Help - what can I do? Damaged plastron

[Trillian]

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[lin]

Oh dear, Trillion, do you know how and when it happened. Can you see an open wound in the plastron, any blood or is it black. Could you take a photo with the flash on so that we can see what it’s like inside.

I think I would be right in saying it would be dest if the tortoise went to a vet, a good reptile vet that can treat tortoises and if you don’t already have one then let us know because we do have a list of vets in the uk.

Look forward to your answers and a photo.

Lin

[lin]

Hi trillion.
I have just blown that injury and to me it looks like it could have been shell rot that has died and fallen off. If it is she will need it cleaned and probably antibiotics during the healing process.
If the vet does give antibiotics you should keep tortoise warm and not let the temps drop much during the night for the antibios to work their magic.

Hope that’s helpful
Lin

[Trillian]

lin wrote:
> Hi trillion.
> I have just blown that injury and to me it looks like it could have been
> shell rot that has died and fallen off. If it is she will need it cleaned
> and probably antibiotics during the healing process.
> If the vet does give antibiotics you should keep tortoise warm and not let
> the temps drop much during the night for the antibios to work their magic.
>
> Hope that’s helpful
> Lin
Thank you so much Lin
We keep her in our garden with other 2 males, she came out from wintering this spring with this wound already, so it must be from last fall..
I can’t bring her to the vet because we inherited these 3 tortoises from an old uncle who never registered them (he had at least 50) so we’re screwed on that side..
We cleaned her wound and disinfected it but now we don’t know what to do next.. she’s spending the next couple of days (and nights) inside under observation but I fear if I put her back that she’ll get infected .. tomorrow i’m gonna upload some more pics

[lin]

Hi Trillion. I have entered a small update to this post.

Yes, you can take her to the vet because you inherited her, or any of them in fact because you haven’t done anything wrong The vet isn’t worried if tortoises have cites certificates or not, they’re not even going to ask, you were ‘gifted’ them from your uncle.

I can only guess that during last summer she had the boys trying to mate and it would have possibly caused this sort of wound. She really does need to see a specialist vet that treats tortoises because it will become infected when she poops or wee’s, and she will be in trouble if she needs to lay eggs.
I would suggest removing her from the males enclosure to prevent any more male behaviour causing her discomfort and stress. Perhaps keep her alone on soft paper or a towel so no dirt enters the open wound.

Look forward to seeing the photos tomorrow. These three were probably illegally brought into the country during the late 60s early 70 when the market was flooded with them often in a terrible condition. You’re so lucky to have these living pieces of treasure in your care now, your uncle must have thought you were capable of their care to have passed them on to you.

Lin

[Trillian]

Hi Lin
We just came home from the vet
She’s better than it looks luckily!
She cleaned her wound (that was hard to witness I must say), He took a blood sample and gave her some IV she was a bit anemic, than she had her first dose of antibiotics (she needs to take it for a week, he told me to put it in a strawberry or a cucumber) and also he applied a cream which we’re gonna have to apply twice a day.. he told me to put her back in the garden (obv separeted from the boys) and cover her enclosure with a mosquito net since the worst danger would be mosquitoes laying eggs in her wound.. after the iv she looks so much better alteady, as lively as she was last summer!
Thank you so much Lin for telling me to go to the vet regardless of her not having cites, you were right he couldn’t care less he didn’t even ask.. I feel so stupid now!
The vet wants to check on her again in a week, and said she must be about 15 yo
I apologise for any error english isn’t my first language [attachment=0]IMG_1678.jpeg[/attachment][attachment=1]IMG_1682.jpeg[/attachment]