Help with vet appointment

[Geng]

My Russian tortoise ain't doing to well lately: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/help-worried-about-my-russian-tortoises-behaviour.165666/

Sumarry: my tortoise stays hidden in hide all day long. Not coming out to bask or eat for almost 2 weeks. I do warm soak her almost daily, and after soaks he eats a bit dandelions (like 5 - 10) hand fed before he goes back to his hide.

So I'm trying to make an appointment at this new vet I'm planning to visit. The old one I used to go (gone there 2x the past 2-3 years) has stopped treating reptiles. This new vet is specialized in reptiles, so also tortoises.

I have some questions:

- I have a bad experience with the last vet visit. The doc gave my tortoise a baytril injection without knowing the problem. My tortoise looked worse with every injection. I stopped after the 3rd on advice of TF members. Should I say No to baytrill injections if this new vet offers it?
- How can a vet see a tortoise is healthy?
- What can I do in the meantime? It can take days to make an appointment. Deppending how his shedule is. What can I do in care for my tortoise in the meantime?

 

[wellington]

I posted on your other thread. Check that out and hold off on vet.

 

[mark1]

- I have a bad experience with the last vet visit. The doc gave my tortoise a baytril injection without knowing the problem. My tortoise looked worse with every injection. I stopped after the 3rd on advice of TF members. Should I say No to baytrill injections if this new vet offers it?

I would tell the vet you gave the tortoise 3 injections of baytril and saw no improvement , tell them you read on the internet that baytril is not a safe antibiotic , I have to think if they have been treating reptiles for any length of time , they know the subject matter firsthand ......... as far as giving a tortoise an antibiotic without knowing the problem , it's what vets do , they guess , good vets are great guessers ,the more experience the better they get at guessing ....... they guess at dogs and cats problems on the majority of their appointments in a day , and dog and cat veterinary care is lightyears ahead of reptiles , added to the fact folks are almost always willing to invest more into a diagnosis on their dog than on their turtle ........ as far as a sick turtle or tortoise , i'd guess a bacterial infection is more than likely involved than not ........

- How can a vet see a tortoise is healthy?

they can't , they guess ........ they can do a full blood workup and they'll still need to guess ...... unless they regularly test and interpret Russian tortoise blood values it may not even help them guess .........the more information they get , the better the odds on the guess , they could x-ray him , they could probably send you somewhere for an mri , i'd have to think that'd put you well over $1000 , maybe $2000 , send some blood or tissue to a lab to look for bacterial or viral antibodies , dna , antigen , or culture it , I have to think some of the viruses and bacteria affecting reptiles might not be common test .........

- What can I do in the meantime? It can take days to make an appointment. Deppending how his shedule is. What can I do in care for my tortoise in the meantime?

keep wherever he hides at 80 degrees , and continue to soak him ...... if you can get a stool sample bring it with you ..........

I've had/watched some brilliant veterinarians over the years ........ I am a firm believer in getting treatment as soon as I recognize their sick ..... antibiotics I've never found dangerous unless you wait until the animal is on deaths door , at that point anything and everything can be fatal ........ if you go to a vet I think you either trust them or find one you do ............. jmo