# Pseudomonas!?



## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

So I just got off the phone with the vet. She said the culture came back saying Gunther has pseudomonas. She said to treat it he will need injections for 14 days. What is your thought on this and what do you know about this infection? You can read more about him under my thread "HELP! I think he is sick!". Should i do what the vet says? Any input would help. Any expierences with this...


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

Anyone? Info on what I should do?!


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## tortadise (Nov 21, 2012)

If the culture came back positive for psuedomonas, antibiotics are the only thing to clear that. What injections did the vet recommend to use?


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

tortadise said:


> If the culture came back positive for psuedomonas, antibiotics are the only thing to clear that. What injections did the vet recommend to use?



I dont remember. She said she would call me when she had it ready.


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## kathyth (Nov 21, 2012)

In human health pseudomonas is often a hospital acquired infection. It definitely requires antibiotics.
Thats all I know.

If this is a vet known to treat tortoises I would personally go with it, especially being the result of a culture and not a guess.

Good luck[/align]


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

kathyth said:


> In human health pseudomonas is often a hospital acquired infection. It definitely requires antibiotics.
> Thats all I know.
> 
> If this is a vet known to treat tortoises I would personally go with it, especially being the result of a culture and not a guess.
> ...



Ok. Thanks. I just know a lot of ppl have said dont do shots. So i was skeptical.


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## Laura (Nov 21, 2012)

Dont do Vitamin A injections.. Antibiotics are different... can be hard to do, but you can learn..


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

Laura said:


> Dont do Vitamin A injections.. Antibiotics are different... can be hard to do, but you can learn..



Ok. Thanks. Yeah, i already told my boyfriend he going to have to do the shots. I dont think i will be able to do it. 
[/b]


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## Katherine (Nov 21, 2012)

Pseudomonas is a genus of bacteria found all over the place and usually only causes a health issue in immunodeficient animals/people. The reason it's commonly associated with being hospital acquired is because it is opportunistic and will use a catheter or broken skin as point of entry or colonize in/on people who were already ill. I would forge forward with the antibiotics recommended by your vet to clear the bacteria infection but it might be worth doing a general husbandry assessment just to make sure the tortoise wasn't susceptible to this infection as a result of something else. Stinks to have sick tortoise but always a relief to know it is something curable. Goodluck!!!


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

Katherine said:


> Pseudomonas is a genus of bacteria found all over the place and usually only causes a health issue in immunodeficient animals/people. The reason it's commonly associated with being hospital acquired is because it is opportunistic and will use a catheter or broken skin as point of entry or colonize in/on people who were already ill. I would forge forward with the antibiotics recommended by your vet to clear the bacteria infection but it might be worth doing a general husbandry assessment just to make sure the tortoise wasn't susceptible to this infection as a result of something else. Stinks to have sick tortoise but always a relief to know it is something curable. Goodluck!!!



Thanks for the info. I havent had him that long. Vet seems to think he contracted it during or before shipping. Tank is fine so im not sure. They both came together and were living together before. But Gunther has been in a 20gal by himself for two weeks now. He is already doing a lot better. We have been force feeding for a week now. As well as eye and nose wash and drops. You can actually see his nostrils now! And i have never been so excited to see a tortoise poop. But tonight during his soak he pooped! For the first time this week! Yay!


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## kimber_lee_314 (Nov 21, 2012)

I have had a tortoise with pseudomonas before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of Baytril and that didn't help at all. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed ciproflaxicin, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!


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## lori12386 (Nov 21, 2012)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> I have had a tortoise with pseudomonas before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of Baytril and that didn't help at all. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed ciproflaxicin, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!



Really?! Thanks!


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## tortadise (Nov 22, 2012)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> I have had a tortoise with pseudomonas before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of Baytril and that didn't help at all. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed ciproflaxicin, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!



Bingo. Great reaponse. Baytril will not aid this infection as well. Use ciproflaxicin, you will get best results.


