Hermann gallstones?

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Queenblues

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Hi, new here. Speed the tortoise is 6 and hasnt been doing too great recently. He's been to the vets twice but i think the source of the problem still hasn't been picked up on.

About a week ago i found him with few missing scales on one of his front legs and it looked a bit sore. I took him to the vets, where he had his beak trimmed too, and the vet told me it was because he was overweight and couldnt lift his shell off his legs to walk anymore. She put some tape around his shell so it didnt rub on his legs but over the next couple of days his condition got a lot worse, all of his legs are now missing most scales and are very sore. He is missing all the scales on the bottom of one of his back feet and it doesnt stop bleeding, obviously very sore as he wont let me touch it.

I took him back to the vets two days ago and they gave me some 'fuciderm gel' to apply twice a day to his bare flesh. This doesnt seem to be doing anything but im still using it just incase.

Since his first visit we took him off his woodchip and put him on paper towels to prevent infection and have noticed he hasnt been to the toilet since, thats about a week or so without going to the toilet.

I have cut his meals in half and he has eaten them everyday as usual, but today he left it and retreated to the back of his tank and slept all day. I have been taping cotton wool onto his shell to stop his legs rubbing on his shell but it isnt helping, his legs are just getting worse by the day.

Any advice or help would be much appreciated, thankyou... Marnie
 

dmmj

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Sorry to hear about it, but a picture of him would be very helpful. Tortoises can get over weight, to much food and not enough exercise, but I have not heard of them rubbing their legs against the shell because of it.
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Marnie:

Sorry to have to welcome you to the forum under these circumstances. Has your tortoise received a Vitamin a,d,e injection recently? Too much vitamin a causes the skin to slough off like what you describe.

I really don't know what to tell you other than to keep it clean. Maybe a bit of Neo Sporin ointment on the raw parts would help it heal. Keep flies off it. And keep him on paper towels or newspaper until its healed.

If the vet gave you antibiotics, then be sure to continue until the dose is all gone. If he didn't give you any, then ask him for some. It would be very easy for this tortoise to become infected and you really don't want that.

Soak the tortoise every day in warm water.

Why does your subject line say, "Hermann gallstones"?
 

Queenblues

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hmm, i just posted this again in another topic because i couldnt see it on the forum. then i found it on google again.

it is titled as hermann gallstones because i was wondering if this is what could be causing him to be overweight and not passing liquid or solid
 

Yvonne G

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Hi Marnie:


New members are placed on moderation until they have made 5 posts. This keeps the spam off the forum. Sometimes you may have to wait a while to see your post because a moderator isn't online at the moment to approve it.

If the tortoise has stones, it might cause the back legs to drag...a semi-paralysis of the back legs. But usually the stones cause a prolapse of some sort...the bowel or the penis...from straining to get the stones out.
 

Queenblues

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that explains it then. im guessing the other post wont be shown?

his back legs are fine other than being cut up and a bit swollen. they are not dragging and he can move them fine, so that seems like it could be a relief. still unsure why he isnt pooing though
 

dmmj

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Swollen legs could be fluid retention of some kind. if he is not passing either feces or urine, it could be buildinng up.
 

ascott

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Hello....do you soak your tortoise?

Welcome to the Forum.....may we see pics of your tortoise.....one from the front and one from the side showing his entire body profile please...:D
 
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