Pneumonia HELP!

Russian Rehab

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My Russian has Pneumonia. he just spent 2 days in the animal hospital getting fluids and antibiotics. today he got his second dose of antibiotic and he is breathing really badly. I have him warm and im soaking daily. he is not eating very much and he is gasping for air alot. is there anything else i can be doing to keep him comfy and help him while we wait for the meds to really kick in?

im so worry
nina
 

mark1

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how warm are you keeping him ?
 

wellington

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Keep him at 85 day and night and still provide a basking spot. Don't let him get cold. You could add some piedialyte to the soaks. Good luck hope all turns out well. Others might have more suggestions.
 

Diamond

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Try running a humidifier to keep any mucous thinned. Pneumonia can cause thick mucous in the lungs making breathing difficult.
 

Russian Rehab

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how warm are you keeping him ?
his table has basking spots at 90 and cooler spots down but 75-80. He always chooses the cooler spots and i dont know why! I have been keeping a heat only lamp on at night since he cam home to make sure he stays around 80 ish. does that sound too cool?
 

Russian Rehab

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Keep him at 85 day and night and still provide a basking spot. Don't let him get cold. You could add some piedialyte to the soaks. Good luck hope all turns out well. Others might have more suggestions.
do you know how much pedialight for a bath? and flavor? how long should i do that for? untill he starts eating better?
 

mark1

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80-85 would be ideal with anything I've kept ……..a sick animal is going to want to hide regardless of temperature , too hot is as bad as too cold …keep up the humidity ….. never tried it , but those baby food carrot soaks can't be harmful and would obviously be helpful if the tortoise drank some , same with pedialite as long as he'll drink it ……… what antibiotic did they give you ? injectable ? if not go get injectable , it's the only way to properly dose the animal ………. he may not improve for 10 days , but he shouldn't really be getting any worse after a second dose …..
 

Yvonne G

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You can go to the Pharmacy and buy a squirt bottle of sterile saline solution (you find it with the contact lens stuff) then firmly squirt it up each nostril. This will help clear out the nose so he can breath without having to gasp. Don't worry about getting the solution in his lungs, because the other end of the nares is in the roof of his mouth, not down into his lungs.
 

dj83

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You can go to the Pharmacy and buy a squirt bottle of sterile saline solution (you find it with the contact lens stuff) then firmly squirt it up each nostril. This will help clear out the nose so he can breath without having to gasp. Don't worry about getting the solution in his lungs, because the other end of the nares is in the roof of his mouth, not down into his lungs.
ive tried what you suggested and it made her breathing worse... would not recommend anyone to try that. im thinking because so much water is being flushed into the nostril that it will go down the lungs as it goes into the mouth.
 

Maggie3fan

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ive tried what you suggested and it made her breathing worse... would not recommend anyone to try that. im thinking because so much water is being flushed into the nostril that it will go down the lungs as it goes into the mouth.
The moderator who gave that advice has more experience with sick tortoises than most anybody. I have done what she suggested only I used a nasal spray made for congestion for babies and it stopped the bad breathing almost immediately. And please just because it didn't work for you, don't be telling other keepers not to do it. I will guarantee that method has worked before or she wouldn't have told you to do it.
ive tried what you suggested and it made her breathing worse... would not recommend anyone to try that. im thinking because so much water is being flushed into the nostril that it will go down the lungs as it goes into the mouth.
this is a very old thread..so your tort has now been sick for almost 5 years...I'm so confused...
 

dj83

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The moderator who gave that advice has more experience with sick tortoises than most anybody. I have done what she suggested only I used a nasal spray made for congestion for babies and it stopped the bad breathing almost immediately. And please just because it didn't work for you, don't be telling other keepers not to do it. I will guarantee that method has worked before or she wouldn't have told you to do it.

this is a very old thread..so your tort has now been sick for almost 5 years...I'm so confused...
this isnt my thread... i was looking what i could do to help my tortoise which came down with pneumonia.
 

dj83

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The moderator who gave that advice has more experience with sick tortoises than most anybody. I have done what she suggested only I used a nasal spray made for congestion for babies and it stopped the bad breathing almost immediately. And please just because it didn't work for you, don't be telling other keepers not to do it. I will guarantee that method has worked before or she wouldn't have told you to do it.

this is a very old thread..so your tort has now been sick for almost 5 years...I'm so confused...
and it has made her breathing worse... just because it might have helped for you, no need to become offended.. because in my case it made it harder for her to breathe to where she is now struggling.
 

Maggie3fan

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ok thanks. Starting your own thread would have been better...now the more experience keepers might check this out....have you gone to a Vet? has she received an antibiotic? You could get the anti congestion spray for a baby...one squirt in each nostril. Also if she's not eating soak her in Gerber's strained carrots...mixed with warm to almost hot water...I would soak her 2 times a day for about an hour each time. It sounds odd but that food contains vitamin A that is soaked in thru her mucus membranes...I have used that more than several times and it does work
 

dj83

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ok thanks. Starting your own thread would have been better...now the more experience keepers might check this out....have you gone to a Vet? has she received an antibiotic? You could get the anti congestion spray for a baby...one squirt in each nostril. Also if she's not eating soak her in Gerber's strained carrots...mixed with warm to almost hot water...I would soak her 2 times a day for about an hour each time. It sounds odd but that food contains vitamin A that is soaked in thru her mucus membranes...I have used that more than several times and it does work
she has been on antibiotics for 3 weeks and nothing has been helping. the vet i went to didnt even did a lung flush or tried to see what kind of bacteria or fungal it could be causing it, she just shoved antibiotics on her then gave ofloxacin ophthalmic drops to put in her nose. but her breathing has been getting worse to where all she does now is constantly gasping. tried to the nose flush as the one poster suggested and now her gasping is louder and more struggling.
 

dj83

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ok thanks. Starting your own thread would have been better...now the more experience keepers might check this out....have you gone to a Vet? has she received an antibiotic? You could get the anti congestion spray for a baby...one squirt in each nostril. Also if she's not eating soak her in Gerber's strained carrots...mixed with warm to almost hot water...I would soak her 2 times a day for about an hour each time. It sounds odd but that food contains vitamin A that is soaked in thru her mucus membranes...I have used that more than several times and it does work
ive been doing baby food soaks and a pedialyte soak 2 times a day. carrot soak in the morning and pedialyte soak in the afternoon in above warm water temps. she is still eating but last two days she hasnt eaten very much. i also put vit a supplement and calcium sup on her food. so she should be good for vit a.
 

Mrs.Jennifer

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ive tried what you suggested and it made her breathing worse... would not recommend anyone to try that. im thinking because so much water is being flushed into the nostril that it will go down the lungs as it goes into the mouth.
Since this wasn’t originally your thread, it‘s a bit confusing. What are the current conditions for your tortoise? Temps, enclosure, etc…
 

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