# Respiratory Infection in Tortoise. Help.



## OrpheusReptile (May 15, 2016)

One of my tortoises looks to have URI. I would take it to the vet but there is none where I live, and even if I could (I would definitely take it to the vet), I do not have any money to afford one. Is there anything I can do now to keep her alive?? I would hear her make a squeak sound and then hear her cough as if there is something stuck in her throat. It sounds terrible and I just feel as if I can't do anything for her. I really really want to help her but like I said, I cannot afford a vet currently and there is none where I live.
I have read that Baytril works to help, but a lot of pages have said that you could only get it from a veterinarian but some say that you can buy it just like that.

Is there anything I can do for now just to help her? I have put her in warm water in hopes that would help but recently the weather has gotten colder (it's been going from hot to cold) and much more chillier.

But is there anything I can do to help??


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## dmmj (May 15, 2016)

if you cannot afford a vet you have to keep her warm basically 24 hours 7 days a week. And then hope she is one of the strong lucky ones that can fight it off. but a vet and antibiotics would be your best option.


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## SarahChelonoidis (May 15, 2016)

What kind of tortoise are we talking about and how are you housing it?


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## OrpheusReptile (May 15, 2016)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> What kind of tortoise are we talking about and how are you housing it?


She is a Russian tortoise. I've had her for about 4-5 years. She's been perfectly healthy until now. The weather has been changing a lot lately, one day it can be hot, another day it can be freezing. I take her inside when it's really cold (just to keep her warm) She lives outside as well. She is still quite perky even if she is showing signs of URI-for example she runs out when it's feeding time as well and devours all of her food.


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## Alexio (May 15, 2016)

What has been the average daytime high and nighttime low?


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## Tom (May 15, 2016)

OrpheusReptile said:


> She is a Russian tortoise. I've had her for about 4-5 years. She's been perfectly healthy until now. The weather has been changing a lot lately, one day it can be hot, another day it can be freezing. I take her inside when it's really cold (just to keep her warm) She lives outside as well. She is still quite perky even if she is showing signs of URI-for example she runs out when it's feeding time as well and devours all of her food.



Where are you? How many tortoises have you got?

RIs are usually to to cold temps. Especially if its cold and damp at night. Can you bring her into an indoor set up with some night heat? Usually consistently warm temps will cure an RI, if its not too far along. Keep the warm temps up for at least 2 weeks after symptoms are gone.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 15, 2016)

You can also go to a feed store like Wilco, and get a yellow powder that's terramycin for cattle. Works on tortoises too.


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## Maggie Cummings (May 15, 2016)

you soak them in it....Duramycin


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## Mina Adel (May 29, 2016)

I gave my torts cortisone but only in 0.25 % of human dose once . They become better


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## Yvonne G (May 29, 2016)

Since your tortoise still has an appetite, I wouldn't worry about medicating it. Set up an indoor habitat with lights and heat and a hiding place. Keep the tortoise indoors in that habitat until it's well, or until the weather stabilizes to warm all the time.

Keep the tortoise at around 80F degrees with a SLIGHT drop in night time temperature down to about 75F degrees. This is because it is ill and the higher temperature helps to fight off the infection.

I don't rush to medicate at the first sign of bubbles or discharge. I just pay attention and hope he gets well on his own. Quite often a nasal discharge isn't an infection, but rather the result of a stressful situation. If the discharge changes to thick and colored, that's when I get the medication.


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