I sure appreciate everyone's responses in helping me get ehr healthy again. I talked to the vet about the mineral oil and she didn't seem excited about me forcing anything in her mouth. I have been trying to move her tail to do that end, but man I can't get a grip on that tail, but try everytime she gets a soaking. I have started taking her in my truck everywhere I go, and no poop yet. She peed again yesterday. Still hasn't eaten! I see the vet Thursday and might have to make a decision on whether to give her to the vet school for surgery, or keep trying all I can. Hard decision as I am not a fan of the surgery, but will do what ever is best for ehr survival. The pain med is Meloxicam, giving her .22 ml a day. I started giving that to her at night in case it makes her slow down or get sleepy during the day when I want her as active as possible. I have been giving her massages by sticking my fingers along her legs and massaging every part of her I can find trying to get stuf moving. Just a bummer, and I just had another lay a group of eggs today! It's raining tortoises here, ha ha ha
sick sulcata (impaction?)
- Thread starter dyager
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I need a consensus before I se the vet again Thursday. I don't want her to have to go through surgery, but I want to give her all the chances at surviving. When is the time to make that decision? I will keep doing what I am doing for as long as it takes, but when should I have a good feeling to make that decision or not?
Have you been able to get any mineral oil down his throat? That usually works within a week. Did you try the human bath tub/warm water/exercise therapy? That usually works on the day you try it.
A tortoise can't live forever with an impaction. He will eventually die from it. In my opinion, if you have tried the above two methods and they haven't worked, then it's time for surgery.
A tortoise can't live forever with an impaction. He will eventually die from it. In my opinion, if you have tried the above two methods and they haven't worked, then it's time for surgery.
emysemys said:
I have tried the human bathtub, problem is she just doesn't move around in there, she takes a nap. I have not been successful with the mineral oil. BUt, I have a friend coming over today and we will give all we got. She rides in the truck with me everywhere, and still no movement. Warm soaks on the clothes dryer, fluid injections, massages under the shell as far as I can get my fingers in there and still nothing. Frustrating, but will go for broke today!
I'm glad it's meloxicam. In people, at least, meloxicam isn't constipating. It's non-drowsy, so you can give it to her during the day. Maybe she'll move around a little more during the day if she's in less pain.
PLEASE try the mineral oil! Don't drown her with it, just get it into the back of her mouth so she swallows it. I have more experience with doctors than vets, but the principle is the same. They are very hesitant to recommend procedures that aren't accepted medical practice. But the fact is, you're getting this advice from the folks in the trenches who've got many years' experience caring for tortoises. Adding lubrication to this situation can only help!
Good luck! I sure hope you don't end up having to turn her over for surgery
PLEASE try the mineral oil! Don't drown her with it, just get it into the back of her mouth so she swallows it. I have more experience with doctors than vets, but the principle is the same. They are very hesitant to recommend procedures that aren't accepted medical practice. But the fact is, you're getting this advice from the folks in the trenches who've got many years' experience caring for tortoises. Adding lubrication to this situation can only help!
Good luck! I sure hope you don't end up having to turn her over for surgery
2 days. Any changes?
I feel for you. I had a tort that was impacted with stones. I used the mineral oil technique and it worked to remove 20+ stones that he ate. The mineral oil went up the cloaca. I didn't have to hold the tail. The opening is clearly visible. Simply use a syringe (no needle) and insert it about an inch in, and squirt it inside.
In my tort; however, there was another stone in his bladder that was an inch thick. It was just too big to pass his small pelvis area. When he stopped eating and peeing, i knew he was dying. I had to rush him to a specialized vet for surgery. The surgery was through the cloaca. I was happy that they didn't have to cut through the plastron.
So, if the cause of the impaction is a stone, did you get x-rays done? Is the impaction an egg? How big is the object and is it small enough to pass the cloaca? If this has been going on for more than two months, your tort may be dying and you won't know it until it's either too late or he/she stops eating, peeing, pooping, and moving. By then, it's critical to get the surgery done. Where are you at this point?
In my tort; however, there was another stone in his bladder that was an inch thick. It was just too big to pass his small pelvis area. When he stopped eating and peeing, i knew he was dying. I had to rush him to a specialized vet for surgery. The surgery was through the cloaca. I was happy that they didn't have to cut through the plastron.
So, if the cause of the impaction is a stone, did you get x-rays done? Is the impaction an egg? How big is the object and is it small enough to pass the cloaca? If this has been going on for more than two months, your tort may be dying and you won't know it until it's either too late or he/she stops eating, peeing, pooping, and moving. By then, it's critical to get the surgery done. Where are you at this point?
I appreciate everyone's help and advise in caring for my sick sulcata. Went to the vet last Thursday and the x-ray showed no movement of the impaction and lab work showed kidney and liver were on the down hill slide. Made the decision to put her down instead of the surgery. The vet said that if she survived the surgery, the kidney and liver damage would likely get her. So, long trip home, learned alot with this event.
Hey, I'm really sorry this turn out to be the case. Like yourself, and everyone I'm sure, I was hoping to hear good news from you. Please know that this helps others in the keeping of their tortoises.
I'm so sorry to hear this, Dan. You really tried to help this poor tortoise.
You folks on here are amazing! I am so new to this whole this, but gained a ton of good info for the future. The remaining 7 are doing fine and I just built another "pen" to seperate some of them. I am constantly keeping an eye on them throughut the day and making sure everyone stays hydrated and goes number 2! I may be getting more, well 6 more, but we will see how that goes. Thanks again for everyones suppport and help.
Some how I missed this thread until now. I am so sorry for you having to make that decision. It's a hard one to make, but I think you did the right thing. Again, I am so sorry
I'm so sorry to hear that you ended up losing her. You did the best you could.
Did the vet by any chance find out what the impacted material was so maybe you can keep it away from the rest of your torts in the future?
Did the vet by any chance find out what the impacted material was so maybe you can keep it away from the rest of your torts in the future?
The vet is going to do an autopsy and provide me with the results. Her guess is that when I got all of them, she already had the issue, maybe not as dramatic as towards the end, but her guess is that it has been impacted for months. So we will wait and see. The rest seem to be just fine.
Chainsawkitten said:I'm so sorry!
Life is good
It was a total bummer as she was in the house for over a month, so we saw and checked on her many times during the day. Just wierd coming home and her spot is empty. BUt I guess that is the way things roll sometimes, wether we like it or not. Learned a ton, ever need help with tort injections, let me know!
dyager said:Chainsawkitten said:I'm so sorry!
Life is good
It was a total bummer as she was in the house for over a month, so we saw and checked on her many times during the day. Just wierd coming home and her spot is empty. BUt I guess that is the way things roll sometimes, wether we like it or not. Learned a ton, ever need help with tort injections, let me know!
(((HUGS))
Life is good
Did you ever get mineral oil down her? It looks like it was mentioned many times, but I don't see a response from you where you were able to do it...
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