My dogs attacked my baby Sulcata's

[mhadjes]

We adopted two baby Sulcatas about two weeks ago they were four months old. We had brought them inside in a box because the rain was flooding there outside enclosure. We had them in the bathroom in the shower but somehow the dogs found them. (we did have the door shut but someone must haved mistakenly left it open) When we realized this and found them outside the dogs had chewed pretty good on them. I immediatley brought them in soaked in warm water, cleaned with iodine and bandaged with neosporine on the wounds. One of them was much worse than the other with one leg almost completely gone and the other foot bit well also the front of her shell was gone with internal showing. She lived for a day and a half being cared for and nursed but did pass. the other one has a piece of is shell missing and a small part of his internal showing on the side and and two more bit marks. One on the top shell and one through the other. I have done the same regimen with him every twelve to 24 hours now and he seems to be doing well. I have in a plastic tote with towels and a water bowl and he is waking around and eating lettuce great. I also have a heating pad that I got from someone the called it a piggy pad that is under the towels and she saud she used it for her indoor torts. It keeps a temp of 90-100 at all times. I have not seen him poop or pee but he is so small I don't know how to tell. Is there something else I need to be doing or not doing. I do know I need to get a UV light on him also. Any advice from here would be good. Also I wanted to note just how sweet the are and say that the night the other one wasn't doing good this one left his sleeping area and went to her and stayed with her and never moved until she died. I just know that he knew. Now he seems to be looking for her? Is that possible and should I indroduce another one in while he is injured or wait until recovered. I assure the dogs will NEVER get near them again!

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, mhadjes.

I'm so sorry this happened to your new little babies. Its a very often-told tale.

May we see pictures of the remaining baby? It helps us to give you the correct advice when we know how bad the damage is.

If you can see the organs inside the tortoise, then we have to give you different advice than when it is just the "meat" showing.

Keep the baby warm and quiet. Don't use iodine anymore. Once or twice at the beginning is just fine, but next time you have to give first aid, use Betadyne instead of Iodine.

 

[turtlelover2495]

We adopted two baby Sulcatas about two weeks ago they were four months old. We had brought them inside in a box because the rain was flooding there outside enclosure. We had them in the bathroom in the shower but somehow the dogs found them. (we did have the door shut but someone must haved mistakenly left it open) When we realized this and found them outside the dogs had chewed pretty good on them. I immediatley brought them in soaked in warm water, cleaned with iodine and bandaged with neosporine on the wounds. One of them was much worse than the other with one leg almost completely gone and the other foot bit well also the front of her shell was gone with internal showing. She lived for a day and a half being cared for and nursed but did pass. the other one has a piece of is shell missing and a small part of his internal showing on the side and and two more bit marks. One on the top shell and one through the other. I have done the same regimen with him every twelve to 24 hours now and he seems to be doing well. I have in a plastic tote with towels and a water bowl and he is waking around and eating lettuce great. I also have a heating pad that I got from someone the called it a piggy pad that is under the towels and she saud she used it for her indoor torts. It keeps a temp of 90-100 at all times. I have not seen him poop or pee but he is so small I don't know how to tell. Is there something else I need to be doing or not doing. I do know I need to get a UV light on him also. Any advice from here would be good. Also I wanted to note just how sweet the are and say that the night the other one wasn't doing good this one left his sleeping area and went to her and stayed with her and never moved until she died. I just know that he knew. Now he seems to be looking for her? Is that possible and should I indroduce another one in while he is injured or wait until recovered. I assure the dogs will NEVER get near them again!

Tortoises never should be left unattended dog will kill tortoises. But I assume you already knew that because you said you had them in a box closed in another room. I recommend never leaving your box on the floor ever again to prevent the same incident from happing again. But I would say get your tort to a vet immediately don't try to do it yourself!

 

[mhadjes]

Thank you for your kindness. Yes I will attach some photos a little bit later when I clean him up for the night.

Welcome to the Forum, mhadjes.

I'm so sorry this happened to your new little babies. Its a very often-told tale.

May we see pictures of the remaining baby? It helps us to give you the correct advice when we know how bad the damage is.

If you can see the organs inside the tortoise, then we have to give you different advice than when it is just the "meat" showing.

Keep the baby warm and quiet. Don't use iodine anymore. Once or twice at the beginning is just fine, but next time you have to give first aid, use Betadyne instead of Iodine.

 

[Zabbi0]

This is not the time to place blame at the post above. I'm sure this poster has felt absolutely awful enough. It is time to just give aid where we can.
I would agree with the advice though- please please get to a vet if you are seeing internals. You may want to get a shot for any bacteria that could get into those wounds. Otherwise, I would keep doing the warm soaks & lay baby on towels rather than regular bedding. Encourage food. Just very regularly check baby and nurse baby back to health.
I can't bear to see pics so I'm not sure i can bring myself to check back in. I said a little prayer for your baby. Best of luck.

 

[sibi]

It's not a matter of assigning blame, but informing the member of what not to do in the future. Unfortunately, there are people who can't always foresee how a situation can put their babies in danger. So long as we all understand that we are here to learn from each other on how best to care for our animals, then all comments are useful.

 

[Laura]

by posting this it warns others that thier beloved dogs can and DO , do this and will kill things...
Im sorry it happened and one is gone.. I hope the other pulls thru..

 

[animalfreak]

I'm so sorry! I would recommend getting the proper things like the UVB light and taking it to the vet. They are such little cutie pies and joys. They are fragile though you have to be careful. Again I'm so sorry maybe you should have a backup place or enclosure I keep mine inside and this spring will build them an outdoor enclosure. I've only had mine since October but I love them!! Remember they don't hibernate so of its cold they can't be outside!!!! Good luck!

