Pedro3737
New Member
Hi, Very sorry i'm new here but i don't really know what else to do.
I really need some help or information for my 2.5 year old male sulcata named Pedro. He is around 23CM in carapace length and about 1.3kg. (i assume he is a male since the plastron is staring to convex a bit)
i need to ask a few questions:
1. Does Pedro need herbivore critical care food?
2. Or do i need to follow vet instruction and just give a saline solution and antibiotics?
Here is the looooong back story, sorry i want to put all info that might be of any help.
Just 3 days ago i noticed he does not eating his normal portion (mixed veggies) and when i try giving him food pellets he ate just a really small portion. Furthermore, He is trying to poop/pee really hard until his eyes get red and puffy. I immediately hurried him to the nearest vet. I've done a bit of research and they have performed carapace repair surgery for sulcata before in my research so i went to them and they found a bladder stone (3.8x4.5 CM).
Having analyzed the image, they suggest performing BS removal through cloaca since its really close, so i left Pedro with the Vet overnight for monitoring and surgery in the morning. Around 2PM the next day i inquire Pedro's condition since they have no news and they informed currently Pedro is in surgery queue and ask to wait, not until about 6PM they informed that the surgery cannot be performed since the BS position has moved and require opening the plastron but they had no available doctor. at this point they had put feeding tube on my boi. before you blame me, yeah i'm ashamed at myself, we Chinese don't trust doctor until things get real bad
Ofc i'm disappointed since we arranged the surgery first in the morning and this might be avoidable. a bit of drama later they flat out admit they had done the surgery but failed and in doing so pushed the BS inwards, its also stated in the overnight care reports afterwards. i did some research and went straight to another vet (this 2nd vet is in another city but looks legit, having published a journals and books on tortoise care). Pedro is quite active on the car, walking around exploring, scratching, and trying to climb the transport container. (sorry for the blur, i was driving while taking pic)
when i arrived at the 2nd Vet, they drew blood sample (through neck area) and some antibiotic and vitamin injection on Pedro (twice on the hind legs), and also repair the feeding tube stitches since they deemed it's a bit sloppy. This is all performed without anesthesia since they worried it might damage the organ, having anesthetized the night before in the 1st vet. Pedro is very scared and hide but the vet really forced him open, damn this vet might be a sadist tho its sickening but okay,,, necessary. They tried to feel with the pinchy thingy to locate the BS but failed since it is too deep inside.
So the 2nd vet gave me some saline solution (Pedialyte brand) and antibiotics to push through his feeding tube. no food, water soak, and sunbathing until next visit in 3 days, but heat lamp and uvb is 24/7 on. i kept him in the yellow transport container since i'm worried his enclosure and substrate might have some bacteria that harm especially after surgery and feeding tube. heat and humidity is fked ikr but i suppose he is smart enough to move searching for the comfortable temp.
Now the first night, Pedro is able to poop and pee quite a bit, and several time also, but is currently passive and doesn't move around much, i don't know if it is the pain or the fear but he seemed laying down a lot. i tried moving the heat lamp several time and he seemed to annoyed but move following the heatlamp as well. he is not really sleeping just laying down and doing nothing. i'm worried sick having one sulcata died last year.
Today he is about the same, i noticed he moved a bit and nodding his head like nothing happened but still does not walk around and climb much. saline and antibiotics is religiously applied. he has not touched his water bowl yet. peed a bit of urates but nothing significant. but really i was wondering why he can't eat solid food or liquid through the tube? i might not have biology degree but i think everything need energy to recover?
I found oxbow critical care for herbivore online but i don't know the dosage and if it is the wise thing to do.. you now, defying your doctor?
and also what is with the antibiotics? is it just precaution? i really worried since before 2nd vet visit he is just being Pedro but now he is sad.
Pedro is a gift from my ex and i really love Pedro like a family. if you have any information and advise i will deeply appreciates them. money for medicine or treatment is not an issue i just want to see Pedro passed to my future child.
