- Joined
- Feb 23, 2010
- Messages
- 45
So my cat and tortoise are both quite ill.
Tortoise has been doing great up until last week when it had a friend over. My friend received their sulcata the same day, from the same clutch. He was visiting for a few days, so his sulcata did too. (His tortoise is far far more active than mine, and frequently flips, so extended stay means tortoise comes too, otherwise it'd probably suffocate itself.)
I noticed his was bullying mine a bit, so had to add a makeshift divider to keep them separate. Unfortunately, mine decided to stop eating or drinking since the other one wouldn't let it.
Daily soaks, offerings of food, even tried to force them to take small sips. He keeps spitting it back out.
Regarding my non-tortoise, my cat whom I've had for over a decade has been in declining health for the last 5 months. The cat also decided to stop eating and drinking right about the same time (a day before), but for unrelated reasons.
A trip for everyone to the vet resulted in 'poor' prognosis for everyone. The tortoise, even with soaking and attempts to force sips has become too dehydrated. No signs of infection or impaction. It received a small subq injection of saline with a small dose of nutriets, which I was told 'if anything will bring it around this will'. No such luck. The vet said it won't make it more than a day or two if the fluid injection doesn't help. It's been 4, and as of today still alive, but quite limp, and no longer even attempting to open its eyes.
As a note regarding vets, Ehrlich Animal Hospital in Tampa, FL has a doctor on staff that handles herp well. I had to reschedule a day later so that I could see them. It also has a staff doctor that handles wild and 'exotics', including working with big cats, foxes, etc.
As per my cat, all blood levels were fine, and on further testing, he has a mass in his chest. The vet said it looks like lung cancer. Because of it, its gotten to the point its affecting breathing and almost prevents eating. His diet is now forced nutrical and water in small doses several times a day.
The vet said my cat may last a week or two, month at the most.
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As I really would like to raise a sulcata, and have been plagued with small illnesses and scares from day one, would I be better off adopting a year old juvenile? The friend who also received one when I did has had no problems other than his wanting to flip itself, even in less ideal conditions. I have a sneaking suspicion, on seeing how both have grown and developed, that my little one was born with a short predetermined destiny.
Tortoise has been doing great up until last week when it had a friend over. My friend received their sulcata the same day, from the same clutch. He was visiting for a few days, so his sulcata did too. (His tortoise is far far more active than mine, and frequently flips, so extended stay means tortoise comes too, otherwise it'd probably suffocate itself.)
I noticed his was bullying mine a bit, so had to add a makeshift divider to keep them separate. Unfortunately, mine decided to stop eating or drinking since the other one wouldn't let it.
Daily soaks, offerings of food, even tried to force them to take small sips. He keeps spitting it back out.
Regarding my non-tortoise, my cat whom I've had for over a decade has been in declining health for the last 5 months. The cat also decided to stop eating and drinking right about the same time (a day before), but for unrelated reasons.
A trip for everyone to the vet resulted in 'poor' prognosis for everyone. The tortoise, even with soaking and attempts to force sips has become too dehydrated. No signs of infection or impaction. It received a small subq injection of saline with a small dose of nutriets, which I was told 'if anything will bring it around this will'. No such luck. The vet said it won't make it more than a day or two if the fluid injection doesn't help. It's been 4, and as of today still alive, but quite limp, and no longer even attempting to open its eyes.
As a note regarding vets, Ehrlich Animal Hospital in Tampa, FL has a doctor on staff that handles herp well. I had to reschedule a day later so that I could see them. It also has a staff doctor that handles wild and 'exotics', including working with big cats, foxes, etc.
As per my cat, all blood levels were fine, and on further testing, he has a mass in his chest. The vet said it looks like lung cancer. Because of it, its gotten to the point its affecting breathing and almost prevents eating. His diet is now forced nutrical and water in small doses several times a day.
The vet said my cat may last a week or two, month at the most.
---
As I really would like to raise a sulcata, and have been plagued with small illnesses and scares from day one, would I be better off adopting a year old juvenile? The friend who also received one when I did has had no problems other than his wanting to flip itself, even in less ideal conditions. I have a sneaking suspicion, on seeing how both have grown and developed, that my little one was born with a short predetermined destiny.
