Blockage - Please Help

[froghaven5]

I just finished reading this entire thread. I sure hope Herman poops soon. I understand it's frustrating when a vet or even a doctor won't listen to you (as both a nurse and a mom I sure know this) Sometimes it helps if you say what you want or are thinking in a matter of fact tone rather than a question. Hoping for the best for Herman and that he POOPS!!!!!!!

 

[coldskyline]

Thanks Andrea!

Angela-- I totally agree. The only reason I haven't pushed it more is that to be honest, I don't think Herman is going to let anybody stick something down his throat. He puts up a huge fight even getting his mouth open. Plus, I've been able to get the mineral oil to him other ways so I'm not so sure the tube is necessary, it would just be easier for me personally because it's much harder for me to open his mouth than it is for the vet to do so. I've had to do a lot of the stuff I've read about here by myself because the vet hasn't seemed too keen on it, but I'm definitely going to bring it up to him the next time. I've told the vet over and over how much I love Herman, and I think he knows (he's seen me giving him kisses, I don't think many people kiss their torts! ha ha), plus he has a tort (different kind) of his own so I'm assuming he can relate at least a little bit. I will keep you guys updated if he poops tomorrow! I've been good so far and still haven't checked on him tonight, I'm so excited to see him in the morning!!!

 

[Tony the tank]

Im sure the Vet is great.. But if he is just basing his diagnosis on the lab work.. I would ask that he draw more blood and send it to another lab to confirm... I have had a few misdiagnosis based on bad lab results.....I honestly don't believe that the labs that the Vets use are held up to the same
standards as true human medical lab..I could be wrong.... But everytime my animals have been diagnosed with bad report from a lab.. My new vet always draws more blood to retest..

 

[coldskyline]

If Herman poops or pees I am going to have him re test his blood to see if anything changed. At this point though the treatment he's getting pretty much covers everything so even if the labs do happen to be wrong, I don't feel like it matters that much.

Herman seemed pretty tired today but I made him walk around for about 35 minutes with me and then I tried to give him a bath. He didn't want a bath AT ALL. While he was walking he kept putting his head down as if he wanted to drink, but he won't drink out of anything except for his bath so I thought he'd be happy to go in. He fought me for about 15 minutes, finally took a few sips of water, and I heard some bubbles (hopefully passing more gas?) and then I eventually let him out. I felt bad forcing him to stay in but I think it actually helped to wake him up a little... After he got out he walked around a little bit more and when he settled he kept his head extended to bask in the sun (before he was just kinda letting his head hang wherever it happened to drop to the side). I'll keep you guys updated through out the day! Thanks again!

 

[coldskyline]

Okay so some good news... Herman seems a bit better today, a lot more active than yesterday. Before he only really seemed interested in being awake if I was sitting out with him keeping him company, but now he's been walking around a bit on his own and enjoying the sun. I even saw a really really small runny poop. The poop isn't normal though... It's kinda jelly-ish if that makes sense? I mean it's *super* small, but it's something! I hope there'll be more today!!!

Edit: I guess a better word for it would be mucusy...

 

[Jacqui]

That's great news! I would not be worried about the quality of the bowel movement He's getting meds and the mineral oil, so it's gonna be strange. Also sometimes when you get backed up and you first start moving, it is coming out first runny (or the opposite way...really hard). All these small sounding steps are just great and in truth are big steps! Yippy for the two of you!

 

[coldskyline]

Thanks Jacqui! It's so small but I'm at least really happy to know at least something is moving. I think it shows more of my theory that the bowls are the first problem and kidney's might be a cause. I think if the kidney failure was causing his body to completely shut down there would literally be no movement in the bowl at all... No gas or poop or anything. Maybe I'm wrong but I'd like to hope that's true!

 

[Hauntmom]

Any news tonight?
Glad to hear that he went a little bit!!!
I think your right if his kidneys weren't working, I wouldn't think anything down there would. Let's hope he's on his way to feeling better!

 

[coldskyline]

Hmmm, these mazuri wraps sound really great, I will definitely try it. I will just soak the mazuri for a bit since I am going to have to force feed it to him. He won't choke on it right?

I take a small yogurt cupfull of mazuri and put it (the mazuri) in a tupperware~ So say maybe a quarter to half cup. Then I pretty much cover the mazuri with water. The mazuri will soak the water up and become mushy. I don't think Herman will choke at all. How are you force feeding him? Think you can use some sort of large bore syringe? If not, you'd have to have the very inner portion of the romaine, as the mazuri/water mix can bend the less sturdy leaves. If you have cactus, you could chop up the pad fine and add it to the mazuri with water. I'm thinking any moisture/sustanence is a good thing, right?

