CDT on the mend but still worried!

[MrTsPetunia]

Hey everyone,
My co-worker dropped off a CDT a few days ago knowing that after 15 years with my dear Russians, I would make a far better mom than her 16 yr old who found the little darling. Age unknown, she is about the size of a coffee mug and she was in bad shape from day 1. I took Jenny to the tort vet who put her on antibiotics for RSV. We are on dose 5 and her nose has finally cleared up. She is still very lethargic so today I dusted off my food processor and made her some mush meal hoping I could stimulate her to eat. I added purified water w/a couple squirts of vitamins plus some Timothy hay, alphalpha, dand greens, a pinch of spring mix, chard and kale. After burning up my processor I finally got it all mushed up and sucked up 5 ml's of the juice into a baby medicine dropper. It took about 20 minutes of placing one drop at a time on her lips before she finally opened her mouth for me. I didn't want to choke her, just to get the vitamins in her so she could gain strength. She finally came around and started eating her regular salad but when she opened her mouth her eyes (left one in particular) swelled up and started to run. She stopped after a few bites so I soaked her and she took some long drinks, cleaned her face (such a lady) and rested while getting her good girl head rubs. Her eye swelling went down after 5 minutes when she resumed eating and again, only to have her eyes swell again!

I am thinking this is just the RSV showing its ugly head since she hasn't completed her antibiotics yet? Also, should I have her de-wormed as a precaution at her check up next week or should I wait until she fully recovers?

Thanks for your replies. I am learning slowly that there is a HUGE difference between my Russians & my CDT!!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum!

I've never heard of the eye swelling/eating thing, sorry I can't help with that.

Can we see pictures of your new tortoise?

 

[Laura]

if she is drinking, be sure to put vitamins in her soaking water.
I'd wait to worm her.
Keep her warm, away from your Russians.. and this respiratory thing.. may never go away... some live with it..
and yes, pics please..

 

[Yvonne G]

Could it be the nictitating membrane swelling (third eyelid)? Sometimes this happens during stress. It sometimes goes away by itself once the tortoise has settled in. If you have some eye ointment, it might be a good idea to use it three or four times a day. If you can get the Terramycin Opthalmic Ointment, that's the best one, however Vetericyn is pretty good as a soothing agent.

 

[MrTsPetunia]

Thank you for the eye ointment info. I will get some right away. Today was a quiet day for her, med day so she slept under her light and I was too busy to snap a pic. I will post one tomorrow, soaking day so she may perk up enough to give me a beaky grin.

 

[ascott]

soaking day so she may perk up enough to give me a beaky grin.

Please be sure to offer a couple long warm water soaks per day....if antibiotics are being used then you will need to up the hydration, antibiotics are very hard on a torts kidneys....also, what test was done to diagnose URI ? Does the vet have direct tortoise experience? Is this a wild tort that was found at one time? How was the tort cared for before you? There can be lasting issues from prior care....