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MY DOG SOME HOW KNOCKED DOWN THE GATE TO THE SIDE YARD WHERE I HAVE MY LEOPARD TORTOISE AND PROCEEDED TO KNAW ON HER SHELL UNTIL I CAUGHT HER. I'M VERY DISTRAUGHT AND THE DAMAGE IS MAJOR. THE SHELL IS CHIPPED AWAY AT HER TAIL AND UP ABOUT 3 SCALES WITH A 1/4" GAP AT THE TOP WHERE I CAN SEE FLESH AND BLOOD. AS OF NOW I HAVE NO ACCESS TO A VET UNTIL TOMORROW. i HAVE CLEANED THE WOUND WITH BETADINE THEN PUT NEOSPORIN ON THE WOUND AND WRAPPED ALL THE DAMAGED AREA IN GAUZE UNTIL I CAN TAKE HER TO THE VET TOMORROW. I'M ASKING FOR ADVICE ON ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO IN THE MEAN TIME AND SOME KNOWLEDGE ON HER CHANCES OF SURVIVAL. IF ANYONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCE SUCH A HORRIFIC ORDEAL LIKE THIS PLEASE HELP.
THANK YOU.

Keep the Tort calm (as well as yourself) Keep the wound CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! If you have the ability to get sterile saline (saline a drugstore would be ok, IE cotact lens saline-make sure SALINE ONLY) so you can flush over the wound every few hours. Ligate the wound carefully, and make sure when you re-apply the bandage you use a CLEAN one each time. You want to keep any infection from getting in (Tho more than a few hours old and it starts to happen no matter how clean you keep it) Make sure just to use regular cotton gauze, do not cover it with something that is not breathable (it will make bacteria grow bad) You can place the tort in a clean cardboard or rubbermaid box (no food, no dirt) with a small dish of water. You may place a heatpad set on LOWEST setting underneath, but make sure the turtle can get away from the pad if neccisary. The heat helps with any shock the turtle might be in.

What you are trying to fight right now is infection from taking hold. The vet will trim any necrotic tissue out of the area and sterilize the area thouroghly before applying a seal on the shell. Most of thesetraumatic injuries heal very well, but its very important to get the tort to the vet ASAP to prevent much tissue die off or infection from setting in. Most likley the tort will go on antibiotics anyway---just so you are prepared. If you have the ability please post a pic so I can see how bad it is, and I might have more suggestions once i see how extensive it is.

If you do have the ability to get to an emergency vet hospital I would highley reccomend it. If an infecction is to set in (and it normally does within hours) Its alot harder for it to heal and some infection can kill the tort especially if its sealed up. Its also much harder to patch a wound once it has become traumatized and swollen. This is very life threatening stuff. If the injury involves the spine (attached inside ths shell) the progosis can be poor, bit you need to see a vet .

Good luck to you,
If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
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3 Whites Treefrogs (Gleep, Gloop, Gazoo)
1 Bearded Dragon (Butterfinger)
1 Mali Uromastyx (Groucho)
1 Argentine Horned Frog (Mcfatfat)
1 Togo Starburst Tarantula
1 Blue Cobalt Tarantula
1 Rosehair Tarantula
1 African Spitting Scorpion
1 Betta Splendins
1 Spectacled Amazon (Indiana Jones)
8 Button Quail (I promise they all have names)
1 Spaztic black kitty (Nikkita)
1 Baby Hairless rat (looking for a name)
3 WOW char (they are pets too.)
Even us girls can like slimey scaley and squishy things.

Sorry I meant to say Irrigate not ligate. Slow even pressure from a syringe squirted onto and into the wound cavity. Try not to flush andything from outside of the wound in, which will introduce more bacteria. If you get a squirt bottle with the saline in it it should work well just DO not touch the wound with the tip of the bottle, you will contaminate the bottle. Irrigate it enough the it runs over and out of the wound (flushing all of the baddies out) Do not TOUCH the wound with your hands, unless you have the ability to become sterile with gloves.
I would advise against the use of neospirin or and petroleum based products it will keep any bacteria in. I would advise against the use of Iodine right now if its actually a cavity, saline works better because its actually about the density of body fluid with the similar properties, unless you have stertile water around to dilute it just use the saline full strength as you will not be actually getting it into a vein. Again good luck. Keep us updated.
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3 Whites Treefrogs (Gleep, Gloop, Gazoo)
1 Bearded Dragon (Butterfinger)
1 Mali Uromastyx (Groucho)
1 Argentine Horned Frog (Mcfatfat)
1 Togo Starburst Tarantula
1 Blue Cobalt Tarantula
1 Rosehair Tarantula
1 African Spitting Scorpion
1 Betta Splendins
1 Spectacled Amazon (Indiana Jones)
8 Button Quail (I promise they all have names)
1 Spaztic black kitty (Nikkita)
1 Baby Hairless rat (looking for a name)
3 WOW char (they are pets too.)
Even us girls can like slimey scaley and squishy things.

THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE IT WAS VERY HELPFUL, MUCH BETTER THAN ANY INFO I LOOKED AT IN ANY BOOKS. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE HER TO THE VET THIS MORNING AND WE NOW HAVE HER ON ANTIBIOTICS WITH CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES YOU SUPPLIED ME WITH. SHE IS STILL POKING HER HEAD AROUND AND THAT GIVES ME HOPE. ONLY TIME WILL TELL AT THIS POINT, TIME AND CARE. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

Good deal! I hope all is well! I got those instructions from the "Book of reptile Medicine and Surgery" by Mayer(I beleive) This is one of the major Reptile books vets use in their practices and to learn from. The exotic vet I worked for gave it to me as a gift and has becom invaluable in helping me diagnose and her help treat some of the sickly reps I get and the old and infirm creatures that are given to me.

Did you vet seal the shell? Or is he letting it heal on its own?
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3 Whites Treefrogs (Gleep, Gloop, Gazoo)
1 Bearded Dragon (Butterfinger)
1 Mali Uromastyx (Groucho)
1 Argentine Horned Frog (Mcfatfat)
1 Togo Starburst Tarantula
1 Blue Cobalt Tarantula
1 Rosehair Tarantula
1 African Spitting Scorpion
1 Betta Splendins
1 Spectacled Amazon (Indiana Jones)
8 Button Quail (I promise they all have names)
1 Spaztic black kitty (Nikkita)
1 Baby Hairless rat (looking for a name)
3 WOW char (they are pets too.)
Even us girls can like slimey scaley and squishy things.

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