Constipation

Sammysale · 22-02-2014, 10:17 AM

Hi everyone, I think my 6 year old Herman's is constipated, she's never had a problem before, her poo is always first thing to come out in a bath, soft and huge lol, but last night she was definitely uncomfortable, straining, almost looked like increased respiratory effort and then finally a small, dark green, hard poo came out, nowhere near the size she usually does. Am I right in thinking lactulose and 3 warm baths a day, with some cucumber added to her food should help? Could it be eggs at 6 yrs old? Or bladder stones? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

burnt toast · 22-02-2014, 10:24 AM

Yes it is a possibility it might be the other things you mentioned. How big is she? Has she always been kept alone? Whats her diet like? An x ray will tell you if its either a stone or eggs. In mean time as you say plenty of baths and yes I have used lactulose to help a constipated MBD tort but it doesnt work very quickly.

Sammysale · 22-02-2014, 10:34 AM

She has been with her full sister since hatching, until last year when I unfortunately lost Xena to bacterial pneumonia

Athena was also xrayed and checked out and she is fine, (the vet grilled me on husbandry and couldn't find fault so it wasn't temps or poor diet that caused the pneumonia). So Athena has only been on her own just over a year. She has a mix of weeds and plants from shelled warriors shop but over winter has more florette crispy salad as weeds not growing, some cucumber and occasional carrot to try to get water in her (as she went through a phase of refusing to drink shortly after Xena died). She is 740g but only 164mm long, she is a BIG girl, Xena was half her size and the vet said she's just big, but she's not pyramiding I'd like to add.

Suze65 · 22-02-2014, 10:50 AM

An X-ray will also show if she is constipated, I had a small one very constipated a year ago, and it showed up on the X-ray. Plenty of warm baths, lactulose, and if needs be , warm water enimas with a tiny syringe up the tail.

burnt toast · 22-02-2014, 11:06 AM

I doubt it would be eggs then. You can also squirt some oil in her tail with a syringe without needle, this will soten up dry hardened matter to help shift things.

Sammysale · 22-02-2014, 12:23 PM

Thank you both I will try all of this and if still nothing it'll be a trip to the vets. Fingers crossed

22-02-2014, 10:17 AM	#1
Sammysale Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northampton/Liverpool Posts: 265	Constipation Hi everyone, I think my 6 year old Herman's is constipated, she's never had a problem before, her poo is always first thing to come out in a bath, soft and huge lol, but last night she was definitely uncomfortable, straining, almost looked like increased respiratory effort and then finally a small, dark green, hard poo came out, nowhere near the size she usually does. Am I right in thinking lactulose and 3 warm baths a day, with some cucumber added to her food should help? Could it be eggs at 6 yrs old? Or bladder stones? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. __________________ xSammyx 1.1.0 horses, 2.1.0 cats, 1.0.0 dog, 0.0.2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri.

22-02-2014, 10:34 AM	#3
Sammysale Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northampton/Liverpool Posts: 265	She has been with her full sister since hatching, until last year when I unfortunately lost Xena to bacterial pneumonia Athena was also xrayed and checked out and she is fine, (the vet grilled me on husbandry and couldn't find fault so it wasn't temps or poor diet that caused the pneumonia). So Athena has only been on her own just over a year. She has a mix of weeds and plants from shelled warriors shop but over winter has more florette crispy salad as weeds not growing, some cucumber and occasional carrot to try to get water in her (as she went through a phase of refusing to drink shortly after Xena died). She is 740g but only 164mm long, she is a BIG girl, Xena was half her size and the vet said she's just big, but she's not pyramiding I'd like to add. __________________ xSammyx 1.1.0 horses, 2.1.0 cats, 1.0.0 dog, 0.0.2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri.

22-02-2014, 10:50 AM	#4
Suze65 Senior Member Adult Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,769	An X-ray will also show if she is constipated, I had a small one very constipated a year ago, and it showed up on the X-ray. Plenty of warm baths, lactulose, and if needs be , warm water enimas with a tiny syringe up the tail. __________________ Suze. 3 THB, Sammy, Jemima, & Phoebe 7 Marginated, Tabitha, Ptolome, Tatiana, Noah,Lottey, Lulu & Poppy 1 TGG (Emma) RIP Feb 2012

22-02-2014, 12:23 PM	#6
Sammysale Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northampton/Liverpool Posts: 265	Thank you both I will try all of this and if still nothing it'll be a trip to the vets. Fingers crossed __________________ xSammyx 1.1.0 horses, 2.1.0 cats, 1.0.0 dog, 0.0.2 Testudo hermanni boettgeri.

22-02-2014, 10:24 AM	#2
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,246	Yes it is a possibility it might be the other things you mentioned. How big is she? Has she always been kept alone? Whats her diet like? An x ray will tell you if its either a stone or eggs. In mean time as you say plenty of baths and yes I have used lactulose to help a constipated MBD tort but it doesnt work very quickly.

22-02-2014, 11:06 AM	#5
burnt toast Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 5,246	I doubt it would be eggs then. You can also squirt some oil in her tail with a syringe without needle, this will soten up dry hardened matter to help shift things.

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