Urgent Care :: Red stuff on back of shell with pictures

[nemo lover]

How big is your turtle? 5 inches in diameter
How long have you had it? Since mother's day

What is the water temperature? 80-82 degrees
Are you using a water heater? yes
How much water is in there? 6 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? yes
Are you using any filtration? 2 of them

What is the basking temperature? 85 degrees
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? plastic I think
Is there a UVB light? UVA/UVB combined

What have you been trying to feed it? fish, turtle sticks, turtle pellets, dried shrimp, lettuce, grapes
When was the last time your turtle ate? currently eating

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 10 gallons deep, 20 long
Is the tank near a window? a foot away from one
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? yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? He has red spots on the back of his shell and a few red areas on the bottom of his shell. We consulted the pet store we bought him from and they suggested sulfa dip treatment, which we did for 5 days and we've kept him dry, but there doesn't seem to be much improvement. He's had this since we got him, and the pet store wasn't too concerned. He's eating fine, swimming actively, will only bask in private (I hear him dive off the basking platform whenever I come down the stairs), and his shell is not soft in any areas. I can post pictures if needed (I'm brand new, I'll need to figure out how). I have owned 4 RES in my life and have never seen this, but again the pet store that we bought him from didn't seem worried.

[missibsu]

Please post pictures. There are directions in the photo section. You will need to upload your photos to an image hosting service. I use photobucket. It took me awhile to figure it all out. Let us know if you need help.

[nemo lover]

I am downloading the pictures right now. I'll post them as soon as I can.

[nemo lover]

I hope I did this right.

Also looking for a good vet if needed in Thornton, Colorado or Denver, Colorado area.

[missibsu]

It worked!

Are those spots open sores? If not, do they change color when you press on them?

Is this something that the res had when he was purchased or has it developed over time?

[nemo lover]

He had a few spots when I bought him. They've gotten much bigger. They do not change color. I don't think they are open sores but I don't know. Like I said, the pet store I bought him from said they were not worried about it. But I'm getting concerned because they haven't gone away with home treatments.

[steve]

Based on the visuals here: http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medshell.htm it looks like a case of shell rot (Severe Ulcerative Shell Disease). You will need a qualified vet for proper care. There are not many pictures online regarding shell-rot, but you have clear pictures and I would bet that a reptile rehabber would be able to offer a more accurate diagnosis, however you still need to consult a vet for treatment.

[steve]

Since this appears serious, I would stop the treatments until you know what he has. Trying different medications may only make him uncomfortable.

[marisa]

nemolover, this is shell rot that's going to turn into septicemia/blood poisoning (if it hasn't already) if you don't get your turtle to a herp vet. Please don't delay.

With something looking like that, your time would be better spent finding a herp vet rather than posting here. There's a post with links to finding one near the top of this forum. Good luck.

[nemo lover]

Thanks for all your help guys, I'll keep you posted. I thought it looked unusual.

[marisa]

Please take your turtle to a herp vet.

[nemo lover]

We are leaving the house now to take him to a vet that has weekend hours. Keep your fingers crossed and thanks for all of your help.

[marisa]

(Please let this be a herp vet.) Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[nemo lover]

So, we took him to a vet who took care of turtles but did not specialize in them. He gave us a cream to put on Nemo for the next 10 days and gave Nemo a shot (antibiotic). He did not think it was systemic yet (based on Nemo's behaviour). The vet also recommended cleaning out the tank completely and washing the inside with bleach, rinsing well and replacing filters for 48 hours before putting Nemo back in. In the meantime, we have a seperate tank that is for dry use and we are supposed to let him swim only for a few hours a day for the next 10 days. If he is not showing signs of improvement we are supposed to take him back in. And the vet said that the discoloration will stick around for a while (until he sheds?) and not to be worried about that but to watch his behavior and to see if the spots are getting bigger.
The vet was suprised that the pet shop we bought him from weren't concerned because they have a good reputation.

[missibsu]

You should take a copy of your bill into the pet shop and show them how much 'nothing to worry about' costs. I'm sure it wasn't cheap, even if it could be worse. It's the idea that they really don't care. I guess what I take from all of this, is that if the turt dies, then they make another sale. Maybe in the future your business would be more welcome elsewhere?