Severely injured tortoise

[Tarryn]

I rescued a parrot beaked juvenile tortoise from the road today. Someone drove over the side of his shell. A top piece of the carapace has shifted, there is a crack in the side and some intestines are hanging out the side.

The tortoise is lucid, walking and no longer bleeding.

I have soaked it in shallow warm water to clean the wound, and he is lying in a dark box on a soft towel.

Tomorrow I plan to take him to the vet, but am looking for advice in the interim for wound care, and odds of surviving something as traumatic given that is mobile and otherwise strong.

 

[Ink]

@Yvonne G should be able to help. Can you post a picture of the tortoise?

 

[Tarryn]

Thanks for the help

 

[Yvonne G]

Gently try to push everything back inside and wrap a cloth around the shell to keep it in. The intestines mustn't be allowed to dry out.

 

[Tarryn]

I will try that, thank you very much. Should be done tonight or should I let a vet do it rather?

 

[KarenSoCal]

I will try that, thank you very much. Should be done tonight or should I let a vet do it rather?

The only way to keep the intestines wet would be to wrap them in wet towels, which has a high chance of chilling the tortoise. I really think he needs to be kept warm. Also, there's no way to know if the bowel is kinked anywhere.

I think you should gently push them back in tonight, and then wrap a cloth as Yvonne said.

 

[TammyJ]

Thanks for trying and good luck! Keep us updated please.

 

[Tarryn]

Thanks everyone for your advice, I really appreciate it. Last night I applied surgical guaze over the wound and dampened the bandage a little and wrapped him up. I have a tortoise nursery so the room is always warm This morning he is still alive and curious, I will see the vet and keep you all posted.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Thanks everyone for your advice, I really appreciate it. Last night I applied surgical guaze over the wound and dampened the bandage a little and wrapped him up. I have a tortoise nursery so the room is always warm This morning he is still alive and curious, I will see the vet and keep you all posted.

Thank you for helping this tortoise! And please do keep us updated. We all learn from events like this, sad as they are.

 

[Tarryn]

I took the little man to the vet and he has to be euthanized 😔 His intestines had ruptured and become nucrotic which is why they were brown. He would've only survived another week or so and would not have been able to eat and digest in that state. It's a really sad situation. Thanks to everyone for caring and giving your advice xx

 

[KarenSoCal]

I'm so very sorry. I know how quickly we become attached to a creature in our care after such a trauma. Thank you for giving him a chance and caring enough to not let him suffer needlessly.

 

[Tarryn]

I'm so very sorry. I know how quickly we become attached to a creature in our care after such a trauma. Thank you for giving him a chance and caring enough to not let him suffer needlessly.

 

[Ink]

Thank you for trying, and taking care of him the best you could.

 

[Tarryn]

Thank you for trying, and taking care of him the best you could.

❤️❤️

 

[Chefdenoel10]

I took the little man to the vet and he has to be euthanized 😔 His intestines had ruptured and become nucrotic which is why they were brown. He would've only survived another week or so and would not have been able to eat and digest in that state. It's a really sad situation. Thanks to everyone for caring and giving your advice xx

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤯😭😭😭😭😭😭

I am so extremely sorry for your loss!!!!
But I am so sincerely grateful that you tried to help him.
I am just devastated…. 😭😭😭

 

[Tarryn]

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🤯😭😭😭😭😭😭

I am so extremely sorry for your loss!!!!
But I am so sincerely grateful that you tried to help him.
I am just devastated…. 😭😭😭

Me too 😔 thank you for your kind words 💚

 

[TammyJ]

It's great that for him, at the end, he had someone who cared. Good for you

 

[MySpurThighTortoiseRescue]

I am sorry for your loss. You tried your best. You cared.