Pimples like on sulcate tortoise

KarenSoCal

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As he gets sicker, the only thing you can do is support him with perfect environmental conditions and keep him as comfortable as you can.

If you think he gets to a point that his quality of life is poor, the kindest act would be to have him euthanized. You'll need to love him enough to let him go peacefully.

There is a soup of antibiotics that has been tried on some of these babies. It may have extended their lives for a short time, but it has never been cured.

I'm so sorry you have had to be given such sad news. It doesn't help, but know that we are genuinely heartbroken over these babies. We have had many new keepers here with their babies, just like you, devastated by what we tell them. It never gets any easier.
 

Shay_78

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As he gets sicker, the only thing you can do is support him with perfect environmental conditions and keep him as comfortable as you can.

If you think he gets to a point that his quality of life is poor, the kindest act would be to have him euthanized. You'll need to love him enough to let him go peacefully.

There is a soup of antibiotics that has been tried on some of these babies. It may have extended their lives for a short time, but it has never been cured.

I'm so sorry you have had to be given such sad news. It doesn't help, but know that we are genuinely heartbroken over these babies. We have had many new keepers here with their babies, just like you, devastated by what we tell them. It never gets any easier.
Thank you for helping me I really appreciate it. Am super attached to this baby but I can’t let him suffer if i see his health getting super bad. Am thank full for everyone that has helped me.
Whats the name of these antibiotics? And where can i get some ?
 

KarenSoCal

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Thank you for helping me I really appreciate it. Am super attached to this baby but I can’t let him suffer if i see his health getting super bad. Am thank full for everyone that has helped me.
Whats the name of these antibiotics? And where can i get some ?
I remember that there are 3 or 4 antibiotics they used, but I don't remember which ones. If you read these threads, somewhere in them @mastershake may have named them.


There is always a small chance that we are wrong on his illness. The only way to verify this is to go to a reptile vet. The vet needs to get a tissue sample from underneath the lesion and send it to a lab for culturing. He would need to be told that this is almost certainly A. Chelonae so he could take proper precautions in his office.

The thing about antibiotics is that they also make the babies sick. They lose their appetites and won't eat. Then they end up with a feeding tube, and have to endure being fed through it. Used long term, some antibiotics are caustic to their skin, and can burn them and make skin slough off at the injection site. Just like people, they can develop diarrhea.

This is my personal opinion. I'm sure other members may feel differently, but this is what I would do. I would do all diligence to prevent cross contamination to other torts. I would not treat the sick babies. I wouldn't want their last months to be surgery, injections, and feeling awful. I would feed them well, give them safe outdoor time, let them have some treats, and let them enjoy life for as long as they can. As soon as they started to be miserable and not enjoy their routines, I would take them to a vet to be put down gently and with love. When those babies got to tort heaven, I'd want them to tell all the torts they meet that "We know what love is!".
 

MenagerieGrl

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I remember that there are 3 or 4 antibiotics they used, but I don't remember which ones. If you read these threads, somewhere in them @mastershake may have named them.


There is always a small chance that we are wrong on his illness. The only way to verify this is to go to a reptile vet. The vet needs to get a tissue sample from underneath the lesion and send it to a lab for culturing. He would need to be told that this is almost certainly A. Chelonae so he could take proper precautions in his office.

The thing about antibiotics is that they also make the babies sick. They lose their appetites and won't eat. Then they end up with a feeding tube, and have to endure being fed through it. Used long term, some antibiotics are caustic to their skin, and can burn them and make skin slough off at the injection site. Just like people, they can develop diarrhea.

This is my personal opinion. I'm sure other members may feel differently, but this is what I would do. I would do all diligence to prevent cross contamination to other torts. I would not treat the sick babies. I wouldn't want their last months to be surgery, injections, and feeling awful. I would feed them well, give them safe outdoor time, let them have some treats, and let them enjoy life for as long as they can. As soon as they started to be miserable and not enjoy their routines, I would take them to a vet to be put down gently and with love. When those babies got to tort heaven, I'd want them to tell all the torts they meet that "We know what love is!".
?
 

Shay_78

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I remember that there are 3 or 4 antibiotics they used, but I don't remember which ones. If you read these threads, somewhere in them @mastershake may have named them.


There is always a small chance that we are wrong on his illness. The only way to verify this is to go to a reptile vet. The vet needs to get a tissue sample from underneath the lesion and send it to a lab for culturing. He would need to be told that this is almost certainly A. Chelonae so he could take proper precautions in his office.

The thing about antibiotics is that they also make the babies sick. They lose their appetites and won't eat. Then they end up with a feeding tube, and have to endure being fed through it. Used long term, some antibiotics are caustic to their skin, and can burn them and make skin slough off at the injection site. Just like people, they can develop diarrhea.

This is my personal opinion. I'm sure other members may feel differently, but this is what I would do. I would do all diligence to prevent cross contamination to other torts. I would not treat the sick babies. I wouldn't want their last months to be surgery, injections, and feeling awful. I would feed them well, give them safe outdoor time, let them have some treats, and let them enjoy life for as long as they can. As soon as they started to be miserable and not enjoy their routines, I would take them to a vet to be put down gently and with love. When those babies got to tort heaven, I'd want them to tell all the torts they meet that "We know what love is!".
I think it’s best too, I’ll make him as comfortable as i can.
 

zovick

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Hellow, would you mind looking at the pictures and giving your opinion?
I'm not Zeropilot, but I have been raising tortoises since 1958 and I do think your tortoise has Austwickia chelonae. It has all the usual signs which you will recognize if you read through the posts on the Yellow Bumps thread which was linked for you above.

No antibiotics have actually cured this problem, they have only prolonged the animals' suffering. If it were my tortoise, I would have it euthanized soon to save it from that long and gruesome fate.
 

Jan A

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+1

Also to prevent spread of the bacteria in the house and yard (and to other - or subsequent - reptiles of all types in the home and environment).

@Shay_78 We're all genuinely sorry that you are going through this.
Shay, you could try to PM @mastershake for his opinion. He sometimes doesn't get notices in the thread texts when linked. Again, I am sorry this is happening to your tort & you.
 

mastershake

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How long will he have to suffer this disease. ?
sadly as long as someone makes them suffer. i really hate to say that and i dont want to sound cruel. the spot especially on the leg is very suspect for sure. it would take many months and multiple antibiotics injected to even have a maybe type chance and it could be many months of the anti biotics (think even up to 6 months or maybe more) with little to no effect. the only way to know for sure is to do a deep resection type biopsy of an area where there is a spot. this would require a stich or two and to be sent to a lab who can test for it specifically. but if im being honest between the spots and the beak issues (if that is the same tort) i would guess they are positive. these are both tell tail signs of this.

sadly it does get worse. it will invade ALL structures inside, bones, muscle, cartilage, organs etc. i can not tell you from pics i am 100% positive but those spots are very suspect for sure. i have seen prob more of these in hand up close i think then anyone has up till now. we have sent multiple out for testing and every single one was positive who had the spots and or other symptoms. i have some pics of a few who do not have raised spots simply just slightly darker yellow ish areas. those also tested positive and went downhill within a few months.
 
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