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## lori12386 (Nov 23, 2012)

Just a question. We still have not started Gunther on his antibiotics. Because the vet has not called to say they were ready yet.. However, Gunther DID start eating today! Does that mean he is fighting this on his own? Should i still do the meds? He is also opening his eye on his own and you can hear him breathing with a someone bubbly sound in his nose.. Before you couldn't hear anything, it was so swollen and you couldn't see his nostrils.


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## kimber_lee_314 (Nov 23, 2012)

What antibiotics did the vet prescribe? The fact that he is still eating is good. It means he's not as sick as he could be. I would still treat him for the pseudomonas.


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## lori12386 (Nov 23, 2012)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> What antibiotics did the vet prescribe? The fact that he is still eating is good. It means he's not as sick as he could be. I would still treat him for the pseudomonas.



Well, he didnt eat for two weeks! We were force feeding him with a syringe.


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## mightymizz (Nov 24, 2012)

Glad to hear from your other thread and this one that he seems to be doing better. At least now you most likely know what you're dealing with.

What exactly is this condition? Just a type of bacterial infection? Is it fairly common in torts?


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## ALDABRAMAN (Nov 24, 2012)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> I have had a tortoise with *pseudomonas *before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of *Baytril *and that *didn't help at all*. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed *ciproflaxicin*, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!



** Same experience!*


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## Talka (Nov 24, 2012)

Cipro for torts? Hahaha wow, cipro is some serious stuff! If you do get it, follow instructions TO THE LETTER, as it is a VERY potent antibiotic. It'll fix your tort right up!


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## lori12386 (Nov 24, 2012)

Talka said:


> Cipro for torts? Hahaha wow, cipro is some serious stuff! If you do get it, follow instructions TO THE LETTER, as it is a VERY potent antibiotic. It'll fix your tort right up!



I havent yet. Im still debating... He is doing so much better without it.... I hate to drug him if not needed!



He is looking so good today!


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## acrantophis (Nov 24, 2012)

kimber_lee_314 said:


> I have had a tortoise with pseudomonas before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of Baytril and that didn't help at all. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed ciproflaxicin, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!



I am pretty sure that Baytryl (enrofloxacin) and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) are nearly the same thing. One is veterinary (Baytryl) and the other is for humans (Cipro). They are both broad spectrum anti-biotics. A good Vet should do a culture to determine which antibiotic is most effective against what infection. Aerobic, anaerobic, gram negative, gram positive, etc...
Baytryl is a powerful antibiotic. But it is also metabolized in the liver, and can compromise that organ if it is not healthy. The injection itself can be very painful. I am a Vet Tech in training so I am no expert, but a good vet will prescribe a more specific antibiotic before reaching for the big gun Baytryl.


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## lori12386 (Nov 24, 2012)

He did have a culture... Vet wants to give him Ciproflaxacin.




acrantophis said:


> kimber_lee_314 said:
> 
> 
> > I have had a tortoise with pseudomonas before. By the time I took him to the vet, he had already done a round of Baytril and that didn't help at all. Once the culture confirmed he had psuedomonas, I believe the vet prescribed ciproflaxicin, which I gave to him orally. It cleared up right away and he is still grazing my yard today. I'm sure he will do fine. Let us know how he's doing!
> ...


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## Talka (Nov 24, 2012)

DO NOT GO WITHOUT AN ANTIBIOTIC.
It doesn't matter that he's looking good. If he has pseudomonas, he needs an antibiotic, full stop. If you can get Cipro administered orally, go for it. I would prefer a narrow spectrum antibiotic instead, so you can ask your vet if there's something more specific that will kill mostly just the pseudomonas.

BUT

Do NOT go without medication!!


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## TortoiseBoy1999 (Nov 24, 2012)

I think the title of this thread gets everyone   XD


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## lori12386 (Nov 25, 2012)

Talka said:


> DO NOT GO WITHOUT AN ANTIBIOTIC.
> It doesn't matter that he's looking good. If he has pseudomonas, he needs an antibiotic, full stop. If you can get Cipro administered orally, go for it. I would prefer a narrow spectrum antibiotic instead, so you can ask your vet if there's something more specific that will kill mostly just the pseudomonas.
> 
> BUT
> ...



Ok. Thanks.


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