Quite a dilemma

[LeoTheTortoise]

So Leo was taken to the vet a while ago for something wrong with his eye, which was resolved. Since then he has not pooped as far as I can tell (this is two or three weeks). I began soaking him daily for 45 minutes, citing his repeated behaviors that look to me like trying very hard to poop (pulling head in shell in a certain way) and occasional weakness or disuse of legs as severe constipation. In addition to the baths I have been giving him pumpkin baby food every day. Now I have noticed that the parts on either side of his tail are hard and almost swollen. I believe there is something (and a lot of it) in his cloaca. He appears not to be in pain; moving, eating, and acting normally when not trying to poop. I have been monitoring his weight to try and determine if anything is leaving his body and it has fluctuated between 6 and 6.1oz. I have noticed that occasionally small amounts of a pale, fluffy poop-looking thing will come out along with a trickle of regular poop and once or twice a thick, clear liquid. Normally I would rush him to the vet but I was A) just there and the vet said there was nothing wrong so I fear a similar diagnosis or blind vet, B) each time I go the vet insists upon vitamin shots and antibiotics which I am beginning to feel are unnecessary and unhealthy, C) My wallet can't take much more of this, I know this may sound strange but I have an occasionally uncanny intuition around animals and one of the ways it manifests is I can somehow tell when something is wrong even when there are no symptoms. I don't feel that with this. I am not usually a superstitious person and I do have logical reasons too. Anyway, does anyone have any idea of what this could be or possible home remedies? I would really like to try and treat this myself.

 

[Kasia]

P

So Leo was taken to the vet a while ago for something wrong with his eye, which was resolved. Since then he has not pooped as far as I can tell (this is two or three weeks). I began soaking him daily for 45 minutes, citing his repeated behaviors that look to me like trying very hard to poop (pulling head in shell in a certain way) and occasional weakness or disuse of legs as severe constipation. In addition to the baths I have been giving him pumpkin baby food every day. Now I have noticed that the parts on either side of his tail are hard and almost swollen. I believe there is something (and a lot of it) in his cloaca. He appears not to be in pain; moving, eating, and acting normally when not trying to poop. I have been monitoring his weight to try and determine if anything is leaving his body and it has fluctuated between 6 and 6.1oz. I have noticed that occasionally small amounts of a pale, fluffy poop-looking thing will come out along with a trickle of regular poop and once or twice a thick, clear liquid. Normally I would rush him to the vet but I was A) just there and the vet said there was nothing wrong so I fear a similar diagnosis or blind vet, B) each time I go the vet insists upon vitamin shots and antibiotics which I am beginning to feel are unnecessary and unhealthy, C) My wallet can't take much more of this, I know this may sound strange but I have an occasionally uncanny intuition around animals and one of the ways it manifests is I can somehow tell when something is wrong even when there are no symptoms. I don't feel that with this. I am not usually a superstitious person and I do have logical reasons too. Anyway, does anyone have any idea of what this could be or possible home remedies? I would really like to try and treat this myself.

Hi put a pic of his underside and things that come out of it.From what you wrote your going in the right direction. What are your temps? If its too cold he can develop constipation. And find another Vet becouse the one your visiting is not a good one.

 

[Bee62]

P
Hi put a pic of his underside and things that come out of it.From what you wrote your going in the right direction. What are your temps? If its too cold he can develop constipation. And find another Vet becouse the one your visiting is not a good one.

I agree. We need to see the "hard" tail and the poop he makes to be able to help.

 

[LeoTheTortoise]

Its a bit difficult to show in a photograph, but the area on either side of the tail extends further than the base of the tail. Also in the image is some of the poop(mixed with dirt and substrate)

 

[Bee62]

Its a bit difficult to show in a photograph, but the area on either side of the tail extends further than the base of the tail. Also in the image is some of the poop(mixed with dirt and substrate)

I hoped you had your tort turned around for the pic. It is really difficult to see. When you think there is hard poop stuck in the tail of your tort use a syringe without a needle and fill the syringe with a bit olive or other organic oil. Be very careful with the top of the syringe and try to get some oil between the hard poop and the tail of your tort.
When you think your tort is constipated try to give him some oil in the beak that he swallow it. When he is eating put the oil on the food.

 

[wellington]

Give him a warm soak in your bath tub for about an hour. The room of the tub and him moving all around will help move things internally. Feed him lettuce, cucumber, water melon, watery things. Monitor closely so you know he's not eating his poop.

 

[LeoTheTortoise]

Thank you all for the advice. A bit of an update: there is some evidence of bowel movement as he went from 6.1oz to 5.7oz. Now my concern is the hardness of the spots on either side of the tail. I have been doing research into tortoise anatomy and cannot figure out what could possibly be there causing those lumps. I can't tell if they are getting worse. Any ideas of what it could be?