Urgent Care :: Ear Abscess

[jasmiester]

Hi everyone, one of my turtles have had ear abscess for some time now. I just learned the name from the site and at first, i thought it would cure over time. I wanted to know from other people's experiences about this infection. Do I have to take it to the vet or is there another solution? How much does it usually cost for the vet to treat this? Please answer soon!!

[SpotsMama]

An abcess require vet treatment. It won't heal on it's own - it will only continue to get worse. The sooner you can get treatment the better. If treated early it's quite curable. The vet will lance it and drain and clean it and probably put antibiotics on it. You'll probably need to keep your turtle out of the water for awhile until the wound heals, only putting him in the water for short periods so he can get a drink and eat. You'll need to keep the water especially clean during this time.

I urge you to get your turtle to the vet as soon as possible. Not only does he need treatment before it gets too bad but an abcess is very painful and your guy needs some relief.

I don't know how much it costs - you can call and ask the vet, or someone else on here who has had experience may be able to tell you what they paid.

[jasmiester]

Thanks a lot ..

PS. Random question, how do you know they hurt? o___o..not that I'm challenging your knowledge or anything

[marisa]

You need to take your turtle to a herp vet. The abcess needs to be opened to allow the pus to drain. If you do nothing, it will only get bigger and put pressure on surrounding tissues, which is painful for your turtle. And eventually, he will become sicker and stop eating.

As a precaution, some vets prescribe antibiotics to kill any residual infection in the system. It's not a complicated procedure, but you do need to have a vet do it. Call around to find out what fees are---they can vary.

[jasmiester]

Whats a herp vet o_o..

[LadyBloodRose]

Whats a herp vet o_o..

A herp vet is a vet who speclizes in not just reptiles but also turtles etc. Unlike a normal vet who just dogs dogs cats etc.

[jasmiester]

Anyone know some good herp vets in Toronto?

[LadyBloodRose]

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=370 heres a link thats posted in this section of the forum that gives som info on vets in diffrent areas. maybe it can help you locate one.

[SpotsMama]

In a big city like Toronto it shouldn't be too hard to find one. If a vet knows about herps he/she'll probably advertise it. Sometimes they advertise that they treat "exotics" which probably includes reptiles.

[jasmiester]

Ooo!! That helps a lot! Thanks, I saw some "exortics" haha :D

[industrial_girl_2000]

Keep us posted!

[jasmiester]

I'll try my best, still havent taken him to the vet yet >< .. convincing my mom and i think its working ..

[megcornell]

Print off some info on abscesses or bring your mom to the site to look around, it may help inform her about why he needs to see a vet.
Have you called around to get some estimates? It's a pretty standard procedure so it shouldn't be too pricey.

[emma]

Hope it all works out!