Vets

Tabby0318

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Jun 25, 2018
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England
Hi all
Does anyone know of any vets that specialise in tortoises in the Northamptonshire area of England?

Tabby is still breathing heavy and sounds snotty. No discharge from her nose and eating well. The vet I have been taking her to have said they have done all they can for her and may need to see someone who specialises in that area.

She had a course of antibiotics and anti inflammatory. They are giving me some more anti inflammatory today as they think it is an upper respiratory infection.

Thanks
 

Blackdog1714

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What are your enclosure temps and humidity levels. While waiting to get a vet it may help to increase the temps
 

Tabby0318

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Location (City and/or State)
England
What are your enclosure temps and humidity levels. While waiting to get a vet it may help to increase the temps
Hi
She has been outside during the day. I bring her inside in the evening for sleeping. She won't sit under her lamp anymore on the colder days, but weather has been ok. I am giving her a soak everyday.
She is used to being outside for the past 20 years plus and gets stressed in her enclosure, climbing to get out.
Inside temps are 21deg upwards and humidity 45% upwards.
 

Lyn W

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Have a look at www.thetortoisetable.org.uk they have a list of tort vets in the UK so you may find one near you.
If you post pics of his enclosure members can advise on anything that may be affecting him.
e.g what bulbs are you using, what his temps are, what substrate you have etc.
It could be something easily fixed.
Is he active and eating?

Just read your last post so ignore the other questions but does he have night heat?
 

Tabby0318

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Location (City and/or State)
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Have a look at www.thetortoisetable.org.uk they have a list of tort vets in the UK so you may find one near you.
If you post pics of his enclosure members can advise on anything that may be affecting him.
e.g what bulbs are you using, what his temps are, what substrate you have etc.
It could be something easily fixed.
Is he active and eating?

Just read your last post so ignore the other questions but does he have night heat?
Hi
We are in the process of moving in the next couple of weeks, so the indoor set up for her is not ideal at the moment, but she does have a 6ftx4ft with a walkway to a 8ftx10ft (currently dismantled due to move). I use sterilised soil and she has a combined uv and heat lamp. I only use this on colder days when she can't go out, but as mentioned she climbs and gets stressed, probably because she knows she can go outside. We have had to move her sleeping box into our bedroom. We have new hmo neighbours who do a lot of drugs, so we are having to keep the window open some nights. It makes me ill, so god knows what it us doing to her. I do cover her though to stop the draught getting to her and we do have an air purifier running. I know this could be the problem with the smell of cannabis, hence why I prefer her to be outside as long as possible.

I am hoping with moving it will make a difference, but it is whether she needs a boost to help her fight it.
 

Tabby0318

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Messages
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Location (City and/or State)
England
Hi
We are in the process of moving in the next couple of weeks, so the indoor set up for her is not ideal at the moment, but she does have a 6ftx4ft with a walkway to a 8ftx10ft (currently dismantled due to move). I use sterilised soil and she has a combined uv and heat lamp. I only use this on colder days when she can't go out, but as mentioned she climbs and gets stressed, probably because she knows she can go outside. We have had to move her sleeping box into our bedroom. We have new hmo neighbours who do a lot of drugs, so we are having to keep the window open some nights. It makes me ill, so god knows what it us doing to her. I do cover her though to stop the draught getting to her and we do have an air purifier running. I know this could be the problem with the smell of cannabis, hence why I prefer her to be outside as long as possible.

I am hoping with moving it will make a difference, but it is whether she needs a boost to help her fight it.
Also, I have looked on the Tortoise Table, Bedford are not taking new clients and their specialist has left the practice, will try the Milton Keynes one, but then next nearest is Cambridge.

She is active (although she has had a lay in this morning, just woke up), and still eating me out if house and home.
 

Lyn W

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The Leics Tortoise Society have their own website and while a lot of tort info given on Facebook is old and out of date I think you could contact them via FB to ask them what vets they can recommend.
There is also this - http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/vetscorner/vetlist - you may have to be travel a bit further afield to find a good tort vet though.
It's good she's still eating and active but I think that while your tort is ill I would add a CHE run through a thermostat at night to keep her temps up and even. It will certainly help.
 

