Beakys got a respiratory infection, i'm so scary she's gonna die :(

Mortifera · 19-11-2009, 01:10 PM

On weds we rushed her to the vets after a couple of days of her being quite sluggish and off her food, as when I came home I found her with her mouth wide open breathing looking laboured and bubbling coming from her mouth. Vet said her airways sound gurgly and it's likely something line pneomonia and gave her an anti biotic injection.
We went back to the vets yesterday as she hasn't improved and got some anti biotics to give her orally, only I can't get her to actually swallow or eat anything, even putting a drop in her mouth using a tiny syringe, she just spits it back out again

I feel like I'm slowly watching my baby waste away and could really do with some advice.
Were taking her back tomorrow but if she hasn't improved were going to be referred to a tort specialist, how long can she go without food for though? yesterday they weighed her again and she'd lost 3grams overnight which the vet didn't seem concerned about but I am

I gave her a bath yesterday to try and keep her hydrated but she just closed her eyes and sat there which scared me..

Anyone else had a tort with this kinda prob? how long did it take to get better? what did you do? could really use some help here I'm doing everything the vets told me but i dunno... Oh she hasn't done the laboured breathing thing which occurred on tues again, she did it weds morning but not since then...

she's a hermann's btw

**egyptiandan64** · 19-11-2009, 01:23 PM

To give oral antibiotics at that size (and the fact she's not eating) your going to have to do it by stomach tube. Thats usually a syringe with a thick metal needle thats blunt at the end.
Usually respiratory infections are cleared up in 14 days. Are you keeping Beaky 30C day and night? If you aren't you need to be. This will up Beaky's immune system and help the antibiotics work better.

Danny

Mortifera · 19-11-2009, 01:31 PM

thanks danny, ill tell the vet tomorrow the syringe just isn't cutting it, mayb I can get them to give her another injection as well. Should I just keep her heat lamp on 24/7 then? for the last couple of days she hasn't left her bed, but today I got her out and put her under the heat lamp cuz i figured keeping her warm would help.

**Bindi** · 19-11-2009, 01:53 PM

Is it a ceramic heat lamp you're using? If it is, than yes, leave it on 24/7
I'd Keep bathing her daily as with the extra heat she needs to keep hydrated. You can pop her under the heatlamp if she's hiding away, I know I did when one of mine had similar problems.
I also kept the heat up for a good couple of weeks after the course of anitbiotics was finished
I put the oral Baytril on some soaked pellets (I don't normally use them) as it was the only thing torty would eat with Baytril on

Mortifera · 19-11-2009, 02:18 PM

nope it's not ceramic it's just a bulby one

I'll keep it on for as long as possible and try keep the heating up at night in the house to try keep it warm for her at night then. What temp would you recommend doing bath water? I'm always worried I'll do it too hot but then i think it ends up being too cold, just got her on my lap atm to keep her warm from my body heat cuz she started having another gasping episode and was getting the substrate stuck in her mouth

**Bindi** · 19-11-2009, 02:52 PM

If a bulb is all you have then keep that on. It's not ideal but I had to do that for a few days until I got a ceramic one. I'd say it was essenetial to have heat at night for the ABs to work. The ceramics cost about £20 but are well worth the investment as they last for years and years.

I bathe mine in quite warm, (but not hot!) water, and change / top it up when it cools down.
What substrate are you using?

Mortifera · 19-11-2009, 03:06 PM

i'll have a look around the stores for a ceramic one then

i've got her in a bark substrate (not wood chips!) and in her bed area some stuff i got from the shelled warriors shop... hemp bedding. Got her in a warm bath right now, with a bit of reptoboost in, then ill give her a rinse with some regular water in a bit

bit worried cuz i havent noticed her going to the toilet recently, but i spose if she's not eating she wudnt need to :S

would you say my tort is gonna be ok then? something like this wont kill her?

anna m · 19-11-2009, 03:27 PM

I'm not an expert in sick tortoise care but change the hemp. Use topsoil or Readigrass. Hemp is not good news

Mortifera · 19-11-2009, 03:39 PM

oh

i didnt think hemp was bad cuz i got it off the shelled warriors shop, im off pet store shopping tomorrow so ill get some new substrate then

**Bindi** · 19-11-2009, 03:54 PM

The best substrate to use in my opinion is topsoil and playsand, 70/30 or even just topsoil. You can get this in places like B&Q.

