# URI Season is here. What to look out for!



## tortadise (Oct 20, 2012)

Well folks its that time of year where the outside living is about wrapped up or has been wrapped up, depending where you live.

This time of year and that goes for spring time too. We see alot of proud tortoise owners here on the forum wondering why their little or big tortoise is showing signs of symptoms never seen before.

*1.Blowing Bubbles from nasal area or mouth.

2.Excessive wheezing.

3.Swollen Eyes.

4.Dehydration.

5.Lethargy.*

Well most all of these symptoms above are very good signs of an Upper Respiratory Infection in your tortoise. 

What is an Upper Respiratory Infection?
According to Merck(Veterinarians Manual for ailments and treatments)
This is the definition of an Upper Respirartory Infection.

_Upper Respiratory Infections are common; the incidence can be influenced by respiratory or systemic parasitism, unfavorable environmental temperatures, unsanitary conditions, concurrent disease, malnutrition, and hypovitaminosis A. Open-mouth breathing, nasal discharge, and dyspnea are frequent signs. Aeromonas and Pseudomonas spp are frequently isolated, but many respiratory infections are mixed. Septicemia may develop in severe or prolonged cases. Treatment consists of improving husbandry and initiating systemic antibiotics. Nebulization therapy with antibiotics diluted in saline, in combination with acetylcysteine, has been used together with parenteral antibiotics to treat bacterial pneumonia. Reptiles with respiratory infections should be maintained at the mid to upper end of their preferred optimal temperatures. Increased temperatures are important not only to stimulate the immune system but also to help mobilize respiratory secretions. Turtles often have an underlying vitamin A deficiency, and supplementation at 200 IU/kg, IM, should be given once a week for 2 wk if needed. Many turtles treated for pneumonia fail to improve until after treatment for vitamin A deficiency. _

So all in all by Mercks Veterinary manual we can know exactly what it is. I would like to point out some methods used that have seen successful results in treating these issues with your tortoise without the consultation of vet or antibiotics administered by a licensed DVM(Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)
*
Disclaimer*
I will say that I am not a DVM and in no way assume responsibility in these results as a form of diagnosis, treatment, or proven result of any sort. Please as an experianced reptile enthuss use your own judgement if your animal has signs of these ailments. Also is a table attached on this link of Medicines used for specific bacterial issues. If you may need the source of doing research before consulting a vet and they are administering the correct antibiotic you can check this chart. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/texl15.htm


*Methods used at our facilities to treat or rid of Bacterial Respiratory Infection*

In the explanation of the definition it clearly states that one cause is; unfavorable environmental temperatures are a cause of this infection. Most times or not this time of year is when this cause is elevated at a higher percentage of seeing symptoms. 

To correct this issue here at our facilities (if RI is present) We sustain the minumum temperature(depending on species requirments) to 15-20% higher than the lowest comfortable temperature for that species. This temp will remain the control to be the lowest temperature the entire will remain at MINIMUM for at least 4-6 weeks or until symptoms have subsided. The reason we use 15-20% is to keep a comfortable level for any tortoise that gets this infection. Also the higher elevated temps can cause more dehydration and expeditite the negative symptoms of this infection.

Keep your tortoise very hydrated. Soaks every day in warm water. About 93 degrees F remove tortoise from the water once temp has reached the MINIMUM level that is being kept in its enclosure. The key here to not allow any temperature flucuation.

Vitamins. Also when soaking you can utilize a number of things to boost or suppliment possible lack or thereof minerals, and vitamin levels that may be subject to helping boost the immune system and overcome this infection. You can use canned carrots, canned pumkin, canned yellow squash, or even bird vitamin formula in the water your going to soak him in every day. These vitamins or suppliments can be used every day or every other day.

Another key element is substrate temperatures, and moisture. Humidity is not all that much of a problem. Its getting the humidity inside the enclosure that can pose the problem. Most of us have to spray the enclosure with warm water to boost levels of humidity for our tortoises. Well its very crucial to keep a probe thermometer on hand, and especially if your already in treatment remedies of your tortoise. The temperature of the substrate can play a major factor when dealing with RI. If the ambient temperature is reading 85 in the enclosure well the substrate may be much cooler because of the time the enclosure was misted or sprayed. I am not recommending to stop spraying. What you need to do is spray with thought. If your spraying the enclosure late at night and the temps lower in the house as well as in the enclosure this will make things unsettling for your tort(s) by dropping the temps drastically and them right back up again to much warmer temps during the day. Spray more around times of warmer time of day or middle of the day, so you know the substrate will be dry and hold a nice steady temperature throughout the night. Also you can use an under tank heat pad to help with not keeping the substrate wet, and cool. If the substrate is wet but warm and the temperature is double checked then their should be no problems.

Sorry its very long and informative. I just wanted to try and help everyone out around this time of year seeing lots and lots of bubbles, wheezing, lethargy, and lack of appetite.


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## tortadise (Oct 20, 2012)

Depends on the clinic. usually vet visits are going to run an Examination which can be $50-100, administering medication (if needed) $10-150 depending on what is prescibed. I would ball park around $150 on upwards. Some vets might want to take an X-ray which is usually $100, as well different needs perhaps. Just all depends on the clinic and what is needed. Each clinic has different prices.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Oct 21, 2012)

cmitch said:


> *how much on average would you say a vet visit and antibiotics would be for uri just want to be prepared in case*



*If x-rays, blood work, and a culture is completed it can get expensive. We recently had a vet visit on one of our females with similar symptoms. The vet did a physical exam, x-ray, blood work, and prescribed one medication. The bill was $580, and that did not include the culture, we had already done that and brought the lab results to the vet with us.*


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