Swollen Back legs

[maggiegooma]

Thanks! I might have to take her to the vet. She seems to be getting worse. She uses that leg, but not as she used to pulling herself up completely but just a little.

Hello, my sulcata tortoise has the same issue. He was getting active and tried to climb up walls in his indoor enclosure at night. His carapace must have scratched his back legs and they are swollen. I wonder how your tortoise recovered and how long did it take. I am going to take him to the vet but wonder if this is a common issue for tortoises.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Hello, my sulcata tortoise has the same issue. He was getting active and tried to climb up walls in his indoor enclosure at night. His carapace must have scratched his back legs and they are swollen. I wonder how your tortoise recovered and how long did it take. I am going to take him to the vet but wonder if this is a common issue for tortoises.

Can you post photos of the swollen legs?

 

[maggiegooma]

Can you post photos of the swollen legs?

 

[maggiegooma]

He has indoor and outdoor enclosures and has good appetite. I wonder if there is anyone's tortoise has similar situation.

 

[TammyJ]

How is your tortoise housed? I wonder why he is so very active at night because he shouldn't be.
Is there a light on in his enclosure at night? If so, this may be the problem, among other issues of husbandry.

 

[RandyTortoise]

Hey, that is an infection and it could get horribly worse. The only reason a scratch makes a leg swell up is a serious infection. Get to the vet for some antibiotics asap! This isn’t something to wait around and see if it gets better!

 

[COmtnLady]

I was going to ask for more pictures from several angles, and maybe even of the enclosures - but what RandyTortoise said is good advice.

Get your tortoise to a vet.

Make certain the vet is very knowledgeable with "exotics", because most other vets don't know squat about tortoises. Ask them questions to make sure they do know tortoises. Some claim to, but think of tortoises as "one size fits all" and can tell you exactly the wrong thing to do. (eg: if you are told its ok to feed Sulcatas fruit, they don't know Sulcatas. Or to keep dry chamber, or to use sand/soil as a substrate.) Don't let them talk you into "Vitamin injections" because it generally is unnecessary and can do more harm than good. It is a way for the vet to pad the bill, your tort doesn't need a vitamin injection.


This info is from other threads on the site:
Baytril (enrofloxacin) tends to burn at the injection site and has been known to kill tortoises, but oral is ok, Fortaz (ceftazidime) or Vibramycin (a doxycycline) are better choices for torts.

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[maggiegooma]

Thank you for everyone's advice. I've made an appointment at the animal hospital. There is an experienced vet specializing in reptiles.

Regarding the enclosure, we moved to this new place a month ago and I think my tortoise was not used to the new environment and tried to find his comfort spot. We don't have the lights on at night but we had the heater on because it was still cold here in Canada. We've enlarged his enclosure and installed a camera to monitor his activity at night.

Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Did you already get to the vet?

 

[Tortellini0000]

Thank you for everyone's advice. I've made an appointment at the animal hospital. There is an experienced vet specializing in reptiles.

Regarding the enclosure, we moved to this new place a month ago and I think my tortoise was not used to the new environment and tried to find his comfort spot. We don't have the lights on at night but we had the heater on because it was still cold here in Canada. We've enlarged his enclosure and installed a camera to monitor his activity at night.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Hi! I’m also from Vancouver. Curious what vet you’re going to

 

[maggiegooma]

I am going to the Eagle Ridge Animals and Birds hospital. It is in Coquitlam. My earliest appointment is this coming Sunday.