Tabby0318

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Location (City and/or State)
England
The Leics Tortoise Society have their own website and while a lot of tort info given on Facebook is old and out of date I think you could contact them via FB to ask them what vets they can recommend.
There is also this - http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/vetscorner/vetlist - you may have to be travel a bit further afield to find a good tort vet though.
It's good she's still eating and active but I think that while your tort is ill I would add a CHE run through a thermostat at night to keep her temps up and even. It will certainly help.
Thanks I'll have a look this evening.

I was looking at some heating options as she will have her own little shed when we move. I'll have another look this evening, but if you have any that you can recommend?
 

Mimimo

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Jan 22, 2021
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Location (City and/or State)
london
Hi all
Does anyone know of any vets that specialise in tortoises in the Northamptonshire area of England?

Tabby is still breathing heavy and sounds snotty. No discharge from her nose and eating well. The vet I have been taking her to have said they have done all they can for her and may need to see someone who specialises in that area.

She had a course of antibiotics and anti inflammatory. They are giving me some more anti inflammatory today as they think it is an upper respiratory infection.

Thanks
Chine house vets Loughborough and Acorrn House Vets hospital come highly revommended
 

Sarah2020

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UK temperature has not been that hot so whilst warm not continuous heat for a tortoise plus lots of rain! Please share the species and read the care sheet to check temp and environment settings. I think a week inside with correct temp. Diet and light will help you resolve. They like to dig and if they can see out that can cause stress so blank out lower 3 inches to avoid them seeing out and see if that helps. Feel free to share env pics for feedback.
 

Tabby0318

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5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
81
Location (City and/or State)
England
UK temperature has not been that hot so whilst warm not continuous heat for a tortoise plus lots of rain! Please share the species and read the care sheet to check temp and environment settings. I think a week inside with correct temp. Diet and light will help you resolve. They like to dig and if they can see out that can cause stress so blank out lower 3 inches to avoid them seeing out and see if that helps. Feel free to share env pics for feedback.
Thanks. She is quite old now. Greek spur-thigh. I put her outside when it is warm and sunny, and check the weather every morning. I am working from home so I do keep an eye on her and bring her in when temps drop or if it rains. She has a big rubber tub for shelter in the garden and it keeps the heat in. She did sit under her lamp for an hour this afternoon. I had the window closed last night and her breathing was better this morning. She has a good diet, mallows, mimulus, campanula, dandelions, ribwort, hibiscus and evening primrose when they flower, loads of others in the garden that she is not fussed about, like london pride, hebes, aquilegia, diascia. I top up with kale, spring greens, lambs lettuce and romaine lettuce if she needs even more.

She is too big for the glass enclosures. We made her a wooden one 6ft x 4ft when we first got her and then realised after about a week it was way too small so made a bigger one and joined them together. One is 2ft high, the other 3ft, So she can't see out.
She had been living in the garden for over 10 years before we got her, so she knows there is a bigger world out there lol.

I am looking at getting a che as I think she gets enough uv when she is outside.
 

Tabby0318

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Jun 25, 2018
Messages
81
Location (City and/or State)
England
Hi all

Update on Tabby. She has been to Chine House in Leicester today. Her nose is clear, the xrays were clear, blood tests normal and he said she is in good health. The only thing he found was on the scan and her ovaries are slightly enlarged, and she could be in the process of producing eggs. She will need another scan in 6 weeks to check if they have gone back to normal.

I am very relieved she is ok and thanks to everyone for all the advice.

?
 

Sarah2020

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Hi all

Update on Tabby. She has been to Chine House in Leicester today. Her nose is clear, the xrays were clear, blood tests normal and he said she is in good health. The only thing he found was on the scan and her ovaries are slightly enlarged, and she could be in the process of producing eggs. She will need another scan in 6 weeks to check if they have gone back to normal.

I am very relieved she is ok and thanks to everyone for all the advice.

?
Great news here is a care sheet for this species maybe good to cross check settings etc...
 

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