Urgent Care :: My turtle has an abnormal growth (possible swelling)

[staman]

My turtles have been healthy and happy for about 7 months until I noticed a little white bumb on one of my turtles heads. Initially I though it was a piece of skin he was shedding so I didnt worry too much. About 3-4 days later the bumb has gotten quite large now and is really worring me. Its on the side of his head near his ear so im wondering if its an absess or an infection. I recently upgraded to RO/DI water about 3 weeks ago but i dont see how that could possibly have anything to do with it. I have supplied pictures but will attempt to take better ones...Should i quarantine him right away as i have 2 other turtles who seem to be perfectly healthy?








My setup is:
75 gallon with RO/DI water
Eheim 2217 Canister
Eheim 250 watt jager heater
florescent,UVB and heat lamps...

--staman

[Lihan]

oh gee, iam sorry to hear that. i don't know enough to answer serouis medical problems. i hope a Herp or mod come in here soon to answer it. It does look really bad. Medic! we need a medic here!!!

[staman]

Well it looks like ive answered my own question. After looking at pics for about an hour on the internet id bet the farm he has an eab absess. Looks like he's going to the vet tomorrow. Apparently its quite painfull for the turtle so i hope he doesent suffer too much tonight. I called around 24hour animal clinics but no one is on staff right now that can drain an absess. I wonder if it was from tannins relased from a new log i had put in the tank about a week ago.

[RESCHIU]

I think it's ear absess too, should take your turtle to vet as soon as possible, because it's suppose to be painful , hope your turtle will be better soon

[jenaero]

Yep, that's an abcess alright. He'll be fine until you get him to the vet tomorrow. He should give you an antibiotic ointment to use for a week or so after. Make sure the water is kept very clean while it's healing. Quarantine is not necessary.

[marisa]

Let us know how he's doing after he sees the vet.

[staman]

Thanks for the concern guys. Well the trip to the vet was good and bad. The vet said it was indeed an abcess. The best way to deal with it is to make a tiny incision and literally scoop out the infected material. The problem was as soon as the vet got anywhere near his head he'd slip into his shell like a rocket. True to form he wouldnt come out for anyone or anything. She even tried to relax him in warm water etc but he wasnt having any of it. It was finally decided to go with plan B. He got a shot of baytril in his right arm and a shot of cephazolin in his left .
He goes back in 3 days for "round 2" Needless to say that trip to the vet cost me 120.00 bucks with 60 more in 3 days. The service was professional and she did try her best but she didnt tell me anything i didnt allready know. BTW can you buy cephazolin or baytril in injectible form or is it limited to vets only. Anyone know the doses by gram weight for a turtle.

--craig

[Giddy]

Both of those are on petmeds.com for about or less than $20.00. It depends on how much this total treatment will cost compared to buying it yourself. But you can ask for a prescription and buy the meds yourself.


www.petmeds.com


You might want to look up other animal supply places as well. Many ranchses and such do all their own care and many of these meds can be bought.

[marisa]

Can the vet try again to lance the abcess?

[staman]

Im sure she would be happy to try again. Im also sure they'll charge me for it. Im the kind of guy who'll spend anything to save his turts but this is getting ridiculous. Besides, the only person who has any chance of grabbing his head is me-and thats when he's feeling secure at home in his tank. He does let me pet his head sometimes when he's feeding Marissa, do you know of any tricks to get a turtle to pop his head out? He feels so threatened when he's out of the tank. When i visit the vet again tomorrow ill talk to her about oral baytril as well. The jury seems to be out on whether injectible or oral is the better way. Oral would be a lot cheaper and easier for me. The guy still eats like a champ and will literally gobble anything if its covered in tuna.....


As for the injectibles, from research i gather the daily dose of baytril for a turtle is 2.5-5mg/kg or 0.0025-0.005mg/g. My turt weighs 31 grams so by my math he'd need 0.15mg injections. How do you inject a turtle with such a tiny amount and where do you get a tiny needle? Ill have to watch the vet do the injecting tomorrow...

[marisa]

Could you tempt him with some tuna while at the vets? When he reaches to grab it, gently but firmly hold the head and let the vet make a quick nick. He won't be able to swallow the tuna, so put him in a little water to allow him to do so. (I'd bring a small container just in case.) Or, can you get him angry enough so that he sticks his head out (tap him on the cheek to irritate him, and if his head comes out hold it)?

I just don't see how that pus is going to go away, unless the vet thinks it will gradually be absorbed into his system?

BTW, by Cephazolin, do you mean Ceftazadime?

The baytril shots are supposed to be painful and can have a necrotic effect on surrounding tissues (and they should be given in alternating legs). I'd be leery about determining the correct dosage myself and would think it would best be done by the vet. Administering oral baytril has it's own issues, but perhaps if put on/in some food? Ask the vet. Let us know what happens.

[ann stewart]

My turtle had an abcess on her neck and she was operated on last summer.she is doing well. Turtles heal slowly.Ann ps she has started trying to eat her front foot any suggestions Ann

[ann stewart]

My turtle had oral baytrtil on her food for six weeks and was kept in shallow water it worked.

[staman]

Well, 5 days into treatment his abcess is actually bigger in diameter but much less swollen out from his face. I "think" this is progress. Problem is since the vet cant lance him that pus has nowhere to go. Can it be absorbed by his system? As for the drug Marissa i didnt make a typo it is indeed called cephazolin (its a synthetic cephalosporin) . Apparently its non-neucrotic unlike baytril. He might get left in a tank at the vets for a couple hours so he can relax a bit before she goes for the head.

[marisa]

That pus is like cottage cheese, so if (and I don't know) it could be absorbed by his system, I would think it would be a slow process. It's not good to let it just sit there. I hope the vet will be able to lance it if he's there for a few days and relaxes a bit. Just a thought, but how about if he was put on his back? Healthy turtles will stick their heads out pretty far and use them to right themselves. His head would be out, and if the vet worked quickly...?