Sulcatas Tortoise runny nose

[andykao]

Hi Everyone, I'm a first time owner, I have a sulcatas tortoise weight around 40 lbs, he is a male, got him back around 2 to 3 weeks from one of my friend, somehow he don't want to it, even we gave him salad, catus, green bacoli, & Mazuri & grass, nothing interested for him, he kind of sick runny nose, today i took him to a vet, but I don't get a any best solution how to treat him well, at night I keep him inside my house sleep in a dog house, & turn on a small heater to let him warm, I try all my best to make him feel better, but he seems still runny nose, any best solution, could you give me an advise, I really need your help to keep my tortoise get wells, thanks.....

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[TortieLuver]

Hello and welcome to the forum! What did your vet have to say? How long has he had a runny nose and not eating? Is your runny nose clear? That's good that you are bringing him in to sleep at night and you have something to keep him warm, as that should help boost his immune system. Is the runny nose clear? Generally, my vet suggests that when you see a runny nose, you should separate them from the rest if they are housed with multiples, then bring them in at night or make sure the outdoor environment/house is in the 80s. You want to make sure they aren't having allergies due to susbstrate being dry/etc, or that there isn't anything stuck and/or lodged in the nose. If the nose doesn't get better after 10 days, he suggests seeing the torts and generally would give them an antibiotic nose flush. If that doesn't work, then they usually try baytril shots for the Sulcatas or fortaz ceftazidine injections for leopards as the baytril isn't good for leopards.

 

[andykao]

Hello and welcome to the forum! What did your vet have to say? How long has he had a runny nose and not eating? Is your runny nose clear? That's good that you are bringing him in to sleep at night and you have something to keep him warm, as that should help boost his immune system. Is the runny nose clear? Generally, my vet suggests that when you see a runny nose, you should separate them from the rest if they are housed with multiples, then bring them in at night or make sure the outdoor environment/house is in the 80s. You want to make sure they aren't having allergies due to susbstrate being dry/etc, or that there isn't anything stuck and/or lodged in the nose. If the nose doesn't get better after 10 days, he suggests seeing the torts and generally would give them an antibiotic nose flush. If that doesn't work, then they usually try baytril shots for the Sulcatas or fortaz ceftazidine injections for leopards as the baytril isn't good for leopards.

My vet suggest me take him to see another vet & give him a shot, his runny nose not that's clear a little creamy, is more than 10 days now, he don't want to eat at all, just like to stay & sleep at one corner. We were living in CA, tempeture outside is about 70 to 80 degree, we bring him outside at the morning, & get him into the house around 5:00PM, today we started give him a warm bath & clean his nose, hope he could feel better, do you think i should take him to see other vet & give him an antibiotic shot?

 

[TortieLuver]

With that creamy runny nose, him not wanting to eat, and it lasting more than 10 days, I would definately take him to a HERP vet. You want to only take him to a vet who knows tortoises, so only a herp vet. Let us know if you need help finding a local herp vet. It sounds like you are doing the right thing with temps, outside time during the day for sunlight, a warm bath, but he probably needs antibiotic. Also, if he's treated early then usually it clears up fast and with the least vet bills. If it is chronic or becomes more of a respiratory infection (i.e. pneumonia), it can take multiple shots, multiple visits and more expense so the sooner the better. Please keep us posted.

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Also, if he's not eating the vet may want to give him a vitamin b shot to try to increase his appetite. How long has it been since he's eaten anything?

 

[andykao]

With that creamy runny nose, him not wanting to eat, and it lasting more than 10 days, I would definately take him to a HERP vet. You want to only take him to a vet who knows tortoises, so only a herp vet. Let us know if you need help finding a local herp vet. It sounds like you are doing the right thing with temps, outside time during the day for sunlight, a warm bath, but he probably needs antibiotic. Also, if he's treated early then usually it clears up fast and with the least vet bills. If it is chronic or becomes more of a respiratory infection (i.e. pneumonia), it can take multiple shots, multiple visits and more expense so the sooner the better. Please keep us posted.

