Hermann Tortoise gasping

[Hildaandherman]

Hi,
I have a 7 year old hermann tortoise called Hilda that is currently suffering from shell rot and so isn't in hibernation.

I got home from school today to find her almost gasping for air whilst pulling her head forwards and she as repeatedly wiping her mouth on her arms.

Hilda has dressings on her shell because of the rot and so i am unsure whether or not I should soak her incase I worsen her shell rot.

Please help
Matilda
P. S here is an image for reference

 

[TheLastGreen]

Hi, follow this guide https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
Can you send images of the shell rot and his enclosure?
Gasping is a sign that the tort has a respiratory infection. You'll need to make sure he has the right temps and the temps should be raised by a bit.
@Yvonne G @wellington @jsheffield @ZEROPILOT @Toddrickfl1

 

[Hildaandherman]

Hi, follow this guide https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
Can you send images of the shell rot and his enclosure?
Gasping is a sign that the tort has a respiratory infection. You'll need to make sure he has the right temps and the temps should be raised by a bit.
@Yvonne G @wellington @jsheffield @ZEROPILOT @Toddrickfl1

OK thank you. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of what her shell looks like at the moment but the vet basically took all the infected bits off the top of her shell so it looks white. We have had her at raised temperatures for the last few days but not too high as we live in England so she isn't used to overly hot environments.
Thank you sooo much for your advice.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Is a vet treating her for actual rot?
That's an extremely rare condition usually found in aquatic turtles. And even just shell fungus is usually easily self treated.
That does sound like a possible respiratory infection and needs help from a veterinarian.
Was this tortoise kept in a classroom inside a glass aquarium sitting on urine/feces fouled substrate?
That'd be a recipe for shell rot and a respiratory infection.

 

[wellington]

Shell rot and fungus usually happens on the bottom shell not the top shell, specially rot usually always bottom. Not sure I have ever seen rot on top.
I would guess likely a burn from lamp/heat being too close.
As for the possible URI keep over all heat at 85 day and night with basking at 95-100.
A vet may need to treat.

 

[Hildaandherman]

Is a vet treating her for actual rot?
That's an extremely rare condition usually found in aquatic turtles. And even just shell fungus is usually easily self treated.
That does sound like a possible respiratory infection and needs help from a veterinarian.
Was this tortoise kept in a classroom inside a glass aquarium sitting on urine/feces fouled substrate?
That'd be a recipe for shell rot and a respiratory infection.

Yes the vet is treating her for actual she'll rot she is on antibiotics and has wet to dry iodine dressings. She was in an enclosure in a greenhouse with a heat lamp as we were preparing her for hibernation. The pen is kept extremely clean and we make sure humidity is low. Now she is inside in a pen that is cleaned daily.

 

[Hildaandherman]

Yes the vet is treating her for actual she'll rot she is on antibiotics and has wet to dry iodine dressings. She was in an enclosure in a greenhouse with a heat lamp as we were preparing her for hibernation. The pen is kept extremely clean and we make sure humidity is low. Now she is inside in a pen that is cleaned daily.

As another note I am in england so we may be calling her condition a different name from the rest of the world but that's what the vet called it so I'm not sure if we're thinking of the same thing

 

[zovick]

Hi,
I have a 7 year old hermann tortoise called Hilda that is currently suffering from shell rot and so isn't in hibernation.

I got home from school today to find her almost gasping for air whilst pulling her head forwards and she as repeatedly wiping her mouth on her arms.

Hilda has dressings on her shell because of the rot and so i am unsure whether or not I should soak her incase I worsen her shell rot.

Please help
Matilda
P. S here is an image for reference
View attachment 337563

The symptoms you describe are signs of a respiratory infection/pneumonia which is causing the tortoise to have to really work to get enough oxygen into its lungs. It needs to be treated for that condition with injections of ceftazidime every 48 hours for about two weeks.

I assume the antibiotics for the "shell rot" are just a topical ointment and not an injectable one, correct? If so, they will not help cure the respiratory problem which could very well kill your tortoise if not treated.

 

[Hildaandherman]

Update:

Hildas breathing has gone almost back to normal and she has livened up a lot. Thank you all so much for your advice. I'm not completely sure what happened but hilda is completely fine now and has drunk some water and had a little bit of food. So I believe she will improve more overnight.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yes the vet is treating her for actual she'll rot she is on antibiotics and has wet to dry iodine dressings. She was in an enclosure in a greenhouse with a heat lamp as we were preparing her for hibernation. The pen is kept extremely clean and we make sure humidity is low. Now she is inside in a pen that is cleaned daily.

Ok
Actual shell rot is a microbial issue and like I said, very rare in land tortoises.
I was just a theory.
We mostly see mild to moderate fungal issues