Urgent Care

I could really use some advice/opinions on my turtle's medical journey:

A little over a month ago I noticed that my 10 year old male RES was not eating as much as he used to and was not basking and lots of his scutes were falling off. Then at night I noticed that I could hear him breathing when he came up for air after swimming in the deeper parts of the tank. I had never noticed this before. I took him to a Vet who said that he looked mildly pink and probably had an infection. He prescribed oral baytril, which I had to administer daily by crushing into a quarter of a pill into powder, mixing it with water, sucking it into a needle less syringe and then shoving the syringe into his mouth and squirting it in. He would swallow some and some would spill out and we both found it pretty traumatic. After about a month (the treatment period) he improved, his appetite increased some and he began basking again (I also changed everything in the tank, new filter, heater, light etc) and his scutes seemed to be shedding normally as opposed to alot.

However the last week I noticed a discolored spot on the crease of his hind leg where it meets his soft body. The next day he had wound on his tail. Alarmed I took him to the Vet and saw another doctor as my previous one was out. She stated that he didn't look especially pink to her and was moving around energetically (he was really unhappy to be there and managed to bite me). She noted that some turtles have a bit a pink in their natural coloring. She had me put mupirocin ointmint on the spot and his tail wound for a week. The spot went away and the wound on the tail seems to be healing well. However the breathing sounds continued. And she noticed that he had lost a little weight since he first came in (not a lot but a little).

So now I'm taking him in every three days for a ceftazidime injection and feeding him more (this has been about a week and a half). Breathing sounds continue, I can hear them at night. It's not every time he comes up for air, just when he's been down for a while and happens more at the end of the day then at the beginning. It sounds vaguely like panting (not necessarily wheezing but it's loud enough I can hear it several feet away from the tank). I can't tell if his shell's dullness is just him aging, normal mild pink or bad pink. Could someone with more experience please give me their opinion? (the original vet had noted the mild pink on the bottom of the shell and around his tail)

Thanks for listening to this saga. He's very dear to me and I just want him to get better.

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How big is your turtle? around 6-7in
How long have you had it? 10 years

What is the water temperature? 77 degrees F
Did you use a thermometer? yes
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 35-45 gallons (I know this should be bigger, but I live in NYC and this is the biggest I can afford right now)
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? yes

What is the basking temperature? 90 F
Is there a basking light? yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? acrylics with green traction (oasis brand large)
Is there a UVB light? yes

What have you been trying to feed it? pellets, live feeder fish, greens and carrots (last two he doesn't ever want to eat)
When was the last time your turtle ate? yesterday

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 45 Gallon tank tall (I know this should be bigger, but I live in NYC and this is the biggest I can afford right now)
Is the tank near a window? no
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? no

Have you read the Basic Care section? yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? searching

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? hearing breathing every once and awhile when coming up from med-long swim, basking every once and while (when basking it's for long periods, hour) possible mild pink shell and soft tissue near tail (pls see pics). Appetite is better.

Hi sonibug13. A slight heavy breathing sound is normal, especially after surfacing. If the turtle is a little overweight, it happens too. That symptom alone is usually nothing to be concerned about. A little pink around the webbing and where skin meets the shell is also normal. I think oral Baytril doesn't have a great taste to it, so I would not be surprised if your turtle did not like it. His darker, grayer appearance is due to him becoming melanastic. Do you have a pic of the discolored crease on the leg?

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your response. Glad to hear the shell graying is because of melanism I hadn't thought of that. Do you think he'll turn very dark and loose his spots like in some pictures I've seen? Or are there varying degrees?

As to the pink, from the pictures I linked to do you think the pink near his tail is normal?
(Sorry it was just so confusing to have one Vet say "That's totally not normal" and another to say "He looks perfectly fine to me")

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the discoloration on his leg crease. It was really in there, hard to see, but it's gone now after the antibiotic ointment. Maybe something fungal?

