Mr. T has pneumonia!

[Lybingham]

He is a very mature CDT. When getting him up after brumation I noticed a little drainage from his nose. After a day or two it was much worse and kinda yellow. He wasn’t eating as much a normal for him. Vet took tests a sent them off. Was a week before results came back! Dr is giving him 10 antibiotic injections, one/day for five days, then after, another five every other day. I don’t know what they are as I’m not home at the moment. I’m keeping him in a dog kennel in the house with a heating pad on low under a blanket under him and a blanket over the kennel so he stays warm. He is still eating. I soaked him in warm water for about 10 minutes yesterday so he would drink some and he did. His nose is not draining anymore. I have let him out in the afternoon sun for a bit each day and he walks all over. Then goes to his house. That’s when I bring him back in. He normally lives in the backyard. Any other suggestions?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I can see this thread may have flew under the radar, I’m going to tag some people who can hopefully help @zovick @Tom @Yvonne G @EppsDynasty how has he been since this post?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Lybingham,
How is your Tortoise doing now???
I hope he eventually got better?

 

[Chefdenoel10]

“ I Pitty The Fool” who gave Mr. T pneumonia!!
It’s that Mother Nature woman again isn’t it!?
Changing the weather from hot to cold every day!!!!
Mr.T !!!!!!…..
Take care of yourself!!!

 

[zovick]

He is a very mature CDT. When getting him up after brumation I noticed a little drainage from his nose. After a day or two it was much worse and kinda yellow. He wasn’t eating as much a normal for him. Vet took tests a sent them off. Was a week before results came back! Dr is giving him 10 antibiotic injections, one/day for five days, then after, another five every other day. I don’t know what they are as I’m not home at the moment. I’m keeping him in a dog kennel in the house with a heating pad on low under a blanket under him and a blanket over the kennel so he stays warm. He is still eating. I soaked him in warm water for about 10 minutes yesterday so he would drink some and he did. His nose is not draining anymore. I have let him out in the afternoon sun for a bit each day and he walks all over. Then goes to his house. That’s when I bring him back in. He normally lives in the backyard. Any other suggestions?

The treatment by the vet sounds correct. The tortoise is most likely being injected with ceftazidime or Baytril. While ceftazidime would be preferable, either one should cure the respiratory problem.

Hopefully your tortoise will recuperate and be fine.

 

[Lybingham]

Mr T had bloodwork done on Tuesday. Dr called today. His white blood cell count is much much lower but still a bit over the normal 10. We will do another round of ceftazidime. Dr said he’s a real fighter. He and Trudy were not outside in the winter. They both were in separate iboxes with carpet under and over in the shed. Next winter, they will be in a closet in the house. Thank you everyone for the good wishes.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

… keep fighting MR. T!!!!!

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Hey Mr. T!!!!!
How are you doing/feeling today?

 

[Lybingham]

Mr T is feeling pretty good. Has to have another round of 10 Ceftazidime injections. I’m on it. Determined to get him back to health.
.

 

[Maggie3fan]

One thing that would probably help get him back to health, is to be out in that Valley heat and sun. CDT NEED to be outside...mostly they would walk around in kinda cool of the morning and eat breakfast, sleep most of the day then walk around and eat more. They cannot ot live in a house enviornment and still be healthy. I am NOT flaming you. I just want you to know the best way to keep them. Here's a care sheet for you to see what I am talking about. Also...if those shots are Baytril Mr. T 'could' go off his feed, so watch for that, and do not allow a Vitamine A shot no matter what...please keep us posted,

Desert Tortoise Care Sheet

 

[Lybingham]

He is outside. I was bringing him in at night. But he has been outside for several days now. We are in central CA so it is very warm. He has a house to go into whenever he wants to. He has sun, shade, grass, water, house, and food. Thank you for the info.

