Rescue RI

[Reddd]

Have taken in a rescue who is around 3 years old, size 9inches carpace.

Upon arrival noticed a congested sound every now and then not every breath but maybe every third or fourth sometimes no sound for a while. After watching I saw a small clear bubble out of 1 nostril for a split second. Some days in the mornings the bubbles are worse and frequent, as well as sometimes little bubbles on the side of the mouth, they are clear.

No open mouth breathing, just little squeaks now and then im assuming sneezes or ocngestion. In the bath a small yellow strip passed from nose I am confident was a tint bit of hay. Bubbles havent left.

Very randomly maybr 3 or 4 times a day tortoise will open mouth and chew. No open mouth or labored breathing.


Has been with me for around 10 days now, have kept ambient day and night at 90 to 93f. Basking 100+.

I was advised not to take to vet unless it stops eating, it has a huge appetite still.

Any suggestions or advice? Apart from the symptoms mentioned tortoise is normal, feeding fine, normal amount, poos, active.

How long does it take for them to shake these symptoms? Sometimes I think theyve improved but then randomly one morning the bubbles are frequent.

Kept in a closed chamber (temporary enclosure) which is why temps can be kept stable.

Is it vet time? I have read mixed opinions as meds can do more harm than good at times and have read many posts saying sulcatas at this size will shake it provided theyre eating etc.

Thanks in advance

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

When you say basking 100+, what level is it reaching? Because 100 is as high as you want to go, for the ambient temperature, if there’s a suspected RI ambient temp can be kept 85-90. Lemme tag @Tom for you and see what he thinks

 

[Reddd]

When you say basking 100+, what level is it reaching? Because 100 is as high as you want to go, for the ambient temperature, if there’s a suspected RI ambient temp can be kept 85-90. Lemme tag @Tom for you and see what he thinks

Baaking temp is 100 to 104. Ambient is low 90s 24/7.

Even with those temps nose sometimes is worse than other days some days seems like not much problem, then for example today a bit of discharge leaks out as it exhales, some days its one tiny bubble that appears for a split second.

 

[zovick]

Baaking temp is 100 to 104. Ambient is low 90s 24/7.

Even with those temps nose sometimes is worse than other days some days seems like not much problem, then for example today a bit of discharge leaks out as it exhales, some days its one tiny bubble that appears for a split second.

The tortoise should go to a vet and be tested for Mycoplasma. If that is ruled out, then the RI could be treated with ceftazidime.

I mentioned Mycoplasma first because that is virtually incurable. If the tortoise has that, there is no really good reason to spend the $$ to treat it with antibiotic injections for a normal RI. You could just do the injections of ceftazidime first right from the get-go, but it might not help if Mycoplasma is the causative organism.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Baaking temp is 100 to 104. Ambient is low 90s 24/7.

Even with those temps nose sometimes is worse than other days some days seems like not much problem, then for example today a bit of discharge leaks out as it exhales, some days its one tiny bubble that appears for a split second.

Fair enough, those temps sound ok if there’s a suspected RI, but I’d probably take Zovicks advice above, I hope your guy starts feeling better soon!

 

[Tom]

Have taken in a rescue who is around 3 years old, size 9inches carpace.

Upon arrival noticed a congested sound every now and then not every breath but maybe every third or fourth sometimes no sound for a while. After watching I saw a small clear bubble out of 1 nostril for a split second. Some days in the mornings the bubbles are worse and frequent, as well as sometimes little bubbles on the side of the mouth, they are clear.

No open mouth breathing, just little squeaks now and then im assuming sneezes or ocngestion. In the bath a small yellow strip passed from nose I am confident was a tint bit of hay. Bubbles havent left.

Very randomly maybr 3 or 4 times a day tortoise will open mouth and chew. No open mouth or labored breathing.


Has been with me for around 10 days now, have kept ambient day and night at 90 to 93f. Basking 100+.

I was advised not to take to vet unless it stops eating, it has a huge appetite still.

Any suggestions or advice? Apart from the symptoms mentioned tortoise is normal, feeding fine, normal amount, poos, active.

How long does it take for them to shake these symptoms? Sometimes I think theyve improved but then randomly one morning the bubbles are frequent.

Kept in a closed chamber (temporary enclosure) which is why temps can be kept stable.

Is it vet time? I have read mixed opinions as meds can do more harm than good at times and have read many posts saying sulcatas at this size will shake it provided theyre eating etc.

Thanks in advance

Zovick's advice on the matter is spot on and perfect, as usual.

Alternatively, if money is tight and you don't want to spend on diagnostics, I would continue with the current warm temps and keep that up for at least two weeks after all symptoms disappear. This could take a few more days, or a few months. No way to know.

