# Respiratory. I used health store vaporub.



## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 22, 2017)

My CDT Crazy Eyes Funky Scutes came out of brumation on a very slow go. Nothing like years past. In SoCal, we had a weird winter. We actually were allowed rain.

My sweet boy seemed to have a good sleep. Did come out on his own a few times to check out the rain, stroll, be all bad. And went back in.

He came out for good later than his usual end of March but rather 10 days into April. And, horrors, with respiratory like symptoms. The runny nose, a loudish, to me, wheeze when I put my ear real close to his head. I know it has been said that sometimes the same symptoms can be due to stress, dust, pollen, dry. But he also was not eating like his usual ready to get go nom nom self. I did soak him daily, with carrot baby food and alternately, squash. But he was ultra sluggish.

Before making an appointment and taking him to the vet, I had a whim to use a vapo rub I used for myself a few months ago when I caught a winter time head cold. It's a healthier version of vaporub. No petroleum jelly in it. It contains instead ...

*Active Ingredients: *Natural Menthol USP 2.6%

*Inactive Ingredients: *Aloe Vera; Organic Arnica Montana Extract; Camphor; Coconut Oil; Eucalyptus Globulus; Soybean Oil; White Beeswax

It's called Zim's but there are other brands at the health food store or Trader Joe's perhaps. Natural stuff, no petroleum for me or my torties. The baby section at health food store, and some drug stores, also has some more organic, natural versions.

I put dabs on his shell, on the vertebral scutes, away from eyes or being able to rub it into his eyes, and on his plastron, in the middle. I also put some on the base of his back feet.

On us humans, vaporub on your feet, with socks before bed can help stop night time coughing. So can fresh pineapple, or pineapple juice. Works better than cough syrups, I think.

I then put my beloved boy in a cardboard box for the night and put some dabs of the stuff on the cardboard before closing. After first night, huge improvement. Oh.em.gee. He actually ate half his salad, whereas for 10 days before he would walk away. No smell, no eat I surmised. Second night, again with the dab of mentholly goop. Morning after, more good results. And all his food eaten.

I did this a 3rd night, to be sure. And done. Heeeeeee's baaaaaack. To his jolly self.

I did wash the remedy off during the day because I was still going to soak him. I used a little Dawn original blue dish soap, because they use it for wildlife after oil spills. A good rinse, prior to soaking him. We do not want to get the menthol, or other ingredients into the water where it can then go in eyes, or be ingested. So word of caution to remember that.

Sharing as my March for Science, uncompromised, home edition, with evidence based results. Any experts commenting, yay or hey knucklehead, are welcomed, of course. Whatever helps our tortoises.


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## keepergale (Apr 22, 2017)

Interesting. I don't think I would have ever recommended this treatment to anyone but I am glad it is working for you and your CDT


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 23, 2017)

keepergale said:


> Interesting. I don't think I would have ever recommended this treatment to anyone but I am glad it is working for you and your CDT



I know. It was a whim idea. I know those ingredients helped my 
plugged up nose in the winter. To be sure, I made an appointment for a check up with tests just in case there is an underlying problem. But as for no eating, sluggishness, I did get quick, surprising results which is why I thought I should share. Blown away results, actually.


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## wellington (Apr 23, 2017)

I love this. For those who can't afford a vet, this would be something to try that has already been proven to work and at least so far no side affects. Sometimes the best remedies are those without drugs. I would imagine if you had just taken him to the vet, drugs would have been the answer and well, we have seen a lot of threads about not only a long recovery but usually added symptoms after administering the drug. 
Thanks for sharing.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Apr 23, 2017)

Indeed. I am soòo not a drug person. "For every action there is an opposite reaction" weighs heavy on my mind with drug solutions.

I realize it can be comforting to get instant gratification and you value what you pay for, plus vets are schooled, experienced. I took a chance because this boy has been healthy, so the out of brumation sluggo and no wanna eat, did freak me out. I knew his weight was good. In other words, it was worth a chance. Had his health been iffy, or compromised, I would not have tried it. He is back to his usual attitudey, walk this way, self.

Hope these considerations will help someone else evaluate options is the reason I thought it would be good to share. Gopherus are sturdy folk and yet, can be so fragile, suddenly it seems. Our weather was very different, more normal So Cal from November to February, than the last 6 years of intense chemtrails that dried everything up and who knows what else, so that was a concern also. The ambient shift.


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## Greta16 (Apr 25, 2017)

What a great outcome..I'm going to make a little note of it. Thanks. ☺


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