Tortellini’s vet sick exam please help

[Tortellini5]

About 6 days ago I noticed a runny nose during Tortellinis soak, the next couple days I got sick with covid and stopped handling tortellini for his soaks so was unable to closely monitor the symptoms. I did not see anything alarming until 2 days ago when I picked him up and noticed a whistle in his breathing and after soaking had mucus on nose. I took him to the vet yesterday and noted some contradicting advice from the vet vs advice I have followed from this forum so I did not have the vet proceed with any of the tests yet. Please help recommend what vet advice to follow and what I should disregard from the visit:
- vet tried to flush tortellinis nose and he did not let himself so I did not allow sedation to get him to get a nose flush ( she said not to try at home since I could push the solution to his lungs which I have read in other posts here that it should not be the case please clarify the risk here)
- told vet I use cypress mulch and she found that to be incorrect substrate that could be the cause of his irritation in nose or could have some small particle stuck in there, she recommended newspaper as substrate, straw/hay, and peat moss as the best substrate to be changed in his habitat
- she mentioned he had a soft spot in the middle of his shell ( what could this mean and how can I correct this?)
- other potential cause of his bubbly nose symptom could be an infection (discharge was not cloudy it was just a clear mucus) I didn’t yet allow for the tests to be done which are a flood count, culture, and nose flush sample
-she offered me the antibiotics although he is not yet been tested because he is a baby and said to be better ln the safe side ( I didn’t take them yet and hesitant to do any injections, I would rather do the oral feeding since tortellini still eats well and she mentioned he has some nice little fat in the back of his legs)
- she said ideal humidity to be 50-70% but I know the forum recommended 80-100%
- she recommended heating from 95-100Fin the day and 80F at night and said 85 at night to be too hot.. since I raised the heat at night to 85f since I noted his sickness.. my question also is how hot is too hot at night for a sick tortoise

In the meantime I get response I have already another vet appointment elsewhere to compare their recommendations, and tests will be done once I find the other vet.

How critical can it be to wait on this? I am worrying since it has been a week since I first noticed his runny nose.

Thank you in advance for all your input and advice for my Tortellini.

 

[wellington]

She is wrong on the substrate.
Has there been any improvement since temps were raised? They should be raised to at least 85 day and night with basking of 95-100 and 80% humidity. One time of a discharge is not alarming. Constant discharge with heavy breathing, noisy breathing or hold head stretched out and facing up are alarming. Usually just raising the temps will take care of things if caught soon enough.

 

[Ink]

I am glad you are feeling better and I hope tortellini feels better too soon. ?

 

[Otty2021]

It’s good to get a second opinion from another vet, I hope there will be a better solution to solve Tortellini’s problem. Get well soon Tortellini ?

 

[Tortellini5]

She is wrong on the substrate.
Has there been any improvement since temps were raised? They should be raised to at least 85 day and night with basking of 95-100 and 80% humidity. One time of a discharge is not alarming. Constant discharge with heavy breathing, noisy breathing or hold head stretched out and facing up are alarming. Usually just raising the temps will take care of things if caught soon enough.

Thank you I agree that the cypress mulch was a better option as you have mentioned. I will not be changing to newspaper hay or pear moss. Can you explain why or what the “hole head stretched out and facing up” are indicative of? I am just curious on what it means and how I can detect that he is doing that. He has been sticking his head up when soaking but that was a usual thing so not sure how it can be different from what you describe. Thank you.

 

[Yvonne G]

A drippy nose isn't always respiratory infection. Stress also causes it.

I would set the tortoise up in a 85°F day and night enclosure, soak daily and see if the nose clears up. As long as the tortoise is eating and otherwise acting normal I don't think a vet visit is necessary.

 

[Tortellini5]

A drippy nose isn't always respiratory infection. Stress also causes it.

I would set the tortoise up in a 85°F day and night enclosure, soak daily and see if the nose clears up. As long as the tortoise is eating and otherwise acting normal I don't think a vet visit is necessary.

Thank you, I will continue to monitor, soak and keep warm temps.

 

[zovick]

Thank you I agree that the cypress mulch was a better option as you have mentioned. I will not be changing to newspaper hay or pear moss. Can you explain why or what the “hole head stretched out and facing up” are indicative of? I am just curious on what it means and how I can detect that he is doing that. He has been sticking his head up when soaking but that was a usual thing so not sure how it can be different from what you describe. Thank you.

If the tortoise is extending its neck out and pointing its nose up into the air when NOT soaking, it is a sign that it is having difficulty breathing. This is sometimes accompanied by opening the mouth widely and pushing the front legs in and out in an effort to get air into the lungs. There may also be thick mucus in the mouth.

All of the above are signs of a respiratory infection.

 

[Tortellini5]

If the tortoise is extending its neck out and pointing its nose up into the air when NOT soaking, it is a sign that it is having difficulty breathing. This is sometimes accompanied by opening the mouth widely and pushing the front legs in and out in an effort to get air into the lungs. There may also be thick mucus in the mouth.

All of the above are signs of a respiratory infection.

Thank you this clarifies a lot, I have not seen the neck extension while in his habitat, but I have seen some “yawns” opening of the mouth. Have not noted any mucus in mouth but I will be more observant for that sign.

 

[wellington]

I think if you follow the heating/temp advice you will see a tortoise that is not sick.
I would cancel the vet appt. for now and see how he does. Sometimes vets can do more harm then good as you seen with the bad advice given from the first vet.