Health ,shell rot, and CPR

ATP- General Health Issues and Injuries

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medinjuries.htm


Link to info on SCUD/shell rot

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medshell.htm


Turtle and Tortoise CPR

Both water turtles and box turtles can drown. Even a drowned turtle that looks quite dead might just be waiting for you to help it get its breath back. Remember that turtles can be without oxygen for a long time, especially in cool water, before the damage is irreversible.

First and foremost: NEVER TURN THE TURTLE/TORTOISE ON ITS BACK.
Turning it on his back might remove the little airspace still left in the lungs.

1. Grasp the turtle's head behind the ears (base of skull) and extend the neck completely.

2. Turn it head-down/tail up and open its mouth. Usually, some water will flow of drip out at this point. Wait until the dripping stops.

3. Place the turtle (belly down) on a flat surface with it's neck extended. Stand in front of the turtle.

4. Straighten his front legs and pull them straight toward you as far as they will go.

5. Keeping the legs straight, push them in as far as they will go. Do not let the legs bend at the elbows.

6. Continue pulling and pushing until water stops coming out.

Now it's time to take your turtle to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will insert a tube and start providing the turtle with pure oxygen. He may give a respiratory stimulant and a drug to a drug that will help the turtle excrete the water accumulate in its tissue. After this, the turtle will probably regain consciousness and start moving.

Since some turtles develop pneumonia after drowning, the veterinarian will most likely recommend a course of antibiotics.

A note on mouth-to-mouth (or straw to mouth) breathing. I've seen it described in one place. I don't know whether it works, and I don't know whether the risk of blowing in too hard and damaging the lungs is worth it. The above instructions are proven to work in many cases.

A note on baby turtles: The smaller the turtle, the harder it is to help the animal, simply because of its small size. [/color]

2) If the Turtle is vocalizing, either by loud breathing or clicking sounds, appears to be gasping for breath, swimming lopsided, or is has mucus or foam at the mouth or nose, or just has a "runny nose" or swims or can't submerge., the turtle is probably suffering from a respiratory infection. This is very deadly in turtles. In addition to the above measures, it is IMPERATIVE the turtle be brought to a reptile vet (see Good links to Find a Herp Vet, just above this topic) to get antibiotics. Most untreated turtles who have respiratory infections will die. For more information read:
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/medinjuries.htm
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/rns.html
http://www.tortoise.org/archives/brown1.html http://www.tortoise.org/general/urds.html http://www.tortoise.org/general/urds2.html
These infections may become chronic and require ongoing care. Read: http://www.turtletimes.com/Forums/index.php?showtopic=36919