Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My little 175g yearling Redfoot was treated with three injections of Amikacin for respiratory infection when I took him in for his fourth injection I told the vet that even tho his nostrils appeared dry and no fluid could be forced out I had seen a bubble the night previous. So she changed and upped his antibiotic to Baytril. She proceeded to inject him with the first in a series of to be injections and the tortoise reacted as if in terrible pain. I could see that this hurt a lot. As I was paying my bill I saw that he wouldn't pull his rear leg out of his shell and was trying to walk on three legs. The vet said it would quit hurting and he would be alright. On the way back home I looked over at him and he was in horrible distress. Horrid stuff was foaming and pouring out of his mouth including very bright blood. He couldn't get air and was gasping desperately. I turned around and headed back to the vet office while calling them on the cell. They had already closed at noon (Sat) and the call was forwarded to emergency clinic. I continued at break-neck speed back anyway and caught the vet as she was leaving. She looked at him in the parking lot and said that he must have pneumonia and that's where all this stuff came from. She took him and told me she would put him in a unit for nebulizing him. This was Saturday and I won't know anything until tomorrow morning. I am fit to be tied. Have any of you ever heard of anything like this? He was eating and gaining weight until that Baytril injection. Now it appears as though he will not survive. Did the stress of the injection bring on the latest crisis? Or was this going to happen anyway? Can pneumonia actually be so well hidden and symptoms not obvious. Does Baytril kill tortoises? Need some help here. Thanks.

It sounds like the vet hit something that they weren't supposed to with that last injection.
I've heard of some bad reactions with Baytril but have never experienced this myself with over 20 species and the reactions I've heard of did not involve blood.
I always recommend administering Baytril via tablet. It's safer and just as effective.
If the tortoise was responding to the Amikacin why was it decided to switch to the Baytril? It doesn't look like you ran the whole course with that drug.
At this point all you can do is hope.
-----
Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

The vet never saw the symptoms. The night before I took him for the first time I heard him wheezing. When I examined him I pushed on his throat area and a whole lot of liquid stuff came out his nostrils and mouth. But when I took him in the following day this same action proved unsuccessful in producing any liquid at all. I did see occasional bubbles after that. But while his attitude seems somewhat subdued he did eat, gain weight, and stomp around some. When I told her that after three injections of Amikacin he still was producing bubbles she decided to "up the ante" so to speak. I am anxious for the morning so I can get an update on his condition. I'm quite discouraged about his treatment and wish now we would have just continued with the first antibiotic.

I really do not think the Baytril injection had anything to do with the reaction you saw. It sounds like your tortoise had pneumonia that may or may not have been responsive to Amikacin, but three treaments would not be enough to clear a pneumonia. Even if the Baytril went intravenously (doubtful, but possible when giving a intramuscular injection if you do not pull back to make sure you are not in a vessel) the reaction to intravenous Baytril given too quickly is an interruption of the normal cardiac function in mammals and severe gastrointestinal upset. So unless the foaming and blood was from the stomach and not the lungs, I do not think Baytril was the problem.

Did your vet do xrays when the original respiratory infection was diagnosed? I would have rec. initial xrays and follow up xrays on any animal that was wheezing and producing bubbles. What drug are they nebulizing with? you should be able to call the emergency clinic to check on the status of your tortoise. I am so sorry he is not doing well. I hope it all gets straighened out.
-----
Stacey

Do you know what type of Baytril was used? Bovine or K-9? My vet said that the Bovine Baytril is very strong and should only be used for bigger torts, where as the K-9 Baytril is a bit milder and would be better used on small/hatchling torts.
-----
Kelly Wood

1.2 Cherry Head Redfoots

1.2 Brazillian Redfoots

0.3.4 Leopard tortoises

1.1.2 Sandfire Bearded Dragons

0.2 Dogs

1.3 Parakeets

Since the vet is a small animal vet I'm figuring that it would not be bovine. Could be wrong though.

The bovine is usually available from Mexico. I believe it is a 10% solution. I believe the 2.2% is the only one that is approved in the US.
-----
Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care