Is this shell rot?

[Jerry0323]

Hey guys,
My radiated tortoise developed this around three weeks ago. I have been treating it with diluted betadine and silver sulfadiazine. I stopped the betadine treatment after two weeks because I heard that due to its harshness, it can actually hinder healing. Right now I am just applying silver sulfadiazine daily. It has been three weeks already and the issue is still there. It didn’t expand but it didn’t heal much as well. The area is hard like regular shell and no smell. Should I still continue with the same treatment? I wish I can take it to the vet but I am currently in Shanghai so that wouldn’t be possible as the city do not have reputable reptile vets. Should I continue with this treatment or add athlete food cream as well?
Thank you

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

@ZEROPILOT can probably advice you

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hey guys,
My radiated tortoise developed this around three weeks ago. I have been treating it with diluted betadine and silver sulfadiazine. I stopped the betadine treatment after two weeks because I heard that due to its harshness, it can actually hinder healing. Right now I am just applying silver sulfadiazine daily. It has been three weeks already and the issue is still there. It didn’t expand but it didn’t heal much as well. The area is hard like regular shell and no smell. Should I still continue with the same treatment? I wish I can take it to the vet but I am currently in Shanghai so that wouldn’t be possible as the city do not have reputable reptile vets. Should I continue with this treatment or add athlete food cream as well? View attachment 375811
Thank you

Hello!
It doesn't look like a fungal infection, so athlete's foot creme won't do much. ApplyIng creme won't fix the plastron damage - if there is no infection these damaged areas will heal to some extent in one-two years.

I would ask @zovick to take a look as well.

 

[zovick]

Hello!
It doesn't look like a fungal infection, so athlete's foot creme won't do much. ApplyIng creme won't fix the plastron damage - if there is no infection these damaged areas will heal to some extent in one-two years.

I would ask @zovick to take a look as well.

The athlete's foot cream MIGHT be of some help, but as Alex said, it doesn't really look like normal shell rot. However, I think I would try the cream just to see if it does any good, since what you have already done has not changed the lesions.

 

[Jerry0323]

The athlete's foot cream MIGHT be of some help, but as Alex said, it doesn't really look like normal shell rot. However, I think I would try the cream just to see if it does any good, since what you have already done has not changed the lesions.

Hi, Thanks for the reply! Ok I will try just using

The athlete's foot cream MIGHT be of some help, but as Alex said, it doesn't really look like normal shell rot. However, I think I would try the cream just to see if it does any good, since what you have already done has not changed the lesions.

Thanks for the reply! Ok I will try that. Most of the vet clinics here refuses to look at tortoises as the legality of keeping tortoise where I am located is not clear. One vet looked at it briefly and said sometime similar. He said the shell rot appears to be cured but because of the extended use of betadine it actually damaged the plastron, it should heal on its own in a few months. I will apply some athlete foot cream on the base as a precaution for a week or so to see.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

No
I don't believe it is a fungal issue or even anything you need to be concerned about...
However, Athletes foot cream does no harm. What I mean by that is that you can always put some on those areas just out of an abundance of caution.
While it works very quickly to kill fungus, it's also safe to use if you (we) were wrong about it being fungus.
No harm done.
Betadine should only be used once. It will slow healing. (And this doesn't warrant the use anyway)

 

[iliketurtlez]

sounds like you're doing everything right. hope your little guy feels better soon!