Traumatized tort (from vet trip) not eating

[Pokeymeg]

We took him to the vet Saturday, and while the parasites and worms are gone from his poop, his respiratory infection was worse, as the shots we had been giving him for a month were not effective but with the Xmas and New Years holidays and whatnot, Saturday was the soonest we could see the vet. He now has a new round of antibiotics that the vet assures us will work this time.

But poor Pistachio is so traumatized from the vet he just isn't eating. After previous visits, he would take the whole next day and sleep his trauma off in his corner. This visit was more traumatic-more shots for vitamins, etc he is lacking from not eating much due to the infection...So this time, he took Sunday and Monday hiding in his corner. But he wasn't sleeping, he was staring blankly at the wall. Today is Tuesday, and he left his corner, but he is clearly weak from not eating but still can't be bribed to eat even with his favorites. I hope he comes around tomorrow, but I have to give him a shot in the morning, which will upset him (though not as much as a vet visit.)

He just seems so...broken...since we took him to the vet. He just sits there for the most part...My boyfriend is calling the vet in the morning, though I don't know what we can do. Bringing him back will just make his trauma worse.

Will another day make a difference? The fact that he is moving around at all today is improvement, but he just seems so weak as I watch him walk around.

Does anyone have experience with traumatized torts? Will this pass, or has he given up? He has been fairly sick for a fairly long time, and I am worried he is just giving up. I can't give up on him, so I find the thought unbearable. I've read about vitamin soaks before on this forum, would something like that help?

 

[wellington]

I have heard of baby food soaks. However I don't know anything about your kind or tort. I hope the best for you and hopefully someone will come soon to let you know if the babyfood soaks will work for you or ifmthere is something else. Good luck.

 

[cemmons12]

Yeah the baby food soaks, I have heard from forum members, do work. I wonder if you could try some baby food for your tort to eat?? I did that for Cooper when he had his 1st and only URI. He did eat it and ate it very well, then about 3 days later I had him back on his regular diet. I hope someone will give u better answers then I, I don't know a lot but I sure wish I could offer some real helpful info. Good luck and keep us updated please!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Antibiotics cause an upset tummy so they stop eating. He's not traumatized, he's got an upset tummy. If he were mine I would get some strained carrots (baby food). Mix a jar of carrots with warm water up to his bridge. Put a light over him so the water stays warm and soak him for about 30 minutes that way. Do it every day for a couple of weeks while you are giving the antibiotic injections and he should come around. But stick with it, soak him every day in carrots.

 

[wellington]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Baby-Food-soaks#axzz1j73SdqNo
I don't know if this will work. I don't really know how to refer you to a past post but if it works, it will give you some more advice on the soaks. click on the thread above.

 

[TragicQuietus]

When Gamera was at the vet a lot we ended up having to force feed her criticalcare for few days. don't recommended it for long and force feeding is a drastic measure as it's even harder on them. when she didn't want to eat she kept that beak closed and nothing would make her open it. I would try to the other ideas before that. we only did it because of how small and weak she was. the formula is not very good for them, but it got her strength up. once she was moving well again it was pellet diet made like soup until she was eating on her own. good luck. ( she was also on fluid injections at this time so i feel that was big part of it and says how bad thing have to be to be doing this kind of feeding ) You can get through this!

 

[dmmj]

When my russian underwent antibiotic meds for about 2 month or so, ( I received her in very poor shape) I force fed her baby food with a syringe, I would not suggest it for someone who has never done it before. Baby food soaks maybe with bird vitamins added in should work.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Antibiotics cause an upset tummy so they stop eating. He's not traumatized, he's got an upset tummy. If he were mine I would get some strained carrots (baby food). Mix a jar of carrots with warm water up to his bridge. Put a light over him so the water stays warm and soak him for about 30 minutes that way. Do it every day for a couple of weeks while you are giving the antibiotic injections and he should come around. But stick with it, soak him every day in carrots.

2nd this advise, with dmmj's idea of adding bird vitamins...in time, Pistacio will be fine, so don't lose hope!

 

[Morty the Torty]

I also saw a thread on here that pro biotics help their tummy too I think they said you get it in the bird section of your local pet store keep us updated

 

[Pokeymeg]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for the advise. So far we haven't gotten in touch with the vet, I think he may be closed today (it's a one-man operation)...I had my boyfriend try the carrot baby food soak, but it wasn't very long because the water got cold. I will try for a longer one when I get home from work tonight.

