Urgent Care :: respiratory problem? please help.

[fungke]

i am asking on behalf of my girlfriend...

the last time she cleaned the tank and changed the water, it was too cold and she put one of the two turtles in. the smaller one (the one with the abnormal behaviour) had trouble swimming at first. then she stopped eating and slept a lot. we thought that she may have had an eye infection but she can open her eyes with no problem, although sometimes, she only opens one. the constant problem is that she does not eat and opens her mouth to what we think is to breathe. want to visit the vet but want to avoid the costs, want to check out other alternatives. please help...


How big is your turtle?
around 2 inches

How long have you had it?
3 months


What is the water temperature?
8082 degrees

Are you using a water heater?
no

How much water is in there?
roughly 15

Are you using a water conditioner?
yes

Are you using any filtration?
Fluval 1

What is the basking temperature?
unsure

Is there a basking light?
no, just a fluoresent

Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on?
yes

What kind is it or what is it made out of?
plastic

Is there a UVB light?
yes....i think it's the UVA that i am missing


What have you been trying to feed it?
floating pellets

When was the last time your turtle ate?
5 days ago

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
20 gallon

Is the tank near a window?
no

Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity?
somewhat

Have you read the Basic Care section?
yes

Have you searched the forums for similar situations?
browsed

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms?
stays above water on the basking platform all the time
can't or won't swim, if so...not properly.
eyes mostly shut...but can be open, not as swollen as others i have seen
on the forum. opens mouth to breathe. mouth not wide enough for food.
won't even eat.

[missibsu]

Unfortunately, when you have a sick turtle, about the only thing you can do is take it to the vet. You've already got the water temp raised, and I wouldn't go any higher.

Do you notice a constant open mouth to breathe, is there any mucus? Is the turtle lathargic?

Younger turtles are more likely to get sick and are more susceptible to illnesses than adult turtles. The sooner a sickness is treated, the more likely the turtle is to recover from the illness. I know that you don't want the vet costs, but the sooner the better.

[cam722]

I'm curious as to how you are keeping the water that warm without a water heater? Also, for UVA you can use a regular lightbulb to heat the basking area. Both those things would help your turtles. On top of taking care of those 2 things. Are they still both together, if not, move one to another setup and take the sick one to see a Vet. If it is RI.. your turtle need medicine from a Vet to cure it.

Also, do you have a thermometer to make sure of the water/basking temps? Both those temperatures are very important for a turtles health regardless if they are sick or not.

[marisa]

fungke, you are wasting time by trying to check out alternatives to a herp vet. Your turtle needs a herp vet. While you're looking for one, keep your turtle warm (water 82-83F), basking area 90-91F) and out of any drafts/breezes. Please start looking for a herp vet.

[fungke]

thanks..
will look into getting a heater with my girlfriend.
not sure how the temperature is maintained...but the stick on themometer holds at that temperature.

the turtle is lethargic...we tried to "force feed" her but she won't eat at all. it seems like she wants to spit the food out.

sorry, i did not mention the closing of her eyes which does happen...but it does not seem to swell so at the moment, i don't think that she has an eye infection.

[industrial_girl_2000]

If your turtle opens its mouth a lot & you hear a breathing noise, then this is a symptom of turtle pneumonia. While that doesn't sound like it would be serious, my first 2 turtles died from it. Turtles suffer when they have this illness, and your other turts are at risk of catching it from the sick turtle.

Don't delay. Turtle pneumonia is very easy to treat when it is in the beginning stages ("opening mouth a lot to breath" or gasping for breath).

When turtles close their eyes it is not necessarily an eye infection. They close their eyes when they aren't feeling well on the inside & it is something they will do when they have pneumonia ("RI").

A turtle vet can give your turt the best chance at overcoming this illness. As someone who slowly had to watch 2 turtles die over the course of a month because none of the vets knew what was wrong with them (one was gasping for breath, the other had a collapsed lung), it is painful to watch. I don't ever want anyone else to see this happen to their turtles, especially since all the information to prevent the death is so readily available now! Don't delay!

[Muirner]

One thing you want to make sure of is the vet your going to is a herpatologist (herp) vet. If not they may not know the proper treatment.

You could try feeding earthworms cut up. Maybe zoo-med eye drops if you have to wait a day or so before you can get her there.

