Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I rescued a yellow foot that has an obviouse RI. My vet can get me the meds but that's where it stops. I've treated snakes with Baytril but never a tort.
What drug to I need and what are the dosages? The tort weighs 4.516kg or 9.15.3 lbs depending on which system you weigh your heprs in.
Also I'm in Canada and our drugs are stronger. Baytril here is 50mg/ml and not 23mg/ml like in the US.
Thanks for the help,
Trevor

You should be sure it is a respiratory infection. If it is just RNS (runny nose syndrome) it could be cleared up by simply increasing the temperature or changing the environmental conditions.

If it is a low viscosity fluid and the air passage is clear from the glotis down it is probably RNS.

If it is a high viscosity fluid and you can hear it in the throat when the head is quickly retracted it probably is a respiratory infection.

Currently there are some new antibiotics that are available for respiratory infections that work really well. A vet should be your first source for selecting the righ one. Baytril is still a fantastic broad spectrum antibiotic but should be saved for a last line of defense.

Current normal dosage for Baytril is 10mg/kg daily for 15 days. The first dosage is given as an injection and the remainder is given orally.

Because of Baytrils overusage in the hobby, many vets are reporting a buildup of bugs that are resistant to Baytril that is why it is recommended that it be use as a last resort.
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Ed
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Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

Here's a little history on the tort. When I first saw it one guy had it living in a dry plywood box with a red foot. I've since learned that he had also kept it with chickens at one time as well. The red foot was purchased and is said to have bad MBD.
The second time I saw this yellow foot it was being kept buy a 16yr old from whom I received it. He was keeping it outdoors in a pen with ducks and guinea pigs. I'm in New Brunswick Canada and there are very few summer days warm enough for a herp to be kept outside.
The thrid time I saw the tort it was sitting on a kitchen floor with no food, water or heat and having to put up with two dogs and at least two cats. I measured the torts temp and he was 65. This of course droped every time the door opened.
I was there for rats and came home with the tort.
Until the table is built he is in a large rubbermaid on damp sphagnum with a basking spot of about 98 and under tank heat the lentgh of the cage. You can hear every breath he takes.
Thanks for your reply,
Trevor

From the last line it sounds like a respiratory infection but considering everything else it could be many things.

Until you get the hang of tortoises the best course of action would be a vet visit. Yellowfoots can be very tough animals to keep alive in the northern lattitudes. That fact that this animal is still alive is amazing in itself.

If you are on good terms with a vet you might want to give them a call to see if it is worth bringing the animal in.

If it is eating and is relatively alert your chances are very good with the animal.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

I'm in good with the vet but it would do no good to bring it in. I'm the only person in this part the province who has ever brought her a herp before. She's a good vet but has no experience with herps what so ever. Taking the tort there would only stress it out. I'm forced to do all the reaserch and ask her for the drugs. She has made calls for me to other vets but that is about it. Even throat cultures and fecal floats are sent out. I recently acquired a micro scope so I'll soon be doing my own fecals.
Thanks again,
Trevor

It (I say it because looking at the tail I see there is almost no tail so I don't know what it is yet) just finished a plate of Papaya, Mongo, Mushrooms and some Romain. I wanted Dandelion greens but couldn't get any.
Hopefully with an appitite like it has it will make a fast full recovery.
I'm thinking I'll wait one week on the baytril treatment to see if the right temps bring it around first. If not and I do have to go the bayrtil route do I stop feeding?
Thanks,
Trevor

If the tortoise is eating, I'd suggest keeping it well fed no matter what you do.

The major point is to keep it warm and give it plenty of fluids... Gatorade is a good hydrator.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

"I'm in good with the vet but it would do no good to bring it in... She's a good vet but has no experience with herps what so ever."

hey trevor,

the one thing the vet can do is take a throat culture and send it in for sensitivity tests.

i just "rescued" a RT from some deplorable conditions at a pet store. it was housed with a gasping sulcata (it died) and a greek with RNS. after two days the RT went off food and started "coughing." to me this was a grave situation. some respiratory infections can progress very rapidly.

a vet visit determined that three bacterial species were infecting the tort. two were sensitive to baytril, but one was not. the baytril-resistant species is being treated with fortaz. i think it's worth the time and expense to know you're approaching the problem correctly, otherwise you'll spend a good amount of time second guessing yourself.

your situation does sound promising since your tort is eating.

good luck!

matt

Hi Matt,

What was the cost of the sensitivity test?

The other problem for sensitivity tests is you have to first isolate the cause of the problem. This is a problem in itself considering that they really don't know what is pathogenic or not for the most part in reptiles. What they do know to be pathogenic are usually the more common bacteria which really doesn't require a sensitivity test.

Most vets including many serious herp vets don't bother because the cost usually doesn't warrant the results considering so may unknowns.

The 'Right' way is not always the best way unless you are independent wealthy. Ask any vet.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

What you're saying makes sense. The reason I’m hesitant is because last time I had her do a culture on a Green Tree Python when she got the results back she didn't know what they meant. I remember her comment was something to the affect of "Yes there is bacteria there but how much is supposed to be there?"
This time I'll ask her to have the vet college recommend treatment strategies as well.
As for the gatoraid idea I think actually I’ll go straight for peadialite.(sp)
Thanks,
Trevor

Pedialite works but I've been told by various vets that Gatorade is actually better (surprised me too)and is easier to get.

For rehabbing tortoises I still use Pedialite and Petinic in combination.
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Ed
Tortoise_Keepers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Trying to keep the fun in Chelonian care

"when she got the results back she didn't know what they meant. "

yep, that's a problem.

hey trevor and ed,

i don't have the bill in front of me, but it was around $40. like i said, this tortoise was on the downward spiral, so i was determined to do what i could.

matt

She does no lab work at all that I know of. I'm in the province of New Brunswick and she sends all of her lab work to the vet college in the province of Prince Edward Island. When she does I'll ask her to ask them to return the results with "Yes it's sick and this is what it has and this is what we recomend for treatment..."
The kicker out of all this is the tort isn't mine and some day I'll either have to give it back to him or to the person he sells it too. I'm not too kean on giving it back to him because even after I build the table for it he still doesn't have the room for it.
Thanks,
Trevor