Dog attacked baby sulcata. Help!

[Snaz]

My dog ripped in to my tort enclosure after kids left door open. There is a hole chewed clean through behind her right front leg. Please help! 24 hour vet doesn’t deal with exotics and exotic vet couldn’t be reached. She may be dead before I get home from work. 💔

 

[Maro2Bear]

Yikes. That’s one nasty gash right through the shell. I’m sure you gave it a gentle wash in warm water. Keep warm & clean off of dirty substrate. Maybe @Yvonne G or @zovick are up early.

 

[Snaz]

Yikes. That’s one nasty gash right through the shell. I’m sure you gave it a gentle wash in warm water. Keep warm & clean off of dirty substrate. Maybe @Yvonne G or @zovick are up early.

I work nights and it happened after I went to work. I had my husband wrap it in press n seal to keep substrate out until I can get home and tend to her. Is she in terrible pain? Do people put torts down for this kind of damage? Heaven knows that is NOT the way I want to go, but the wound looks so awful, I just want what’s best for her.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I work nights and it happened after I went to work. I had my husband wrap it in press n seal to keep substrate out until I can get home and tend to her. Is she in terrible pain? Do people put torts down for this kind of damage? Heaven knows that is NOT the way I want to go, but the wound looks so awful, I just want what’s best for her.

Good luck. Lets hope that your little Sully made it through the night. You will want to make sure it is kept warm (85-90), cleaned off, no substrate. And not stressed anymore than it has to. 🙏

Ps - don’t try to force feed. It’s traumatized right now & just wants some solitude.

 

[wellington]

I don't know if that can be fixed without a knowledgeable vet. Bigger tortoises can have damage like that covered with different things like fiberglass or cast like material. Him being small and still growing I'm not sure that can be done for him.
@Yvonne G has rescued many maybe she will know if there is anything that can be done other then euthanasia.
So very sorry this happened. Like what was already said, keep him warm day and night and off substrate. Let him rest for now, he has been terribly traumatized and stressed. Good luck.

 

[zovick]

View attachment 350838
My dog ripped in to my tort enclosure after kids left door open. There is a hole chewed clean through behind her right front leg. Please help! 24 hour vet doesn’t deal with exotics and exotic vet couldn’t be reached. She may be dead before I get home from work. 💔

Very sorry to see this problem!

That is indeed a severe and life threatening injury. To be realistic about the situation, you would most likely be able to buy 5 or more new baby sulcatas for what it will cost you in a couple of visits to a good exotics vet plus the necessary medications, etc., etc., the outcome of which might still be the animal's demise.

In the end, it is your decision whether to attempt to treat the animal or not, although the exotics vet may even advise euthanasia and decline to treat the tortoise with such an injury, but you will not know until he/she sees the animal.

 

[Snaz]

Thank you everyone for your kind responses and advice. I’m headed to show up on the vet’s door step now as I still am unable to reach him by phone. My heart is so very broken. I thought I was taking the right precautions and then you factor kids in to the scenario. Bless their hearts, they are animal lovers too and love to help out. They just don’t always remember the door.💔💔💔

 

[Ink]

Please keep us posted. Good luck. Prayers 🙏

 

[zovick]

Thank you everyone for your kind responses and advice. I’m headed to show up on the vet’s door step now as I still am unable to reach him by phone. My heart is so very broken. I thought I was taking the right precautions and then you factor kids in to the scenario. Bless their hearts, they are animal lovers too and love to help out. They just don’t always remember the door.💔💔💔

Regarding leaving cage doors open, I used to breed snakes and raised rats and mice to feed them. A couple of times when I was not home, visitors to my house opened the rodent cages to look at the mothers and the babies inside and then failed to close them all the way. It wasn't too bad when it was a mouse cage, but once we had a family of 8 baby rats plus their mom running loose in the basement for about ten days. That was a real lively time.

Hope your kids are not too upset by the tortoise's injuries.

Good luck with the vet visit.

 

[wellington]

Thank you everyone for your kind responses and advice. I’m headed to show up on the vet’s door step now as I still am unable to reach him by phone. My heart is so very broken. I thought I was taking the right precautions and then you factor kids in to the scenario. Bless their hearts, they are animal lovers too and love to help out. They just don’t always remember the door.💔💔💔

I am sure they feel awful too. Kids just don't always remember things like that. I do suggest a lock on the door that only you can open. This way they can't get into the room without you being there, this way the tort is protected and the kids don't have to remember to close the door or go thru this again. Of course if this one can be saved or if you get another. Good luck in whatever you decide, treat or euthanize.

