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My RES can't crawl properly

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 10:02 am
by mmmoonnn
One of my three year old RES could not walk properly. When she crawls, she only uses three (two front and one at the back) legs to crawl. Is there anything i can do to help her?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:48 pm
by megcornell
It sounds like she's injured her rear leg. Can you see any signs of trauma.

How long has she been favoring that leg?
How large is your set up?

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:25 pm
by marisa
Welcome.

Does the leg react to being touched? If you very gently give it a little tug does your turtle retract the leg?

You said the turtle is one of your RES. How many do you have? Are they in the same tank? If so, how big are they (shell lengths without the curves) and how big a tank are they in? If they are in the same tank, could one of the other turtles have bitten it? Are there any visible signs the skin has been injured? Is the leg swollen at all?

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:26 am
by mmmoonnn
megcornell: she's been like this for nearly two weeks. When she's in the tanks, she hardly moves her left rear leg (which seems like handicapped) while she is swimming, and when i put her on the floor, she does the same thing. There isnt any signs of reddish or swollen found on the rear left leg.

marisa: When i tried to touch her leg, she would crawl away quickly. It seems like she couldnt bend her rear left leg. I have four RES, which i kept it in seperate tanks.

About one month ago, she suffered from RI and i bought her to a vet. After which she was given 8 jabs for four days.. then about one or two weeks later, her rear left leg can't seems to crawl properly.

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:51 am
by megcornell
Do you mean two shots a day for four days? I've never heard of dosing like that for a turtle.
Were the shots given in her rear legs?

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:03 am
by mmmoonnn
yeah, two injections a day.. its injected into her bums

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:51 pm
by marisa
What was she injected with?

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:15 pm
by mmmoonnn
She was injected with baytril injection (0.03ml) for 5 times and stress vitamin (0.05 ml) for three times. She had a total of 8 inections. I wonder is it the side effects of baytril which caused her not being able to crawl properly???

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:55 pm
by marisa
I've never heard of that being a side effect of Baytril. If the leg problem started a few weeks after your turtle was injected, I would think something else is going on. There's no possible way she could have injured the leg?

I'd contact the vet's office and explain what's going on. If the stiffness persists, it sounds like the leg needs to be looked at.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 3:52 pm
by mmmoonnn
After I took my RES to the vet, I've already called the vet twice, the first time is that my RES doesnt seems to defecate for one month and the second time is regarding the problem with her leg. The vet told me to observe her for a few more days to see if there is any improvements.

Well, I'm observing her daily hoping she will defecate and that she will be able to crawl properly.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:01 pm
by megcornell
You may also want to look into another vet's opinion. Is your vet a herp vet?

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:06 pm
by mmmoonnn
Yes. A herp vet

PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:57 pm
by marisa
I'm still wondering---is this turtle in the same tank with another RES?

Other than the leg problem, does the turtle eat? If so, and if she's in the tank with another, could the other RES be eating the poop?

If there's been no improvement with the leg, I'd have it checked out, either with with the vet you've been going to (assuming you like the vet) or another.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:53 am
by mmmoonnn
No, my RES is seperated from the other three. She can eat, but there isnt any poops found in the tank. She couldnt have eaten it, because if she does, i could have seen bits and some dirty pieces substances in the tank (this is what i observed from the other three sliders that i have)

PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:00 pm
by confrontinglife
She was given the shots in the rear legs? Shots should be given in the "armpit" of the front legs due to the possibility of the medicine rushing to the kidneys..... or at least that's what every vet I've taken my turtles to has said and it's been a few.