Eyes

[Merlin M]

Try going in wearing sunglasses!

[Mighty_Quinn]

Been to the vets and been given clinagel a broad-spectrum antimicrobial eye gel, he is to go back next friday to see how it is doing. fingers crossed!!

[Mighty_Quinn]

soooooooo the clinagel seems to be making a very little amount of difference to Quinns eyes, was back at the vets on Friday and he thought there was a weep from his nostril that might be RNS, but im not 100% convinced (because - Quinn hadn't been eating all week, not seeing properly i think, so just before his trip to the vet i had put him in a small box with romanie lettuce and started hand feeding him and then he dug in himself for about 20 minutes so i think it was possibly from eating), the vet gave me Baytril antibiotics to give him orally once a day - Gee thats a challange and a half!!! got to give him 0.01mls through a wee syringe!! how the hell do you get a mouth open on a head that is smaller than a babies little finger!! waiting on him yawning has me yawning!!

Hopefully this Baytril gets in his system and makes him feel better and gets those eyes as clear as they should be!!

[Easter Bunny]

Aww, poor Quinn hope he gets better soon.

If he is eating could you offer him a bit of food and when he opens his mouth squirt the medication in quick? Bet it must be difficult x

[Mighty_Quinn]

First two days giving him oral antibiotics went fine, day three and 1.5hrs later and no success, he has realised that if im near him and he opens his mouth then i'll put some yucky liquid in. Stumped as what to do as he wont eat, wont yawn, tried the cotton buds at side of mouth and that mouth is jammed shut!! GGRRRRRRR!!!

[Ozric Jonathan]

My partner has tiny fingers and can open a very small tortoise jaw safely. Once the jaw is open a small amount, I slide a cocktail stick across the jaw and it is then held open. The medication can be put in with the tortoise upright so it goes right down. Once it is down the stick can be removed.

This method is not for everyone but it does work. Obviously care has to be taken if the jaw is being manually opened like this but we have done it many times and never caused any problem. It's more distressing for the human than it is for the tortoise.

[Mighty_Quinn]

Can he come to Scotland and help me! This isn't working :'(

[Mighty_Quinn]

Well again yesterday a good hour trying and failing at getting Quinn to open his mouth, he must be a clever little bugg*r as he learned so quick what i was doing when he yawned or did his wee open mouth chirp type thing he does. tried peas, lettuce, butternut squash, cotton buds but he has it clamped shut!!! Think i best phone vet but not sure what he will say as he didnt seem keen on giving him an injection.

[Mighty_Quinn]

Off back to the vets tonight. This will be interesting!!

[Ozric Jonathan]

Hi there

Baytril can be injected and from one point of view this is the best way to administer it. But that's no use if your vet isn't keen to do it.

It sounds to me like your vet has decided to use an antibiotic without being sure what is wrong. But it's probably true that the baytril might sort it out, similar to the way that GP's used to prescribe antibiotics to human beings.

I'm wondering if your vet would be able to administer this baytril by mouth themselves? Possibly not and in any case that is no use for daily dosing.

One option would be to try a different vet. The Small animal hospital at the Royal Dick Vet School has an exotics section and several vets there know a lot about tortoises specifically. You might want to consider them if you are really worried about Quinn and don't feel you are making progress with your vet.