Object found in Indian Star Tortoise Body !!

[ajaydusa1]

One week before my Indian star tortoise accidentally consumed some grains of boiled rice. The next day she started vomiting and started gasping to breath air by opening his mouth, she stopped eating so on and fall lethargic. But there were no Nasal Discharge. But, we thought it would be respiratory problem and took to a veterinary doctor, the doctor gave us some medicines and told us to feed her. After using the medication for 2days there was no improvement, we went to him again and told about the situation. He told us to consult exotic reptile expert and . On his reference we went to the expert refered by him, he took Xray and told us that she is suffering from severe respiratory distress congested lungs with bran like substance inside GI tract. And he didn't gave her much medication.
He just tube feeded her and nebulized her for a while. And told us to visit every 3 days for Treatment. We told him that it could be rice grain stucked inside her. But he was not believing us. And was saying that her lungs has got infected. Don't know what to do.
She is still breathing from her mouth, but now she doesn't opens her mouth wide open like before. She is still not eating anything nor moving like before she used to do. Also there is no Nasal discharge. Don't know whether it is actually Respiratory Infection. We are thinking to consult some other Veterinary Doctor. Need help and suggestions on this. Please she is sick for the last 6 days and hasn't eat anything. Any help would be useful to us.

X-ray View 1

X-ray View 2

 

[wellington]

I can't really help much. Just want you to know to keep her hydrated and warm. They can go quite a long time without eating but not without water.
Good luck keep us posted.
I will alert a few that might be able to help further.
@Yvonne G
@Markw84
@zovick

 

[Yvonne G]

That spot on the x-ray could be anything, but it's small enough to pass through with no harm. Soaking a tortoise that doesn't feel good is quite helpful. Place the tortoise in something he can't climb out of and add enough warm water to come up to the middle of his sides. Leave him in there for an hour or so (with supervision).

 

[Tom]

How are you housing this tortoise that it is gaining access to rice and other objects?

What heating and lighting are you using to maintain the tortoise?

I agree that the daily soaks should help the tortoise get through this, and here is all the correct care info for you:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Maro2Bear]

I can’t imagine that a few grains of boiled rice consumed by a tortoise could/would hurt or cause what’s going on here.

How large is your tortoise?

I can easily see where someone rinsed a pot where rice was cooked, scooped out the rice, then cleaned and tossed the water out into the garden. But can’t see where the rice would cause the issue.

 

[TammyJ]

I agree with your just keeping her warm and hydrated. Best of luck for her recovery. No more vets experimenting with her.

 

[TammyJ]

Please let us have the details of your husbandry of the tortoise, so we can help you better.

 

[ajaydusa1]

The Tortoise is 6yrs old with shell size 13.5x11cm. My small brother went outside after finishing his food, the tortoise climb on his plate and ate it. When I saw her eating I removed her from the plate and kept her aside. This has happened lot of times before also when no one is around she climbs on the plate and eats it. But don't know this time what unusual thing happened. Also that day I didn't cooked the rice properly my small brother said.
After eating, next day she vomited, she spitted out few rice grains from her mouth as a whole with curry. And Started opening her mouth as if she is gasping for air but actually she was trying to remove more food particles. I as soon got to know that she vomited I started basking her for more duration and from that day onwards I kept her in warm water for about 15-20mins twice a day. The Vomiting continued only for the first two days then it stopped. We thought that she expelled everything but she was still opening her mouth to gasp air.
On 5th day we got to know that some object is stuck in her after the X-Ray. Probably that could be the cooked rice grain. Now 6 days have passed she seems little ok. She is not that lethargic as she used to be earlier. Also she pooed slightly today and yesterday. Should I also tube feed her ?
We were having a enclosure before 7-8 months ago. But when doing home renovation it got damaged. so we decided to remove it . since then she roams in our house freely and we have a separate area where she basks and sleeps. Since the incident she likes to stays near the basking area and in the warm water. For Basking I am using 35W Halogen Lamp, also at times we take her outside to give sunlight, every 4 days. Since, the incident I am taking her outside for sunshine on daily basis. She loves where I take her to our nearby garden, she actively runs and roams as soon as I keep her on the ground. Since the incident she stays at one place with her eyes closed.
We are now planning to make a new enclosure for her and also Should I change the Basking Lamp to UVB ? or should I keep it as it is ?

 

[Gillian M]

Let us know what happens and wishes for a speedy recover to your tortoise.

 

[TammyJ]

As soon as you can provide her with her own enclosure and not yours, please do! She will be much safer and healthier.

 

[TammyJ]

She needs too be kept in the correct conditions for that species.

 

[ajaydusa1]

Couple of days before she started walking silently and today she ate some grass on its own. It was great feeling . We are thinking about again going for X-ray after 1 more week. let's see how the result turns up.

 

[wellington]

You really need to get her into a proper enclosure asap. As you stated this isn't the first time she has started to eat from your brothers plate which means she is roaming the floor and not being properly watched. These reasons are exactly why they should not roam your floors, besides the fact there is nothing right for them being on the floor.
Read Tom's links he posted for you and make changes ASAP before this poor tort dies!

 

[ajaydusa1]

Today she started eating on it's own as before. she seems fine now. I have already started preparing enclosure for her. I think she gonna love it. I am taking extreme care of her since the incident. The link shared by @Tom is really helpful.

Thank you everyone for all your support.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

She needs too be kept in the correct conditions for that species.

....And with appropriate foods.
Curry and rice are extremely poor choices

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Definitely should not be eating human food. You don't eat dog food, so you don't feed your tortoise something not of it's nature.

 

[Tom]

You don't eat dog food, so...

Speak for yourself...

 

[TaylorTortoise]

Speak for yourself...

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