hi all,

my sheldon is 5 yrs old and has been healthy up till week and a half ago. he stopped eating and drinking, ive checked is beak (mouth) and it did need a little emery boarding but thats all. he has yellow patches on his tongue and seems to be gaging on water or food slurry. he is also throwing his head back and squeaking (most unusual for him) he is still active and has passed both a wee and a poop ( abit runny though). im giving him twice daily baths in reptoboost and syringing blended food and water down him 1 ml at a time twice daily as well as keeping him warm.

ive read that it could be mouthrot (early signs) and that i could rinse his mouth with iodine but im not sure of the dilution ratio! ive got the iodine from the local chemist so its undiluted and i also have some of the pink scrub stuff chlor......cant think of the name!!!!

any advice will be greatly appriciated. thanks

i just want the little guy back to normal :-)

Hello there. I personally would see a vet as soon as possible. Clearly he is warm, being fed and hydrated, but I reckon he needs more than that. Its the gagging and wheezing which indicate a respirarory issue, probably needing anti-biotics. I would raise temp to 32 degrees if not already, and make a very warm, dark area where he can rest, but stay warm.

Have you a good local vet? Check this site's vet list to see if you are lucky enough to be able to get to one. Reply to this message telling us where you are and a member might let you know of a suitable vet near to where you live. Good luck with him, and keep us posted. Regards, David nr York.

hi David thanks for the speedy reply,

im in smethwick, just outside birmingham (it is classed as sandwell)

how much do exotic vets charge approx? (nice to have an idea of how much to tell the other half)

i would still like to know the dilution ratio for iodine, do you know this? as i feel this info is always handy to know.

thanks again

Sorry I cannot help you on dilution rate, maybe a pharmacist could advise. I would still want a vet's advice though. My last visit to an exotics vet cost me £22.50. When I booked on the phone they asked for a card payment of £45, then after consultation, refunded £22.50. Apparently, a lot of reptile keepers used to  book, and then fail to turn up, thereby wasting surgery time. For that, my vet spent almost 45 mins checking and chatting about my two mature torts. Good luck, and keep us updated if possible. Regards, David nr York. 

Hi Allison, as David has stated, you should go to a vet asap, you cannot treat this yourself.  It sounds like antibiotics are required, ioding is a disinfectant and will not treat a respiratory infection.

On the whole tort specialist vets only charge the same prices as for other animals. There is a list of vets on the left hand side, saying that I am in Bham and travel upto Stoke on Trent for the nearest reptile vet - Hannah Bould.  I havent found any nearer!

regards Vivienne

Please let us know how you get on, regards Vivienne

hi, thanks for the replys to my post,

i have booked sheldon into manor vets on the hagley road at 5.10pm tomorrow (tues) thats the earliest they can see him.

i agree with the fact that you both think its respritary, i just thought it could be mouthrot initally but the fact he is gagging when food and water is in his mouth points in that direction.

i had begun a search for an exotics vet before i found this forum,  it took quite a while to find one in my area but lets hope sheldon will get sorted tomorrow as im worried sick about the little guy as he feels like he has lost abit of weight.

fingers crossed and ill let you know tomorrow how we get on.

Hi,

sheldons vet appointment was on tues 19th at 5.10pm, sadly he passed away that morning at 1.30am. he had started to make a strange duck noise as if he had something stuck in his nose or throat. i got up with him and checked him over then rung the vet. i finally got through all the automated stuff to be told to keep him warm and quiet and to take him first thing and the exotic vet would come in speically to see him, but his eyes had started to sink into his head and he became unreaponsive when i stroked his legs.

i stayed up with him all night and when i checked on him at first light he had started to stiffen up and his mouth was gapping. i rang the vets and they said he had passed away.

i havnt been able to update my posts as we have been absolutly gutted by this, we have now buried him in the garden and have planted a bleeding heart in his memory. Sheldon will be missed mainly for his cheeky charactor and the way he used to follow you around in the garden.

i wish i had found this site sooner and then maybe this out come might have been avoided, i feel i should have acted sooner with the vet but i never realised how quick he would deteriate. he went from being off his food for a week to being gone. i have looked at everything and still cant see what caused this. perhaps we will never know.

thanks again for all your advice.

alison and family. x

Hi Alison,

I am so sorry to hear Sheldon died, tortoise illnesses take time to show them selves but by the time they do its quite serious! It sounds like a respiratory infection or RNS (runny nose syndrome). 

It sounds like you have given him a lovely burial, big hug to you and your family, regards Vivienne

Thanks for your kind words. it's too soon to say if we will be getting another tortoise but if we do i will definatly use this site and keep you all updated.

thanks again

alison x