Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone, I have a problem with a Spiny Softshell I found wandering around a local park a few days ago. I noticed today her left leg is starting to swell, it feels sort of solid, like there is something in there. I need to know if I should get it amputated I already scheduled a visit to the vet for Friday and thats what he sid might be best. If anyone knows what I should do it would be greatly appreciated.

-Thanks-

I don't know if I would amputate yet. Some vets seem to be willing to say anything for an extra buck or two. I would keep an eye on it for a couple days and see if it gets any worse. The best thing would be to release him/her back into the wild. Wounds seem to heal best there. Chris

Yeah,
I agree with Chris, wounds do heal best in the wild. But if their is something wrong with it's leg it could also spread disease into the wild. I don't know if you should get it amputated just yet either. Give it a chance to heal. Or just let it go, before you take a leg off of it.
Michael Fedzen
EMAIL ME

The swelling has gone down a bit since yesterday. I do plan on keeping her till spring because its starting to get very cold here, and I think it would be better to put her in the wild again in spring because when I found her she was almost dead. The tempatures around here are high of 30-40.

Thanks for the responses

Anytime,
That's what we are here for.
Michael Fedzen
EMAIL ME

Yeah wait until spring. 30 degrees is way too cold to release it. Chris

This is ridiculous. Have you TAKEN the animal to the vet? Or did you just call? Its VERY irrespobnsible for a vet to diaganose and suggest treament over the phoen for an animal it hasn't ever seen. I don't think you did anything wrong but i have rehabbed lots of messed up turtles including softies and i have only once seen an anmal which everyone (two vets and several others expericend keepers) required and amputation. I'd keep it inside. keep it extra warm and super clean (daily complete water changes or close) and get photos of the leg if possible.
And find another vet.

Does it eat?
Is there any open sore or bleeding? Does it look like an abcess? Is there any white stuff on it?

I know how to take care of turtles, I just didnt think that it was that bad I just wanted some advice on what to do. My turtles are hardly ever sick only the one wild turtle. She has been eating very well and the swelling is gone so I dont there is a reson to freak out over this. I do still plan on taking her to the vet I want her to be ok.

-Thanks for the response-

I don't think there's a reason to freak either and as i said:
"I don't think you did anything wrong...." in my previous post, i think THE VET is coming to a drastic conclusion based on too little evidence, NOT YOU. I think its ridiculous to suggest cut off somebody's arm or leg (even be they only a "lowly" turtle) without even having seen them.
I am sure you can take of your turtles i was just suggesting a course of action to reduce further infection until somebody who has seen it and knows what's going on can make an assessment.
Beyond that, take a look at the title of this thread and understand that it is to be assumed that your are prettty concerned when you title a post like that.
I was only trying to be helpful, not critical.

I didnt mean for the post to sound like I was being super critical. And I didnt mean offend you.

Thanks for the response