 

[mhadjes]

Here are the pictures I got of him. Sorry the camera didn't want to focus very well on the ones of his wounds but I tried. He is eating lettuce like crazy and walking around fine. I am going to have to keep treating him for awhile but I feel good about him being fine.

 

[Shannon and Jason]

Poor lil guy sorry bout your other one so sad. Those pictures just broke my heart I know your too. Have you thought any bout a vet? May can do something bout the internal showing on the side

 

[Blakem]

Glad to hear tht your little one is hanging in there. I cut my finger off almost 14 weeks ago but I can only imagine a leg! Thanks for keeping us posted! Keep up the GREAT work!

 

[animalfreak]

A vet check at least would be god he may need medical attention or they will just tell you to keep up what your doing. And might I add baby sulcatas are adorable (well any animal lol) but yours is truly adorable!!!

 

[LuckysGirl007]

Have you gotten into a vet yet? How is the little one doing?

 

[mhadjes]

He (Elmo) is doing great! I have not taken him to the vet (money is a little tight). But I have gotten so much great advice from her and other various places that I know what to look for. He is eating like a champ and walks around his new little house and exploresall day. He loves me to pick him up and pet his head and neck. I have been soaking him in warm water at night then cleaning him with betadine and bandaging him with neosporin. His large wound that his inside was bulging out the first night looks much better and is alsmost completely back up in his shell.
So will his shell grow back in the places it has been bit off and the couple of teeth holes?
Also just wanted to say Thank You so much for everyone with your advice and well wishes...it really has made this easier!

 

[mhadjes]

One more thing I wanted to ask...Is there a way I can keep him moist or a part of his home moist while he is injured other than his soakings? I know pyramiding starts young so since he has to stay out of dirt until he is healed is there something I should do or not worry until he is all better?

 

[Zeko]

One more thing I wanted to ask...Is there a way I can keep him moist or a part of his home moist while he is injured other than his soakings? I know pyramiding starts young so since he has to stay out of dirt until he is healed is there something I should do or not worry until he is all better?

Let's focus on his week of his possible life, not this year. We are not passed the "will he live" stage yet.

Also, many people raise these guys simply with soaking and very low humidity and prymiding is low. Assuming he lives through the dog attack, a couple weeks without high humidity wont cause any problems.

Good luck!

 

[Maggie Cummings]

He (Elmo) is doing great! I have not taken him to the vet (money is a little tight). But I have gotten so much great advice from her and other various places that I know what to look for. He is eating like a champ and walks around his new little house and exploresall day. He loves me to pick him up and pet his head and neck. I have been soaking him in warm water at night then cleaning him with betadine and bandaging him with neosporin. His large wound that his inside was bulging out the first night looks much better and is alsmost completely back up in his shell.
So will his shell grow back in the places it has been bit off and the couple of teeth holes?
Also just wanted to say Thank You so much for everyone with your advice and well wishes...it really has made this easier!

Don't use so much Betadine. It's good for the first cleaning of the wound, but while it kills off any bacteria it also kills off the white blood cells that are needed for regrowth. I would keep him warm and hydrated and not on any substrate. You will be able to keep the wound cleaner if there's no substrate. You need to make sure you keep the wound clean...Good luck with him, keep us posted...

 

[mhadjes]

So just warm water to clean him but should I still use Neosporin and keep him bandaged or is it better for his wound to stay open and dry?

 

[sibi]

Look, there is an open wound, and while that remains open, you'll need to keep it clean AND bandaged. if I were u, I'd take him to a vet because there's a great chance that he'll get that wound infected. In the meantime, use newspaper or towel to keep wounds clean and dry. You can increase humidity by keeping his hide and enclosure warm and moist by using a mister, fogger, or spraying often. Btw, i would soak him 2-3 times a day for now. I would not feed lettuce (not good for your baby). Instead, feed him collards, kale, turnip greens, soft grass, weeds, hibiscus flowers with leaves to mention a few things. Keep us posted,, and remember that torts act like everything is fine when it isn't. Then, all of a sudden they die.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

So just warm water to clean him but should I still use Neosporin and keep him bandaged or is it better for his wound to stay open and dry?

It's my opinion that you should still bandage and put Neosporin on until enough time has passed that infection is not a worry.
It would be better if you'd get some Clorhexadine to wash the wounds. Generally you can get some at your local feed store. You really need to prevent infection setting in. It's a great worry with open wounds especially if the puncture is into a bone, then you really need to make it to the Vet not to scare you but if any of those wounds get into bone could end up being a fatal thing. It's really a worry if you think any of these puncture wounds go into the bone.

---

Look, there is an open wound, and while that remains open, you'll need to keep it clean AND bandaged. if I were u, I'd take him to a vet because there's a great chance that he'll get that wound infected. In the meantime, use newspaper or towel to keep wounds clean and dry. You can increase humidity by keeping his hide and enclosure warm and moist by using a mister, fogger, or spraying often. Btw, i would soak him 2-3 times a day for now. I would not feed lettuce (not good for your baby). Instead, feed him collards, kale, turnip greens, soft grass, weeds, hibiscus flowers with leaves to mention a few things. Keep us posted,, and remember that torts act like everything is fine when it isn't. Then, all of a sudden they die.

I mostly agree with what you are saying except the part about soaking 2 or 3 times a day. I don't mean any disrespect when I say I think that is too much soaking. In most tortoises soaking means pooping but that means that his food is going thru his intestines too fast and he is not getting the needed nutrients like he should be...just something to think about. I believe that a 20 minute soak daily is enough...