General Care Discussion :: White bulge on my turtle head

[wiliamn]

Hi all..

I have a problem with my other turle named Kuku. About 12 days ago Kuku escape from my pond. Somehow, 3 days ago Kuku comeback, one of my family found Kuku near the pond.

Now I put Kuku in a tank, along with Rara (my other RES). Before Kuku ran away from the pond, Kuku was such a active turtle, but now Kuku is less active than before. I also found a white bulge on Kuku's left head, here I post some pictures. Please tell me what to do.

Thank you.

Btw, sorry bout my English

[Starchick]

It's hard to see in your pictures, but it could be an ear abcess. Here's some links to photos other have posted, does it look like these?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v653/ ... G_0416.jpg
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewt ... ght=abcess

And here's some info from Austin's turtle page (scroll down for ears section): http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medeyes.htm

If it is an abcess, you need to take him to the vet to have it drained. I don't think it's a very expensive procedure, but it's important. Unfortunately it won't go away on its own.

[marisa]

The pics are too small to really see...Could be the beginning of an abcess (If so, he'll need a vet to remove it.) He could also have injured himself somehow. Can you post a close-up of the area?

[wiliamn]

Starchick:
I have look at those URLs you gave me, none of it are similiar with my turtle have. White bulge on Kuku have are outside the skin.

marisa:
I'd like to post a close-up of the area, but Kuku will go away if I get any closer. Kuku's behaviour have change since Kuku ran away from my pond

Thank you.

[SpotsMama]

Putting it all together - white bulge on the neck, Kuku being lost for days then coming home but with less energy - sounds like he's got an infection. If it's not an ear abcess then it's an infected skin injury. He's slowed down because the infection is sapping his energy and making him feel bad. At least that's a reasonable scenario.

My rule of thumb is to take the turtle to see a herp vet in a situation like yours. You can try putting an antibiotic salve on the white area but if infection has set in he's probably going to need something stronger.

Here's my standard caution for anyone who's taking their turtle 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.

[wiliamn]

My rule of thumb is to take the turtle to see a herp vet in a situation like yours. You can try putting an antibiotic salve on the white area but if infection has set in he's probably going to need something stronger.

I've tried to take a look closer, but Kuku is always quickly put his head in his shell. Is there another way to put an antibiotic salve on the white area?

[SpotsMama]

Put a little of the salve on a q tip. Does your turtle sometimes try to bite? If so, then try to entice him to bite something like a wash cloth. When he reaches his head out to bite, put a little of the salve on the white spot.

After you put antibiotic salve on a wound, keep the turtle dry for a couple of hours so it can penetrate. Always keep the water very clean when a turtle has a wound.

But again, if he is behaving like he doesn't feel good (lethargic, poor appetite) and the place on his neck is looking bad then he really needs to see a vet that can give him something stronger.

[wiliamn]

Thank you for your suggestion. His appetite is fine so far.