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Also, if he's not eating the vet may want to give him a vitamin b shot to try to increase his appetite. How long has it been since he's eaten anything?

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thanks for all your advise, Could you please suggest me where I could finding a local herp vet, my living zip code is CA 91007, once time he eaten since last last Sunday March 27th, I were seating there with him more than 1 or 2 hrs, try to feed him to eat, he finally eaten a few bites, I was so happy at that time, & I continue repeat to feed him again every day, he didn't eat at all, it make me feel so sad.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Andy:

Welcome to the forum!

Just continue to keep the tortoise warm and try to find a vet in your city who knows about tortoises. We have many Southern California members on the forum and hopefully one will come on and give you the name of a good vet.

 

[Tom]

You definitely need a good tortoise vet, but try keeping him even warmer at night. Use a pig blanket and keep the air temps in the 80's all the time. Don't put him outside in the mornings until its already warm too.

 

[Laura]

If he cant smell his food he wont eat it. He needs meds and warmth to get over this i think.
try something with color to entice him to eat. Butternut squash..Pumpkin.
If its clear and runny and still eating, we dont worry.. too much..
but creamy and not eating... he needs extra help.

 

[TortieLuver]

I looked up your zipcode and you are in Arcadia? You can go to www.herpvetconnection and try to locate one from there. I hope there is someone on her that can actually recommend a good one for you. I would just google herp vets with your city and try calling them to get him in. If it's been that long since March 27th, he really should be seen asap.

 

[andykao]

I looked up your zipcode and you are in Arcadia? You can go to www.herpvetconnection and try to locate one from there. I hope there is someone on her that can actually recommend a good one for you. I would just google herp vets with your city and try calling them to get him in. If it's been that long since March 27th, he really should be seen asap.

Thanks again for all your suggestion, yesterday we found one vet tortoise Exotic Animal Care Center locate in Pasadena, we bought him in, they gave him a shot of Amikacin inj 250mg/ml, & they gave us a few shots of Amikacin & Zosyn inj take home too, repeat everyday give him a shot, finally this morning I saw my tortoise feel better & staring to eat a little by a little, Vet said we have to bring him in one more time get another kind of shot, I hope my poor tortoise feel better soon.

 

[dmmj]

that is good news

 

[Torty Mom]

Great news, I hope he is feeling better soon!!

 

[Tom]

Glad he's doing better. Hopefully this warmer weather will help a bit too.

 

[TortieLuver]

That's awesome news! I am so happy to hear he is eating a bit. It may take a little time for the antibiotic to kick in completey and runny noses can be a bit slow to get better. Keep up on the warmth and please keep us posted!

 

[dmarcus]

That's awesome news, happy he is eating some.

 

[andykao]

That's awesome news! I am so happy to hear he is eating a bit. It may take a little time for the antibiotic to kick in completey and runny noses can be a bit slow to get better. Keep up on the warmth and please keep us posted!

Thanks again, I'm glad I find the right place on the Tortoise Forum, today my tortoise start walk around & eating more broccoli, it seems the antibiotic shot help him a lots, we repeat keep him a shot every day for a week, he get wells a little by a little now.

 

[Tom]

Broccoli is not a good food. Its fine once in a while mixed in with other foods, but I would give it to a sick tortoise as the only thing he's had to eat in a while. Try some leafy greens, safe weeds, fresh grass clippings, grape leaves, mulberry leaves or cactus. Veggies just aren't good in general as a major part of their diet.

Now that he's recovering I just don't want to see him starting to have other issues.

 

[andykao]

That's awesome news! I am so happy to hear he is eating a bit. It may take a little time for the antibiotic to kick in completey and runny noses can be a bit slow to get better. Keep up on the warmth and please keep us posted!

Hi everyone, Good news, can you imaging how my tortoise eat, he staring eat today, I was so happy when I saw him eat, I try upload a video that he eaten this morning, but it said my file too large, it couldn't upload it, actually my video around 22mb, show me if you know how to use upload video.