severe dog attack

Teamtimtam

New Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
3
Hello, I work at a vet. A client came in with her injured make desert turtle. Had a ton of maggots in the wounds. We cleaned a large amount from a wound under the neck area. Financially she could not afford to continue care and and emotionally could not do wound care and brought in to euthanize. We offered to have her surender this was Friday.

I am soaking to being the maggots to the surface and then manual removal. Baytril injections, and 10cc sq daily. I am a RVT but I deal primarily with dog and cats.

There is necrotic tissue and the skin has seperated from the plastron. I am debriding the worst of the tissue as he allows. Has anyone delt with success on the reattachment and if so was surgical correction required?

Thanks for any insight.
 

deadheadvet

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Cary, NC
Need to see some pics. Make sure they are clear and as close as possible. Multiple images would be fine. Not wild about Baytril injections. Oral is better if the tortoise is eating. If the tortoise needs to be sedated to debride the wounds, have your vet put in a feeding tube. That way the baytril can be given orally via the feeding tube.Doesn't matter which side to put the feeding tube. the jugular vein run parallel to the ear opening. Just like putting one in on a kitten. Soak the tortoise in warm water for about 15 min. then give the drugs to sedate the tortoise ( your vet can look it up) Takes 15-20 min. for the tortoise to get groggy. Place a hemostat in the mouth and aim it towards the skin where you want to make your stab incision where the tip of the hemostat is. Run feeding tube ( at least 10Fr) through the incision opening. Make sure you pre measure on the tube how far down to go. Just past 2nd-3rd. plastron scute seam. I usually place S.S. wire down the inside of the tube and then take an xray to make sure it has been placed correctly. Then your vet will do a chinese suture trap to hold the tube in place. Tape the rest of the tube to the top of the carapace.Make sure you put an injection plug into the end of the tube to keep it clean. I have seen some bad neck wounds that come along w/ topical cleaning and antibiotics once all the tissue that needs to be debrided is removed.
 

Teamtimtam

New Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
3
Thank you! He is not eating on his own currently. I have the Baytril tablets to crush but without him eating that is a no go. I will take in to work tommorrow and see of we can sedate to debride it and see how the feeding tube goes. What is your perffered sedative for a dt?
He seems intrested in food after his soaks but hasn't taken a bite. I can't get a clear pic of the neck wound. It's just at a really bad angle inside the shell.
 

Teamtimtam

New Member
Joined
May 21, 2017
Messages
3
I will do that. Anesthesia in reptiles is not our normal thing so it does bring on some anxiety.

Thank you so much for your help. This makes me realize how little the schools focus on reptiles in general. In the last 5 days I have learned more about tortoise care and medicine than during all my schooling. Hopefully after all this I will be able to help more people care for these little guys

I will take some pictures once I can get a real good view when he is sedated.
 

deadheadvet

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Cary, NC
These are one of the few instances where you can try something new on an animal that does not belong to anyone. It likely will go well, but if it didn't, there are no repercussions. As the Vet oath says "Above all do no harm" Dexmed/Ket will not completely sedate the tortoise but should be enough to debride the wounds and get a feeding tube in.
 

deadheadvet

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Cary, NC
They are just disgusting but do only eat necrotic tissue. I would only use maggots in a controlled environment, these carry all kinds of bacteria and whatnot.
 
Top