Urgent Care :: Recovering from RI: Part 2

[stormtrooper]

Hello all,

A couple of weeks I wrote about my turtle Gamera displaying symptoms of RI: sneezing, bubbles from nose, open mouth breathing. As soon as I noticed those symptoms, they disappeared and I was advised to increase the water and basking dock temperature just in case, which I did and kept for about a week (water 82F, and basking 90F). Nevertheless, I still took Gamera to the vet, who couldnt find anything wrong (as I said in my earlier post, the vet admittely didnt have a lot of experience with turtles).

So for the last two weeks, Gamera has been acting normal. not displaying any of the abovementioned RI symptoms, and eating really well.

However, since yesterday, he has been acting very strangely. He's not as active as usual, doesnt swim much, doesnt eat. But more noticeably, he has a white gunk at the bottom of his mouth. That is, I can see a white jelly type substance hanging below his mouth (please note that he isnt sneezing or blowing bubbles out of his nose).

Can someone please help me. I have again increased the water and basking temperature. He is still basking normally during the day.

I would take him to the vet, but turtles arent as popular here in Australia as pets as other countries, and that is why the vet I took him looked clueless to the situation.

Please help me. What should I do? I dont want to lose him.

[marisa]

I'd try to find another herp vet (one you trust) and have him seen, especially if he continues to be lethargic (is he eating well?). I'm unclear where exactly this white gunk is---bottom of mouth---inside of it? hanging below his mouth---outside under the jaw?

It could be residual from the RI. Perhaps the RI hasn't been completely knocked out of his system (did he ever receive antibiotics?). If it's inside the mouth, perhaps even the start of mouth rot. I would find a different vet and have him seen. Turtles may not be as popular as pets as they are here, but they do have turtles in Australia.

[stormtrooper]

Thank you as always Marisa.

It was really demoralising the first time I took him to the vet as he seriously didnt hide the fact that he didnt know much about turtles. He didnt prescribe any antibiotics at the time - but by that stage, Gamera had stopped displaying the RI symptoms I had initially mentioned. I am taking him to a vet further away from where we live tomorrow.

From reading other posts yesterday, I now believe the white stuff to be mucus. He isnt eating at all, which is my main concern.

Can you please also tell me if I have to do a complete water change as I read that if someone has multiple turtles in a tank, sick turtles will infect the others. Does it mean I should change the water as Gamera is basically living in water that is contaminated with his own infection. This would slow down his recovery would it not?

Thanks again.

[steve]

You should change the water more often, clean the filter and perhaps use some carbon media in your filter. If there are other turtles with him, then he should be separated from them.

[marisa]

Until he sees another vet (this one knows about turtles?), keep his water clean. If he's lethargic and appears weak, I'd also keep the water level lower (if it's currently high).

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[stormtrooper]

Okay!!! I have found a vet with turtle knowledge. This is the honest truth, I rang more than a dozen vets before I was referred to one. I have made an appointment for tomorrow as he lives about an hour away from my place.

He did advise me to up the water and basking temperature as you advise on this forum. I also told him that the previous night, Gamera slept on the dock and not in the water. He advised me to leave the basking light on all night just this time to aid his recovery, which I did. This morning I found instant results. Gamera was more active and stopped his sneezing and I did not see any mucus. He is also eating, but not as much as usual. He takes bites of the pellet without completing swallowing the whole thing (I fed him pellets broken in half).

I'm so glad as just a few days ago, he was practically immobile and looked really sick. This is the 2nd time he has made such a recovery. However this time, I'm not taking any chance and will see the vet tomorrow. I hope he pulls through, but I'm just worried about it reoccuring again. Hopefully the antibiotics the vet will cure him completely.

Thank you again Marisa and Steve. You are both always ready to help and I appreciate that.

[marisa]

But it's not really a recovery. The warmth is just causing the symptoms to go away, not the infection. Your turtle most likely needs antibiotics to know the infection out of his system. Good luck and let us know what happens.