I'm looking at petco's website now, is this the bird vitamin supplement that is being refered to?

http://www.petco.com/product/4463/8...Sol-for-Caged-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

No change with Pistachio today. We had to give him a shot (every other day) this morning. No interest in food. I really hope he can make it through this, my boyfriend and I are worrying ourselves sick over the poor little guy

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for the advise. So far we haven't gotten in touch with the vet, I think he may be closed today (it's a one-man operation)...I had my boyfriend try the carrot baby food soak, but it wasn't very long because the water got cold. I will try for a longer one when I get home from work tonight.

I'm looking at petco's website now, is this the bird vitamin supplement that is being refered to?

http://www.petco.com/product/4463/8...Sol-for-Caged-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

No change with Pistachio today. We had to give him a shot (every other day) this morning. No interest in food. I really hope he can make it through this, my boyfriend and I are worrying ourselves sick over the poor little guy

Get a 100 watt light bulb and hang it over the water, that way the water and the tortoise stay warm...

 

[ascott]

You mentioned vitamin shots at the vets office? What type of vitamin shots?

 

[Pokeymeg]

I would have to ask my boyfriend, I wasn't there. I don't think he got A, which is the one that can't really be metabolized right? He got calcium-his jaw was soft from not eating. Vitamin B...I don't know what else he got.

Just got a call back from the vet...he is at a conference until the 25th!! His office has put us in touch with another office. They want us to come in. I really don't want to disturb Pistachio anymore, but I think a 2nd opinion may be good...Appointment at 2:30, update to follow

 

[Laura]

you can do liquid calcium as well as vitamins in the water or even try dripping a drop at a time in the mouth or nose.
keep him warm... and do the soaks...

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for the advise. So far we haven't gotten in touch with the vet, I think he may be closed today (it's a one-man operation)...I had my boyfriend try the carrot baby food soak, but it wasn't very long because the water got cold. I will try for a longer one when I get home from work tonight.

I'm looking at petco's website now, is this the bird vitamin supplement that is being refered to?

http://www.petco.com/product/4463/8...Sol-for-Caged-Birds.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

No change with Pistachio today. We had to give him a shot (every other day) this morning. No interest in food. I really hope he can make it through this, my boyfriend and I are worrying ourselves sick over the poor little guy

I use Avitron brand for my canaries, but that looks pretty much the same...put about 10 drops, along w/ a 1/2 jar of baby food (carrots are what I usually have used) in each soak.

Bound to injest some and make him stronger.

Liquid calcium isn't a bad idea, either (it's presumend that you've got a good Reptile UV light over him several hours a day, but grab any opportunity for unfilter sunlight, as well!)

Hanging a light over the soaking to keep the little beastie warm is an excellent idea, as well.

 

[Pokeymeg]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the help, but Pistachio has passed away. He didn't even make it to the vets today.

I'm sure there were some things we could have done differently since this was our first tortoise, but in the end we did all we could.

We love him very much but sometimes it just isn't enough...Thank you for helping my boyfriend and I through our journey with little Pistachio. In the future we will definitely try again, but for now we'll grieve and remember.

RIP Pistachio

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw, darn it, Meg! I'm so sorry. No one can say for sure without a necropsy, but I just cringe when I hear that the vet gave vitamin shots.

When a little one gets sick its just real hard to pull them out of it.

 

[Utah Lynn]

I am so sorry. RIP Pestachio.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

I just can't stand it when something like this happens. We all get so involved and then we lose the animal. So sorry Meg so very sorry, but I'm not sure we could have given you any better advice. A URTI is very hard for a small baby to survive. Damn!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for the help, but Pistachio has passed away. He didn't even make it to the vets today.

I'm sure there were some things we could have done differently since this was our first tortoise, but in the end we did all we could.

We love him very much but sometimes it just isn't enough...Thank you for helping my boyfriend and I through our journey with little Pistachio. In the future we will definitely try again, but for now we'll grieve and remember.

RIP Pistachio

Truly sorry to hear this, Pokeymeg...it's never easy to lose a pet.

When you're ready to try again, consider an older tortoise (3 yoa or older)...they're never as delicate as a baby, like Pistachio, thus are better for someone starting out w/ tortoises.

Again, my condolences.