Sick and Stubborn Sully!

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dbeilfuss

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Hi All,
My 65lb Sulcata Sheldon was taken from us almost two weeks ago. After 8 days we were able to get him back. It was very late (almost 10pm) when we got him back-the next morning I went out to his pen to check on him and noticed wheezing and bubbling nose. I took him that day to the herp vet.

Vet gave him Zithromax and said he should be ok. The meds were prescribed as 1 every 3 days. First time we tried a banana (his favorite occasional treat-no interest.) My hubby was able to wrap it in a romaine leaf and he took it. Dose two-tried the romaine again, no luck. Then moved onto a strawberry. After about 6 hours with the berry he FINALLY ate it. After 7 day (2 doses) his wheezing was better but his nose was worse. It took a lot of time on both days (over 8 hrs each) to get him to take his pills. He typically has a great personality and is very playful and affectionate. Since he was gone-he is very timid and in what I have been referring to as a state of shock.

After day 7 we took him to the vet again. Vet gave him a vit b shot, a vitamin k shot and cipro-animal form (1x/day x7 days). We have not been able to get even one does in him and we are on day 2.5 since the new meds.

Vet also told us to give him very warm baths twice daily. We have been doing this and I think his breathing does not sound nearly as bad as it did.....but-we still have a tort that won't move, walk, or in general act like he typically does. One good thing that the vet did say was that he didn't loose any weight during the first week of meds. I realize he does not feel good......not sure what else we can try to get him to take his meds.....???????

Any additional advice???
 

Laura

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make sure he is plenty warm and don't pester him too much. He needs to settle..
Is he eating anything?
 

dbeilfuss

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Laura said:
make sure he is plenty warm and don't pester him too much. He needs to settle..
Is he eating anything?

He is being left alone for the most part-when I say it took him a long time to take his pills I mean that we placed in inside the food and then left him to eat it at will.

I put out spinach for his last night and he ate about half of it. Typical would be for him to eat all I put down. He is munching here and there, not as much as he would regularly. We have been putting him outside near some of his favorite spots (cooler in the shade) as it has been in the 80's here in CO for the last couple of weeks. He will move a few steps to get into his spots. (That is one way I can tell he is moving a few steps at least). In the evening we bring him in and put him in his pen with several lights. He will stay under them for a few minutes and then moves to the other side to cool down I think. That is where he chooses to be, so I leave him alone.
 

mike taylor

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If you don't mind way was he taken? Who took him and did not give him what he needed to be healthy? Sorry to hear that he is sick .

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app
 

dbeilfuss

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mike taylor said:
If you don't mind way was he taken? Who took him and did not give him what he needed to be healthy? Sorry to hear that he is sick .

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app

Someone came into the yard and cut the lock that was on the gate. He was found over 10 miles away wandering down the road. He has additional chips on his shell-so he was obviously trying to escape from a situation. The lady that found him called animal control-which was closed. They referred her over to the sheriff's dept who had my hubby's cell phone number from when we reported him missing.

We don't know who it was that took him. We live in a small town, in rural CO. Not very many people know that we have him, but there is a large hill that overlooks out backyard. Many people ride their 4x4's and dirt-bikes on the hills and can see into it....so there is no telling.
 

Tom

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Main thing is to bump up his temps and keep him warm day and night. I'd keep and ambient of 85-90 all day and night plus his normal basking area which should get up to 100+. Make sure you don't burn or try out the top of his carapace with the additional heat on such a big tortoise. Continue the daily soaks for a good month from this point and I would not let the vet do any more vitamin injections. Those are almost always bad news.

Give him time. He should come back around.
 

mctlong

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dbeilfuss said:
Someone came into the yard and cut the lock that was on the gate. He was found over 10 miles away wandering down the road. He has additional chips on his shell-so he was obviously trying to escape from a situation. The lady that found him called animal control-which was closed. They referred her over to the sheriff's dept who had my hubby's cell phone number from when we reported him missing.

We don't know who it was that took him. We live in a small town, in rural CO. Not very many people know that we have him, but there is a large hill that overlooks out backyard. Many people ride their 4x4's and dirt-bikes on the hills and can see into it....so there is no telling.

The awful! I'm glad you got him back.
 
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