What to do if your turtle has pneumonia?
If your turtle’s RI has progressed to pneumonia, the turtle will almost certainly die without treatment by a vet. Respiratory infections are usually fatal to turtles, so the first thing you should do is call a veterinarian.
How can you tell if a turtle has a respiratory infection?
The most obvious signs of a respiratory infection in a turtle or tortoise are difficulty breathing, a decrease in energy, a lack of appetite, swimming lopsided, unable to dive, open mouth breathing, whistling while breathing, and drainage or bubbles coming from the mouth, eyes, or nostrils. Westend61 / Getty Images.
Why does my tortoise have a respiratory infection?
The most common reason a turtle or tortoise gets a respiratory infection is due to its environment being too cold. Cold temperatures in a turtle enclosure are often due to:
What should I do if my turtle has Ris?
Avoid air or water temperatures that are cooler than those recommended for your species of turtle. Cold temperatures don’t cause RIs, but they make it more difficult for your turtle to fight off germs that can cause RIs. Wash your hands both before and after handling your turtles or anything in their enclosure.
If your turtle’s RI has progressed to pneumonia, the turtle will almost certainly die without treatment by a vet. Respiratory infections are usually fatal to turtles, so the first thing you should do is call a veterinarian.
How to tell if a turtle has a respiratory infection?
Symptoms of Respiratory Infections in Aquatic Turtles. Wheezing, gasping, coughing, snoring, or persistent sneezing. Loss of appetite, or sometimes an increase in appetite (especially in the early stages of an RI). The turtle is basking in a “lazy” position, with its head and feet drooping on the basking platform.
What kind of disease does a turtle have?
A disease of the lower respiratory tract, pneumonia in turtles results from a fungal or bacterial infection and requires immediate treatment.
What should I know about buying a turtle?
Most new RES owners acquire a hatchling. If your turtle is a hatchling, then this period is very delicate and thus, more emphasis should be placed on its eating, comfort and safety levels. Hatchlings are very fragile, have a high mortality rate and many do not make it past this point.
Can a turtle have an upper respiratory infection?
Just think back to when you had a cold last and if you see the symptoms in your turtle or tortoise, then you can be pretty sure they have an URTI (upper respiratory tract infection). Symptoms of an LRTI (lower respiratory tract infection) are similar, but with some additional signs.
What happens if you have a pet turtle with Salmonella?
Many pets, reptiles included, can carry Salmonella, a bacterial infection that is capable of being spread to humans. Symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. With appropriate treatment healthy adults tend to recover from infection with Salmonella bacteria relatively quickly.
What to do if a turtle goes to the vet?
You’ll need to pack your turtle in something to keep it warm during the trip. Wrapping your turtle in a terry cloth towel and putting it in a Styrofoam box with one or two heat packs is a good way to get it to a vet’s office or animal hospital. Please note that I am not a veterinarian.
Is it common for turtles to get respiratory infections?
Respiratory infections are all too common in pet turtles, but as you’ll soon discover, they are both treatable and preventable. First, let’s define what a respiratory infection is.
How to tell if a tortoise has pneumonia?
Pneumonia can be harder to spot and only one or two of the following symptoms may be present: Lop-side swimming or inability to dive (due to fluid on the lungs, causing buoyancy issues) Tortoises and terrestrial turtles walking in circles (less common).
