Big Bertha Doing Great

[Lyn W]

Yup this young lady and you have really been through the mill.
She has shown us that anything is possible before and
hopefully she can do it again.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She has had a few moments. We'll see.
If she starts to drink again, she could still be O.K.

 

[Lyn W]

She has had a few moments. We'll see.
If she starts to drink again, she could still be O.K.

I rarely see Lola drink.
He never drinks in his soak but assume from the wee he produces he is taking in plenty of water.
I also make sure all his food is well sprayed and hydrated.
Having said that I did catch him drinking out of a big flat tray yesterday.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My other Redfoot drink a ton of water. They jam their heads in and just gulp for several minutes. There is nothing subtle about it. None of my other tortoises get soaked, either because they all spend time wading in one of the pools out side.

 

[Pearly]

Yes. And that was O.K.
However, what do I really have to show for it?
The same ill tortoise.

Good morning. What puzzles me is the motives of the vet who seemed not to mind putting you through all the expense of perhaps unnecessary procedures. My vet would never do it knowing how hard I work every day (or night) to earn those dollars.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I think that for whatever reason she feels that it's a simple matter.
She has been reluctant to perform some tests that I specifically asked for. And she talks over me regularly when I'm explaining something.
None of that matters now because I'm not going back.
It's not that I think she's a bad vet, but she struck out on this one.
My thought is that like the rest of us she is just guessing.
No hard feelings.
I would still recommend her for warm blooded exotics. They are her primary patients.

 

[Angel Carrion]

I think that for whatever reason she feels that it's a simple matter.
She has been reluctant to perform some tests that I specifically asked for. And she talks over me regularly when I'm explaining something.
None of that matters now because I'm not going back.
It's not that I think she's a bad vet, but she struck out on this one.
My thought is that like the rest of us she is just guessing.
No hard feelings.
However, I won't be back.

Yeah, I hate it when they talk over me when I'm trying to explain something. Usually the question or remark they say, I was about to answer or what I was saying was negating the remark. Luckily the vet I see now for my turtles only did that during the first half of the first visit. He stopped when he realized that, while I don't know nearly enough in my opinion, I know enough that we can have an actual debate and thought provoking conversation. Once he realized that, he stopped interrupting and let's me finish my ramblings. So I try very hard to keep my ramblings on point.

Not saying that's what's going on with your vet. I was just lucky enough to find one that stopped doing that. Previous vets never stopped talking over me, and I found myself correcting their assumptions. Like the first reptile vet I took my first turtle to. She still thought pyramiding was caused by too high of a protein diet. When I said lack of humidity, she scoffed and said that's been proven false and that too high humidity (regardless of equally high temps) will cause RI's and shell rot.
While I do think diet may play a role in pyramiding in growing turtles and torts, I know that humidity and moisture play the biggest role. Needless to say I don't go to her anymore....

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Please Bertha, at least have a little drink.

 

[Robertchrisroph]

You need a vacation. take care of this, that, everything. How are you? up so early for work, animals, wife. I hope you take care of number one, You!!! Good luck and best wishes

 

[Jodie]

I agree with the above post you have been through a lot lately. Take some time and distress. Take care of you for a while. Best wishes to you and Bertha.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I still have the dozen or so fish tanks, too.
I need to cut back.

 

[Anyfoot]

Keep the fish tanks, they will be OK for all the juveniles your going to have

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Keep the fish tanks, they will be OK for all the juveniles your going to have

They are full of gigantic fish.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

gigantic hungry and mostly neglected fish

 

[Pearly]

I think that for whatever reason she feels that it's a simple matter.
She has been reluctant to perform some tests that I specifically asked for. And she talks over me regularly when I'm explaining something.
None of that matters now because I'm not going back.
It's not that I think she's a bad vet, but she struck out on this one.
My thought is that like the rest of us she is just guessing.
No hard feelings.
I would still recommend her for warm blooded exotics. They are her primary patients.

"Simple matter"??? No human doctor, ever! takes likely feeding tubes, especially ones percutaneously inserted. Those are fairly simple but very invasive procedures. First of all why would anyone want to stick a tube in without even knowing what the problem is. Cost aside (though I'd be curious to see your vet bill for that feeding tube visit) she put the animal at great risk of infection and number of other complications. And all that (plus the $$$!) without clear differential diagnosis? Again, my strong feelings about this maybe skewed by my "human experience" but I hear those stories of medical professionals milking their human patients or pet owners accounts in the name of the almighty dollar and it just makes me sick. This vet maybe the nicest person in a world, but in my view she maybe either incompetent and not knowing what the heck she is doing or inconsiderate of her clients finances. The fact is that most of us the pet owners are hard working people who don't have bottomless resources and a vet with some professional integrity would consider that. I maybe more upset about this than you are after having followed your Bertha saga. Being a newcomer I hate to come across as being opinionated or stir things up. I've just had some bad experience in vet care in the past when I was novice in dealing with this (that was dogs and cats) where I have been "taken for a ride" couple of times. I would have swallowed my pride if my pets had positive outcomes or at least benefited from me being taken advantage if, but they didn't that's why these days I am very cautious and ask lots of questions. My favorite question is "WHY?" If they can't convince me that it's beneficial for my pet our benefits outweigh the risk etc, I don't allow it. Another thing I had learned was to have all simple procedures (blood/urine draws) in my presence. No taking my animals "back". Though the last vet we've had has been with our cats for past 15 years and I do trust him, and he knows that I'm a major pain in the neck and comes prepared to answer all my questions, and he is ok with that, just because he loves animals and knows how much I love mine. I hope for the best for you and Bertha. And again, I am so sorry about Chester. I hope your heart heals soon

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thanks, Pearly. To tell you the truth, I'm just numb about it all.
I pick up Chesters remains today after work and I just don't seem to care as much about anything right now.

 

[Gillian M]

I rarely see Lola drink.
He never drinks in his soak but assume from the wee he produces he is taking in plenty of water.
I also make sure all his food is well sprayed and hydrated.
Having said that I did catch him drinking out of a big flat tray yesterday.

Oli drinks while being soaked and that's something I sat and watched intentionally.

 

[Pearly]

Darn auto spell check! I meant no doc takes LIGHTLY feeding tubes

 

[Anyfoot]

Thanks, Pearly. To tell you the truth, I'm just numb about it all.
I pick up Chesters remains today after work and I just don't seem to care as much about anything right now.

Humour will bring you round. Think of me n dawn chewing cactus at the airport.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

And jellyfish frisbee in The Cold Dark Room.