Many thanks
I really need some help or information for my 2.5 year old male sulcata named Pedro. He is around 23CM in carapace length and about 1.3kg. (i assume he is a male since the plastron is staring to convex a bit)
i need to ask a few questions:
1. Does Pedro need herbivore critical care food?
2. Or do i need to follow vet instruction and just give a saline solution and antibiotics?
Here is the looooong back story, sorry i want to put all info that might be of any help.
Just 3 days ago i noticed he does not eating his normal portion (mixed veggies) and when i try giving him food pellets he ate just a really small portion. Furthermore, He is trying to poop/pee really hard until his eyes get red and puffy. I immediately hurried him to the nearest vet. I've done a bit of research and they have performed carapace repair surgery for sulcata before in my research so i went to them and they found a bladder stone (3.8x4.5 CM).
Having analyzed the image, they suggest performing BS removal through cloaca since its really close, so i left Pedro with the Vet overnight for monitoring and surgery in the morning. Around 2PM the next day i inquire Pedro's condition since they have no news and they informed currently Pedro is in surgery queue and ask to wait, not until about 6PM they informed that the surgery cannot be performed since the BS position has moved and require opening the plastron but they had no available doctor. at this point they had put feeding tube on my boi. before you blame me, yeah i'm ashamed at myself, we Chinese don't trust doctor until things get real bad
Ofc i'm disappointed since we arranged the surgery first in the morning and this might be avoidable. a bit of drama later they flat out admit they had done the surgery but failed and in doing so pushed the BS inwards, its also stated in the overnight care reports afterwards. i did some research and went straight to another vet (this 2nd vet is in another city but looks legit, having published a journals and books on tortoise care). Pedro is quite active on the car, walking around exploring, scratching, and trying to climb the transport container. (sorry for the blur, i was driving while taking pic)
when i arrived at the 2nd Vet, they drew blood sample (through neck area) and some antibiotic and vitamin injection on Pedro (twice on the hind legs), and also repair the feeding tube stitches since they deemed it's a bit sloppy. This is all performed without anesthesia since they worried it might damage the organ, having anesthetized the night before in the 1st vet. Pedro is very scared and hide but the vet really forced him open, damn this vet might be a sadist tho its sickening but okay,,, necessary. They tried to feel with the pinchy thingy to locate the BS but failed since it is too deep inside.
So the 2nd vet gave me some saline solution (Pedialyte brand) and antibiotics to push through his feeding tube. no food, water soak, and sunbathing until next visit in 3 days, but heat lamp and uvb is 24/7 on. i kept him in the yellow transport container since i'm worried his enclosure and substrate might have some bacteria that harm especially after surgery and feeding tube. heat and humidity is fked ikr but i suppose he is smart enough to move searching for the comfortable temp.
Now the first night, Pedro is able to poop and pee quite a bit, and several time also, but is currently passive and doesn't move around much, i don't know if it is the pain or the fear but he seemed laying down a lot. i tried moving the heat lamp several time and he seemed to annoyed but move following the heatlamp as well. he is not really sleeping just laying down and doing nothing. i'm worried sick having one sulcata died last year.
Today he is about the same, i noticed he moved a bit and nodding his head like nothing happened but still does not walk around and climb much. saline and antibiotics is religiously applied. he has not touched his water bowl yet. peed a bit of urates but nothing significant. but really i was wondering why he can't eat solid food or liquid through the tube? i might not have biology degree but i think everything need energy to recover?
I found oxbow critical care for herbivore online but i don't know the dosage and if it is the wise thing to do.. you now, defying your doctor?
and also what is with the antibiotics? is it just precaution? i really worried since before 2nd vet visit he is just being Pedro but now he is sad.
Pedro is a gift from my ex and i really love Pedro like a family. if you have any information and advise i will deeply appreciates them. money for medicine or treatment is not an issue i just want to see Pedro passed to my future child.
Many thanks
