Permanent Lung damage? - Page 2

EVIEMAY · #11 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian aldred

Hi Anne, i havea similar large tort like you ,she use to make snoring sounds at night ,I spent a fortune on anti biotics even had a nebulizer my tort went for every test possible . It turned out that when I turned the heating right down at night the snoring stopped , I now have two torts sleeping at 22 degrees and my snoring lady at 18 degrees and she doesnt snore any more . I also noticed she wheezes and grunts when eating yet again a fortune on tests to find out she is just greedy and eating quickly before the others get up . I noticed she likes it more humid than the others and alot of the noise was due to a blocked nare . I unblocked it by putting her in a hot steamy bathroom for ten minutes as advised by a vet . she then sneezed out alot of gunk . other than her greedy noisey eating and the snuffle noise she makes after having a drink she is fine now. I dont have enough knowledge yet but I am sure my large lady is a sub species leopard and likes it a bit more humid than my other two and a bit cooler.

Thanks for that Alicia - Honey sleeps around 18 - 20 at night - I think you could be right about the feeding too she is a greedy girl !!!! It just breaks my heart to hear her at night and I dont know if the infection is back or this is how she is going to be.

I rang the vets this morning and am expecting a call back this afternoon.

EVIEMAY · #12 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tams

Leopard tortoises should NOT be treated with Baytril - Oxytetracycline or Marbocyl are the preferred choices of antibiotics. I would seriously recommend that your vet does not give her anymore baytril.

Tamie
TT Rehoming

I am sure that the vet did mention trying Marcocyl if it flares up again ( which I fear it has) is this taken orally Tamie ?

Tamie · #13 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EVIEMAY

One of the first things that alerted me to Honey's respiratory infection was her noisy breathing at night. She sounded snuffly with the occassional trumpet sounds and squeaks.

She had an xray and it showed a current infection but also that she had in the past had an infection that was not treated which had led to some permanent lung damage. Her previous owners had been aware of the snoring but not thought it odd.

My question is - after 20 days of oral baytril then a few weeks later 4 injections of gentamycin she is still making nosies when she sleeps. The vet was unclear on whether these noises were a result of the lung damage or not. Has anyone had any experience of this?

I posted, not to upset you, but to warn you - as for experience, yes - plenty .... a large seizure of Leopards from LHR!

'Gasping' sounds is one of the reactions Leos can get if Baytril has been administered.

Tamie

EVIEMAY · #14 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tams

I posted, not to upset you, but to warn you - as for experience, yes - plenty .... a large seizure of Leopards from LHR!

'Gasping' sounds is one of the reactions Leos can get if Baytril has been administered.

Tamie

I am not upset with your post Tamie - it is nice you have replied - I am just upset in general to know what the best is for her. The nosies she made pre Baytril did not change post baytril - she did appear to get better and was actually alot quieter for a few weeks - then it returned and the next xray showed it had actually flared up and was worse - the gent was then given and the vet seemed happy to discharge after 4 injections.

Tamie · #15 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EVIEMAY

I am sure that the vet did mention trying Marcocyl if it flares up again ( which I fear it has) is this taken orally Tamie ?

Marcocyl is injectable.

Tamie

EVIEMAY · #16 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tams

Marcocyl is injectable.

Tamie

I wish I had the confidence to administer the injections myself ( I do it no problem at work to humans) but even the vet struggles to get Honey out of her shell to find a spot. But it would save stressing her out in the car !!!!

gtm · #17 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:33 AM

I have a tortoise who barely survived a vicious bout of pneumonia last year. He is still wheezy some times. The illness also scared an eye and slighly damaged his jaw. I fear that this will probably effect his long term life expectancy & he is not nearly as active as he was prior to his illness & his weight gain is very slow. Permament damage can & does happen. The moral of the story is to jump hard on any sign of RNS etc.

EVIEMAY · #18 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtm

I have a tortoise who barely survived a vicious bout of pneumonia last year. He is still wheezy some times. The illness also scared an eye and slighly damaged his jaw. I fear that this will probably effect his long term life expectancy & he is not nearly as active as he was prior to his illness & his weight gain is very slow. Permament damage can & does happen. The moral of the story is to jump hard on any sign of RNS etc.

I am sorry to hear that George - it is so much for him and you to have to go through - I was really cross at first that her previous owners had not taken her to be seen but in all honesty I dont think they knew anything was wrong - they said she snored a lot at night but thought it was normal. Then again I have her now because they didn't realise how big she would get ! A 3.5 kgm Leopard still in a viv.

I was devasted to hear the vet say that there was already permanent damage and this will always be a problem if she gets any more infections - which she has.

Tamie · #19 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:46 AM

Me again! Sorry, just a few questions ...

Has a swab has been cultured and another sample stained up and checked under the microscope? You can find, for example, some cases like this are not caused by a bacteria, but by a fungal infection. Obviously, in that case, antibiotics are a waste of time.

Good lab work is critical in nailing such cases down.

Has there been a head/nasal x-ray to check for localised abscess/infection? That's another thing I'd check for. I'd also check that the nares are completely clear by aspirating them.

Obviously a specialist vet is worth their weight in gold in this kind of situation.

Tamie

gtm · #20 (**permalink**) 21-07-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EVIEMAY

I am sorry to hear that George - it is so much for him and you to have to go through - I was really cross at first that her previous owners had not taken her to be seen but in all honesty I dont think they knew anything was wrong - they said she snored a lot at night but thought it was normal. Then again I have her now because they didn't realise how big she would get ! A 3.5 kgm Leopard still in a viv.

I was devasted to hear the vet say that there was already permanent damage and this will always be a problem if she gets any more infections - which she has.

All part of life's rich tapestry & to be frank when I took on juvenile tortoises I realised there was a risk of taking casualties. Bottom line is they are not nearly as sturdy as their adult bretheren & can (& do) get ill & die - no ones fault etc. The good news is the others are doing really well.

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