protozoa, blood and medications

[paper_boy]

my male indian tortoise is a 250grms, 4.75inch, male that started to excreted blood twice last saturday and once on sunday. Yesterday, I had him checked out at the vet and he was diagnosed with ameoba type protozoas in his feces.

the vet did an x-ray, fecalisys.

As medication he was given metronidazole .2ml for 7 days and allopurinol .3ml for 2 weeks.

I'm a little bummed about the allopurinol because i was told by local tortoise enthusiast that it can only be given if blood analysis was done and the vet did not find any calcified urates.

PLS give me your two cents guys thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

I can't give you any experience, but I did GOOGLE it, and its for tortoises with a high concentration of uric acid in the their blood. I don't know why your vet is using it for your tortoise. My GOOGLE search did say that tortoises with lower uric acid might benefit from the medication also, but didn't say how.


"Allopurinol
• Allopurinol is given by this author to most chronically ill chelonians with uric acid levels above
1000 umol/l. Animals with lesser values may also benefit (700umol/l).
• Generally allopurinol is given at 50 mg/kg/day
• Administer treatment by dissolving a 100mg tablet in 5ml of water and then offering 1ml/kg
daily orally, or by stomach/ oesophagostomy tube
• In most cases treatment is continued for about 3 months so an oesophagostomy tube is preferential."

 

[paper_boy]

the vet did not do a blood test that's why I'm a bit confused as why he prescribed it. BAD VET!!

 

[ascott]

Did you ask your vet why he prescribed this with out doing the blood testing? I would certainly question him....if he is confident about what he prescribed then he should have NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER explaining to you his reasoning....you know?

 

[exoticsdr]

You say the vet did a radiograph...what was seen on the rads?

 

[Tony the tank]

Don't know how it effects torts...But I took allopurinol for a few weeks for gout made me feel like crap.....When my primary found out i was taking it ..He took me right off...stating it had to many side effects and my gout wasn't severe enough to warrant the risk...

 

[paper_boy]

vet did an xray and found no masses. everything was clear. He insisted that the bloody discharge was due to problems with the kidney which was caused by high uric acid level. Again, I find it a little dubious since he never got a blood sample. All he did was an x-ray and a fecalysis

Again, what's the consensus? stop the allopurinol?

 

[zesty_17]

vet did an xray and found no masses. everything was clear. He insisted that the bloody discharge was due to problems with the kidney which was caused by high uric acid level. Again, I find it a little dubious since he never got a blood sample. All he did was an x-ray and a fecalysis

Again, what's the consensus? stop the allopurinol?

i say, get a second opinion if you can.

 

[exoticsdr]

vet did an xray and found no masses. everything was clear. He insisted that the bloody discharge was due to problems with the kidney which was caused by high uric acid level. Again, I find it a little dubious since he never got a blood sample. All he did was an x-ray and a fecalysis

Again, what's the consensus? stop the allopurinol?

i say, get a second opinion if you can.

this is GREAT advice! When clients look at me with that dubious "what the hell are talking about" look, I often tell them to take the time to get a second opinion. In the mean time, contact the vet that prescribed the drug and have them step up and justify their choice of medications....they shouldn't take it personally and should be able to give you a good explanation as their reasoning....if it still sounds like bunk, move on.
Doc

 

[paper_boy]

ok will try to get a 2nd opinion. But the thing is, I think he is the only qualified reptile vet in town! bummer

 

[ascott]

how about in the next town?

 

[paper_boy]

how about in the next town?

By town, i meant country! Reptile vets in the philippines are 2nd to none

 

[wildak]

This thread is old but I wanted to note an observation.

At 4.75 and 250g I would say it's under weight quite a bit. and any small tortoise can be very difficult to get a good blood draw from. The vet may have been taking an educated guess rather than cause more harm trying to get a good blood sample by holding it's head out and sticking a needle in it's neck.

Sometimes doctors and vets don't explain their actions well enough so you need to always ask questions.

 

[Tom]

Seems to me like some daily soaks might also help to dilute the highly concentrated uric acids and flush the kidneys... Won't hurt the overall health either.