R.I.P. Corn Dog

[LoutheRussian]

It’s a very sad day for me, I just got home from work and since it’s so nice out I thought I’d let my female Russian, Corn Dog, outside to roam and enjoy the sun for a little bit. I reached into her log hide and pulled her out with less resistance than usual. I didn’t really think much of it until I started to head outside and realized she wasn’t moving. Turns out she died sometime between the time I left for work this morning and just now. I don’t know what happened or why she died. Guess I’ll be digging her a small grave tonight.

R.I.P.
Corn Dog
4/16/18

 

[TechnoCheese]

Are you entirely sure she’s dead? If you pull on her leg, does it slowly retract inside? Have you tried soaking in warm water?

 

[LoutheRussian]

Are you entirely sure she’s dead? If you pull on her leg, does it slowly retract inside? Have you tried soaking in warm water?

It’s very obvious she is dead. Her eyes are very sunk in, wide open and dull, she has no response to any touching of her extremities or her head and She wasn’t breathing.

 

[TechnoCheese]

It’s very obvious she is dead. Her eyes are very sunk in, wide open and dull, she has no response to any touching of her extremities or her head and She wasn’t breathing.

I’m very sorry for your loss

 

[Bambam1989]

I'm sorry for your loss.
I would be out of my mind trying to figure out the cause.

 

[Jay Bagley]

Very sorry for your loss. Was she eating/pooping normal up till now?

 

[KarenSoCal]

So very sorry about Corndog!

 

[LoutheRussian]

I'm sorry for your loss.
I would be out of my mind trying to figure out the cause.

I posted several days ago about her having not ate in a few days and passing a strange looking urates without much in the way of answers here so I scheduled an appointment with the vet for this week but she died before the appointment. I have no idea what could have caused her death. I know her tort table and temperatures were ok and she received several soaks a week and was fed a varied diet of different store bought greens as well as things I harvested for her from my yard, all of which was washed thoroughly before feeding. I’m beginning to think I’m not meant to be a caretaker of torts. My first Russian I rescued/had dumped on me got me on the path to learning as much as I could about their care and gave him the best life I could only to have him escape his outside enclosure and disappear now Corn Dog dies under my care. I still have a male Russian who I’m half considering relinquishing care of so something doesn’t happen to him as well.

 

[Bambam1989]

I posted several days ago about her having not ate in a few days and passing a strange looking urates without much in the way of answers here so I scheduled an appointment with the vet for this week but she died before the appointment. I have no idea what could have caused her death. I know her tort table and temperatures were ok and she received several soaks a week and was fed a varied diet of different store bought greens as well as things I harvested for her from my yard, all of which was washed thoroughly before feeding. I’m beginning to think I’m not meant to be a caretaker of torts. My first Russian I rescued/had dumped on me got me on the path to learning as much as I could about their care and gave him the best life I could only to have him escape his outside enclosure and disappear now Corn Dog dies under my care. I still have a male Russian who I’m half considering relinquishing care of so something doesn’t happen to him as well.

I remember your post about the unusual urates now. Could you contact your vet and request a necropsy?

 

[LoutheRussian]

Very sorry for your loss. Was she eating/pooping normal up till now?

She had stopped eating several days ago and had passed a very unusual urate which I posted about and when that didn’t yield a definite answer I made a vet appointment for this week. I did see her eat some a couple days ago and just last night during her soak she passed what appeared to be normal looking stool. She was still active as ever and was even up and out of her hide a little earlier than normal. She showed no signs of labored breathing either

 

[Jay Bagley]

She had stopped eating several days ago and had passed a very unusual urate which I posted about and when that didn’t yield a definite answer I made a vet appointment for this week. I did see her eat some a couple days ago and just last night during her soak she passed what appeared to be normal looking stool. She was still active as ever and was even up and out of her hide a little earlier than normal. She showed no signs of labored breathing either

I did read that post, I did not realize this was the same tortoise from that post. Sorry about that. If it is bothering you, which I'm sure it is and you can afford it, a necropsy like Bambam suggested might put your mind at ease knowing the cause of death.

 

[wellington]

So very sorry.

 

[LoutheRussian]

I remember your post about the unusual urates now. Could you contact your vet and request a necropsy?

How much would that run me? I don’t have a lot of disposable income but if it isn’t to expensive I’d be willing to explore that option.

 

[Bambam1989]

How much would that run me? I don’t have a lot of disposable income but if it isn’t to expensive I’d be willing to explore that option.

Only your vet clinic can tell you that, most will give an estimate over the phone.

 

[LoutheRussian]

Only your vet clinic can tell you that, most will give an estimate over the phone.

Ok I thought maybe you had a ballpark estimate but I’ll give the vet a call tomorrow and find out.

 

[DARKFIRE007]

Your care sounds fine, unless she had been recently getting a new food from outside that could have been dangerous...I doubt it was poor care related. People get sick and die despite good care too, it happens. Consider this, if you re-home the male, he may wind up with worse care. I wouldn't let her death shake your confidence, I would find the cause of death and see if it is something you can avoid in the future or if it was just out of your control.

Think hard before making any hasty decisions...with EVERY tort video I see online it hits me just how badly good owners are needed. The community can't afford to lose good owners.

Sorry you lost her.

 

[jjaymeza]

Awe I am so sorry :/

 

[Yvonne G]

It's never easy to lose one. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I think, now that she has died, that those strange-looking urates must have been a clue that something was wrong. If you decide you can afford the necropsy, be sure to show the vet the urates picture.

 

[LoutheRussian]

It's never easy to lose one. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I think, now that she has died, that those strange-looking urates must have been a clue that something was wrong. If you decide you can afford the necropsy, be sure to show the vet the urates picture.

I tend to agree with you. I knew that they had to indicate something was amiss I just didn’t know what. Day before yesterday she passed some that looked much more “normal” as they were more clear with white in them. I feel as though I failed her by not getting her to the vet sooner. I’m tempted to still take advantage of my appointment and bring my male in for a check up. That does however nearly eliminate the possibility of a necropsy. I had already allocated funds to her vet bill so I’d have used that towards getting one done but bringing him in would use that up. I just don’t know what to do.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your Corn Dog.