I hope it works for Herman.

Sorry I missed this post, thanks a lot for the suggestions. I've been force feeding him by holding his mouth open and then putting something in it. For the mineral oil I've been using a non needle syringe to squirt it in. I also put the mineral oil on a peach once. For the mazuri it sounds like the best bet for me would be to wrap it in some lettuce like you suggest and put that in his mouth. I'll put some mineral oil on it too

---

Any news tonight?
Glad to hear that he went a little bit!!!
I think your right if his kidneys weren't working, I wouldn't think anything down there would. Let's hope he's on his way to feeling better!

Well, today was much better than yesterday and the day before. I really thought he was giving up the last two days but today he seemed a lot better. More strong and alert. He didn't want to sleep all day and he moved around much more. I'm hoping tomorrow is even better! And hopefully even a bigger poop than today!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's good. Exercise is very good to help move things along. That's why soaking in your bath tub is good. They walk around in the tub while they soak and the walking is good.

 

[Torty Mom]

So glad to hear that he is moving around! Hopefully he will like the mazuri! It really has helped Lou put on weight. Fingers crossed and prayers still coming!

 

[Torty Mom]

Just checking on how you both are doing???? I got the little one I was telling you about!

 

[j156ghs]

.... The vet told me not to give him water in his mouth unless he takes it himself because he doesn't want it to go into his lung.

Thanks again guys!

Lindsey
[/quote]

I wish you and your tort the best. I can relate; it's a trauma. Poor guy and his vet's visit -- but he'll understand: Torts are smart! I’m glad that you had a vet nearby who cared and could help.

When reading the mineral oil suggestions in other posts, I had the same thought that your vet expressed (though about water): be careful not to get liquids in his lungs. I'm guessing mineral oil would be real nasty if it got in the airway because it's highly viscous. (I've taken mineral oil to relieve constipation occasionally; it's cheap and effective.)

The reason I mention the problem with forcing any liquid is that in raising birds years ago, hand feeding babies, it's very easy for them to inhale the liquid and difficult to dispense properly sometimes. The birds would die almost immediately so there's very little time to do anything, i.e., a trip to the vet's is out of the question.

The best way to get more than a few drops of liquid into an animal orally, other than a dog or cat perhaps, is to insert a feeding tube and this requires experience. It also helps to have someone standing by who is qualified and has the needed devices in case there is an emergency during the procedure.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Yvonne G]

The passageway that carries air into the tortoise's lungs is very small compared to the passageway that carries the food and liquid into the stomach. Its not as easy to aspirate liquid into a tortoise's lungs as it is with a bird or mammal.

 

[Tony the tank]

Any word today??

 

[Torty Mom]

No updates yet, I hope everything is ok!

 

[coldskyline]

hey everyone, sorry for being MIA today, had a super long day...

Herman seems to be doing much better the last two days-- I bathed him three times today and made sure to keep him moving around. He actually had TWO little runny poops today which was SO exciting!!! He still hasn't ate on his own but I think once he really poops he'll be more interested in eating. I still bring him food out everyday like it's normal and he definitely walks up to it and puts his head near it, just doesn't eat it (which makes me so sad because I can tell he really wants to).

Anyhow, about the oil in the lungs-- I don't think I'm going to use the syringe anymore to put the oil in his mouth, I think when I give it to him I'm going to either put it on some fruit or on the Mazuri (thanks Mary Anne) so that way he's swallowing it like he does the food. While I know it'd be hard for it to get into his lung, it's still possible and if it happened I'd totally lose it... I'm just too paranoid. I did put it in his bath today though and he drank a lot which made me happy. His breathing also seems to be a little bit better, I don't want to get too excited and say he's definitely getting better etc., but I'm hoping maybe he had an infection that was causing this and the antibiotics are finally kicking in. Or maybe he's finally getting some relief from the little poops he's been having. Hopefully after a few more runny ones he'll have an actual FULL Sulcata poop!

 

[RV's mom]

with babies that aren't doing well, they put baby food in the water and when the tort drinks they also get some nutrition. I expect tho with a big sully, you'd have to use an industrial size can of pumpkin......
just another thought.....

still hoping and praying for poo...

teri

 

[lynnedit]

Hoping, hoping, hoping!

 

[Torty Mom]

Teri that's a great idea, what about a pumpkin bath? That would just be wonderful if he slurped up tons of pumpkin juice in his bath!!