Antibiotics for constipation

[Shinchan]

My Indian star was constipated so i took him to the vet where he got injected with antibiotics and multivitamin, The vet was ignorant about urates and think of it as an infection, after getting antibiotics he is not eating, not peeing, it's been 3 days he looks tired and sleeps all day. Please anyone suggest me what to do now i am really worried about his health. PLEASE HELP

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

You are right, urates or bladder stones could be the cause. I doubt the multivitamin will help.

Things that can be done to relieve constipation/bladder stones:

• Long soaks, 40 to 60 minutes at least once a day in a container with enough space to move.
• Foods with laxative effect like pumpkin, zucchini, lettuce, cucumber or aloe vera.
• Mineral oil. This can be both wiped on the cloaca with a q tip or fed rolled up in lettuce or with soaked pellets.

I tried these all when my tortoise had bladder stones and he managed to pass them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The vitamin shot. Or even just suggesting one. Is enough of a red flag for me to never deal with that vet again.
And antibiotics? For what? What was the diagnosis? If anything, antibiotics would just further slow down digestion.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

The vitamin shot. Or even just suggesting one. Is enough of a red flag for me to never deal with that vet again.
And antibiotics? For what? What was the diagnosis? If anything, antibiotics would just further slow down digestion.

Yeah, a proper vet wouldn't have offered this treatment and instead gotten x-rays to solve the possible cause and to out rule urates/bladder stones.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yeah, a proper vet wouldn't have offered this treatment and instead gotten x-rays to solve the possible cause and to out rule urates/bladder stones.

This one is learning while you pay

 

[TammyJ]

Best treatment right now: long warm soaks and probiotics like Benebac or Nutribac to restore the gut flora, along with the recommended foods in the posts above. Also ensure correct warm humid conditions in the enclosure. Last but not least: avoid that vet at all costs. Please stay here and keep us updated!

 

[TammyJ]

This one is learning while you pay

Right. Using people's beloved animals to learn how to kill them.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

My Indian star was constipated so i took him to the vet where he got injected with antibiotics and multivitamin, The vet was ignorant about urates and think of it as an infection, after getting antibiotics he is not eating, not peeing, it's been 3 days he looks tired and sleeps all day. Please anyone suggest me what to do now i am really worried about his health. PLEASE HELP

Can you tell exact names of the medications (especially, antibiotic)? Appetite loss is common after some antibiotic injections so keep your tortoise warm and well-hydrated (as advised above) and he should start eating again.

 

[wellington]

Share with use how you are housing him. Size of enclosure, temps, basking, all over, night? Humidity? Diet? Type of heat and light bulbs using?
How big and old is he?
Never go back to this vet. S/he was so off course it's not funny.

 

[Shinchan]

You are right, urates or bladder stones could be the cause. I doubt the multivitamin will help.

Things that can be done to relieve constipation/bladder stones:

• Long soaks, 40 to 60 minutes at least once a day in a container with enough space to move.
• Foods with laxative effect like pumpkin, zucchini, lettuce, cucumber or aloe vera.
• Mineral oil. This can be both wiped on the cloaca with a q tip or fed rolled up in lettuce or with soaked pellets.

I tried these all when my tortoise had bladder stones and he managed to pass them.

I am soaking him twice a day for 30,40 minutes and he is not eating anything instead of lady finger (his favourite) i will try giving him the food you have recommended and the mineral oil trick, I appreciate it

 

[Shinchan]

Best treatment right now: long warm soaks and probiotics like Benebac or Nutribac to restore the gut flora, along with the recommended foods in the posts above. Also ensure correct warm humid conditions in the enclosure. Last but not least: avoid that vet at all costs. Please stay here and keep us updated!

Best treatment right now: long warm soaks and probiotics like Benebac or Nutribac to restore the gut flora, along with the recommended foods in the posts above. Also ensure correct warm humid conditions in the enclosure. Last but not least: avoid that vet at all costs. Please stay here and keep us updated!

he started eating but not as much as he used to also Last night he peed a little and flushed out a large amount of urates after that in his pee i see no urates at all, should i be worried about this? Also he is still not having motion and now I'm afraid to go to a vet.

 

[Shinchan]

Can you tell exact names of the medications (especially, antibiotic)? Appetite loss is common after some antibiotic injections so keep your tortoise warm and well-hydrated (as advised above) and he should start eating again.

Yes, the vet gave him Bayrocin and Polybion injection and he started eating a little but not having motion

 

[Shinchan]

Share with use how you are housing him. Size of enclosure, temps, basking, all over, night? Humidity? Diet? Type of heat and light bulbs using?
How big and old is he?
Never go back to this vet. S/he was so off course it's not funny.

I live in small town the vet there said we don't know how to treat him so i took him to the city, here I am staying in my friend's apartment, he started eating a little but still not pooping also when he peed last night a lot of urates in that but after that i see no urates in his urine, do you think it is normal or should i go to the other vet ? (Sorry for my english as this is not my first language)

 

[Shinchan]

The vitamin shot. Or even just suggesting one. Is enough of a red flag for me to never deal with that vet again.
And antibiotics? For what? What was the diagnosis? If anything, antibiotics would just further slow down digestion.

Thanks to god he started eating a little but still not pooping and he flushed out a lot of urates in his pee last night, should i go to other vet what you suggest?

 

[TammyJ]

Thanks for caring and trying to help your tortoise! All you can do now for him is to take the time to carefully read over the advice given here and follow it as best as you can, and try to give us the information we have asked for already, so we will be able to help you more! Everything you have been advised to do, do it, and keep it going, and you will see your tortoise start to get better!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

also when he peed last night a lot of urates in that but after that i see no urates in his urine, do you think it is normal or should i go to the other vet ?

Not seeing any urates afterwards isn't concerning.

Things that can be done to relieve constipation/bladder stones:

• Long soaks, 40 to 60 minutes at least once a day in a container with enough space to move.
• Foods with laxative effect like pumpkin, zucchini, lettuce, cucumber or aloe vera.
• Mineral oil. This can be both wiped on the cloaca with a q tip or fed rolled up in lettuce or with soaked pellets.

Did you try these things to help him to poop?

 

[tempest979]

If she's constipated and you just want her to poo, mmm, you could try to give her a bit of strawberry, mine has diarrhea right after a tiny bit of strawberry.

 

[Shinchan]

Not seeing any urates afterwards isn't concerning.

Did you try these things to help him to poop?

Yes, I am soaking him twice a day for 40 to 60 minutes and i gave him all veg mentioned above but he is only eating cucumber and zucchini. I couldn't found mineral oil in my locality i went to a another vet he told me to give my tort olive oil, so can i give him olive oil instead? also he suggested few meds Vetrivit, Revell and hatloose

 

[Shinchan]

If she's constipated and you just want her to poo, mmm, you could try to give her a bit of strawberry, mine has diarrhea right after a tiny bit of strawberry.

Okay i will try that too, thank you

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Yes, I am soaking him twice a day for 40 to 60 minutes and i gave him all veg mentioned above but he is only eating cucumber and zucchini. I couldn't found mineral oil in my locality i went to a another vet he told me to give my tort olive oil, so can i give him olive oil instead? also he suggested few meds Vetrivit, Revell and hatloose

@Yvonne G have you ever heard of olive oil being used for tortoises?