Vet Visit

[Lyn W]

I am taking Lola (leopard tort ) to the vet in a hour and while she is a reptile vet not used her before.

Just wanted to check a few things.........

• if she offers vitamin jabs - decline as Lola is still eating?
• if bloods are taken - front or back legs?
• if injections are needed - front back legs?

Would be grateful for any quick advice if anyone with experience of these is around at the moment.

 

[mark1]

personally , if the tortoise or turtle is acting ok , growing , and eating , i'd stay away from the vet ..... they can take blood from the tail , under the shell over the neck , and i think the jugular .......... i'm a believer in less intervention , unless necessary , is best ....... use to be shots were always in the front , something to do with blood flow and the kidneys ? i think they've rescinded that , but i still go with it ....... i would agree a vet visit is good for folks that are new to the hobby and have trouble recognizing an unwell animal ....

 

[JoesMum]

personally , if the tortoise or turtle is acting ok , growing , and eating , i'd stay away from the vet ..... they can take blood from the tail , under the shell over the neck , and i think the jugular .......... i'm a believer in less intervention , unless necessary , is best ....... use to be shots were always in the front , something to do with blood flow and the kidneys ? i think they've rescinded that , but i still go with it ....... i would agree a vet visit is good for folks that are new to the hobby and have trouble recognizing an unwell animal ....

This one isn't OK.

No vitamin A injections! Excess vitamin A causes horrible skin problems

 

[Lyn W]

Just copied and pasted this from the CDR thread.
The 'young' vet wouldn't x ray - said there was no point as stones wouldn't show up unless urates were gritty and more solid and even though she'd never seen urates like Lolas encased in a jelly like shell before she said x-ray wouldn't pick that up so she wasn't unduly worried......said aid xrays were only really beneficial for RIs .

She wouldn't do bloods as it was 'quite a challenge' and would have to get it from the jugular which was quite a scary thought but said if I take in fresh urates and poop samples they can test those for a range of things.

She thought his leg could be painful because it's taking the strain of the shorter one, maybe arthritis?
Offered me the choice between antibiotics just in case he has an infection, or an anti inflammatory which aren't licensed in UK as no research on how torts would react. I took the antibiotic which is Baytril - 0.7 once a day orally. But as its all a bit wait and see I'm not sure whether to give half the dose or not at all.
I think I may need to seek a second opinion.

 

[JoesMum]

Just copied and pasted this from the CDR thread.
The 'young' vet wouldn't x ray - said there was no point as stones wouldn't show up unless urates were gritty and more solid and even though she'd never seen urates like Lolas encased in a jelly like shell before she said x-ray wouldn't pick that up so she wasn't unduly worried......said aid xrays were only really beneficial for RIs .

She wouldn't do bloods as it was 'quite a challenge' and would have to get it from the jugular which was quite a scary thought but said if I take in fresh urates and poop samples they can test those for a range of things.

She thought his leg could be painful because it's taking the strain of the shorter one, maybe arthritis?
Offered me the choice between antibiotics just in case he has an infection, or an anti inflammatory which aren't licensed in UK as no research on how torts would react. I took the antibiotic which is Baytril - 0.7 once a day orally. But as its all a bit wait and see I'm not sure whether to give half the dose or not at all.
I think I may need to seek a second opinion.

I think you need that second opinion. Bloods from the jugular? I'm pretty sure our tame TFO vets like @deadheadvet, @exoticsdr or @Ferretinmyshoes wouldn't recommend that.

 

[Lyn W]

personally , if the tortoise or turtle is acting ok , growing , and eating , i'd stay away from the vet ..... they can take blood from the tail , under the shell over the neck , and i think the jugular .......... i'm a believer in less intervention , unless necessary , is best ....... use to be shots were always in the front , something to do with blood flow and the kidneys ? i think they've rescinded that , but i still go with it ....... i would agree a vet visit is good for folks that are new to the hobby and have trouble recognizing an unwell animal ....

Thanks and I absolutely agree - I am really nervous about taking my tort to a vet but I am also very concerned about his change in habit - staying in hide all day and only eating after being taken out and soaked, plus what looks to be sensitivity in rear leg. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and after searches I am worried it could kidney related, so I would hate to ignore it only to find I should have done something sooner. Touch wood Lola has been healthy and active in the 2.5 years but something is different and possibly wrong so better safe than sorry. Thankfully no jabs were mentioned so don't have that worry.

 

[Lyn W]

I think you need that second opinion. Bloods from the jugular? I'm pretty sure or tame TFO vets like @deadhetvet wouldn't recommend that.

Yes I was surprised there weren't other areas. I'm just glad she didn't try.

 

[Lyn W]

I think you need that second opinion. Bloods from the jugular? I'm pretty sure our tame TFO vets like @deadhetvet, @exoticsdr or @Ferretinmyshoes wouldn't recommend that.

I was going to ask @deadheadvet, or @exoticsdr or @Ferretinmyshoes about the baytril - to give or not to give - without a proper diagnosis. It's a dilemma for me.

