Sick turtle

My turtle has a ri how can I help him ?

Please help

If you are sure he has RI, get him to the vet!

Here is something by Tucsonturtlegirl, signs of RI and treatment:

Lop sided swimming when one side of the turtle shell is higher than the other one is not a good sign. It is one of the symptoms of respiratory infection. We are not talking about when the tail end is higher than the head which is usually caused from intestinal gas which will pass in a few days.

With the side to side uneven swimming, this may indicate that one lung has fluid in it from the infection.

Here are the classic symptoms of RI: prolonged basking, lethargy, swollen eyes, discharge/mucous/snot from nose and/or mouth (bubbles coming from the turtle nose and mouth UNDERWATER are not a problem as he is just exhaling air as he dives), lack of appetite, uneven, lopsided swimming from side to side, yawning excessively, and making wheezing sounds. Again, not to be alarmed, but just as a precaution, if you notice any of these symptoms, contact us right away. These symptoms and be those of RI respiratory infection, not something humans can catch, but really a problem for young turtles especially. Even one or two symptoms can suggest RI. The turtle does not have to show all symptoms to have RI.

RI is highly contagious so consider separating the turtles if possible.

The problem with RI is that it is like serious pneumonia in humans to the point they would need to be hospitalized. 

You certainly can take them to the vet, a qualified turtle vet with lots of turtle experience. Call vet clinics to find the vet who specializes in turtles. If no vet in your area treats turtles, see if the local vet will skype to the turtle vet to guide the care.

But, treating very young turtles is very difficult b/c it is so hard to dose such a small animal. Baytril is one of the standard antibiotics which is very potent and can also do damage to organs, too. 

So what to do?

I'm sending you a treatment plan to help with the RI. It is a home remedy. You must have a good thermometer. No drugs. No needles, and the turtle can stay at home. There is some risk in the turtle turning upside down and not being able to get right side up again which causes drowning. So far, this treatment has cured 3 out of 4 young turtles with RI symptoms.

Basically  you put the baby in a warm water bath (the correct temp is critical to the treatment) and also provide warm, moist air for him to breathe. It would not hurt even a healthy turtle but can really help the babies. Be sure to follow the treatment for all the days mentioned. You don't want the RI to come back. And watch the other turtle, too. He may or may not get it.

Treating Respiratory Infection (RI) in Most Aquatic Turtles

First, start with diagnosing your turtle. Make sure the symptoms fit the treatment. For RI, you will notice a lack of energy, lack of appetite, tendency to bask most or all the time, lopsided swimming (from side to side), swollen eyes, mucous/discharge coming from the nose, eyes and/or mouth, gasping for air, wheezing sounds when breathing, and possibly "yawning." 

You may also notice a white film-like substance developing around your turtle's face and hands. This is the mucous sticking to your, the infection being expelled and collecting when your turtle rubs its mouth to clear the mucous.

If you find that your turtle has many of these symptoms (they don’t have to have all the symptoms to have RI), start this treatment right away. Since cold blooded animals cannot produce fever to fight infection, this treatment simulates fever to help the turtle get well. Many vets are reluctant to treat turtles, especially hatchlings, for respiratory infection since the dosages are very difficult to determine, and antibiotics carry their own risks to turtle health. This treatment does not guarantee a cure every time, but it is a way to help your turtle fight off RI hopefully and return to a happy life.

                                    Treatment

1. Remove the basking dock from the tank. You want your turtle to be in the water for this entire treatment. The turtle is standing on the floor of the tank all the time. He is not swimming, but the water covers most of his shell.

2. Put the turtle in the tank preferably under the basking light, where the turtle can rest. The water should be very shallow, almost up to the top of the turtle shell/dome.The turtle should not be able to remove itself completely from the water, but he should be able to get his head/nose out of the water to comfortably breathe WITHOUT having to swim to keep the head out of the water. You can provide a "prop" (or several props) for your turtle to use if he is weak in order to keep his head out of the water so he doesn't drown. If the turtle is very weak, lower the water level so he won’t drown if he cannot keep his head out of the water. As the turtle gets stronger, raise the water level, but keep it more shallow or below the top of the shell so the turtle is resting on the bottom of the tank completely enclosed in water except for the top of the shell. The goal is for the turtle to stay in the water blanket all the time since he has no basking dock or large object in the tank to climb out of the water on. Keeping the turtle in the warm water helps fight the infection. It is like wearing a warm water blanket. This process avoids all drafts that could happen if the turtle were on the basking dock.

3. Raise the water temperature to 83.6 - 84.6 degrees F no hotter than this temp and no lower. With a preferred temperature of 84.6, the water acts as a "blanket", covering him and keeping him warmer than the basking dock can with drafts and air flow. Use a thermometer to check the temp. Don’t guess. And know t hat water in a smaller enclosure gets hot much quicker. You don’t want to give him stress from being too hot. Check the water temp frequently for his safety.

4. Keep the water clean. Change the water every  day at least a 50 % change. Do not use cold water when you are changing the water during this treatment. Draw water from the tap. Let it sit in the bucket/bowl for 24-48 hours to help get rid of chlorine compound or treat it with a dechlorinator such as SeaChem.. Put the water in direct sunlight to further remove compounds. When ready to place the new water in the tank, be sure the water temp in the bucket and in the tank are the same, about 84 degree F tank water. Use a thermometer. Do not add cold tap water as this rapid change of temperature can shock your turtle. But, keep in mind that adding 76 degree F water to 84 degree F water causes less of a change in temperature than adding 50 degree F water to 80 degree F does. Do not add water hotter than 86 degrees F!

5. Cover the top of your tank about 75% to create a humid environment and humid air to breathe as this will also help fight the infection. Use a regular bath towel to limit drafts and concentrate the humidity.

6. If there is a lot of mucous build up on your turtle or around its mouth, slightly raise your turtle out of the water and with your fingers gently clean the mouth and front arms to make sure when the turtle is cleaning itself it is not just giving itself back the mucous it wiped from its face.

7. Continue this treatment for 5-7 days until your turtle shows massive signs of improvement, including swimming quickly and evenly, eating regularly, and coming up to see you. Then replace the basking dock back into the tank. Uncover the top of the tank and slowly decrease the aquarium temperature until it reaches optimum temperature as recommended in the ATP care sheet by slowly moving the aquarium heater dial and checking the temperature every half an hour. Do not decrease the temperature too quickly.

8. Keep the water super, super clean to minimize the amount of bacteria in the water. And if the symptoms are not all gone, continue the treatment until symptom free. Monitor the turtles after the treatment is over to watch for any sign of RI. If it returns, then start the treatment again.

If all of these steps are followed and proper care is given in time, there is a very high chance of your turtle will not only survive but thrive. This procedure has saved about 3 out of 4 turtles and they have a better chance of a good recovery if they receive this treatment soon after you notice any symptoms. Professional vet care is also recommended along with this treatment plan. In the shallow water, turtles can and do turn over and have a hard time getting upright again, causing them to drown. But this is a risk that you must consider for your turtle as the warm water bath and the warm, moist air are two of the vital elements of this cure along with super clean water.

Again, you can take him to the vet. I'm leaving that as your decision. But vet care is not always 100% successful either with RI.

Please write with any questions. The sooner you get started on the treatment the better. Waiting just lets the RI get stronger.

Please let us know how it goes.

Best wishes.

How is the turtle?

Best wishes.