Infected leg in tortoise

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
Hello I’m knew here with a one year old Herman tortoise..we went tot he vet yesterday because of a swollen back leg...find out that it is a open cut and might have the start of gangrene...don’t even no how this happened we’re assuming her leg got stuck between a water dish and the wall and lost blood flow then got it realessed...she got a antibiotic shot st the vet and we got sent home with antibiotics...I’m doing baby food soask and pedialyte soaks...I’m trying everything I can for this tortoise :( :( but now her back legs are looking white and pruny...I don’t no if it’s because all the extra soaks or it’s spreading...any advice!?
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Hi Shawna: May we see a picture please?
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
It’s kinda hard to see pin pictures...the white stuff is neosporing on the cut also.. but it’s her second day on antibiotics and she’s back to eat a lot!!!! And roaming around her cage :)

51028864-6729-4BD5-8531-D05445E7222D.jpeg DFCEDC89-D486-4001-8327-19B4FD835C18.jpeg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Did the vet have any idea why this happened? One of those pictures looked almost like a hair might be wrapped around the leg, cutting off the circulation.

Did this tortoise ever have a vitamin A injection? The scales sloughing off is what happens with too much vitamin A
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
I thought it was a hair wrapped around too! The dr said he didn’t see anything and he thinks maybe it go stuck between a food dish and the wall and lost circulation..and now infected.

And no vitamin A shot but the last two days I’ve been doing baby food carrot soaks because she wouldn’t eat at all..do you think I should stop those maybe?
Today she finally starting eating all on her own and a lot!
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
Yes, stop the soaks. They should only be used if the tortoise isn't eating.
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
Yes, stop the soaks. They should only be used if the tortoise isn't eating.


thank you! Do you know of anything else I can do to help her??

The vet was not very helpful...the vet said the cut is infected and looks like the start of gangrene...to do pedialtye soaks and the antibiotics.

Would it be ok to keep her off her soil so the cut doesn’t get more infected? And more soaks?
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
thank you! Do you know of anything else I can do to help her??

The vet was not very helpful...the vet said the cut is infected and looks like the start of gangrene...to do pedialtye soaks and the antibiotics.

Would it be ok to keep her off her soil so the cut doesn’t get more infected? And more soaks?
Hello. Have you fed vitamin supplies ? Both hind legs are swollen and the skin is shedding.
Please go on with the soaks and keep your tortoise without soil in the enclosure until you know what is going on with your tortoise.
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
I have she had been taking these nutrition diet pellets

Also if she does have the start of gangrene would you recommend a fungi cream I can put on it or would u just wait..I have a re check up appointment on Tuesday..sorry so many questions :( trying to help this poor girl out and feel so bad!
 

Attachments

  • 3A8A253D-6986-4B36-8CFB-110B6BA6BDDB.jpeg
    3A8A253D-6986-4B36-8CFB-110B6BA6BDDB.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 21

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
I have she had been taking these nutrition diet pellets

Also if she does have the start of gangrene would you recommend a fungi cream I can put on it or would u just wait..I have a re check up appointment on Tuesday..sorry so many questions :( trying to help this poor girl out and feel so bad!
Is vitamin A added to the tortoise food ? Too much of vitamin A causes such skin sheddings. I think a fungi cream is not the best for the leg and the skin.
Please keep us updated on your poor tort.
Is the shell of your tortoise hard like it should be ? Have you had an eye for enough humidity in the enclosure of your tort in the past ?
 

mark1

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,932
Location (City and/or State)
ohio
The vet was not very helpful...the vet said the cut is infected and looks like the start of gangrene...to do pedialtye soaks and the antibiotics.

i'd think the antibiotics is about as helpful as anyone could be ? I think a fungal infection is not gonna be this guys problem ….. i'd keep him on antibiotics , I assume the ones sent home are also injectable ? if not , imo they should be , it's the only way your going to be able to properly dose him . Neosporin is ok , i'd keep it dry and clean for awhile , i'd probably put something on it drier than an ointment , the sooner it scabs over the better ….. as long as he eats , acts normal and appears to be improving I wouldn't worry ……. i'd soak him for a shorter period of time and dry the leg afterwards . while the wound is still open , i'd add some type of antibiotic to the water I soaked him in , cipro , tetracycline , sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim , something water soluble , fish antibiotic of some type ……….jmo
 

crimson_lotus

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
1,385
Location (City and/or State)
Massachusetts
Antibiotics will help, but as mentioned above you can see that both legs have skin sloughing off which indicates there is something else wrong.

My assumption is that the removal of skin made the tortoise more susceptible to being cut, hence the damage to the right hind leg. Please note that unlike mammals, reptiles cannot remove excess vitamins through bowel movements, and instead have the possibility of overdosing. Stop the carrot soaks as Yvonne mentioned, and in my opinion I would provide a more varied diet. Do you feed daily?
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
Hello. Have you fed vitamin supplies ? Both hind legs are swollen and the skin is shedding.
Please go on with the soaks and keep your tortoise without soil in the enclosure until you know what is going on with your tortoise.
i'd think the antibiotics is about as helpful as anyone could be ? I think a fungal infection is not gonna be this guys problem ….. i'd keep him on antibiotics , I assume the ones sent home are also injectable ? if not , imo they should be , it's the only way your going to be able to properly dose him . Neosporin is ok , i'd keep it dry and clean for awhile , i'd probably put something on it drier than an ointment , the sooner it scabs over the better ….. as long as he eats , acts normal and appears to be improving I wouldn't worry ……. i'd soak him for a shorter period of time and dry the leg afterwards . while the wound is still open , i'd add some type of antibiotic to the water I soaked him in , cipro , tetracycline , sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim , something water soluble , fish antibiotic of some type ……….jmo


They gave one injection antibiotic at the vet then sent me home with oral antibiotics for 1 drop every 12 hours for a week...yes seems like she’s improving a lot!back to roaming the cage and eating.
 

Shawnarose

New Member
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
14
Location (City and/or State)
California
Is vitamin A added to the tortoise food ? Too much of vitamin A causes such skin sheddings. I think a fungi cream is not the best for the leg and the skin.
Please keep us updated on your poor tort.
Is the shell of your tortoise hard like it should be ? Have you had an eye for enough humidity in the enclosure of your tort in the past ?


Her she’ll is still hard..and she seems to be doing. A lot better yesterday she starting eating by herself and even walking around her cage.
 

New Posts

Top