# Redfoot rescue has a cut on his head, tips on treatment?



## pockets (Oct 12, 2013)

This is my first time posting, I apologize if I make any mistakes!

I rescued my tort when (s)he was about 6 months old. (S)he is now around two years-old. Although (s)he is biologically female, we have been inattentive with correcting pronouns and thus will refer to them as "he".

Dmitry (nicknamed Dima) was in terrible condition when we rescued him. Severe pyramiding, lethargy, indigestion and unhealthy stools, soft shell, cracked/bleeding skin, etc. His health was so sensitive that any and all substrate we used would irritate his eyes and skin. We tried cypress mulch, Eco-Earth, sphagnum moss, and a whole myriad of other combinations. We even purchased substrate from reptile conventions used especially for sensitive torts. Because of this, he is a free-roaming tort. His health has vastly improved since we made the change, his pyramiding has improved as he grew larger (they used to look enormous on his tiny body, now they have flattened out a great deal). He is extremely active and happy, we always find him running around the kitchen waiting for his next meal. Heat and humidity is kept at high levels for his comfort.

About two weeks ago, Dima scraped his head on a sharp branch or rock while he was grazing outside. Bleeding was minimal and stopped pretty quickly. However, the cut is located exactly where his head meets the softer flesh on his neck, meaning any time he extends his neck, the wound stretches and occasionally reopens. The exposed tissue is a healthy pink color, but there are some scabs around it that worry me. His behavior has not changed at all, he is just as active as he always is, he's always willing to eat and finishes his meals, he has no problems pooping, and he seems happy in general.

I've done some research and there seems to be many different approaches to treating injuries. Some people suggest soaking the tort in betadine diluted with water, while others suggest swabbing the wound with betadine directly. Some people disapprove of applying Neosporin to wounds, while others encourage it.

He's on a little adventure outdoors right now, but I will provide pictures if necessary. How exactly should I treat his wound? Should I keep up the heat and humidity or should I lower it to prevent infection?


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## wellington (Oct 12, 2013)

Hello and Welcome . It may help if we could see a pic. Maybe when he's done being outside you could snap one.


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## pockets (Oct 12, 2013)

wellington said:


> Hello and Welcome . It may help if we could see a pic. Maybe when he's done being outside you could snap one.



This was the best I could do during snacktime. 

The actual wound is pink, the surrounding tissue appears to be dead skin/scabbing. It is lighter in the photograph because he just had a soak, much like how scabs on humans become lighter when soaked in water. There is no discharge or foul smell and the wound does not seem to be irritating him (no scratching, pawing, or rubbing against other objects).


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## wellington (Oct 12, 2013)

I am not real sure if you should put anything on it. Until someone with more experience with tort cuts comes along, I would just keep it clean and keep and eye on it for anything changing for the worse.


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Oct 12, 2013)

Vet tech here! [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]

Light scrub with betadine solution and a soft toothbrush daily. Keep clean. Do not use any NeoSporin like product. Just keep clean and dry. It will take a long time to heal. 


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!


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## Yvonne G (Oct 12, 2013)

You shouldn't use Betadine any more than one time. The product inhibits the growth of new cells.

This is a bad spot to get healed, as you've found out, because every time the tortoise extends his neck or pulls into his shell he re-opens it. I was going to suggest that you keep it lubricated with something like Neosporin until I read Sandy's post. I would like to know the reasoning behind not using Neosporin. In my way of thinking, it will keep the wound supple and not allow a hard scab to form, thus making it easier on the stretching skin to avoid breaking open all the time.

...oh, and...welcome to the Forum!


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## nate.mann (Oct 12, 2013)

welcome to the forum. sounds like youre doing a good job. im curious, you said hes a free-roaming tort, but is kept hot and humid? is your house kept like that? im also curious as to why neosporin is not suggested, many people here on the forum use it. 


0.1.0 Sonoran Desert Tortoise
0.0.1 Leopard Tortoise
1.0.0 Bluenose Pitbull/American Bulldog


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Oct 12, 2013)

New veterinary studies show it delays wound healing, especially deeper wounds, and can be cytotoxic at various epithelial layers.
Betadine solution is safe, and I've never heard of it delaying wound healing. 20+ years of using it and Chlorhex directly in wounds, including chronic cases.
Betadine full strength is irritating. You might be thinking of betadine scrub, which should not be used in wounds. Stick with betadine solution and dilute it, tea color. 


