911 item - Found Yellowfoot in bottom of pond

[TimR]

I found my adult female yellowfoot in the bottom of our pond about 30 minutes ago. I pulled her out and she was seemingly lifeless. I compressed her shell multiple times and held her head down and gently shook her. Water came out of her nose/mouth and she moved her legs. I have been repeating the process and just hooked up a small aquarium air pump and placed it in her mouth. She is responding slowly.

Any advise?

 

[Ellie933]

@Tom @wellington

 

[Ellie933]

@Tom @wellington @Yvonne G

 

[wellington]

Yvonne is probably the best one to help here.
Keep her warm not hot and keep a close eye on her. If she seems to still have water in her, support her head area and put her upside down with head facing ground and lightly swung her back and forth between your legs.
I would get her to a good reptile vet as soon as possible if she doesn't seem to keep improving.

 

[TimR]

So that's what I am doing. I have her inside now and on a towel covered heat mat. She is responding slowly, but I do still get a little water out of her mouth/nose when I hold her with head pointed down. The 2 local exotic vets do not see animals outside of business hours. I will get her there tomorrow morning when they open at 8:00.

 

[TammyJ]

All best wishes for her recovery.

 

[wellington]

So that's what I am doing. I have her inside now and on a towel covered heat mat. She is responding slowly, but I do still get a little water out of her mouth/nose when I hold her with head pointed down. The 2 local exotic vets do not see animals outside of business hours. I will get her there tomorrow morning when they open at 8:00.

Do not heat her from the bottom or with a heat mat. They warm themselves from above, the sun. You don't want to burn her. Just use her normal heat light place above her and be sure it's not too hot to burn her. She likely can not move herself away from the heat should she get too hot.

 

[TimR]

She is definitely taking breaths more frequently now, but still struggling.

 

[Ellie933]

She is definitely taking breaths more frequently now, but still struggling.

I am glad to hear that she is breathing!! I wish I could help more, but hopefully an expert will come along soon!! I wish all the best for you and your yellowfoot.

 

[wellington]

Let her rest and hopefully she will be able to keep improving. It will be slow, tortoises do everything slow. Keep her warm from above, and keep us posted. Good luck, sure hope she makes it.

 

[TimR]

 

[Ellie933]

What a sweet girl, she is definitely a fighter.

 

[Kayleigh Smith]

It looks like she will be okay I am so glad you found her in time!!! I would monitor her through the night though and keep an eye out for respiratory illnesses throughout the next week and a half definitely have her taken to the vet tomorrow
wishing you and your yellowfoot the best

 

[wellington]

Do you hear any noises when she breaths?

 

[TimR]

Yes, not gurgling, but you can hear her wheeze. Turn the sound up on the video.

She is definitely taking breaths more frequently, but her breathing seems very intentional. She is trying to breath, not just breathing passively.

 

[TimR]

I'm sure she still has water in her lungs, so I think the oxygen exchange is limited.

 

[Yvonne G]

Support her head and swing her down from over your head towards he floor quickly, to force the water out of the lungs. You can do his several times. Then set her up with her head lower than her back end in small space where she can't do too much moving. She'll need antibiotics, so a trip to the vet is in order. You can also hold her on your lap with her head lower than her tail and pump her front legs in and out.

 

[wellington]

If you think there is still water in her then you need to get it out. Do what Yvonne said once or twice and then set her up like she said for the night. Keep her warm but set the heat off to the side a bit so she can't over heat.

 

[TimR]

A longer video with some unusual vocalization (that I have never heard before). Turn the volume up to hear the vocalization at the start of the video.

This is a repetitive motion that she is continuing to do.

But an hour ago, she could not keep her head in a neutral position. She would extend her head to take a breath and then lay her head back on the ground. At least now she can keep her head neutral.

 

[TimR]

I have no idea how long she was submerged in the pond. I saw her out in the yard around noon and gave her a tomato. Then I went out to feed the fish and eastern painted turtles at 7:00 and saw Sammie in the bottom of the pond. I reached in and pulled her out and she seemed completely lifeless, I thought she was dead.

She and 2 other tortoises have lived in the backyard for 5 years and I have never seen her enter the pond. And she does have a water bowl that is flushed and changed daily, by their night box.