Hello,

i have a Herman tortoise called tilly. i have just returned from my holiday to find my tortoise off her food & not eaten for the week i was away, my mother has been looking after her for me putting out her food & giving her daily baths. Only problem is one day she was put out in the garden before my dog add done her buisness & before my mum had noticed & had a chance to clean it up Tilly had a real feast eating it  :-s  on friday Tilly started with a streaming nose, like thick dirty water- & very noticable dog poo, i took her to the vets & explained what had happened, he thought maybe she has Pneumonia. He took a swab from the water coming from her nose & i'm awaiting the results, mean time she had a antibiotic injection on the friday & again on Saturday & Sunday i started her with oral  antibiotics Batryl 0.4mls, Today i gave her  medicine & she bought up loads of fluid from her mouth & nose, i gave her another bath & after, she again bought up all the water she had drunk, mainly from her mouth (loads & loads) & her nose. She is still walking around very high off the ground, today has shown signs of being hungry & has tried melon , but has been very sick after eating it, bring everything back up, again with signs of dog poo, she has now lost a tenth of her body weight, i'm so worried & will be returning her to the vets tomorrow! I don't think she has pneumonia, i'm thinking along the lines of a blockage.  I would be very interested in any advice you could give me, a very very worried mum.  Debbi

Hi Debbi

Im really sorry to hear this, porr Tilly, I know how worried you must be.  I have emailed our Vet Advisor and asked if he can give any advice.  The only thing I can really offer is that Tilly needs to be kept warmer than usual if she is on antibiotics, so you need to up the temps a bit.  Please let us know how you get on at the vets, and as soon as I hear back from Kevin I will let you know what he says.

Keeping everything crossed for you both

Arlene TPG

Thankyou Arlene,

Tilly has been kept very warm under a lamp, speeding her mets up, so antibiotics start working quicker.  i have a appointment at 9.50am & i feel sick to the bottom of my stomach, i'm so worried!!  I will let you know whats happening as soon as i get home.    Debbi

Hi i'm back, not looking good, Tilly has again lost more weight. I'm not happy as the tortoise specialist is not around today, so not impressed the vets available were reading from books trying to figure out what to do next!  I insisted on a x-ray to be taken, incase she had swallowed anything else while i was away like a stone etc, as i have found her many times eating stones & bark in the garden, i have also made them give her the wormer incase she has a gut impact- from eating the dog poo, resulting in a build up of worms blocking her insides. She has had another antibiotic injection today & also a anti inflamatry injection as she had a ulcer on her tongue, but this looks better than it did on friday.....i am very concerned that she's not keeping down fluids & have also insisted they keep her in for observation over night, incase she needs any hands on help from them, today they are going to try & contact Mr Dash the specialist who usually sees her. she is still bringing up fluid from her mouth & nose!  I do hope she pulls through this......... Debbi

X-ray results have shown a very radiant white mass in her kidney area, luckly they have spoke to Mr Dash the tortoise specialist & he is going in to look at her ....

Hi Debbi
So sorry to hear about Tilly, I have all my fingers and toes crossed for you both

Jane, Keya & Molly

Hi Debbi

We are all keeping everything crossed for Tilly - I have heard back from Kevin Eatwell, the TPG Vet Advisor, and he has asked me to post the following for you, although things have prgressed since I contacted him this morning,  and you have now visited the vet again and had the xrays but I thought I would post it anyway

This tortoise sounds quite ill and should be taken back to the vets urgently. It sounds like it requires radiography to assess it further but this of course is your vets decision. Radiography will help to rule out a blockage and check for pneumonia.

All the best

Arlene TPG

I've just had a call from my vet, they say they can do no more to help tilly!!! They now think it could be a stone stuck....but to tell you the truth, i don't think they have a clue! I have been given a 2 choices, 1st to take her some where else that is about 1hr/1 1/2hrs away, i have no transport & a sick 5month old baby at home....they say she will prob need a operation, this is going to cost lots & lots of money & i have already paid £200 over 2days for treatment, my next choice is to have her put to sleep!!!!!!!!! we haven't even had her swab results back.....i'm so so sad & just can't stop crying....my poor poor tilly.....

Hi Debbi
I don't know what to say, I am just so sorry, this is a terrible choice to have to make. I had to make that decision  once with my dog because it would have cost me over £15,000 for special MRI scans etc. and I could not afford to do that. I made the choice to have him put down to end his pain and in reflection that was the kindest and most loving thing that I could do to help him. You will feel so sad but hopefully you could draw comfort that there will be others from here that will feel that sadness with you too.
Good luck with whatever you deccide to do

Jane, keya & Molly

Debbi,

I am so sorry to hear you have to make this choice.  Would your vet let you have a plan where you could pay the money back weekly?  Or could you try getting another opinion from a tortoise specialist vet?

Let us know how you get on, thinking of you

Regards Vivienne

Hi, this week has been such a roller coaster!!! Tilly is still alive & fighting, i made the decision to wait for the results of the swaps taken last week, she was still bringing up the fluid, but we now know what bugs she has...Mr Dash has been my rock through this, he has lots of tortoises himself & has become very involved with the care of tilly, he has been phoning around & between himself &  2 other specialists, have been pumping her with all sorts drugs & more fluids....this morning i was told it looks very much we are going to lose her, as she looked so so poorly , but i have just got off the phone..she has had her first dose of the correct drug needed & has perked up a tiny bit, walking for the first time in 2weeks!!! she's not at all out of the woods yet, but theres a glimmer of hope. please don't think bad of me for not traveling the long distance for a second opinion, but i'm i'll myself with kidney diease & not being able to leave my house. will keep you informed. Thankyou so much for your support

Debbi

Oh Debbi so glad to hear that, I have everything crossed for you.  Keep us informed

Vivienne

Hi Debbi
That has made my morning, I have been thinking of you and really hoping that things take a turn for the better. You obviously followed your heart and it was the right road to take. Hope I didn't come across that I thought you should have Him/her put to sleep, I only wanted to offer support that if you did make that decision then it would have been out of love.
Fingers & toes crossed that each day brings good news
Jane, Keya & Molly

hello, thought i'll pop in & give a update on Tilly. She is still at the vets & really turned a corner, they have had to stop with tube feeding her as she has become very naughty & won't let them do it! yesterday she started walking quite a bit & went into the bedding box for the first time & today, even ate some food, even though she bought it all back up, it's a massive change, just wish the bringing up of fluid would stop, it's like syrup! does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this. in the mean time she is continuing with i.v fluids & antibiotics. every day she is stronger, but obiviously i'm still very concerned, she also still hasn't been to the toilet in weeks! Jane, Keya & Molly
please don't worry yourself, i completely understand what you were trying say x thanks every one for your support xx

My beautiful Tilly saddly died today debbi

Hi Debbi,

I am so sad to read Tilly died  I know only too well how sad it is to lose a beloved tortoise, my thoughts are with you.

Take care

Ali

Oh Debbi, I am so sad to hear Tilly died, you tried all you could for her.  Big hugs to you

Regards Vivienne