Urgent Care :: Possible Emergency - Please Help

[wcrimi2res]

I have 2 RES.

Over the last few days one of them hasn't been eating as much as usual. She has also been basking a lot more than usual. Yesterday I heard her sneeze. I also saw what appeared to be some white foam near both sides of her mouth when she was basking and swimming. This morning she was acting a little better, looking better, and ate a little, but I heard her sneeze again. At first I thought that white stuff might be shedding on her head, but today I got a better look and it appeared to be foamy. This evening she's basking and refusing to eat. There are no signs of mucus from her nose or gasping for air etc...

Do these symptom sound familiar and/or serious?

I am in Queens/Long Island NY and don't have a vet in case I need one.

[steve]

What did the white stuff look like? What's the water temperature and tank conditions like? What had she been eating? Are your RES kept together and if they are, can you separate them?

[wcrimi2res]

They are 7-8 years old and have been eating the following diet for the last 6-7 years.

Mixture of Green Leaf, Romain, Boston lettuce, Radiccio (sp), zuchini (sp), regularly.
Carrots once a week
Occasional green grapes
Reptomin every other day
Earthworms twice a month
Live feeder fish very rarely

Tank water temperature is in the mid 70s, basking area has a heat lamp, UVB

I left some uneaten lettuce in her tank last night. After the lights went out she eventually came off the dock at around 1:00 AM and ate it. She ate all her reptomin and a little lettuce this morning also and seems more active. I have to think that's a good sign.

I'm not sure what the white stuff is. She IS shedding a little on her neck. So at first I assumed it was loose skin. I've seen that plenty of times. But when she wasn't acting the way she usually does, sneezed a couple of times, and lost her appetite I started panicking. When I looked at it closely when she was on the dock it looked a little foamy as opposed to skin. So I started thinking it was coming out of her mouth, but it's impossible to be sure.

I have a very small apartment and no other tank to separate them.

I'll keep a close eye on her and if I see anything else I'll report back immediately.

[steve]

The foam was around the basking area? What kind of basking area is it and what else is in the tank? One of my turtles gets very picky during the winter, so I'm leaning towards that. I do recommend having a good vet on hand, when there is an emergency. There are probably a handful of good ones in the NYC area.

[wcrimi2res]

She ate well today, was active, and didn't sneeze. But I did see the foam again on one side of her mouth this evening (only one side today). It almost looks like dribble/saliva at the corners of her mouth while she's basking. Imagine if you put an alka selzer in your mouth and a little leaked out the corner of your mouth (very little). It's just a little bit, but I've never seen it before. When she goes in the water it eventually washes off. So I'm still a little worried, but not as worried as last night because she's acting normal and eating. Nothing else of interest in the tank other than a little cave.

I'll keep reporting. Thanks for the help.

[wcrimi2res]

She ate again today and was acting OK, but then she sneezed a few times this afternoon. I checked her right after the sneeze and there was no mucus in her nose, but there was that saliva or whatever it is by the corner of her mouth. I found a vet in the area and I'll just watch her to see if she gets any worse before I make an emergency run because I'm sick myself.

[steve]

I'd also up the water temps a little.

[wcrimi2res]

81 degrees. She just ate some more and remains active. I'm just hoping she's OK because I'm sick as a dog and the last thing I need is to go out.

[wcrimi2res]

Still the same. She's eating & acting normally, but sneezes once or twice a day.

[steve]

Could you describe is as just a head jerk? Does it happen in water, out or both?

[wcrimi2res]

She only sneezes when she's out of the water when basking (once or twice a day that I hear but I've been home all day for over a week). It's a loud sneeze. I can even hear it when I'm in the next room. It sounds like a person's sneeze. Then when I go check if there is any mucus by her nose, she's all clear. Sometimes there's a little saliva by the side of her mouth after a sneeze. Other than that, she's behaving and eating normally. But this is all new behavior. So I remain on guard.

[steve]

It's possible she's just adjusting herself and I think you currently have the right approach.

[wcrimi2res]

Just to update. She's doing fine. She stopped sneezing and is 100% back to herself. Something was definitely amiss for awhile, but she fought it off without meds. yay!

[JimmyLo]

I've experienced this (the ending is not good)

BUT! The difference is my experience was with a little baby turtle and she wasn't big enough to get a needle that she needed to make her better. She had a respiratory infection, and I couldn't save the absolute turtle love of my life. Your turtle has a respiratory illness, I'm 100% sure of it. You gotta see a vet and get it antibiotics (because turtles don't catch viral respiratory stuff - only bacterial). See a vet. Get antibiotics. Period. Or, you'll go through what I went through. Long, slow illness, which lead to death. Go!

[JimmyLo]

http://www.localvets.com/services/reptiles/ny/queens/