Bubbles Galore

[Careym13]

I really hope she gets better. But either way, at least she is loved and cared for now.

 

[N2TORTS]

Mike hang in there- tortoises are very resilient.....Keep her temps high , but well hydrated. Also try .5 mg of Baytril and hide it (inject it )into a strawberry or banana 2X a day. The stuff tastes nasty and they can be very apprehensive in taking the oral stuff...but the injection of a favorite fruit usually over-rides temptation ....at least for a few good bites. Stay at this regime for 5 days or so and you should see some major improvements. Good luck buddy and she has found an Angel within this lifetime .....- Good for you!.

 

[Alaskamike]

So sad...I'm wondering from lack of nutrition and growing that caused the legs to be immobile, or completely something else. I read somewhere on the forum that a tortoise scooted and did not use their hind legs and the owner started to do water therapy on their legs and over time the tortoise began walking. Now I don't know the extend of the damage/impairment theirs had compared to your tortoise. Yours sounds pretty bad however maybe going to a vet and asking their opinion may be great, as long as you know a good reptile vet with the right knowledge on tortoises. This story really angers me too!!! People truly sicken me!!!

Funny your would mention water therapy- I have that on my agenda this week. My plan is to cut a small piece of wood a bit smaller than her plastron then attach her to it with tape so she floats, let her move her legs to "swim" and see if that gives them strength. I'll take a photo of her getting her physical therapy in the water soon.

 

[Yvonne G]

Bubbles is still alive, and still eating some. Although it is clear she has a very hard time breathing. Probably a combination of the MBD and a URI. Since she doesn't walk (her back legs are not working anymore) , but just scoots herself she doesn't get the exercise she needs. If she recovers to walk again, and gets over the URI I will be amazed. My GF can hardly look at her it makes her so mad that anyone would allow an animal to get so bad when good care is easy to discover and do. Maybe I'm just a crazy optimist, but as long as she's alive I can at least give her good food, hydration, and a little daily sun. She lives such a small life in her hospital tank...
If she doesn't show improvement, yet continues to live, It crosses my mind if even keeping her alive is cruel. How long can I keep her like this?
This is a hard one. I've rescued torts before, but never one in this bad of shape.

You can clear her nasal passages with sterile saline squirts. And if you want to try antibiotic, you can mix 1 part Baytril with 9 parts sterile saline and firmly squirt it up each nostril. Once a day is fine, and continue for 5 days.

Is she still eating? That's most of the battle. As long as she's trying to stay alive you have a very good chance of pulling her through this.

 

[Yvonne G]

I love the water therapy idea. You're so inventive!

 

[Alaskamike]

I love the water therapy idea. You're so inventive!

Thank Yvonne
Well, I made her little raft. Filed off the edges smooth. No to see if she can float upright with it

 

[Alaskamike]

okay that didnt work, I tried Styrofoam too, floated better but she's like lopsided and just wants to flip over no matter how I try and balance her, My final solution is 2 pieces of the wood, just high enough for her legs to dangle in the water in a terra cotta dish. I'll see how that goes. So far she just sits there, but

I'm hoping she will pump her legs soon

 

[Alaskamike]

Did struggle on her " raft". I put my finger against a back foot and felt her push against it. So some muscle still there.

Ate her mush mix well

I found if I hold her almost upside down it helps clear her lungs. She struggles some and the mucus comes out. I give her sun in 1/2 he increments 3-4x a day. For the calcium metabolism.

I'm trying to get her to move as much as possible without totally stressing her out. But if she doesn't move and struggle she won't recover. Hoping she can one day walk again. I know it will be a long haul.

But she tolerates her physical therapy well. Tough little tort

 

[Angel Carrion]

I'm glad to hear that.
I had no idea holding a tort upside down would help clear their lungs. Do you have further experience with this, or does anyone reading this comment have experience with that? I think that's a good thing to know.

 

[Anyfoot]

Bubbles is still alive, and still eating some. Although it is clear she has a very hard time breathing. Probably a combination of the MBD and a URI. Since she doesn't walk (her back legs are not working anymore) , but just scoots herself she doesn't get the exercise she needs. If she recovers to walk again, and gets over the URI I will be amazed. My GF can hardly look at her it makes her so mad that anyone would allow an animal to get so bad when good care is easy to discover and do. Maybe I'm just a crazy optimist, but as long as she's alive I can at least give her good food, hydration, and a little daily sun. She lives such a small life in her hospital tank...
If she doesn't show improvement, yet continues to live, It crosses my mind if even keeping her alive is cruel. How long can I keep her like this?
This is a hard one. I've rescued torts before, but never one in this bad of shape.

Dont give up Mike. 1 step at a time. Clearing the mucus seems to be the first job. She seems to be eating. I was thinking, could you put something under her with small whelks on(man my lego would be good here)lol. So her back legs just touch the floor, then she may move them as she scoots. Just a thought. On a hard floor maybe.

 

[Anyfoot]

Wheels. Not whelks. Stupid phone. Lol

 

[Alaskamike]

I'll look into that. Right now she drags them. And if she pushes with back legs. It's by pushing with her knees

 

[Anyfoot]

I'll look into that. Right now she drags them. And if she pushes with back legs. It's by pushing with her knees

Ouch. Sounds nasty on the knees.

 

[Alaskamike]

I'm glad to hear that.
I had no idea holding a tort upside down would help clear their lungs. Do you have further experience with this, or does anyone reading this comment have experience with that? I think that's a good thing to know.

When I say " upside down " I mean with head down , butt up.
I stumbled on this by accident when she went down over the tile I had her sitting on and got stuck with her head part lower than back end. I noticed her draining mucous
I'm sure others have done this
It does work. So now I hold her like that several times a day and wipe the mucous away. Like getting a baby to blow it's nose

 

[Angel Carrion]

When I say " upside down " I mean with head down , butt up.
I stumbled on this by accident when she went down over the tile I had her sitting on and got stuck with her head part lower than back end. I noticed her draining mucous
I'm sure others have done this
It does work. So now I hold her like that several times a day and wipe the mucous away. Like getting a baby to blow it's nose

Good to know. Thank you very much for sharing this information

 

[newCH]

Can you use a ball syringe to suction the mucous out on a tortoise ?
Like you would a baby-
Glad you saved her from her previous situation.
At least now she now knows what a good meal is like !

 

[teresaf]

When sHeep arE born and somebody has to deliver them if they have mucus in the lungs and throat I know they'll do something I think they call it 'swinging' them? I've done it for puppies when they weren't responding at birth. to get the fluid out of their lungs you would get a good hold of them upside down and swing Them without any jerking thus letting gravity and centrifical force do the work that the animal can't do coughing it up

 

[Alaskamike]

When sHeep arE born and somebody has to deliver them if they have mucus in the lungs and throat I know they'll do something I think they call it 'swinging' them? I've done it for puppies when they weren't responding at birth. to get the fluid out of their lungs you would get a good hold of them upside down and swing Them without any jerking thus letting gravity and centrifical force do the work that the animal can't do coughing it up

Well .... That might work too.
Worth a try

I'm reluctant to use a bulb syringe for fear of injuring her little throat

 

[newCH]

I meant about using the bulb syringe at her nose area, to catch the
bubbles and flow coming from her nose. Not trying to use it in
her mouth.

 

[teresaf]

I couldn't use a bulb syringe on a baby let alone a tortoise