Urgent Care :: George and Weezy have pneumonia

[Spiritualjoy]

Ok - Vet visit number 2 did not go so well today. They did both get their shots of Baytril, but the vet said it appears that they have developed pneumonia. I told him how concerned I was with the fact that they sleep 24 hours a day and haven't eaten in 2 weeks. He said because they are hardly moving they dont need much food, so he isnt too concerned with getting food into them. I am worried that they are dehydrated? Or need electrolytes? I soaked them both in pedialyte yesterday and the vet said they each had gained a gram since Monday. How did that happen? Did the pedialyte do that? I still think they need fluids. What do you guys think about some chicken broth or homemade carrot juice put in their mouths with a dropper? Any suggestions out there how I can get them a little stronger to fight off the pneumonia? They are scheduled for more shots on Friday and on Monday, if they make it. I am believing they are fighters and are going to beat this -but I want to make sure I am doing all I can to help them. (Their water temp is at 82 degrees and basking is still 90 although the light seems to bother their eyes, so I havent kept it on too much) When they are dry docked I have them under a 60 watt ceramic heat lamp.

[wezeles]

dont do carrot juice, and id be iffy about any kinda over the counter veggie juice like V8 because of the sugars in it... if you want to blend up some veggies and give them the juice im sure that would be fine...

Same with broth most broth is mostly fat and oils, they cant digest it well enough to help them out...

like the doctor said they dont need much food,they go months at a time without food when they slow down and hibernate in the wild, and they get hydrated from the water in there tank... It might be a long process for them to get better but just keep the tank clean keep the area warm and continue to offer food, besides that just wait it out... they will fight this bug, just might be at more of a "turtle" pace then your use to. Because they are sick, they slow down, they slow down they don't recover as fast because of slower metabolism...

you've done everything they need now they just need the time to get better

[Spiritualjoy]

Ok, what you said makes sense. I may blend up some veggies and try a drop or two in their mouths from time to time, but wont stress them out too bad force feeding them in any way. I didnt think about the fat and oils in chicken broth - glad I asked!

I am definintely NOT a "turtles pace" kinda gal, but it looks like I am learning to be. Thanks for the input!

[SpotsMama]

Good luck to you and the turts. I'll be thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed.

[steve]

What kind of lights do you have at the tank? In the dry dock area? Why are they being dry docked? Do they have an interest in swimming?

[Spiritualjoy]

The type of light I have over the basking area is a T-Rex UV Heat/UVB Producing Heat Lamp. (I saw that it was rated one of the highest ones on the set up section on this website.) The vet told me to dry dock them for 5 hours a day, especially right when I put the ointment on their eyes so it can soak in. They immediately go to sleep when I dry dock them - they dont even try to get out. When I put them in the water - they go right to sleep under the water. They dont try to bask, they cant really swim because they are all lopsided - so they just sleep. The only time I see them awake is when I move them to the dry dock container. I told the vet about it and he didn't seem to concerned - he just said they are sick and feel like hell, and sleeping is about all they can do.

[Spiritualjoy]

I forgot one thing Steve - in the dry dock area they are under a 60 watt ceramic heat lamp.

[erinemcgreevy]

Sounds like they are in good hands. I hope they feel better soon!

[steve]

The T-rex is probably the best MVB out there.

Their condition is puzzling... and few things are more frustrating when we aren't sure what's wrong with our pets. The previous gravel could be an issue as well.

Did the vet measure their weight? They usually do so during every visit... and was there a gain or loss in weight?

[Spiritualjoy]

Thats the ironic part - they did weigh them. Weezy GAINED 1 gram and George GAINED 2 grams. I haven't fed them one single thing and haven't seen them eat anything either. The only thing in their tank continuously is the frogbit floating on the top of their water. If they ate anything, that was it. I did soak them in the pedialyte yesterday - maybe that helped?

You know, if I was going to try to pinpoint what caused this onset of pneumonia - I think I would say it was the move to the new house, setting them up in a drafty window and NOT having their water heater hooked up for 2 weeks (don't ask). Its been pretty cold here in TX! Put on top of that I have only really been feeding them freeze dried shrimp and frogbit for the past 8 months - their nutrition is down as well. (I keep looking in the mirror and telling myself its all my fault). I now have them in a nice NON drafty room, big river rocks in the bottom of their tank and lots of good food to feed them when they are ready to start eating. From this point on its just time and medicine....not much more to do but pray and wait. Very disheartening.....

[industrial_girl_2000]

Sorry to hear your kids are sick!

Temporarily kick up the water heat to 84 (until they feel better).

Also, I would go with "Reptisafe" instead of pedialyte. Pedialyte has a lot of sugars in it, but Reptisafe is formulated for reptiles/frogs & I currently use this for my aquatic frog (7.5 yrs now). Reptisafe also doesn't have any sugar in it & helps encourage good hydration.

Don't necessarily blame yourself for the cause of the pneumonia. Reptiles can "catch" an illness & be sick for 3-4 months before you even see any symptoms at all (even the Zoo quarantines new reptiles for 6 months before they add them to existing terrariums/aquariums to ensure they are healthy)! The good thing is that you have a good vet who is working with you to correct the problem. Keep us posted.

[Spiritualjoy]

I am using the Reptisafe in their tank - just thought it was a water conditioner, didn't know it had those other benefits! I guess next time I will read the label more closely...

I didnt think about the sugar in Pedialyte - will halt that immediately. I blended up some red lettuce leaves, carrots and water yesterday and strained the juice off and tried to put some drops in their mouths. They got a little bit, so I will leave them alone for today!

Weezy hissed at me this morning when I went to put the ointment on her eyes - maybe thats a good sign! She gets really pissed when the vet gives her a shot - she probably thought that was going to happen! They are both sound asleep in their dry dock with ointment on their eyes. I will give updates - thanks for the concern and the input. I appreciate it!

[megcornell]

My newest turtle has an RI currently, I know how crappy they are to deal with. He's finally becoming more spunky on his 9th day with me and his fourth shot of treatment. You can't always pinpoint what causes RI, and you can't blame yourself... the important thing is that you took the proactive step and are getting your turtles the care they need and have given them a safe environment.
Watching turtles recover is tough, they certainly are slow to do so, but once they perk up it's such a relief, so just hang in there, it will get better... it sounds like a bit of their fight is already coming back.

[Spiritualjoy]

Well that definitely gives me hope! Things have been like the domino effect over here. I came in this morning to their room to find that the canister filter broke and there was water all over the floor! It sucked some of the water out of the tank, but not all. GREAT. I took the babies out of their tank and put them in dry dock while I cleaned it all up. I went ahead and gave the whole thing a good scrubbing and got them set up with their new river rock, etc.

Here's the ironic part - after they slept for 5 hours in dry dock - when I put them in their tank with fresh water, its like they woke up! They are swimming all over (I can't believe my eyes) and they are actually begging for food! As usual, they aren't eating ANYTHING I am offering them but at least they are begging. George did have one bite of worm and one bite of sweet potato. Weezy had one bite of salmon and one bite of sweet potato. As you can see, I had a full buffet ready to offer. They have some red leaf lettuce in there and a couple of pellets, I am hoping they will eat them when they get tired of begging. I am not going to do back flips yet, but this is some progress. Their eyes are still pretty cruddy and swollen - thats the hardest thing to look at!

Now its off to buy another canister filter....the price register just keeps ringing and ringing! But I love 'em!!

[megcornell]

What happened to the current filter- did it fall or did it just break? If you just bought it and it already broke, I'd be returning it for a full refund, they should be hardier than that.