Urgent Care :: Is my little girl dying?

[MANDYKAYM11]

Okay, so i posted last week. I know you may be thinking..."give it a rest!!" but i am really concerned and dont know what to do!
So i have a res that is abotu 1.5 inches long...it was given to me. I dont know what type of place it came from but its brother/sister that she/he has been with (until i seperated them when she got sick) is doing fine.
During Thanksgiving i noticed my turtle was floating. I took her to the vet and yes she has a respitory infection. I am giving her.08cc of baytril for 30 days (started on the 6th) and .01cc of neo-cal glucon for 60. I have been giving to her by mouth and when i get it into her mouth and squirt some, of course some comes out, so i hope that she is getting enough, i actually put a little more in the syringe to hopefully take place of the part that she spits up? Sometimes when i give, her nose gets watery...i dont know if its the med or water?
She has been floating so her shell is white...i dont know if its the water residue or what...i try and get it wet often, but still is flakey.
She was put on calicum because her shell was a little soft and she isnt eating anything. I feel like if i pushed hard enough i could poke through her top shell, bottom part of break off the back edge...its getting more brittle. I am really panicing.
I have a turtle i have had for 5 years and have never had a problem with sicknesses so i dont know what to do?
When in her area, she just floats and sleeps? I take her out to hold her and give meds and every now and then when i get her going she will try and fight me....not very much though. I took her out and put her in a cardboard box to see what she would do...and she roamed and walked around, found a spot and slept.....
I am trying to keep the water warm, she has a uv light on her, heat lamp.....i clean water every couple days....
Should i try and take her back to the vet? I am afraid if i do i am not going to be able to afford the bill!! or the meds. She is a class pet and though i love her, i am a teacher and not to have you feel bad but i dont get paid until the end of january and with it being right after xmas...the last vet bill cost $120 and i cannot do it again....not this soon after that one...still trying to pay that one off!! I am really feeling hopeless and helpless. I feel like she is dying and i am making it worst....
Someone have any advice??

[SpotsMama]

I'm so sorry you two are having such a hard time.

The white shell sounds odd. Can you post a photo of it when the shell is dry? I wonder if the calcium she's getting is precipitating out on her shell. You can tell if the white is calcium or other mineral residue by rubbing it gently with a q tip that's been soaked in vinegar. If the white comes off, it's mineral or calcium deposit.

Does she eat? If so, what and how often?

Aside from the antibiotics, all I know to do for a sick turtle is to keep them warm (82 degrees or even a few degrees warmer), very clean, avoid stress (ie, don't pick them up unless it's necessary and keep the area quiet) and try to keep them eating.

It's normal for a very small turtle's shell to be somewhat flexible, It gradually hardens over its first year. The last part to harden will be the back of the carapace near the tail end. It's possible the softness you feel is normal, as long as it itsn't extreme.

[steve]

Baytril can suppress appetite. What were the symptoms that made the vet decide it was RI?

Can you answer SpotsMama's questions?

[marisa]

I think some of those questions were answered in her other thread.

I'm unclear as to how long your turtle has been taking the meds. I'd call the vet and find out how long it should be before any improvement should be seen. It may also be that your turtle might respond better to another type of antibiotic.

[bradmeisel]

I hope she shows improvement. I feel bad you and your turtle are going thru this.