Giving shots plus how to hydrate

[Sib]

My 94 pound male sulcata has a bladder infection and needs antibiotic shots except he wont let me inject him with the needle. Any tricks to giving a large tortoise shots? Seven years ago he had a respiratory infection and I flipped him on his back to immobilize him and was able to give him the shots like that but he is too heavy now to flip over.
Also how do I hydrate him the vet said he is dehydrated bathing is not possible due to size and we live in a cold winter climate so can't hose him down outside. Can I hydrate him with foods like romaine, watermelon etc.?
Sib

 

[wellington]

Put him up on a 5 gallon bucket or something similar, then he can't move, as his feet can't touch anything. The food for hydrating, I think you would have to feed him more then what is good for him. But I would give him some and then also hydrate him in your tub or if you can get a kiddy pool and fill with warm water and place a heat light or Che over him to help keep him warm and add warm water when it starts too cool off.
@Yvonne G or @Tom can confirm the food hydration and may have more suggestions

 

[Pearly]

Wow! At first I was relieved to see the culmination of your other thread, but I didn't realize how big your tortoise was! I wish your vet was little more accommodating and proactive here and not letting you figure out how to handle a 100 lbs shelled reptile.... I have couple of Cathy who are impossible to give melds to. There have been two times when they needed antibiotic and luckily there was an option of one time dose injectable that he did. As for hydration, other then wetting the tort's food really good (maybe even use Pedialyte) or mix with baby food carrot??? ... if it's too cold to let him soak outside in his wading pool. I maybe totally off here as my entire research and first hand experience is RF babies and mammals... I hope Sulcata keepers chime in soon to help you. Have you tried soaking his grassland tort pellets, and mixing them mashed with his greens? If there's something he really likes to eat, it might be easies to sneak in the antibiotic orally. Stay strong. I know what's like to care for sick animal

 

[Lyn W]

To hydrate him what about getting a kiddies inflatable paddling pool and if you lay it flat and can manoeuvre him into the centre of it maybe you could then inflate it and add the water. That probably is a lot easier in theory than in practice!!!

 

[surfergirl]

my sully drinks out of a stainless steel dog bowl. will yours not drink out of a bowl? Ii take luke warm water during the winter and pour it in the bowl right in front of him and something about seeing the water move and splash makes him walk over and put his head deep into the bowl and he drinks it through his nose.

Iwould think you can get a kiddie pool or big enough tub you could start it with warm water and keep several pitchers of hot water close by as the outdoor temps cool the warm water in the tub stir in some of the hot water in the pitchers to keep it warm for a 10-20 minute soak. i would resort to my tub probably as a last ditch effort. warning though- might have to replace a tub after a 100 plus pound sully takes a bath in it.

Also Tractor supply or a feed store usually have some pretty short feed troughs/bins that are not too expensive if you cannot find a kiddie pool.

hope he gets well quick!

 

[MPRC]

Drain tubs that go under water heaters are easy to get them into and are usually big enough around, but they are also incredibly easy for the tort to just walk out of when they decide they have had enough.