Wheezing and vet question

[JenniferAnn]

Hi. I'm concerned Woody (5yr) has a health problem. He is wheezing a lot. It started out occasional but has increased. From looking through the posts, he doesn't have the running nose/bubble symptoms of an RI. Still active and eating. I'm wondering if he has some sinus infection so I'm taking him in to be seen. The problem is that there are no vets that specialize in reptiles closeby. Has anyone had any luck with traditional vets? Do you think it may be a waste of time for me to take him there (I'm calling there tomorrow, but still wanted some opinions) Thanks!


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[wellington]

I would be very cautious, even reptile vets don't usually do the right thing by a tort. Please give us some info on his enclosure, temps, humidity, diet, substrate, how often you soak, etc. also, what kind of tortoise are we talking about? Sometimes just raising the temp five degrees will take care of things like this, but that's if your temps are correct to begin with.

 

[JenniferAnn]

That's a good point. I changed his enclosure about 6 months ago. Maybe it isn't set up good enough. I use coconut coir for the substrate. He has a 100watt heat lamp and UVA/UVB light. I have a heating pad that comes on at night, but he doesn't like it or use it. The cooler side is typically 73 and he likes to bask directly under his heat lamp which I have to double check the temp in the morning. I use a heat emitter in the winter-maybe he gets too cold at night. I didn't think about that earlier because he doesn't use his heating pad. I feel a little silly now after making some of the connections with change in enclosure/temps/ climate.


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[JenniferAnn]

Oh. He's a leopard tort.


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[wellington]

How old is he? The enclosure should have 80% humidity with temps never lower then 80 degrees with a basking spot of 90+
This would be for under two years old. I would not let the temps get down under 80 and maybe for now, with the wheezing, bump it upto 85 also get the humidity up. Check out Toms threads below in my post for proper house, temps and humidity.
No need to feel silly, sometimes it takes someone else to answer a question for different situations to enter your thoughts.

 

[wellington]

Oops, I missed the age in your original post. I would make sure he has a humid hide, 80 Degrees and 80% humidity in the hide. Then do not let temps go lower then 75. I would still bump,them up to 80-85 until you notice him getting better, then for another week. If he gets worse, then I would seek out a vet.

 

[JenniferAnn]

Will do. Thanks for your help. I'll keep you updated.


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[Yvonne G]

If you do decide to take the tortoise to the vet, please let him know (in case he doesn't already know) that some leopard tortoises are allergic to Baytril, and the if he decides to administer an antibiotic to the tortoise he should not use Baytril.

 

[JenniferAnn]

Good to know. In the past I called one vet and he said "I don't work with tortoises but I can give him a shot of penicillin." I didn't take him there.


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