 

[Lybingham]

Want to update Mr T’s progress, or lack thereof. He has completed the second round of 10 Ceftazidime. He is still congested. He also is eating very very little. I’m going to be honest, with testing twice and the antibiotics, it has cost over $2000. If I get him out of his enclosure or bush, he looks at his food and walks away, he walks around, tries to find a way into our female’s enclosure, then goes under a very thick bush and sleeps. When in his enclosure, I will get him out to offer food but all the same. He wants to get out, if gate open he will do as above. If the gate is closed he just goes back on his house. I love him dearly. I don’t know how old he is but I think, well over 50 years old. He doesn’t seem to be suffering, just dying, I think. Should I put him down?

 

[mark1]

my opinion would be to stop moving him around/taking him in at night, let him or you make him a burrow at night and you figure out how to keep predators out.......how was he brumated? what was the testing for?? he may need baytril if ceftazidime didn't work.........

 

[Lybingham]

Thank you for your response. I haven’t been taking him in at night for a few weeks. I know he needs the sun and fresh air. He has never dug a burrow. Before we got him several years ago, our sister had him. Her husband cut a doghouse down to a smaller size and he used that. I have a thick folded memory foam bath mat in it so he isn’t right on the ground. He is under a bush now. Hasn’t come out for two days, since he walked away from food. I will, as you say, quit moving him around. Just let him do as he feels. Will have food early morning if he does come out to eat. Fresh water is available always.
He brumated in a covered box in our shed. This winter, both tortoises will be in boxes in a closet in the house.
He was tested to find out what was actually wrong with him. Then blood work again after first round of Ceftazidime to see how he was. Still pneumonia, so second round. I haven’t had him back. I absolutely can ask for around of baytril. I don’t know if dr will do it without more testing.
Again, thank you for your reply.

 

[mark1]

Thank you for your response. I haven’t been taking him in at night for a few weeks. I know he needs the sun and fresh air. He has never dug a burrow. Before we got him several years ago, our sister had him. Her husband cut a doghouse down to a smaller size and he used that. I have a thick folded memory foam bath mat in it so he isn’t right on the ground. He is under a bush now. Hasn’t come out for two days, since he walked away from food. I will, as you say, quit moving him around. Just let him do as he feels. Will have food early morning if he does come out to eat. Fresh water is available always.
He brumated in a covered box in our shed. This winter, both tortoises will be in boxes in a closet in the house.
He was tested to find out what was actually wrong with him. Then blood work again after first round of Ceftazidime to see how he was. Still pneumonia, so second round. I haven’t had him back. I absolutely can ask for around of baytril. I don’t know if dr will do it without more testing.
Again, thank you for your reply.

i've had outside turtles over the years get respiratory infections, i never liked bringing them in due to the stress, my turtles are bordeline wild turtles....... i've found it helpful to give them an added nightime and cold weather heat source.... a second round of ceftazidime may work, the only reason you'd want to use baytril is if it's a mycoplasma infection, mycoplasma infections are mostly upper respiratory tract disease, but i've seen where it has been found in cases of pneumonia....... if ceftazidime didn't work and it's not a mycoplasma infection we have used amikacin with success as a second round........... with amikacin you probably want to administer fluids, i believe that class of drug is stressful to the kidneys....

i see your location is bakersfield california ? i'd wonder why a properly setup desert tortoise couldn't live outside 24/7/365 in that location?

 

[Lybingham]

He has had a second round of ceftazidime. First round was daily for five days, then every other day for five days. Second round was to be the same but dr change to daily for the last five days, also. It gets pretty cold here at times in the winter. Can be freezing or below. I don’t have a heating source outside. Used to bromating.

 

[mark1]

the winter ground temperatures are what matters, does your ground freeze? the hottest places in the united states get below freezing........ i'm pretty sure desert tortoises naturally come from colder climates that bakersfield........

 

[Lybingham]

As o said, he is used to brumating. Before we got him, he just went into a corner in their shed. No cover and brumation. That was in Palmdale, CA. We have a female CDT also. She was in a box, too.no problem with her.

 

[mark1]

imo, access to the natural ground is important....... where i live we get negative fahrenheit temperatures regularly, without access to the ground everything would die......

 

[Lybingham]

I put the pad in there at the Dr.’s request. It was cooler at the time so I’m sure I can take it out now.