HELP my tortoise is sick.

[sgalsport09]

Please help me.
I bought a Russian tortoise from a kid Sunday. The tortoise had a right swollen eye that was all white around it. I took him to the vet and they gave me nepolybac to put on his eye. Everytime I put it on there, it looks worse, and there seems to be discharge. It was darker (almost black) around the infected eye, and it seems that he darkness is spreading to the other side of his face. He is only a year old and I love him to death. Can anyone please give me advice? I don't know if I should keep using the medication or not. Anything will help! Thanks!

 

[dmarcus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

Sometimes things look a little worse before they get better, I can't say if thats whats happening to your tortoise. If you think its not getting better, you may want to go back to the vet to get it checked again...

 

[cemmons12]

Welcome to the forum!
Hope your vet knows what he/she is doing.. Sometimes, they just dont. If you feel like this is the case, I would search for another. I got lucky that there is one in Indy that is very good and only 45 minutes from my house. But I had to do a little searching to find them. Good luck to you both!!

 

[Arizona Sulcata]

Welcome!
Are you using any type of UV? If so, what are you using? Sometimes certain types of UV can hurt tortoises eyes. Not sure that's the case or not, just ny best guess.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi sgalsport09:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

Was the vet able to look inside the eye-lids and check if there was something foreign in there?

In my opinion (and I'm NOT a vet)you should flush out the eye with sterile saline solution, then pat it dry with a paper towel, THEN put in the medication. I've not heard of the medication you're using, but if its an ointment, then that's what is causing the skin to look darkened. Its just like grease.

May we know appx. where in the world you are?

and what would you like us to call you?

 

[dmmj]

Eyes are a very goo d indicator of a tortoise's health, but usually when they develop eye problems due to another illness, it affects both eyes. One eye can usually means there is something foreign in there, and it could simply be infected now.

 

[sgalsport09]

Thanks everyone! My name is Stacie and I am from Portland, Oregon. The medication is an ointment. The previous owner had not dealt at all with his eye. From the research that I have done, it looks like a bacterial infection. After I put the ointment in his eye, he rubs his leg on his eye, possibly spreading the ointment, so would the darkness that's spreading just be the grease from the ointment? I'm just worried about his infection spreading to his other eye.

 

[sgalsport09]

I also forgot to add that I have a UVB bulb, and also bought a basting bulb with UVA. The previous owner did not use a UVB bulb, and used a standard household bulb for his basting area. Could this have caused the infection?

 

[ascott]

Lack of uv rays can affect their development in a variety of ways....is there anyway to take him out for natural sun every day for at least 30+ minutes...it would lift his spirits as well....are you using those curly pig tail uvb bulbs? Or is it like a flood light bulb style?

As Yvonne shared...I agree, you should flush the eye and then ointment...and yes ointments are greasy and that can give the skin a darker look....

 

[sgalsport09]

I am using one of the curly bulbs, is that bad? And he also seems to have a lack of appetite, I've only seen him eat twice since I got him Sunday. He seems to be uninterested in food.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Stacie:

There might be something else wrong too...but the curly bulb isn't helping. They cause eye problems in very young tortoises. I'd get rid of that immediately.

 

[reticguy76]

any pics ??

 

[Englishrose]

Please help me.
I bought a Russian tortoise from a kid Sunday. The tortoise had a right swollen eye that was all white around it. I took him to the vet and they gave me nepolybac to put on his eye. Everytime I put it on there, it looks worse, and there seems to be discharge. It was darker (almost black) around the infected eye, and it seems that he darkness is spreading to the other side of his face. He is only a year old and I love him to death. Can anyone please give me advice? I don't know if I should keep using the medication or not. Anything will help! Thanks!

Hi there,

The ointment is neo-poly-bac. The active ingredients are the antibiotics Neomycin and Polymyxin B and Bacitracin Zinc. there is a similar product that can be used on humans which im familiar with

I personally would not irrigate the eye socket merely cleanse the outside if there is any crusty/dried discharge and insert a small amount of ointment into the bottom of the eye lid so when he closes his eye its in there, dont be afraid if it comes out, sometimes less is more!

He will keep trying to rub his eye because there is something 'foreign' in there (meaning the ointment) but you could give the vet a call if your not happy and they can either reassure you or ask you to take him back.

How long did they tell you to use it for?

kae

 

[sgalsport09]

Thanks!
I am suppose to use it 3 times daily for a week.

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He is about a year old. The UVB bulb is a coil bulb. Should I use like a plant flood light UVB bulb instead?

 

[Laurie]

Thanks!
I am suppose to use it 3 times daily for a week.

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He is about a year old. The UVB bulb is a coil bulb. Should I use like a plant flood light UVB bulb instead?

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The coil UVB bulbs can hurt the tortoises eyes. I would stop using it immediately. You can purchase an MVB bulb. Or use the long fluorescent UVB with a separate regular bulb to make a basking spot. If you will have your tortoise outside most of the time, you can get away without using UVB bulb.