Big Bertha Doing Great

[Lyn W]

What are wellies, Lyn?

Wellington boots - essential rubber waterproof footwear in wet Wales!
Not sure what you would call them.

 

[Lyn W]

Our summer storms are pretty violent but short lived.
I'm sure she'll be done water skiing by the time I get home.
I leave soon.

Nothing a good warm up won't help I expect.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She's fine. She refused to sit for a soak. She also refused to eat or drink.
But she's fine.
Trying to sound convincing

 

[Pearly]

Bertha received the tube as a last effort after not eating for 3 to 4 months and slipping into a weakened state and could no longer support herself on her legs.
I began feeding her a slurry of Pedialite and Oxbow Critical Care.
A few weeks after the tube was placed she nibbled food and then started eating a lot. She ate for eleven days. The x ray shows that the food is still in there. Tortoise digestion is very slow. On the eleventh day, she ate in the morning, Mazuri tortoise chow and an hour later appeared to have died. The next day I found that she had not.
More tests were done. This time a mildly elevated white blood count was found.
She had totally stopped eating and drinking.
I started the rounds of antibiotics.
A few days later she pulled out her tube, stitches and all.
Since then she has begun to walk a little but is still not eating at all. Not drinking very much and can't seem to poop, although she is trying to constantly.
That is the mini history to bring everyone up to speed and to help better understand the situation.
Two vets. A dozen tests. An operation and about $2,000 spent. I wont stop at a $30 probiotic if it is deemed necessary.
I don't plan on giving up until she does.

You don't need vet's ok to use probiotic. Many human doctors to this day don't think to tell patients to take them with and after antibiotics. Let the doc know you are giving it to her. Thank you for the background. And I'm so sorry you and Bertha have to go through such ordeal. Try anything/everything. I humans with severe illness processing (chewing) and swallowing food becomes at times very difficult because aside from lack of appetite eating is can be "work" that requires energy and stamina, good oxygenation, saliva production etc. In such cases we modify diet consistency to make eating as easy as possible just to get people over the hump and pack them with nutrition. Sometimes we use appetite stimulants (very expensive medications, I'm not sure if they are used in vet. medicine), sometimes tube feeds and sometimes parenteral (through IV). Sounds like you are "fully vested" in helping Bertha, and I hope you don't mind my bombarding you with ideas and thoughts. I was just thinking... The human appetite stimulant meds (some) are derivatives of cannbis... Which is a plant... Wiuld it be worthwhile to feed Bertha a little... fresh or dry leaves? I heard that somewhere in Colorado there is a company that's come up with a new strain that is only working on appetite (they also use it for seizures) and people don't get stoned from it. Again, I'm probably way out there with this... but with brainstorming often good ideas are born. Mine maybe crazy but thought provoking to some other people... Take care

 

[Kenno]

There is a thunderstorm going on at home and my wife just called to tell me that Bertha is out walking around in the rain. Typical.

My torts love to drink rain water! Hopefully Bertha does too.

 

[Angel Carrion]

My torts love to drink rain water! Hopefully Bertha does too.

Certainly seems to liven them up. Looks like they're playing in the puddles from the storms, sometimes

 

[RockChalk]

Wellington boots - essential rubber waterproof footwear in wet Wales!
Not sure what you would call them.

We call them rain boots, but the ladies over here who like shoes normally know Wellies. It's kind of how all bandages are called Band-Aids even when they're not.

 

[Lyn W]

We call them rain boots, but the ladies over here who like shoes normally know Wellies. It's kind of how all bandages are called Band-Aids even when they're not.

Thanks very much for that - wasn't sure if it might be gum boots or if that was another Brit expression.

 

[Pearly]

Hi there! How's Bertha doing today?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Hi there! How's Bertha doing today?

She is unusual active but not eating. She may be drinking because I've placed a small pool into her enclosure.
Last night's antibiotic injection went smoothly.

 

[Pearly]

She is unusual active but not eating. She may be drinking because I've placed a small pool into her enclosure.
Last night's antibiotic injection went smoothly.

That's great! Have you had a chance to look into the probiotic? I think we'll get a bottle at one point to just slip some into ours now and then, as a little extra boost. I read your post where you said she was without food for several weeks. I'd be freaking out, but then realize her metabolism is not like warmblooded critters...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

No. Not yet

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I haven't heard back from the vet.
Now Bertha seems to be in distress and spends a good part of the day trying to poo. She can't.
It looks like another trip is coming up.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Oh!
Goodness, goodness, goodness!
Lots of bad today.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Oh my. I'm assuming you're giving her loooooong soaks in an attempt to help her. Hopefully it works.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She has a pool in her pen now.
She is sprawled out in it for quite a while each day.
Today she ate a postage stamp sized piece of Romaine.

 

[Lyn W]

Lola doesn't eat well when she's constipated
Aloe vera and cucumber grated to a mush works well and quite quickly for her,
But getting it in to Bertha is the problem.
What about putting it in a warm soak or trying a warm baby food carrot bath?
You've probably tried all this I expect but can't think of anything else.
Poor girl!

 

[Anyfoot]

She has a pool in her pen now.
She is sprawled out in it for quite a while each day.
Today she ate a postage stamp sized piece of Romaine.

Hi ed. Can you get any any squash or pumpkin. If she would eat it, should loosen her up a bit. That said what as she eaten in the last week. If nothing goes in, nothing comes out.

 

[Pearly]

Goodness! I hope she's feeling better! I can't imagine anything worst than having to helplessly watch an animal or child in distress.

 

[Gillian M]

She never got back to me.
She doesn't work every day.
Bertha is outside walking around. Today is an energy day for some reason.
She raises her but and wiggles her tail but she can't seem to poop. That could become yet another issue....
Also, I found a bandage that has stitches still attaching it to her neck and she reluctantly let me cut the stitches and remove them as well as the bandage. It looks good in that area.
I'm planning on letting her stay outside now only coming in to soak on my utility room sink.

Bertha does sound better if I'm not mistaken.