Urgent Care :: Urgent help needed!

[Palkito]

I have a 3 month old girl who over the past week has become very lethargic, she has not opened her eyes for 3 days and is refusing to eat. Also, for the past 2 weeks she seems to have some problem with her right front leg, at first it was limited movement and now she doesnt seem able to move it at all.

I dont know what could have caused this as I have another turtle who is in excellent condition.

The major problem is that I live in Saigon and there are very few vets here, none of them know anything about turtles.

Please help.

Thankyou.

[emma]

Those symptoms seem to describe RI (respiratory infection)

You should read about it in the health section on the main forum.

Other people are going to have to tell you more about the treatment.

[steve]

How long has she been not eating? I would separate them and try offering her some treats, preferably something with a strong smell since she might refuse to eat what she can't see or smell.

[Palkito]

It has been 5 days now. I have tried 3 different kinds of foods but she refuses. Tomorrow I will try tuna.

I eventually took her to the zoo to see the vet there. He said he couldn't treat her but suggested we dissolve some medicine in a sml bowl and make her swim in it for 15 minutes 3 times a day and also rub cod liver oil on her eyes.

[marisa]

The fact that the vet suggested cod liver oil indicates that she may have a Vit A deficiency. (Why her eyes are closed.) Take a q-tip, put some cod liver oil on it and gently wipe the eyelids with it. Try this twice a day; if a Vit A deficiency is involved, there should be some improvement in a few days.

She can't eat what she can't see. When you feed her, hold a little bit of the food in front of her nose just above the water and see if she'll take some. If she does eat some, you could put a tiny bit of the cold liver oil on the food once in a while (don't overdo it).

What kind of medication were you given to soak her in?

There is absolutely no injury to the right leg that you can see? What did the vet say about it?

[Palkito]

I have tried holding the food under her nose but she wont eat, I even bought some Tuna and some other strong smelling fish but she still wont eat. Its coming up to a week now since the last time she ate and she seems to be getting weaker so I am getting very worried.

The vet gave me something called Ampicillin which is an anti-biotic used to treat bacterial infections, I have no idea if its good for turtles as well. He just told me to dissolve half a tablet in water 3 times a day and make her swim in it for 15 minutes but when I put her in the water she either doesnt move or tries her best to get out, when I lift her up to get air (she cant seem to do it herself) she is gasping.

The injury on her leg looks like a very small spot but her leg is swollen and she cannot bend or move it. The vet said that she was probably bitten by my other turtle which is a bigger older boy. I have seperated them now.

[steve]

Sorry she's not eating. Ampicillin is an antibiotic, so hopefully those soaks help. A swollen limb is not good, is it discolored or sensitive?

[Palkito]

No, its not discoloured and she doesnt seem to be in any pain when it is touched, she just cannot move it.

Since I started the medicine and the cod liver oil she seems to have a little more energy but still no signs of her eyes opening and she still refuses to eat.

[Palkito]

I have been using the cod liver oil for 3 days now and also the medicine for quite a while and I see a small improvement but she still wont open her eyes, it seems as if she wants to, she rubs them when I put her in and take her out of the water, her eye lids seem to be moving, almost blinking without opening if that makes any sense, is there anything I can do to help her open them? Its been 10 days since she last ate.

[marisa]

They do have a very thin lid behind which the pupil can be seen moving around...

Are the lids swollen at all?