Hey everyone this my first every post on here. I'm hoping to get some immediate advice or recommendations. I own a sulcata tortoise that is around 4 years old. He had a surgery last thursday to get his bladder broken down into smaller pieces through his butt. They were able to break it down as much they could, before they released him to me they told me that the bladder stone size is now smaller and he should be able to pass it. Today has come and he finally wants to push it out as well as the poop that has been there for a week or so. Any advice on what to do for him, I've given him pieces of watermelon, bell pepper, smash sweet potato, smash squash, cactus pads to loosen up his stomach. I want any advice on what I can do now since he is struggling to remove the bladder stone. The vet had previoulsy told me that he would be uncomfortable removing it but I've recently updated them through message and no response. They wanted me to update them through message but yet have gone back to me. Any advice on what I can feed him or put on his butt to soften the push a bit?
Bladder Stone advice
- Thread starter sabggg
- Start date
The_Four_Toed_Edward
Well-Known Member
Mineral oil can be fed rolled up in a lettuce leaf and wiped on the outside of the cloaca. I hope the rest passes!
Do you know what caused the stone to form in the first place?
Do you know what caused the stone to form in the first place?
probably dehydration, he's stubborn in not drinking water unless there is fruit or anything appealing to him in it. I try my best through throwing water on him so he can get hydrated and baths but thats it. I will do that thank you !!
Darwins House
New Member
It sounds like your tort' has a rich diet. Suggest increasing Timothy Hay or grasses, allowing all-day browsing. A bunch of greens, more watermelon, or iceberg lettuce to keep hydrated. A couple of tablespoons of olive or corn oil on the greens might help a bit. However, a tort's stomach and intestines do a very thorough job breaking down vegetation, and turning it into .... fertilizer. Also, remember that tort' metabolism is probably slower than you might think. Be patient.
I currently will be trying the mineral oil. I've heard about it prior to this but the vet told me it was unnecessary since it was supposed to be pushed out a couple days or hours after the surgery. As for the olive/ corn oil, is it safe to give? This is my first time hearing about this. He currently won't eat anything because he's focused on pushing it out. His tail looks swollen but it also could be that the bladder stone is there its just a though/uncomfortable pushing it out. I'll be sure to update later this evening. His vet has yet to give me any answers.
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
What's your vet's name?
Take a syringe with no needle and squirt some mineral oil up inside the cloaca, getting some oil around the outside too.
Take a syringe with no needle and squirt some mineral oil up inside the cloaca, getting some oil around the outside too.
Here is what will help to prevent urate accumulation and helps pass already accumulated urates:
1. Soaks. Long warm soaks. The more the tortoise marches around trying to get out of the tub the better. We call that the "Tortoise Treadmill". You can soak for six hours every day and it won't hurt anything. To be clear, I'm not suggesting anyone soak a tortoise for six hours a day, I'm just saying that I know someone who did, and it does absolutely no harm. Soak for at least an hour once or twice a day in a large tub that the tortoise can't see out of or climb out of.
2. Walking. Much like horses, tortoises rely on locomotion to keep things moving through the GI tract. What do you do when a horse colics? You hand walk it, or put it on the hot walker. To a degree, the soaking tub is like a hot walker, but having a huge pen helps too. Tortoise do not do well when cramped into small enclosures. Constipation and urate accumulation are but two of the serious consequences of small enclosures.
3. It doesn't matter how large the enclosure is if the temperatures are too hot or too cold. If you live in Phoenix, it doesn't matter if your enclosure is 100 acres, that tortoise is not going to be out walking around in August. Like wise, if you live in Big Bear, your tortoise is not going to be out walking around in January. So what to do in Fresno? Cut back trees, remove shade and keep the night box 86 or higher in winter. In summer, encourage the tortoise to burrow to escape the heat, add shade tents and shade cloth, and run sprinklers and misters frequently. In spring and fall, relax and enjoy the mild temperatures.
4. Cactus pads and mineral oil will help. I agree with Yvonne's advice 100%. I feed cactus pads to any tootsie eating dry hay a couple of times per week. In your case feed a whole bunch every day until the stones pass.
1. Soaks. Long warm soaks. The more the tortoise marches around trying to get out of the tub the better. We call that the "Tortoise Treadmill". You can soak for six hours every day and it won't hurt anything. To be clear, I'm not suggesting anyone soak a tortoise for six hours a day, I'm just saying that I know someone who did, and it does absolutely no harm. Soak for at least an hour once or twice a day in a large tub that the tortoise can't see out of or climb out of.
2. Walking. Much like horses, tortoises rely on locomotion to keep things moving through the GI tract. What do you do when a horse colics? You hand walk it, or put it on the hot walker. To a degree, the soaking tub is like a hot walker, but having a huge pen helps too. Tortoise do not do well when cramped into small enclosures. Constipation and urate accumulation are but two of the serious consequences of small enclosures.
3. It doesn't matter how large the enclosure is if the temperatures are too hot or too cold. If you live in Phoenix, it doesn't matter if your enclosure is 100 acres, that tortoise is not going to be out walking around in August. Like wise, if you live in Big Bear, your tortoise is not going to be out walking around in January. So what to do in Fresno? Cut back trees, remove shade and keep the night box 86 or higher in winter. In summer, encourage the tortoise to burrow to escape the heat, add shade tents and shade cloth, and run sprinklers and misters frequently. In spring and fall, relax and enjoy the mild temperatures.
