Urgent Care :: Vet help!

[emma]

Brownie needs to see at vet asap. I cant find the page on the site for where the vets are located.. help!

[octpusgirl8]

There are stickys at the top of this section of the forum.

[emma]

k thanks... My mom said that we can take him to a vet. but we wont be able to take him until this weekend.. what can I do for him? Then i heard her talking with my dad and she said she doesnt even think brownie is sick. He fits all the RI simptoms- yawning a lot on the basking area, having trouble breathing, basking a lot, kinda puffy eyes, he doesn't swim very well either. But yes, he does eat.

[Vtolds]

Some times parents are stupid, it bad of me to say that but it is true and when you get older you will realize it. There probably worried about the money involved and your just worried about your Res.

[SpotsMama]

Until you can get your turtle to the vet, keep him warm - 80 or 82 degrees. This stimulates his immune system. Keep him very clean. Avoid stressing him - for instance, don't pick him up unless you have to. If he loses his appetite, it's ok to feed him things you'd normally only feed him for treats - tuna and shrimp for example - until he's well again.

Good luck. We'll be thinking of you and Brownie. Please let us know how it goes.

[emma]

I definatly will. At least my mom is an animal lover so I have a feeling that I will be able to convince her soon. How much do vet bills usually cost? So if they just checked over Brownie and gave him a shot for RI would that be over $100? If I took Brownie in and he got his shots, do my other turtles still have a chance of getting the RI Brownie had?

[mikee]

emma -- The advice to keep your turtle's water at 80 degrees is a good suggestion. V-olds -- My children thought I was stupid until they reached about 25 or so. Then, they had this revelation, that maybe Dad was not so stupid after all. From the age of about 10 or 12, children think that their parents are stupid. From the age of 14 to 21 children think they know it all and after 21 they know they know it all. Also, If the parents don't worry about the money, who will?

[madmax1]

I took my turts to the vet when I first got them and I knew very little . They had very swollen eyes they were actually shut tight here is a pic
he even had a wound on his back leg from my other turtle who eyes were just as bad they weren't eating because they really couldn't see so the vet was a must. it cost me $180.00 for the both turtles for the visit and the treatment which was a Vitamin A deficiency. It was worth every penny because if I didn't there was a risk of blindness or severe infection, which they would become septic and die, Exotic vets. are a little more expensive then regular Vets. Good Luck and I hope your turtle will be ok. keep us posted
HERE IS CHARLEY TODAY

[SpotsMama]

Emma, here's some standard advice for people who are going to see a vet. If the vet offers to give a vitamin A shot, first make sure the vet is positive your turtle really needs vitamin A and then discuss other alternatives to shots with the vet like eye drops with vitamin A, cod liver oil or food supplements. Several turtles have recently had very bad reactions to vitamin A shots and I think it's best that if vitamin A is needed (and often it's not) the safer methods be used instead.

[madmax1]

Yes good advice my turts did not need shots just eye ointment with vitimin A was a big help if I would have waited any longer might have needed shots took care of it right away it is importantto get to vet sooner than later helps in the long run with turtles health and cost

[emma]

Thanks! I will make sure to do that. We just called the vet and they are going to call us back soon so... ..... Just wondering...can a turtle still have RI even though he will eat? Brownie seems to be eating fine and it actually eating around 4 pellets.

[SpotsMama]

Yes in the early stages of RI a turtle may continue to eat. As he gets sicker and sicker he'll gradually lose his appetite. It's a very good sign if a turtle has RI but is still eating - the chances are better that the treatment will work because the turtle still has some strength.

Ask the vet to check for internal parasites. Oddly enough some of the symptoms of internal parasites are similar to symptoms of RI. The vet checks for internal parasites by examining a stool sample, so put some droppings in a plastic baggie and take them along when you go. A check for internal parasites is easy to do and it shouldn't cost you much.

[emma]

Thats good then. What are the chances of my other turtles getting infected by RI? Are there some really early symtoms I could spot so when I take Brownie to the vet I take the other sick ones too?

[mikee]

emma -- Yes the other turtles can catch RI from the sick ones. I would clean them off and put them in another tank/container. Just remember that the rules of care have to apply to the turtles in the other container/s. I have a very small tank, smaller than a 10 gallon and I have a small plastic heater and clamp on light to go with it. I have to change the water every day but that is the way it goes. Good Luck!!

[emma]

Ok, the vet just called back. The lady is a specialist in reptiles. She was very nice and seemed like she knew a lot about turtles.
She first asked if I had a filter, heater, UVB, etc... She said that since he is still eating that is a good sign. Any mucus or hard breathing that we see we should be very concerned and take him to the vets office right away. She also mentioned that if the eyes get cloudy that would be a great concern too. Or call her as soon as these things start to occur. These little turtles have a great risk of getting sick because they are so small and are still building up their strength and everything.
She also said that if he stops eating or basking that we should call her or take Brownie in right away. She said to keep up the tank temps and make sure that the water is very clean and that he has the best of care.
These turtles are very commonly scared and like to be on their own.