Jaw growing unevenly

[Diane Berner]

My year old red foots lower jaw has been growing more than his upper jaw. Its just a slight difference, but its noticeable. At first I thought he had moth rot but new vet says no. Recommendation was to up his calcium from a large pinch twice a week mixed into a favorite food to three times a week. Vet also recommended taking all his bedding and hide away and put him on carpet. I guess to maximize his UVB exposure. The vet also wormed him even though he had no worms and gave him metrodiazole to kill protozoa in his gut. Well, over the last 9 days he has only pooped a very tiny light colored poop about 3 times. We've gone through this before when he was three months old and had a respiratory infection. The poop was awful and had undigested food in it. I don't want to go there again. The vet is recommending two more doses of the wormer and antibiotic. My gut is telling me no to the wormer and antibiotic. What do you guys think about the rest of the recommendations? Any one else had problems with uneven growth on a jaw?

 

[dmmj]

I am usually against prophylactic worming and antibiotic. as for the removing of hide and substrate I wouldn't do that either. not if it was my tortoise anyways.

 

[Diane Berner]

That is my reaction too. The tortoise spends time sleeping buried in his spaghum moss. I hate to take that away since I've read it helps young tortoises feel secure. The vet that's recommending all this is on tortoise forums list of recommended vets. Its difficult to get good advice. Another vet was treating him for mouth rot and this vet says he doesnt have it just larger lower jaw.

 

[wellington]

My suggestion is to find a new vet. There is no need to take the items away that they suggested. There is also no reason to treat for works if there isn't any. My guess, money hungry vet.

 

[Pearly]

I hate to be this way but both vets seem to be "shooting blind". I'd look for a reptile vet and until you find one, take pictures of your tort's face, front and side and there maybe something some of the experienced keepers have seen before. Do you have cuttlebone in your tort's enclosure? Have you seen pics of overgrown beak? Does it look like that?

 

[Pearly]

And why Metronidazole? Did he take any samples for microscopic analysis?

 

[MPRC]

Metronidazole is a nasty drug. I use NutriBac probitotics once a month regularly and 3x a week after antibiotics or worming in my critters.

Even if you put your tort on carpet/paper towel/in a 'hospital' tank I would provide hides. No sense in stressing the poor thing. Honestly I would stick with the substrate and just bump the temps a little.

 

[Diane Berner]

Here are some pictures of his jaw and shell.

The vet gave him the metronidazole because he saw protozoa in his poop. Where can I get Nutribac? I think he really needs it at this point.

 

[Yvonne G]

The beak looks ok to me. When a tortoise starts to exhibit beak problems, it is because of a calcium deficiency. Be sure your UVB bulb is putting out the UVB you expect it to (they sell UV meters to test that), and increase the calcium-rich foods. But the beak looks ok to me.

 

[Diane Berner]

The beak looks ok to me. When a tortoise starts to exhibit beak problems, it is because of a calcium deficiency. Be sure your UVB bulb is putting out the UVB you expect it to (they sell UV meters to test that), and increase the calcium-rich foods. But the beak looks ok to me.

Thanks for the input. The only reason I noticed a problem is there is slight gap when closing his mouth. A little point on lower beak. It leaves food on sides of his mouth. I guess it's not very apparent from pictures. He's getting calcium powder 3x per week (just a pinch) and calcium rich greens. I will get a UV meter. I'm using a florescent reptisun 5.0 bulb which is only a couple months old. I noticed the problem start when he had been indoors because of cold weather here in Texas.

 

[Diane Berner]

Thanks for the input. The only reason I noticed a problem is there is slight gap when closing his mouth. A little point on lower beak. It leaves food on sides of his mouth. I guess it's not very apparent from pictures. He's getting calcium powder 3x per week (just a pinch) and calcium rich greens. I will get a UV meter. I'm using a florescent reptisun 5.0 bulb which is only a couple months old. I noticed the problem start when he had been indoors because of cold weather here in Texas.

Oh also what is the target reading for UVB and UVA for this type of tortoise?

 

[dmmj]

sadly he could be getting all the calcium in the world but without the UV its pointless.