Sulcata Wheezing

[Kendall]

Hello all,

I have an 8 year old rescue who is probably around 24 inches, this is his first winter with us. His house is kept at 85 degrees and he has the option to come out during the day though he is locked up at night. He soaks regularly. In November, I noticed he was wheezing, no discharge from his eyes or nose, and we took him to the vet. They put him on Ceftazidime and did a respiratory panel that came up negative for any common bacteria. Following the initial treatment, he was still wheezing so they prescribed Draxxin. He has also had two does of Ketoprofen. I administered his final dose of Draxxin today, but he is still wheezing. His behavior, eating and drinking, has all been normal.

My vet has suggested a CT scan for the price of $1800-2200 which includes the sedation required, the imaging and the radiologist report. This is a bit out of my price range, particularly since she admits this could have a viral component that was not picked up on the respiratory panel. She has reviewed pictures of his enclosure, his heating, etc and has not found any issues.

I would love to hear everyone's advice and see if anyone has any clue what could be going on with him.

 

[Tom]

Have you checked to see if the nares are clear? By looking down in to them with a light source?

What substrate is the tortoise on? Is it dusty?

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

They put him on Ceftazidime and did a respiratory panel that came up negative for any common bacteria.

I assume that includes mycoplasma?

Any other symptoms?

• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive sneezing, coughing, or gasping
• Swollen eyes
• One nostril is bigger than the other
• Any other sounds while breathing, like whistles, gurgling, hissing or squeaks

Does the breathing get any better after a soak? (Tortoises can flush their nasal passages while soaking, jetting water out through their nostrils to clear any minor obstructions)

 

[Stan N.]

Hello all,

I have an 8 year old rescue who is probably around 24 inches, this is his first winter with us. His house is kept at 85 degrees and he has the option to come out during the day though he is locked up at night. He soaks regularly. In November, I noticed he was wheezing, no discharge from his eyes or nose, and we took him to the vet. They put him on Ceftazidime and did a respiratory panel that came up negative for any common bacteria. Following the initial treatment, he was still wheezing so they prescribed Draxxin. He has also had two does of Ketoprofen. I administered his final dose of Draxxin today, but he is still wheezing. His behavior, eating and drinking, has all been normal.

My vet has suggested a CT scan for the price of $1800-2200 which includes the sedation required, the imaging and the radiologist report. This is a bit out of my price range, particularly since she admits this could have a viral component that was not picked up on the respiratory panel. She has reviewed pictures of his enclosure, his heating, etc and has not found any issues.

I would love to hear everyone's advice and see if anyone has any clue what could be going on with him.

It could be from high humidity in the enclosure. As you know, in our area we have a lot of humid days and nights. Not so much in these winter cold fronts like what blew in yesterday. With all the antibiotics given , it’s eating and pooping as usual, I know I went through the same thing. I checked my humidity levels and on the advice of Blaz’s vet, warmed up the enclosure at little and lowered the humidity a little and he’s doin fantastic ! It not uncommon for the to make noises and squeaks , but if it’s with every breath , I would be concerned. I just wonted about the antibiotics. Did you inject them ?

 

[Kendall]

Have you checked to see if the nares are clear? By looking down in to them with a light source?

What substrate is the tortoise on? Is it dusty?

I have looked down them and didn't see anything. He is outdoors and so he is mostly on grass, but there is hay on the floor in his heated house.

 

[Kendall]

It could be from high humidity in the enclosure. As you know, in our area we have a lot of humid days and nights. Not so much in these winter cold fronts like what blew in yesterday. With all the antibiotics given , it’s eating and pooping as usual, I know I went through the same thing. I checked my humidity levels and on the advice of Blaz’s vet, warmed up the enclosure at little and lowered the humidity a little and he’s doin fantastic ! It not uncommon for the to make noises and squeaks , but if it’s with every breath , I would be concerned. I just wonted about the antibiotics. Did you inject them ?

Yes, I injected all of the antibiotics. I will try adjusting his humidity, thank you.

 

[Kendall]

I assume that includes mycoplasma?

Any other symptoms?

• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive sneezing, coughing, or gasping
• Swollen eyes
• One nostril is bigger than the other
• Any other sounds while breathing, like whistles, gurgling, hissing or squeaks

Does the breathing get any better after a soak? (Tortoises can flush their nasal passages while soaking, jetting water out through their nostrils to clear any minor obstructions)

I did not think to ask which specific bacteria they tested for, so I cannot say for sure. As for other symptoms he has not had any except for the wheezing. Soaking has not impacted his breathing, though I have been making sure he is soaking regularly.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

I'm asthmatic so I'm going to reply to this like how I react. Get rid of the hay in his enclosure. If his sinus' are irritated the hay can make it worse. I wheeze like crazy from straw and hay. The dust from it is crazy bad, clear it out and give him some time to calm his system.

 

[Stan N.]

Yes, I injected all of the antibiotics. I will try adjusting his humidity, thank you.

Another thought is how your measuring them temperatures ? I have two govee thermometers/ hydrometers that are great for ambient temperatures, but the substrate temperature is different,specifically when they sit there a while. If you don’t have an infrared thermometer gun , it’s an inexpensive way to measure everything! The shell, legs,head etc… because ambient temperature doesn’t really reflect the tortoise temperature. I will say the infrared thermometer can be addicting. I use it all the time checking the temperature of everything outside and in. And yes, here in Texas summers you can fry an egg on concrete. Lol

 

[Maggie3fan]

I assume that includes mycoplasma?

Any other symptoms?

• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive sneezing, coughing, or gasping
• Swollen eyes
• One nostril is bigger than the other
• Any other sounds while breathing, like whistles, gurgling, hissing or squeaks

Does the breathing get any better after a soak? (Tortoises can flush their nasal passages while soaking, jetting water out through their nostrils to clear any minor obstructions)

In my experience with mycoplasma, he blew green snot bubbles...his disease always presented itself as an upper respiratory illness, but there was no wheezing, just snot and lethargy and not eating...but after some years it was just like our cold...and yes, his nares are different sizes (good call)...lol

 

[jaizei]

Another thought is how your measuring them temperatures ? I have two govee thermometers/ hydrometers that are great for ambient temperatures, but the substrate temperature is different,specifically when they sit there a while. If you don’t have an infrared thermometer gun , it’s an inexpensive way to measure everything! The shell, legs,head etc… because ambient temperature doesn’t really reflect the tortoise temperature. I will say the infrared thermometer can be addicting. I use it all the time checking the temperature of everything outside and in. And yes, here in Texas summers you can fry an egg on concrete. Lol

What kind of delta were you measuring between the ambient and the the substrate.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

but after some years it was just like our cold...and yes, his nares are different sizes (good call)...lol

I don't have personal experience with different sized nares or mycoplasma in tortoises. It is just that I have read that in a chronic, respiratory infections that have already lasted for a while enlarged or different sized nares are common. This was an article about health signs when adopting an adult tortoise.

 

[Kendall]

I'm asthmatic so I'm going to reply to this like how I react. Get rid of the hay in his enclosure. If his sinus' are irritated the hay can make it worse. I wheeze like crazy from straw and hay. The dust from it is crazy bad, clear it out and give him some time to calm his system.

Will do! Is coco coir the best substrate or do you have another recommendation?

 

[Kendall]

Another thought is how your measuring them temperatures ? I have two govee thermometers/ hydrometers that are great for ambient temperatures, but the substrate temperature is different,specifically when they sit there a while. If you don’t have an infrared thermometer gun , it’s an inexpensive way to measure everything! The shell, legs,head etc… because ambient temperature doesn’t really reflect the tortoise temperature. I will say the infrared thermometer can be addicting. I use it all the time checking the temperature of everything outside and in. And yes, here in Texas summers you can fry an egg on concrete. Lol

I actually just got a thermometer gun and have started using that as well, the 85 listed above was for his ambient temperature though.

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Will do! Is coco coir the best substrate or do you have another recommendation?

For my outside enclosure, I do not have anything on the floor. Dirt from the yard does get in there.

Coco coir would need to be damp to keep from being dusty.

 

[Stan N.]

Will do! Is coco coir the best substrate or do you have another recommendation?

For the indoor enclosure I use cypress mulch. When it wet, it doesn’t rot or mold. If it gets too dry you can mist it down and watch the humidity level off. It inexpensive and can get big bage at lawn and garden centers Lowell’s or Home Depot

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Will do! Is coco coir the best substrate or do you have another recommendation?

Outside of coco coir and cypress mulch, fir bark is the third safe option.