 

[Snaz]

Update: Exotic vet thinks she has a chance! He said he has seen worse and they have pulled through. She will stay there at least overnight and hopefully home tomorrow.

 

[Snaz]

I am sure they feel awful too. Kids just don't always remember things like that. I do suggest a lock on the door that only you can open. This way they can't get into the room without you being there, this way the tort is protected and the kids don't have to remember to close the door or go thru this again. Of course if this one can be saved or if you get another. Good luck in whatever you decide, treat or euthanize.

Lock was installed last night as soon as my husband got her as settled as he could. One more step toward a safer life if she makes it

 

[zovick]

Lock was installed last night as soon as my husband got her as settled as he could. One more step toward a safer life if she makes it

Best wishes for a good result!

 

[Snaz]

I had to laugh when I took her to the vet and they kindly informed me she was a he. She is 5 months old, but the vet tech said because her plastron was slightly concave, it’s a little boy. I told her I study the tort forums and there would be many tort experts that would disagree with her assessment at this age. She said - nope. For sure a boy. Ok lady. So she’s still a girl until proven otherwise😁

 

[wellington]

Unless she could see a penis thru the damaged area/hole, s/he as you said, is too young. They don't even concave at that size either. Now that we know this vet is not educated on tortoises, be very careful with taking her advice. If you can find a actual tortoise educated vet in or around your area, I would seek their help.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I had to laugh when I took her to the vet and they kindly informed me she was a he. She is 5 months old, but the vet tech said because her plastron was slightly concave, it’s a little boy. I told her I study the tort forums and there would be many tort experts that would disagree with her assessment at this age. She said - nope. For sure a boy. Ok lady. So she’s still a girl until proven otherwise😁

Nagh…..regardless of what your vet tech said, your tort is much too small & young to properly & reliably sex.

 

[Snaz]

Unless she could see a penis thru the damaged area/hole, s/he as you said, is too young. They don't even concave at that size either. Now that we know this vet is not educated on tortoises, be very careful with taking her advice. If you can find a actual tortoise educated vet in or around your area, I would seek their help.

 

[Tom]

I had to laugh when I took her to the vet and they kindly informed me she was a he. She is 5 months old, but the vet tech said because her plastron was slightly concave, it’s a little boy. I told her I study the tort forums and there would be many tort experts that would disagree with her assessment at this age. She said - nope. For sure a boy. Ok lady. So she’s still a girl until proven otherwise😁

This is a sign that this person does not know tortoises. Any thing else these people tell you should be suspect. The secondary sexual characteristics, like a concave plastron, do not show up until they are at least 14 inches, and often later than that.

I suspect this vet is going to charge you a lot of money and the tortoise will not survive such catastrophic injuries. So sorry that this happened.

 

[Snaz]

It was the vet tech who gave me bunk info on the sex of the tort. The vet himself wasn’t around when she said this or I would have asked his opinion and r

This is a sign that this person does not know tortoises. Any thing else these people tell you should be suspect. The secondary sexual characteristics, like a concave plastron, do not show up until they are at least 14 inches, and often later than that.

I suspect this vet is going to charge you a lot of money and the tortoise will not survive such catastrophic injuries. So sorry that this happened.

It was the vet tech who made the comment so I dont put too much stock in it. The vet was not around or I would have asked his opinion. He is the vet for our zoo in town so I am hoping he can fix my baby. I did ask about payment and was told it would be less than $100. I am hoping this all works out

 

[wellington]

It was the vet tech who gave me bunk info on the sex of the tort. The vet himself wasn’t around when she said this or I would have asked his opinion and r

It was the vet tech who made the comment so I dont put too much stock in it. The vet was not around or I would have asked his opinion. He is the vet for our zoo in town so I am hoping he can fix my baby. I did ask about payment and was told it would be less than $100. I am hoping this all works out

Wow, less than 100 is cheap. That's the cost just to walk into a reptile/exotic animal vet by me.
I sure hope ha can help. Keep us posted on what is done and his progress thru this ordeal please. It will greatly help others that may find themselves in this situation.