Keep the tortoise well hydrated during this time of higher temps. Soak daily for 30-40 minutes and keep the water warm the entire time.

 

[Reddd]

The tortoise should go to a vet and be tested for Mycoplasma. If that is ruled out, then the RI could be treated with ceftazidime.

I mentioned Mycoplasma first because that is virtually incurable. If the tortoise has that, there is no really good reason to spend the $$ to treat it with antibiotic injections for a normal RI. You could just do the injections of ceftazidime first right from the get-go, but it might not help if Mycoplasma is the causative organism.

Thanks.

What is the cause of Mycoplasma?

Zovick's advice on the matter is spot on and perfect, as usual.

Alternatively, if money is tight and you don't want to spend on diagnostics, I would continue with the current warm temps and keep that up for at least two weeks after all symptoms disappear. This could take a few more days, or a few months. No way to know.

Keep the tortoise well hydrated during this time of higher temps. Soak daily for 30-40 minutes and keep the water warm the entire time.

It can take weeks or months for the nose to clear up? I havent seen an improvement, but appetite is fine and hasnt decreased. Have been soaking for 30mins and kept water warm the whole time.

 

[zovick]

Thanks.

What is the cause of Mycoplasma?


It can take weeks or months for the nose to clear up? I havent seen an improvement, but appetite is fine and hasnt decreased. Have been soaking for 30mins and kept water warm the whole time.

Mycoplasma is caused by a bacteria. It is the bacteria which decimated the wild population of Desert Tortoises in the southwestern US years ago. It is the reason (or one of them) that it is not legal to release a Desrt Tortoise into the wild once it has been in captivity.

Mycoplasma is not cured by conventional antibiotic treatments, though it may go away for a while and then recur if the animal is treated. Once a tortoise has Mycoplasma, it is a carrier of the disease forever. The symptoms can come and go at different times throughout the animal's life.

What you describe with your tortoise is similar to what is seen in a classic carrier of Mycoplasma which is why I mentioned it.

 

[Reddd]

Mycoplasma is caused by a bacteria. It is the bacteria which decimated the wild population of Desert Tortoises in the southwestern US years ago. It is the reason (or one of them) that it is not legal to release a Desrt Tortoise into the wild once it has been in captivity.

Mycoplasma is not cured by conventional antibiotic treatments, though it may go away for a while and then recur if the animal is treated. Once a tortoise has Mycoplasma, it is a carrier of the disease forever. The symptoms can come and go at different times throughout the animal's life.

What you describe with your tortoise is similar to what is seen in a classic carrier of Mycoplasma which is why I mentioned it.

Thank you.

If it is not mycoplasma, will it clear up if kept nice and hot? Tortoise is eating well and active still congested and nose runny, it seems a little thicker or not as clear but hard to tell.

Do symptoms/illness go away after 2 weeks of constant heat? Or does it take longer sometimes?

 

[zovick]

Thank you.

If it is not mycoplasma, will it clear up if kept nice and hot? Tortoise is eating well and active still congested and nose runny, it seems a little thicker or not as clear but hard to tell.

Do symptoms/illness go away after 2 weeks of constant heat? Or does it take longer sometimes?

If the symptoms clear up without any treatment or a Mycoplasma test, you will not know if it is Mycoplasma or not till the symptoms come back again, which as I said, can happen multiple times in the tortoise's life if it has Mycoplasma.

 

[Reddd]

Symptoms today are very minimal, havent seen a bubble or any runny nose, yesterday they seemed worse though, breathing in and out and could see the nostril blocking and unblocking, today basically non existent

 

[Reddd]

Tiny squeak noise today, small clear bubble out of one nostril, symptoms have gotten less, does this mean it is slowly going? Still has a really good appetite.

 

[zovick]

Tiny squeak noise today, small clear bubble out of one nostril, symptoms have gotten less, does this mean it is slowly going? Still has a really good appetite.

It sounds as though it is getting better over time. I would still keep the temps up until the symptoms have been gone for a week or ten days.

 

[Reddd]

Squeak sound almost non existent, havent seen any bubbles or mucus. Slight whistle sound when exhaling to pull head in shell which im assuming is normal.

Still isolated and kept warm 24 7. Appetite still great.

How long are they contagious after symptoms subside?

 

[zovick]

Squeak sound almost non existent, havent seen any bubbles or mucus. Slight whistle sound when exhaling to pull head in shell which im assuming is normal.

Still isolated and kept warm 24 7. Appetite still great.

How long are they contagious after symptoms subside?

Hard to say. Most likely not more than a few days for a normal RI, but if it is Mycoplasma, it is probably always possible for a "carrier" tortoise to pass it on to other tortoises, even when it is not showing symptoms.