My Tortoise has been attacked by a dog!

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getysburg

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Hey,

My tortoise was in its summer run outside this evening when a stray dog got into the garden and somehow bite through the mesh on the runs top. We got to the tortoise as soon as possible but the dog had had a good go at gnawing the front of the tortoise which had completely seized up so the sides of its front legs took all the gnawing (its not really bitten).

We got it in and into its bath to wash the wounds and coax it out. Its head is fine as is the back half of it but I really worried about its front legs and also the bottom front part of its shell (that goes up to where its neck sits) as these started of white but in about 10mins had gone a bright pink. I dried it of and used very watered down iodine to clean the wounds, then rubbed a little bicarbonate of soda into a few places where spots of blood had come through the shell to dry them up and I've put it in a clean box for the night under the heat lamp.

I know I should take it to the vets straight away etc. and I can tell it hurt when I disinfected certain parts, but its a bank holiday and the tortoise has never been registered with a vet, I phoned one out of hours recommend by our local vets answer machine but they said 'we cant give you advice without looking at it tomorrow'!

We'll take it first thing tomorrow but until then has anyone got any tips or advice? I'm particularly worried that its front legs have turned pink, I'm hoping its merely inflammation, surely septicaemia cant set in within 10 minutes?

And no pictures I've put it to bed to calm down.
 

kimmer

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I wish I had some advice other than to get to a vet. Russians are sturdy little guys. Hope this "bump" will get you some more helpful responses. Good Luck to you and your tortoise.
Kim
 

Yvonne G

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Hi getysburg:

May we know your name and where you are?

Just keep it clean. I would be ok to dab a bit of Neosporin or antibiotic ointment on the wounds. A bit of antibiotic from the vet would help, but tortoises usually live through this kind of injury just fine.
 

dmmj

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Russian are tough, besides a vet I can't think of anything else you can do that has not already been done, I would say keep it dry and clean until the vet visit. No substrate for now and keep up with the betadine.
 

getysburg

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Thanks guys!


Re: emysemys, I live in Essex in England.

And this has lead me to notice a problem in my last hour of research, most common drugs/ointments you have in the US are completely different from ours. We have Savalon or Germolene Cream over here is that something I could use as an ointment? I'd really like to try soothing its wounds not just disinfect them.
 

dmmj

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Savalon is an antiseptic
Germolene Cream is also an antiseptic but it claims to provide some pain relief also. I would look at their ingredients and if there is not anything weird. I don't see a problem using the pain one, though how effective it would be on a tortoise I can't say.
 
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Scooter

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I'm so sorry to hear about your little guy. Like others have said Russians are tough, I wish him and you the best, please keep us posted.
 

Angi

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PM Yvvone AKA bikerchick I think is her tort tag. She would know the right meds. She lives in Spain, but is from England.
 

bikerchicspain

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You can also use terramicine topical ointment which is an antibiotic and a very good one, also fucidin that you can also get over the counter at Boots chemist.
It is impossible for septicemia to set in within 10 minutes,
But as with all animal bites the wound must be cleaned on a regular basis and disinfected daily, Dog bites can cause access if the wound on the outside close to soon,

The poor little thing must be in shock, i would bathe him in cool water to stop the legs swelling to the point where it cuts of blood supply until you can get to see a vet.

Good luck and keep us posted.x
 

getysburg

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Thanks for all your support

Here's an update

Just took him to the vets, they gave me some antibiotics to give him but said there isn't much more I can do apart from what I am doing. She said the red colour on his front legs was good for the time being as it showed a good blood supply there etc. She also said that the skin injuries should start healing pretty quick so it'll be easy to tell if something goes wrong.

He'll be kept in his inside run (I overwinter him) for the time being which I've cleaned and attempted to disinfect, had to add a little dry substrate otherwise he'd get stressed.

He's basking now, hasn't eaten yet but I'm hoping that's initial shock and will try offering food again later.

P.S Thanks Yvonne for the tip on cool bathing water, the redness went down a lot when I did it and he seemed fine with the temperature.
 

John

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In my opinion, your tort has an excellent chance, keep him warm and well fed and hydrated. I have seen turtles in the wild that have been mauled by racooons,lost limbs and such and were fine and thriving when I found them. I even witnessed a box turtle get hit by a car and was lucily pinched by the tire and shot into the woods like a hockey puck I brought it home and amazingly his shell was not cracked but it had some serious road burn, I kept it about six months and then released it back where I had found it, only not on the road this time. My point here is that animals in the wild can survive serious injury on top of the daily normal adversities they face, this guy has someone to help him along he is lucky.
 

Floof

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Just wanted to note that the pain killer ingredient (can't remember the name) in "pain relief" antibiotic ointments, at least here in the US, has been proven to be toxic to reptiles, so I would recommend avoiding putting anything on him that claims to relieve pain.

Good luck, I hope he makes a quick recovery for you!
 

african cake queen

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HI. I AM VERY GLAD YOU GOT BACK TO US. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE LITTLE GUY. GOOD LUCK, LINDY
 

ChiKat

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Poor little one, I can't imagine how much pain he must be in :(
I hope he has a speedy recovery!
 

getysburg

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Hey, 3 days on its active (and stubborn enough) to take some pictures.

I think you'l agree they could have been a lot worse, but still wish it never happened.

DSCF9641.JPG
Heres where the main damage is, to its front legs, the one on the left is worse but it feels more pain in the right, He's very bright eyed though!

DSCF9642.JPG
Its underside took quite a beating, this is the main shell damage, which is all right I guess, because its not that deep

DSCF9646.JPG
Top of shell, very little damage

Still washing and disinfecting every morning and evening, and feeding him his medicine, which is very hard he's so stubborn he's always refusing to open his mouth, took half an hour to get it down him yesterday.
 
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Mao Senpai

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Aww poor thing... I think he'll be fine and make a great recovery. Just keep him clean and he'll be fine.
 

bikerchicspain

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He is gonna be just fine, he doesn't seem to have a lot of damage. I have seen far worse and they have survived.
:D
 
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