 

[sibi]

Well, x-rays are always a good think IF you suspect they could be a stone in the bladder. Even if milky urates don't show up on x-rays, other things do. For instance, a good vet can examine the bones, lungs, intestinal tract, and bladder. It's relatively harmless for the tort, other than the initial trauma of visiting the doctor in the first place.
Blood work is unnecessary unless you suspect deficiencies. I don't think that's the case here.
Injections of anything would be my biggest concern. IF a respiratory infection is found and confirmed, then maybe. Torts' systems are extremely slow reacting. If sick, their system can generally correct itself over good, warm conditions. However, if an infection is present, ask if they can give you pills that can be crushed in their food, providing she's still eating.
Under no circumstances should you allow Vit. A injections cause they can be lethal doses given. It's just not worth it. Instead, add some cut up pieces of carrot from time to time.
Many necessary injections have to be administers through muscle tissue, and that can be extremely difficult and painful for humans, least of all, torts. I personally wouldn't allow it unless it's absolutely necessary. Lastly, blood can be taken anywhere they bleed. Usually, vets will try the upper front body. Hitting a nerve by accident is a concern not only because its extremely painful, but because it can cause damage to the legs and arms. That's been my experience and opinion.

 

[Yvonne G]

Good luck at the vet. No vitamin injections (it usually comes as vitamin A, D and E). My vet tries to draw blood from someplace near the cloaca, in the tail area. I don't know the current thinking, but I've always injected each leg in turn as needed...front, front, back, back.

 

[Lyn W]

Well, x-rays are always a good think IF you suspect they could be a stone in the bladder. Even if milky urates don't show up on x-rays, other things do. For instance, a good vet can examine the bones, lungs, intestinal tract, and bladder. It's relatively harmless for the tort, other than the initial trauma of visiting the doctor in the first place.
Blood work is unnecessary unless you suspect deficiencies. I don't think that's the case here.
Injections of anything would be my biggest concern. IF a respiratory infection is found and confirmed, then maybe. Torts' systems are extremely slow reacting. If sick, their system can generally correct itself over good, warm conditions. However, if an infection is present, ask if they can give you pills that can be crushed in their food, providing she's still eating.
Under no circumstances should you allow Vit. A injections cause they can be lethal doses given. It's just not worth it. Instead, add some cut up pieces of carrot from time to time.
Many necessary injections have to be administers through muscle tissue, and that can be extremely difficult and painful for humans, least of all, torts. I personally wouldn't allow it unless it's absolutely necessary. Lastly, blood can be taken anywhere they bleed. Usually, vets will try the upper front body. Hitting a nerve by accident is a concern not only because its extremely painful, but because it can cause damage to the legs and arms. That's been my experience and opinion.

Thanks Sibi, I have been given a bottle of baytril with a syringe to measure 0.7 'just in case' there's an infection, but as there's been no conclusive diagnosis I am reluctant to use it at the moment. Need to find another reptile vet and it seems they are few and far between.

 

[JoesMum]

Are there any on these lists that might be of use?
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/lists_of_vets_by_area_73.asp
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/united-kingdom.91821/
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10987

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I wish you and Lola the best.
I hope you are able to find a knowledgeable vet. (For tortoises)

 

[Lyn W]

I wish you and Lola the best.
I hope you are able to find a knowledgeable vet. (For tortoises)

Thanks Ed.

 

[Lyn W]

Are there any on these lists that might be of use?
http://thetortoisetable.org.uk/site/lists_of_vets_by_area_73.asp
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/united-kingdom.91821/
http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10987

Thank you Linda.
The 'peripatetic' vets who hold surgeries at other vets practices are on the first list, getting an appointment is the problem.
One of the other practices that used to be highly recommended around here has stopped doing reptiles now.

 

[Lyn W]

Another thing the vet said that I've not heard before was that torts have to be anaesthetised for xrays, would this be correct or does it depend on what the xray is for?

 

[Gillian M]

Hi Lyn. Good luck to Lola. Please keep us updated.

 

[deadheadvet]

Unless there is a definite reason for antibiotics, I would not give them. Glad they dispensed oral version of Baytril, can affect appetite though.
Radiographs do not require sedation.
Blood work: the preferred method is via the jugular vein. Less chance of lymphatic contamination. Issue is if the tortoise is little, very difficult to get blood unless the tortoise is sedated. As far as radiographs, unless you take them, you would not know if stones were present or not. We just tape the tortoise to a board and take the radiographs quickly. Pretty straight forward.

 

[Lyn W]

Unless there is a definite reason for antibiotics, I would not give them. Glad they dispensed oral version of Baytril, can affect appetite though.
Radiographs do not require sedation.
Blood work: the preferred method is via the jugular vein. Less chance of lymphatic contamination. Issue is if the tortoise is little, very difficult to get blood unless the tortoise is sedated. As far as radiographs, unless you take them, you would not know if stones were present or not. We just tape the tortoise to a board and take the radiographs quickly. Pretty straight forward.

Thank you very much for your help, I haven't given any Baytril yet as it seemed a bit hit and miss.
I will get a second opinion and xrays if it's not too stressful for my tort; bloods does sound risky though.

 

[sibi]

There you go. No antibiotics unless infection is confirmed. Blood can be taken if absolutely needed. My big boys never had to be sedated for x-rays; so, I don't get the necessity of sedation. And, no Vit. injections. I really think that with just an x-rays, and possible blood work, you'll find out what's wrong with your baby. Best to you and your baby