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!


I guess I should clarify that NeoSporin ointments work well on superficial wounds...scrapes and abrasions. 

Betadine solutions will kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Much broader spectrum, gentle on deep wounds.

[SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!


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## pockets (Oct 12, 2013)

We're picking up some betadine to disinfect the cut for now, since he isn't exactly in a bactera-free environment. After all, he does like going outside. 

As I take it, the betadine solution should be diluted with water. I'm a bit concerned about scrubbing the cut with a toothbrush, would a cotton swab suffice? It sounds painful to use a toothbrush, no matter how soft it is. I wouldn't want to cause him any discomfort. I'm also still conflicted about the Neosporin, but my purpose for considering it is that it lubricates the skin and prevents the cut from cracking open again. Is there anything safe to substitute Neosporin with? Something like Vaseline?

@nate.mann
He knows his way around the house, so he goes to different rooms depending on his needs. We have humidifiers and heaters in every room, but some rooms are kept hotter/more humid than others. I have dry skin, so he sleeps in my room where the humidity is higher. My bathroom is kept very, very humid for him to go to if he's feeling dry. He's a very resourceful tort, he hangs around while people shower or run the bath water so he can walk around in the mist. We know we can't keep the humidity as high as he'd like all the time, so we soak him more often than other torts to help him retain moisture. We live in Southern California, so most of the year is hot enough for him to spend the day outside and then spend the night by the heat lamps/humidifiers. It works!


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Oct 12, 2013)

Cotton is ok, just watch for bits of fuzz that stay behind. A baby toothbrush is crazy soft, I can't see th wound very well in the pic, so you are a better judge.

I want to see active "scrubbing" for lack of a gentler term, because it does several things. It removes the dirt, dead cells, and organisms (medically termed debridement). It also stimulates blood flow and encourages wound healing. I could nerd out on everyone and discuss the Kreb's Cycle, but I will spare you the boring classroom lecture. LOL

not all wounds benefit from being moist, rather most need to air out, scab, then scab needs to be removed and skin cleansed again. I would rather see you buy a bottle of physiological saline (0.9% sodium chloride) and moisten it with that, since I can't see the wound myself.

You can irrigate it however many times you like daily. Again, it will flush debris, inhibit most bacterial and fungal growth, and is totally safe on raw tissue and epithelium.

NeoSporin definitely won't hurt. But there is a lot of new studies coming from mostly UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine stating it's not as fantastic as we though. Compelling arguments. I need to find some studies and post. We've stopped using it all together in our hospital.

Betadine is 4:1 
1 part betadine, 4 parts water.
If the baby tooth brush makes you nervous, then try a curved tip syringe. Pharmacist can probably sell you one, if not, stop at a feed store like Wilco and get a 20mL syringes and an 18g needle. That creates something like 15psi pressure to blast the wound and stimulate cells.

I do that a millions times a day. [GRINNING FACE WITH SMILING EYES]


-------
Sandy
Oregon-Washington Tortoise Rescue

Mo the Sulcata (4.8 lbs)
Oliver the Sulcata (50 lbs)
Larry the Jordanian Greek
Curly the Eastern Hermanni
....baby Sulcata Franklin on the way!
Lola the Basenji
Dexter the Basenji
John the boyfriend stuck in Kansas...so I get more tortoises!


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## Sulcata_Sandy (Oct 17, 2013)

How's the wound?


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## pockets (Oct 20, 2013)

Thanks for all the help, guys!

Dima's wound has almost completely gone! I only used betadine once (and I used a baby toothbrush instead of a cotton swab, despite my concerns). It had improved by the next day, so I didn't fuss with it any more.

All that remains is scar tissue. No more pinkness, bleeding, or scabbing. I suspect it will disappear once it is fully recovered. I've been making sure his skin is well-hydrated so the wound will not reopen due to dryness.

Unfortunately, he is suffering from a different ailment now, and no vet is available today. Here is the link:

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-81576.html

I'd greatly appreciate some more help!


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