for his mobile, right? Try sending a text message, indicate it's from @Turtle Love about the sick Galop.

 

[Turtle Love]

Your number should show up on the caller ID for his mobile, right? Try sending a text message, indicate it's from @Turtle Love about the sick Galop.

Ok. Sent him two text messages. We'll see what happens.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Worried he may be out of town for Christmas and unavailable.

Try not to worry. I know that may be easier said than done. I doubt he'd be out of town AND unavailable. It's pretty hardwired into those veterinary types to worry about their patients and to be thinking about those mystery cases that haven't been solved yet. It's never far from their minds.