Just wanted to give a few pointers on dealing with an ear infection. The first 2 pics was Carmel yesterday)!i know not the best pics but you can tell the size able abscess of the ear. The next 2 were taken today, which you can tell it's gone down considerably since yesterday. The key was detecting the signs of an infection and getting antibiotics early in her system. She's been on smz/tmp for 6 days now along with a warm soak in a turkey tail mushroom concoction bath. Since she didn't lose her appetite, I would cut a night crawler in half and inject the antibiotic into the cut end of the worm. Do it slowly, you can actually see the fluid fill in the worm. In the past I tried doing it with fruit or sweet potatoe but never worked for me. I was never sure the turtle was getting full dose or most of the time the smell did it in. I just wanted to post this to let anyone new who encounters an ear infection you can avoid surgery and additional pain by taking action on key signs of issues. Side of head or eye suddenly a bit swollen, bubbly nose, loss of appetite, not as much activity, etc. but if you notice any raised bump on the ear take it to a vet to get it checked out. In the long run it will save your pocket or your turtle from more serious issues. $48 later I'm happy that she's doing better. Only another week of injecting worms, lol!