[megcornell]

My turtle had an RI (respiratory infection) which I assume is what your gf's turtle has. The sooner they get to a vet the better, it takes a while for the antibiotics to kick in because they have a slower circulation system. When I took my turtle, it was relatively inexpensive ( if you don't count the emergency fee- I took my turtle at night when I was worried he couldn't swim) it only cost 20 dollars for the antibiotics and then whatever a visit is- 25 perhaps. Of course, not all vets charge the same and you'll probably have to pay a new member first visit fee, but that's at least a very rough estimate of some of the costs associated.

Good luck. I hope your turtle feels better soon.

[Kallistos]

I agree instead of going around and buying commercial treatments in hopes of saving $20, it's best to drop what you're doing and make an appointment with a vet. All you can do is what Marisa said, until you find a herp vet. Unfortuneately, VERY RARELY do small turtles like yours get better w/o help. I mean it's not like you can give him or her rest and fluids and hope for the best. The fees for a vet shouldn't be dreadfully expensive, I feel that before people get their small turtle that they should put vet fees into their accomodated budget.

[fungke]

thanks for all your input.
anyone know of a good reputable vet in the toronto area?

it's relly painful to see her now...
the vet costs $75 for first look...not even sure about whether this vet is a herpatologist. how much was treatment from your experience?

[Kallistos]

Look at the sticky under Urgent care for good herp vets. From what I've heard it'll cost about $50-$100. Not sure about Canadian dollars though.

[fungke]

thanks..
going to make the appointment at the links tomorrow.
hope my girlfriend's turtle can hold off till the appointment.
based on your experiences how are the antibiotics administered?

should the turtle be in a seperate tank as there is another larger turtle present.

[mkoby]

I would definitely separate them! RI is very contagious.

The vet will probably give him an injection. They should send you home with either liquid meds or injections to do yourself. My vet sent me home with pre-filled shots that I was supposed to give him every other day.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[fungke]

i have an appointment with the vet tomorrow.
this was the earliest they could make it..
when i visited my girlfriend today...we found out that TT had
just passed. she layed there lifeless.....just one more day....
=(

we burried her...
thanks for all your help...should have went to the vet sooner.

[fungke]

did not want to do it in the same message but...i am not sure if i should be concerned about my turtle. i have two and they share a tank together. i recently got a heater to keep the temperature constant. before this, one of the two turtles stopped eating. he can swim but won't eat at all. the other turtle comes along and eats the other's share. i even feed him shrimp and he won't take it. it has been a couple of days..thought that the heater would help but it does not seem like the case. both turtles are exhibiting unusual behaviour. they are usually found on the platform...but both stay in the water most of the time. the one who refuses to eat has been shedding a lot of "skin" lately and still has a lot on its body.

i am sorry if my post is a little scattered. i can't face another death....just wondering if i should be at all concerned about my turtle.

he is LESS active, won't eat and is shedding a lot.
also..i am noticing that he is not using his right "hand/paw". it seems to be in the hidden position most of the time and when he moves it out a little...it goes back in. is there a chance he could have hurt his "hand/paw"?



both turtles spend most of their time in the water or half in half out on the rock as opposed to on the dock where they usually hang out.

the vet appointment for tomorrow was suppose to be for my girlfriend's turtle...should i bring mine instead?




How big is your turtle?
around 2.5 inches?

How long have you had it?
6 months. only about a month and a half in a "proper" setup.
they were not being taken care of properly as i was uneducated

What is the water temperature?
78 degrees

Are you using a water heater?
yes

How much water is in there?
a little less than half a tank (10 gallon tank)

Are you using a water conditioner?
yes

Are you using any filtration?
yes

What is the basking temperature?
unsure

Is there a basking light?
no, just a fluoresent, but they usually stay on the platform to what i assume is bask. they have their "arms" and legs stretched out.

Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on?
yes

What kind is it or what is it made out of?
plastic

Is there a UVB light?
not sure...came with the tank that was meant for fish.
will be getting one this month along with proper basking area

What have you been trying to feed it?
floating pellets and dried shrimp
i even put the pellets in the dried shrimp container
to make it smell good.

When was the last time your turtle ate?
a little less than a week

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure?
10 gallon

Is the tank near a window?
no

Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity?
somewhat

Have you read the Basic Care section?
yes

Have you searched the forums for similar situations?
browsed