Sore mouth

Beverleyjade

New Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2020
Messages
1
Location (City and/or State)
Newcastle
Hello, I’m new here. I’ve had my tortoise about 6 years. I take her to the vet every year just for a general check up, was last there the middle of January. All was fine. I looked in her mouth begging of March and it was red looked sore so took her to the vets, she wouldn’t let them look into her mouth. So she was booked in to be sedated two days later, two lots of sedation later she didn’t go to sleep so they’ve give me 5 antibiotic injections, then went back and they’ve gave me a further three. She’s now had six/eight. Some days it looks better and some it doesn’t (all under my torch on my phone) tonight when I’ve looked it looks as sore as it first was, I don’t know what to do and stuck on what it could be and I’m on minimum wage and was wondering if there was any help I can get. The vet still hasn’t been able to look into her mouth.
 

Yvonne G

Old Timer
TFO Admin
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
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Jan 23, 2008
Messages
93,388
Location (City and/or State)
Clovis, CA
What species of tortoise is it? Are you able to get someone to take pictures of the inside of the mouth while you hold it open so we can know what you're talking about? I use the round end of a finger nail file. Lay it up against the outside of the bottom beak, flat, and gently try to insert it between the bottom beak and the top, then slightly twist the nail file, opening the beak. Then when you have it open, slide the file across the tongue so he can't close his mouth. To start, you have to grab the tortoise behind his jaws so he can't pull his head in. If you hold him with his head pointing down to the floor he may bring his head out very far so you can then grab behind the jaws.
 
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