4. Cactus pads and mineral oil will help. I agree with Yvonne's advice 100%. I feed cactus pads to any tootsie eating dry hay a couple of times per week. In your case feed a whole bunch every day until the stones pass.
Thank you everyone for the recommendations, i really appreciate them!! The mineral has been placed!! I tried my best giving him a cactus pad with mineral oil, he declined it so I offered it with two pieces of watermelon and he ate it up. Now it is just a waiting game. Prior to this in the morning I put him in a warm bath. The day before he was for 3 hours outside soaking in warm water in a black container, scratching moving a lot.
Hey everyone, I got a response back from his vet! They want us to go back in for another surgery operation through his butt so they can break it down more if I would like or wait out over the weekend. They are giving me the option on the surgery since he hasn't had a huge stool production. They also said that I should get a water based gel lubricant to put on his butt better. I also asked if there is any way I can push it out. They responded that its a possibility doing so with the water based lube by putting my fingers in there. I currently have 500 to spend on his medical needs, last time for the surgery I paid around 800. As much I would like to put him through surgery for a safe way, it scares me to put him under anesthesia. They also stated that mineral oil should have worked instantly to push that out. What should I do? I'll also try get the x-ray after his procedure, so everyone can get a better picture of it.
Did you try the mineral oil up his cloaca? Have you put your finger up his cloaca to feel the stone? Have to tried the warm soaks? Make the water deep enuf he struggles to get out...keep us posted please...
RandyTortoise
Well-Known Member
Soak him for 30 minutes a day in a tub of warm water. They can absorb water this way and it encourages them to drink as well.
People soak larger and older tortoises less as they get older, but you probably need to do this due to this problem.
RandyTortoise
Well-Known Member
Wow that is a huge stone!
Update everyone, I've currently felt up there the rock seems still big but the vet said it was possible to pass that size of a stone. I cant seem to really put all my finger in there well. Ill try when he is pushing so his tail is out of the way.
yes it is its currently on the edge of his butt inside
Hello everyone!! Huge Update: We've decided to go with surgery. I've messaged them if they can do it without anesthesia and xrays since that is what brings the total up. We also know that the stone is right at the edge of his cloaca. I'm really hoping he can push it out this weekend but the chances are slim. I'll be bathing him and lubricating the area but that is as much as I can do. He's also trying to push it but there isn't enough room. Ill let everyone know if he pushes it this weekend or if we're able to push it out. As of right now the safest and quickest option is for surgery to be done.
Anesthesia is good for your tortoise in this case. Pain causes contraction, which makes relaxing to open the pathway a lot more difficult. How would you do with invasive actions taken on your body without anesthesia? The anesthesia would make this whole traumatic experience easier on your tortoise.
Breaking the stone into MUCH smaller pieces should be done as soon as possible! Don't wait. Your tortoise is in pain AND can't pass toxic excremental material past the stone. Every minute this goes on, the toxic material sits there getting making your tortoise sicker and sicker.
Think of how crummy you have felt when seriously constipated.
Then add in that as everything backs up it puts excessive pressures and stresses on the tortoise's intestinal tract - to the point that the intestine can rupture. That will kill your tortoise unless you can afford thousands in vet fees and also have a vet that can clear it before peritonitis sets in. If that part of the intestine gets permanently distended (stretched out) your tortoise will have problems the rest of its life with crap collecting in the "pocket" that has been created and poisoning its system.
Get the stone out as soon as possible, with anesthesia.
Breaking the stone into MUCH smaller pieces should be done as soon as possible! Don't wait. Your tortoise is in pain AND can't pass toxic excremental material past the stone. Every minute this goes on, the toxic material sits there getting making your tortoise sicker and sicker.
Think of how crummy you have felt when seriously constipated.
Then add in that as everything backs up it puts excessive pressures and stresses on the tortoise's intestinal tract - to the point that the intestine can rupture. That will kill your tortoise unless you can afford thousands in vet fees and also have a vet that can clear it before peritonitis sets in. If that part of the intestine gets permanently distended (stretched out) your tortoise will have problems the rest of its life with crap collecting in the "pocket" that has been created and poisoning its system.
Get the stone out as soon as possible, with anesthesia.
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Okay, thank you for letting me know!! I’ll inform them but they still have yet to get back to me. Also, is there any symptoms I should look for when it comes to peritonitis? If so, what should I ask his vet about that? Additionally, if anyone is willing or able to donate toward his care, it would truly mean so much. Your support not only helps with his medical needs but also gives us hope and strength during this difficult time. Please feel free to message me directly if you have any questions or would like to help. Thank you for your kindness.
Peritonitis is an infection of the abdomen not contained in the bowels. Basically, the intestine has a hole or tear and the stuff from inside it gets out into the abdomen and causes inflammation and infection. It escalates really quickly.
You want to fix the pressure caused from the stone blocking normal digestion and excretion before it gets to that stage. It causes pain, fever, lethargy, (nausea, but that's hard to see in tortoises), edema, and can kill in very few hours.
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You want to fix the pressure caused from the stone blocking normal digestion and excretion before it gets to that stage. It causes pain, fever, lethargy, (nausea, but that's hard to see in tortoises), edema, and can kill in very few hours.
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