My big girl is not eating :(

[burnt toast]

Also hankaro you could add abidec to her daily baths to try and support her a bit while she isnt eating . I hope you get some progress soon

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by egyptiandan64

Flagyl is not an antibiotic, it's an antiprotozoal

Danny

I don't think my vet would be willing to believe that!

From wiki:
"Metronidazole (AAN, BAN, INN, USAN) /mɛtrəˈnaɪdəzoʊl/ (Flagyl and others) is a nitroimidazole antibiotic medication used particularly for anaerobic bacteria and protozoa. Metronidazole is an antibacterial against anaerobic organisms, amoebicide and antiprotozoal.[3] It is the drug of choice for first episodes of mild-to-moderate Clostridium difficile infection.[4] "

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by burnt toast

Also hankaro you could add abidec to her daily baths to try and support her a bit while she isnt eating . I hope you get some progress soon

I am trying abidec. But thank you.

[johnre14]

Originally Posted by Hanako

I don't think my vet would be willing to believe that!

From wiki:
"Metronidazole (AAN, BAN, INN, USAN) /mɛtrəˈnaɪdəzoʊl/ (Flagyl and others) is a nitroimidazole antibiotic medication used particularly for anaerobic bacteria and protozoa. Metronidazole is an antibacterial against anaerobic organisms, amoebicide and antiprotozoal.[3] It is the drug of choice for first episodes of mild-to-moderate Clostridium difficile infection.[4] "

You and becciwales are very correct, flagyl (metronidazole) most definitely IS an antibiotic!! It just happens to have antiprotozoal activity.

Hence why it's not a good idea to just go dosing any animal that 'might' have a protozoal infection with little to no evidence that they do..... Worst case scenario, it will do more harm than good, by killing off what little beneficial bacteria the tortoise may have left. Also, as with most drugs, it can have side effects... Especially of concern in Chelonia when we don't fully understand/know the adverse effects of many drugs.

[johnre14]

Oh also, you can sometimes get enough of a faecal sample, for examination under a microscope, by swabbing within the cloaca.... You could ask your vet to do this for you. This can so sometimes stimulate them to pass something too Incidentally, is your tortoise producing urine?

Again wishing you the best of luck with your little one.

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by johnre14

Oh also, you can sometimes get enough of a faecal sample, for examination under a microscope, by swabbing within the cloaca.... You could ask your vet to do this for you. This can so sometimes stimulate them to pass something too Incidentally, is your tortoise producing urine?

Again wishing you the best of luck with your little one.

It is not really little one, it is my oldest girl! The one that gave me babies!

I am going back to Vet on Monday. Blood test will be done and I think I will insist on the Flagyl.

No, my tortoise is not producing urine any more.

[alley cat]

I think I would try to get another appointment asap (def before the weekend) to get the bloods and cloaca swab done, get the results of that before doing anything else fingers crossed for her.

[emma_mcraf]

I'd get her seen before next week too, especially as she's not passing any urine. If the baths, reptoboost, abidec, etc aren't helping, it's probably time to get the swabs and tests underway. I would have thought time is of the essence here now.
Thinking of you and wishing your big girl all the very best.

[pagan queen]

Any news Hana?

[Hanako]

No news. I went to vet on Monday; she had blood test and got the flagyl through tube into her stomach. The weight loss continues so I returned to vet today and asked for some liquid to be injected because she is very dehydrated (she hasn't been drinking now for a few weeks). While she is there, they will feed her for me with critical care formula (again through tube to her stomach). I am giving her bath twice a day in it, but as she is not drinking, it doesn't seem she is getting much in. So it hopefully help her to get it into her stomach. Blood tests results are not available yet.

I am not sure what the next step will be. I can't keep going there every day so that they can feed her through tube in her mouth, but what is the alternative? I had one tortoise with a tube inserted through her neck, which was done like real operation under general anestetics, and within a few days (2-3 days) the tortoise pulled the tube out with a bit of her neck! The tube was stitched to her skin and she ripped it off! So then the tortoise was not only ill, but also had an open wound on her neck! I am not sure if I want to go this route with this tortoise. It was wasted £700 and it must have been pretty painful to have a wound on her neck. (the tortoise eventually survived thanks to nebuliser. This one has something else wrong with her and nebuliser did not help). I don't really know what we will do. We will see what the blood test reveal. In any case the antibiotics should start working soon.