We got some x-rays done because the new Vet wanted to rule out pneumonia. The front facing one revealed the lungs to be slightly gray, as opposed to black clear air. She sent it out for a radiologist consult who said he's doesn't think it's pneumonia, but that something mild respiratory might be going on. He was more concerned because there might be the presence of a Mass (naturally all kinds of alarm bells went off when I heard this)

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However my Vet pointed out that the radiologist was unsure (normally he's more of the dead on, yes or no kind). This was likely because my turtle was moving a bit. We've decided to continue with the ceftazidime injections and and will check in a week to see if there have a been any change in symptoms. If there is not then we'll probably try and take a clearer x-ray. Confirmation of a mass would mean contemplating surgical removal (cutting through the shell). At this moment I don't even want to think about that :-(

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He was more energetic today (super squirmy), and tried to escape his bucket on the way to get his shot, so I'm hopeful. The tech said he was gaining weight (previously he was loosing) too. Thanks!

The shell becomes blacker and duller. The skin becomes grayer… stripes will be mostly gone. Some will turn into spots. I don't know what pictures you've seen, so his change could be gradual. Wild and outdoor kept RES are likely to be darker.

The pink near the tail is a little pinker than I would like to see but this could be temporary. Did the vet draw any blood? I've heard X-rays are not very helpful with these situations, but that could be someones incorrect opinion. What vet are you using?

Thanks for the info. The Vet has not drawn any blood yet. The radiologist had suggested an ultrasound as the next step to confirm but that would be even more expensive. I asked about a test for septicemia but she said that might be very expensive and she seemed skeptical that that was the issue. They have tried to be sensitive to my financial constraints as this has been costing a lot of money. But next time I talk to her maybe I'll ask for more specific pricing and get it done anyway.

I've been taking him to St. Mark's Veterinary Hospital on East 9th St. in NYC. I live in Brooklyn but make the commute in. First I saw Dr. Rachleff and now I'm seeing doctor Dr. Chang. I've never had to take him to a Vet before so the experience has been all new to me. They do seem to care about him though.

I'm not sure how they compare with pricing. A normal visit is $95, but with the injections, revisit costs, x-rays and consults it's coming up to a lot. (That x-ray visit ultimately came to around $500).

That's pretty expensive, though ballpark I guess in NYC. There are no visible signs of septicemia, and I'm not sure how conclusive x-rays really are. I don't recall a blood test being expensive (blood cell count, which can indicate an infection). I'd keep up with the ceftazidime injections.. the other tests are up to you. Your peace of mind is important as well

Thanks Steve! I'll keep up with the injections. Btw, my little guy just feel asleep while basking and I noticed his eyelids looked mildly pink. Do you know if this is normal or if I should be reporting this to the Vet? (should I make a new thread?) I never really see his eyes like this because he rarely falls asleep while basking (at least when I'm around).

His eyes look swollen to me. I'd bring it up to the vet.

Looks a bit swollen or irritated to me too. What kind of UVB lamp are you using and how long have you had it? How close is it to the turtle?

I'm using a Zoo Med ReptiSun® 10.0 High Output UVB Fluorescent Bulb, 15 Watts, 18-Inch and I've had it for about 2 months. It's about 7-8 in from his basking area on top of a metal mesh top. I'm also using a 100 W heating bulb that's clamped about a 1.25 ft away from the basking area.

Are the eyes still like that? How about the water, any recent changes? I'd try the Zoo Med eye drops if you can find them.

Thanks for suggestion. I got the eyedrops and we're continuing on the antibiotic treatment. The vet suggested trying the eye drops and also getting a vitamin A supplement since he will not eat any veggies. Do you have any suggestions on a supplement?

He seemed to make a mild improvement with his breathing. However the other day I noticed l what looked like a light brown crusty scabs under his tail where it meets the shell. The next day they were gone but what looks like 2 tiny red dots remained. Gonna snap a pic and email the vet.

I've heard of herbavite from rep cal but that seems to be a power and I'm confused as to how to give it to an aquatic turtle. They seem to want you to sprinkle it on their food, but won't it just wash away in the water?

Try a little bit of cod liver oil but those drops should contain some. Can you post a picture of the red dots or are they gone?

Urgent Care :: Septicemia or Respitory infection or neither?

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