# vet visit



## Yvonne G (Jun 2, 2011)

Well, I took female desert tortoise, rescue #18, to the vet this a.m. to the tune of $150.

She was brought to me a couple weeks ago. They found her off the street in a vacant lot near one of the busiest intersections in Fresno, took her home and soon realized that there was something wrong with her. I think they said they had her about 2 weeks. 

She doesn't move. She seems to have strength in her arms and legs, her eyes are open and clear, but she doesn't move. When my neighbor was watching my animals last week for me he noticed that she carries her head off to one side and if you move it to center, it goes back to the side.

Vet took X-rays and there are no eggs or stones. She feels its something neurological. She suggests tube feeding and sunshine, and just see if she can heal naturally.


----------



## DeanS (Jun 2, 2011)

Good luck Yvonne...she's a good lookin' animal! Please keep us posted


----------



## DixieParadise (Jun 2, 2011)

Yvonne, you have the healing touch and patience. Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## dmmj (Jun 2, 2011)

I would also think neurological based on the way she carries her head, she may have received a hit or injury, was she like this at her old place?


----------



## Yvonne G (Jun 2, 2011)

Since she was found near an extremely busy intersection, I'm thinking that she might have fallen out of a car or truck and landed on her head or something like that.

I usually advertise to find owners of found/lost tortoises, but since this one is not well, I haven't advertised. We don't know anything about where she came from.


----------



## Fernando (Jun 2, 2011)

Good luck! Great looking tortoise


----------



## dmarcus (Jun 2, 2011)

Very good looking tortoise, hope everything works out..


----------



## ascott (Jun 2, 2011)

Yvonne she is a looker ...and so what if she is a little slow...what she lacks in wit she makes up for in looks :} 
I have a male that I have to take to the vet tomorrow (eeeek) I have never taken a tortoise to the vet...I have so far been able to take care myself....this is the tortoise we call "our old man" he was kept by a friend of mine who was not very attentive..sad to say...the old man was dropped of with my friend where we use to work...a neighbor found him dead wedged under their wood fence in a brand new housing track being built..when he was dropped of his eyesight was poor and he had a bump on the side of his head...small but there...we went to a tortoise club meeting with the old man in tow...we hoped one of the more experienced members would take a look...which they did a.d said that since he looks older a.d he is eating and doing all the things he is suppose to it would be better to leave him be....on top of thaat my friend is a believer that nature should be left to take its course...no vet. Well time has passed..friend moved out of state...the old man was turned over to me...sooooo...this took place right as he was set for box time for winter sleep....bump still appeared same..no bigger no smaller...well with the crazy weather...warm cold warm cold....he was not outside alot...well the last couple of weeks he has been enjoying his outdoor enclosure and I began to notice that within a couple of days the bump grew...he is still acting normal..so I called and set up vet appt for Monday...well in one day it has enlarged even more..so I called vet and moved appt to tomorrow....please wish our old man well for his visit...they said it is going to likely be an infection or tumor...they said they will examin and if needed will do a fine needle extraction from the lump...I sure hope he is going to have a workable diagnosis.....


----------



## Yvonne G (Jun 3, 2011)

Its probably an ear abscess. Happens all the time and is quite common. However, they don't go away by themselves. You have to excise it. What you see on the outside is also on the inside, and the bigger it gets, it makes it hard for the tortoise to swallow. What kind of tortoise is it?


----------



## Angi (Jun 3, 2011)

I would think vets would give you some type of rescue discount. Are you a non profit? If so couldn't they use your visits as tax write offs? If you have a tax ID number you can make a receipt for them. I do it all the time for baseball and the school.
I am so glad there are people like you in the world to help these animals in need. If I ever hit the lotto you will be one of my first donations.


----------



## ascott (Jun 3, 2011)

Hi Yvonne....I just realized I am still learning how to best navigate on the site and sooo did not mean to cut in on your thread  he is a Ca Desert Tortoise ....and I would also like to ad....if I win the lotto I too will be donating toyou and your rescue efforts


----------



## Yvonne G (Jun 3, 2011)

I know the gal who used to be a vet at our local zoo for 20 years. She is now in private practice as a mobile vet, and she sometimes fills in for vacationing vets. When she is filling in at an office, I can take animals in for X-rays, but the fee is according to whichever office she happens to be working in. If she comes to my house and treats one of my animals, she usually only charges me what the supplies cost her...never for her labor.


----------



## Isa (Jun 3, 2011)

Poor tortoise  How sad! Some people are just so stupid! I am so glad she is in good hands! Good luck and please keep us updated.


----------



## RV's mom (Jun 4, 2011)

good luck and keep us updated. 

you have a gift..

teri


----------



## CtTortoiseMom (Jun 4, 2011)

It must be in the genes! You and your sister amaze me! Best of luck with her.


----------

