Foot injury

Jollyrogers

New Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
22
Hi all, I need some advice.

Yesterday I brought home my new cherry head and it was only when we put it in its enclosure that we noticed an injury to the right foot. As you can see from the picture, it looks like an abscess to me but being a new tort owner I thought I'd ask the community and see if anyone can recommend treatment.

Ideally I don't want to take it back as it's not fair on (s)he. It is eating albeit not a lot as it will still be settling in.

Any advice appreciated

20170618_093426.jpg 20170617_142801.jpg
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,390
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
I can't really tell from the picture, but if you think it's an abscess, it probably should be lanced. There may be a sliver or foreign object embedded in there and infection will (or has already) set in. Your first option is to take the tortoise to the vet, but if you can't afford that and if you feel courageous, you can try it yourself. Try to find the center of the mass and make a small incision with a razor blade. I emphasize SMALL. Or you can just pick at it with the tip of a sterilized needle and see if you can break it open. Then press on either side of the abscess and try to express out all the pus. When finished, be sure to clean the wound well and keep him on newspaper until it heals or closes up. He will need antibiotics, so the vet is the best choice.

Another thing is to take the tortoise out into the sun (very bright light) and give a very close inspection to the leg above the foot. Make sure there isn't a hair or piece of dry grass wrapped around the leg cutting off circulation to the foot.

Wiggle that toenail to see if it's loose. That might be what's wrong - a broken toenail, broken up high inside where it comes out of the foot.
 

Pearly

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
5,287
Location (City and/or State)
Central Texas, Austin area
Give her a nice warm long (30 min) bath. Start water temp in low 90's F and gradually go up to about 103-105F (i use my temp gun to keep up with water temps)ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1497811388.487937.jpg after in a bath get a good light and try to wash this foot off by gently rubbing under running water with your finger or soft rag, get magnifying glass and take a good look at this foot, see if there is something wedged under the scales, or maybe is it a bug bite, or little infected wound, or toe nail injury... definitely rule out any foreign body (splinter or something) Unfortunately I can't really see much on your picture so do some investigative work, thorough assessment and please give us an update
 

MPRC

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
3,102
Location (City and/or State)
Oregon
I'm staring and squinting and can't make sense of what I'm seeing, when in doubt, head to the vet. (Also, if you do go to the vet and they try to give vitamin A shots politely decline)
 

Jollyrogers

New Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
22
Thank you all for replying.

Well I have given a long soke in the bath and tried to clean it with a surgical swab. What I have noticed is he is missing a toe nail which is where the injury appears to have happened.

I spoke to the Petco and they have asked to asked me to bring it to them. I have attached two pictures I took whilst it was bathing.

20170619_102645.jpg 20170619_102623.jpg
 

zovick

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
3,388
It looks as though the nail bed is infected. I would say it probably needs injectable antibiotics in addition to the warm soaks. It would probably be better for the tortoise taking it to a reptile vet than back to Petco. Of course, that would be an added expense which you may not want to bear, so another alternative might be to see if Petco will exchange that one for a different one which has no issues.
 
Top