The main thing you are getting your tort treated. Antibiotics are a wonderful thing and can turn around even the poorliest of torts. Ask your vet to give her another injection tomorrow, and keep those temperatures up

Please keep us updated on this little one

19-11-2009, 01:10 PM	#1
Mortifera Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stafford Posts: 42	Beakys got a respiratory infection, i'm so scary she's gonna die :( On weds we rushed her to the vets after a couple of days of her being quite sluggish and off her food, as when I came home I found her with her mouth wide open breathing looking laboured and bubbling coming from her mouth. Vet said her airways sound gurgly and it's likely something line pneomonia and gave her an anti biotic injection. We went back to the vets yesterday as she hasn't improved and got some anti biotics to give her orally, only I can't get her to actually swallow or eat anything, even putting a drop in her mouth using a tiny syringe, she just spits it back out again I feel like I'm slowly watching my baby waste away and could really do with some advice. Were taking her back tomorrow but if she hasn't improved were going to be referred to a tort specialist, how long can she go without food for though? yesterday they weighed her again and she'd lost 3grams overnight which the vet didn't seem concerned about but I am I gave her a bath yesterday to try and keep her hydrated but she just closed her eyes and sat there which scared me.. Anyone else had a tort with this kinda prob? how long did it take to get better? what did you do? could really use some help here I'm doing everything the vets told me but i dunno... Oh she hasn't done the laboured breathing thing which occurred on tues again, she did it weds morning but not since then... she's a hermann's btw __________________

19-11-2009, 01:23 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	To give oral antibiotics at that size (and the fact she's not eating) your going to have to do it by stomach tube. Thats usually a syringe with a thick metal needle thats blunt at the end. Usually respiratory infections are cleared up in 14 days. Are you keeping Beaky 30C day and night? If you aren't you need to be. This will up Beaky's immune system and help the antibiotics work better. Danny __________________ Last edited by egyptiandan64; 19-11-2009 at 07:28 PM.

19-11-2009, 01:31 PM	#3
Mortifera Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stafford Posts: 42	thanks danny, ill tell the vet tomorrow the syringe just isn't cutting it, mayb I can get them to give her another injection as well. Should I just keep her heat lamp on 24/7 then? for the last couple of days she hasn't left her bed, but today I got her out and put her under the heat lamp cuz i figured keeping her warm would help. __________________

19-11-2009, 01:53 PM	#4
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	Is it a ceramic heat lamp you're using? If it is, than yes, leave it on 24/7 I'd Keep bathing her daily as with the extra heat she needs to keep hydrated. You can pop her under the heatlamp if she's hiding away, I know I did when one of mine had similar problems. I also kept the heat up for a good couple of weeks after the course of anitbiotics was finished I put the oral Baytril on some soaked pellets (I don't normally use them) as it was the only thing torty would eat with Baytril on __________________ Last edited by Bindi; 19-11-2009 at 01:55 PM.

19-11-2009, 02:18 PM	#5
Mortifera Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stafford Posts: 42	nope it's not ceramic it's just a bulby one I'll keep it on for as long as possible and try keep the heating up at night in the house to try keep it warm for her at night then. What temp would you recommend doing bath water? I'm always worried I'll do it too hot but then i think it ends up being too cold, just got her on my lap atm to keep her warm from my body heat cuz she started having another gasping episode and was getting the substrate stuck in her mouth __________________

19-11-2009, 02:52 PM	#6
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	If a bulb is all you have then keep that on. It's not ideal but I had to do that for a few days until I got a ceramic one. I'd say it was essenetial to have heat at night for the ABs to work. The ceramics cost about £20 but are well worth the investment as they last for years and years. I bathe mine in quite warm, (but not hot!) water, and change / top it up when it cools down. What substrate are you using? __________________ Last edited by Bindi; 19-11-2009 at 02:56 PM.

19-11-2009, 03:06 PM	#7
Mortifera Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stafford Posts: 42	i'll have a look around the stores for a ceramic one then i've got her in a bark substrate (not wood chips!) and in her bed area some stuff i got from the shelled warriors shop... hemp bedding. Got her in a warm bath right now, with a bit of reptoboost in, then ill give her a rinse with some regular water in a bit bit worried cuz i havent noticed her going to the toilet recently, but i spose if she's not eating she wudnt need to :S would you say my tort is gonna be ok then? something like this wont kill her? __________________

19-11-2009, 03:27 PM	#8
anna m Senior Member Adult Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 4,091	I'm not an expert in sick tortoise care but change the hemp. Use topsoil or Readigrass. Hemp is not good news __________________ One by one the Penquins steal my sanity

19-11-2009, 03:39 PM	#9
Mortifera Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stafford Posts: 42	oh i didnt think hemp was bad cuz i got it off the shelled warriors shop, im off pet store shopping tomorrow so ill get some new substrate then __________________

19-11-2009, 03:54 PM	#10
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	The best substrate to use in my opinion is topsoil and playsand, 70/30 or even just topsoil. You can get this in places like B&Q. The main thing you are getting your tort treated. Antibiotics are a wonderful thing and can turn around even the poorliest of torts. Ask your vet to give her another injection tomorrow, and keep those temperatures up Please keep us updated on this little one __________________

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