Spots on my desert tortoise?

[Ida]

Hello everyone,

would anybody be able to help me on what these little white raised lesions or whatever it is on my Desert tortoise, been there for some time. Thank you very much for your help.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Ida:

It's very hard to be sure from just looking at a photo, but my initial guess is that this tortoise is very sick. She has no meat on her front legs - very thin, plus in both pictures the eyes are shut.

I'm not a vet, and really don't know much about tortoise diseases, I'm more into the basics of care and first aid, but the white lesions might be indicative of a herpes virus.

In my opinion, this tortoise should be taken to a good tortoise vet just as soon as you can.

 

[Ida]

Thank you very much for your input.... I do have a vet that I've taken her too before so I am going to schedule a appointment ASAP. Appreciate the help..... have a great day.

 

[Ida]

Well Ms Ida went to the vet on Tuesday. He says she picked up some type of infection so you gave me medicine that I have to inject every other day. Also something about her bottom jaw being to black instead of white and then it's hard for her to eat so that's why she's not eating much. Fingers crossed everything works out okay she gets better. Thanks for all your help you guys are great site to come to.

Here's Ms Ida this morning.

 

[ascott]

Do you offer long warm water soaks? At least 30 minutes each day? I would suggest that you do them, especially while the tort is being treated with antibiotic....medications are very hard on a tortoise kidneys.....very hard. The long warm water soaks will help hydrate the tort as well as offer water for them to exchange out frequently.....

May I also ask? While I too offer some fruit as a treat about 2 times per summer....the yummies you have in this picture is not something that you offer more than a couple times per year, right?

 

[Ida]

Thanks for your help and input....any suggestions recommendations I'll take.

Yes I'm giving her water soaks each day. And yea I'm guilty, threw in strawberry and grapes was just trying to get her to eat. The doc kinda has me freaked out, he talked about her jaw/beek falling off, because it's black. I don't understand all that part from him.

But I'm happy to report she's doing so much better. She's been out cruising the yard, eating really good, enjoying her water soaks and very aware. So happy to see this.

 

[ascott]

What type of medicine did he give you? How did he say to administer the medicine? A black mouth/beak around the edges does not mean the beak is going to fall off....was this vet an exotic reptile vet? What test did he actually do to offer the diagnosis he did?

 

[ascott]

So the tort you show here with the strawberries is the same tortoise as you have in the first pic here?

 

[Ida]

Enrofloxacin injections, every other day.
Yes he is, was recommended by the Phoenix Herpetological society were I got the DT. He didn't run test. Thank you for saying that about beak not falling off...had me scared. She seams to be using it really well, drinking eating.
Yes that's the same DT, such a big difference in her activity and eating.

 

[Ida]

This is her this morning.

 

[Yvonne G]

Of course, we can't actually see the blackness on the lower beak, like the doctor saw in person, so we really can't say for sure, but tortoises' beaks get stained from what they eat. At one time or another throughout a tortoise's life it will show black staining on the face.

What did the vet say about the lesions?

Don't get yourself all worked up over nothing, and just hope for the best.

See if you can buy some Mazuri Tortoise Diet just to add a bit more substance to the diet and help the tortoise gain some weight.

 

[Ida]

Is that something that will clear up or will it always be black? Thanks for the feedback on that, was trying to look it up online could never find anything.
He says the white bumps are probably some type of infection he didn't run test but he kind of squeeze them and a little ball came out. That she's fighting off the infection. He mentioned kind a like a scab. Dr. mentioned should see an improvement within a week.
Thanks for the heads up on the recommendation of supplement.

 

[ascott]

Baytril is a good but strong antibiotic....so wet foods and a long 30 minute warm water soak should happen daily to assure hydration... So, when you press on the spots a white "cottage cheese" type ball comes out? How long have you had the tortoise and where was it acquired from?