Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I brought my male box turtle to the vet today because it had prolapse ( testicles were out) and he was not looking to good. The vet gave him some antibiotics and was not all that sure of what to do besides that. Does anyone have any other sugestions?

Thanks

This is a very serious situation as I'm sure the vet informed you. He was correct in administering antibiotics. It may prevent secondary infection. There are a variety of reasons too numerous to mention here that can cause this. However the most common is due to your boxie injesting rocks or inert matter that he cannot digest. The best you can do for him is to give him extremely long warm soaks. Sometimes he may pass the object if that's the cause...and slowly retract the organ. However with his testicals out; it's certainly a more serious situation. If after a few days you do manage to keep him soaking and he defecates; bring him back to the vet and ask him to try and manually move the organs back in. Sorry about the late response. Keep us posted.
Ric

thanks, I had him with 5 other turtles outside, i separated him once i noticed the problem. What are some other reason for prolapse so i can take all other precaution to make sure my other turtle don't get sick. His condition seems to be getting worse, he refuses food, i soak im in warm water all the time but he still wont eat or poop, and he looks terrible. Once i saw something that looks like poop, but i believe it was just bile from his liver that is naturally secreted to move things along .I went back and the vet "tucked" him back away. Can it be parasites or perhaps old age, he is an older turtle

thanks for the help, I have a really nice colletion of turtles and I dont want anything to happen to them.

The symptoms you are now describing may be signs of a devitalised prolapse. It would require careful surgery by an experienced rep vet. However there are so many causes for organ prolapse that to try and define what caused your boxies problem without him being carefully examined by a experienced rep vet would be futile.

For example, Diet can cause it( due to long duration being fed on high protein with no fiber). A blockage in the intestine due to a myriad of factors like a twist in the colon, ingesting inert matter( such as roofing tile or rocks), liver poisoning, liver failure or infection, extremely weakened condition due to poor diet, inadequate living conditions related to low heat and rotting food in the intestines....being dropped and spun as he fell so as to rupture or damage the intestines... or none of the above. He may have extended his penis as male boxies often do and before retracting it; was bitten by another boxie that led to an infection.

His condition as you have described it; is very poor and requires a thorough knowledge of chelonian medicine. Keeping the prolapse moist and warm are pluses.

I once heard of a treatment for prolapse involving putting a boxie in a tub of warm concentrated sugar water. For some boxies the sugar caused the organ to shrink. Sounds weird but in early prolapse cases and ones that did not involve infection or twists it worked. It may do nothing for him; but at this point the alternatives are much more invasive and his condition and treatment can be life threatening.

Sorry I don't have better news. I don't think it's something your other boxies are going to catch. It's more likely that you gave the best care; but something caused this inflammation in his intestines that you had no control over.

Ric

Do you have an update?