Tortoise abscess

[Jadidity]

Hi, looking for advice if possible. My herman tortoise who is 22 years old has an abscess at the top of his back leg which is swollen and digging into his shell. I have been taking him to my specialist vet for the last couple of months and have given him daily antibiotic injections as instructed by the vet. It went down a little and the vet said there is no longer an abscess only scarring so antibiotics will not work any longer. He said the only thing left to do would be to cut away the shell to make it more comfortable (but sometimes doesn’t work) or amputate the leg (but sometimes they don’t survive), or he advised to leave it as he is eating and moving. It now looks more swollen, I’m not sure what to do, I really don’t want his leg amputated that would be so stressful for him. Has anyone had something similar?

[lin]

Hi Jadidity and thanks for contacting us. So sorry to hear of your tortoises problems and wonder if you could send us in a photo of the area of concern.
Do you have a photo if and when the abscess was visible in the earlier days, that would be handy to see.
I’m wondering why the abscess wasn’t removed along with the antibiotics so I am interested to see the area now if I could.
If you’re in England and can point us in your general area we might have a different vet we can suggest if you can say what vet your using, but I am not in the least saying that your vet is inadequate.
I look forward to receiving your photos and will speak later.
Regards
Lin

[ronaldcdunlap]

Illnesses require prompt treatment especially in the critical stages so seeking specialist veterinary care and considering the health of your turtle when making difficult medical decisions is important.

[lilysmith10]

I'm sorry to hear about your tortoise. If antibiotics are no longer effective and the swelling is getting worse, I would recommend seeking a second opinion from another reptile specialist. Sometimes, abscesses in tortoises require surgical removal rather than just antibiotics. If possible, you could also ask about alternative treatments like laser therapy or wound management techniques to avoid amputation. Wishing you and your tortoise the best

[Daniel]

Sorry to hear about your tortoises problem. I really don't know any thing about abscess in tortoises. But I would certainly get a second opinion by a reptile vet that has experiences with tortoises.

I had a quick Google (I know I shouldn't) and it seems the course of treatment is surgically remove the abscess, flush the area, and prescribe antibiotics. This seems to be the main treatment that would be given on the other side of the pond (USA).

I would see if Nina or Lin can assist with another vet in your area or within reasonable travelling distance for a second opinion.

Kind regards Daniel.

[Daniel]

I just found this from Andy Highfield Tortoise Trust.

https://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/abcess.html

Kind regards Daniel.