Post-blockage care

AQuin002

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Feb 8, 2021
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My Female Hermanns tortoise FINALLY passed a blockage that we've been managing for weeks! We are relieved, but the vet warned us that we may still not be out of the woods - depending on whether or not the blockage did any harm to her intestines. She is on antibiotics for another week at least, but her behavior has suddenly bounced back to normal over the past couple of days. She has a great appetite and energy levels.

My question is this: is there any specific care we should be doing now that the blockage is out? Is there any sense in continuing with the pumpkin, aloe and mineral oil that we've been giving her or the additional soaks? I'm sure passing it was fairly traumatic and she has been uncomfortable for a long time now so I just want to do what I can to make sure she is on a path to full recovery.

Thanks!
 

KarenSoCal

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I'm not sure of this, but just because she passed it, doesn't mean there isn't more to move through.

Personally, I would keep up the regimen at least for several days. Make sure it's all through.
 

Blackdog1714

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Additionally what do you think may have caused the blockage? What is your diet plan for her now?
 

Tom

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My Female Hermanns tortoise FINALLY passed a blockage that we've been managing for weeks! We are relieved, but the vet warned us that we may still not be out of the woods - depending on whether or not the blockage did any harm to her intestines. She is on antibiotics for another week at least, but her behavior has suddenly bounced back to normal over the past couple of days. She has a great appetite and energy levels.

My question is this: is there any specific care we should be doing now that the blockage is out? Is there any sense in continuing with the pumpkin, aloe and mineral oil that we've been giving her or the additional soaks? I'm sure passing it was fairly traumatic and she has been uncomfortable for a long time now so I just want to do what I can to make sure she is on a path to full recovery.

Thanks!
What caused the blockage in the first place?
What was the diet like?
Soaking routine?
 

AQuin002

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Feb 8, 2021
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Los Angeles
Additionally what do you think may have caused the blockage? What is your diet plan for her now?
the blockage was a foreign object, so the plan for avoiding that in the future is to keep a closer eye on her while she's out and about and a thorough clean up of all the areas she is ever in to make sure there isn't anything stray lying around!

For now we've kept her on a diet of pumpkin, cucumber, and cactus pads and we're slowly mixing in some of those compressed grass pellets. But ordinarily she would be having a diet with more kale, greens, etc. I'm just nervous to introduce too much fiber back into her diet too quickly.

Thanks for your response!
 

AQuin002

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Feb 8, 2021
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Los Angeles
What caused the blockage in the first place?
What was the diet like?
Soaking routine?
Thanks for the follow up!

The blockage was a foreign object - so that's a habitat/environment clean up we're managing. Before all of this her diet was primarily salads with a mixture of kale, greens, zucchini, etc. with the occasional addition of those compressed grass pellets. right now she's having mostly pumpkin, cucumber, cactus pads as we've been focusing on a high-water diet to help her pass this thing.

We used to soak her every day or two for probably 20 minutes tops, but since we confirmed the blockage its been multiple times a day: 2-3 times for 20-30 minutes depending on our schedules.
 
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