3250. INTERN. A 16-year-old female red-eared slider swims lop-sided to the right.

HOOK

Swim lop-sided with the right side sinking
(Video)

History. Two siblings. The male is 30% larger and more solid build. This female had laid eggs some 6 months ago. The owner saw soft shells of eggs.  The other sibling is a male.

For over 2 months, this 16-year-old red-eared slider had stopped eating compared to her sibling. She was fed pellets and vegetables for the last 15 years. The owner fed chicken meat and vegetables for the first 6 months of this year but the slider became lethargic and ate little. She was unlike her sibling that is in good health, stopped eating.

Vet 1 diagnosed soft lower shell and prescribed 3 drops of oral calcium daily. The owner said that the slider suffered from swimming lop-sided to the right. X-rays by Vet 1 showed a radio-dense area, mainly on the right side of the body on the ventral part. Vet 1 diagnosed constipation and advised the owner to feed laxatives of fruit or vegetable juice.

The slider passed black stools in small amounts when she was inappetant for over 3 months. What is the problem?

EVIDENCE

X RAYS FROM VET 1
JUL 2,  2018showed radio-dense material on the right side of the body. The vet prescribed oral calcium syrup for the soft lower shell. Later, he prescribed laxative oil to treat the constipation as evident from the radio-dense white material seen on the right side. 

X RAYS FROM TOA PAYOH VETS
AUG 27,  2018
In-patient treatment at Toa Payoh Vets. One X-ray is taken.

Day1. Tongue swollen and inflamed

TREATMENT
Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and syringe-feeding 3x daily
Still swimming lop-sided (video from intern).



IN-PATIENT OBSERVATION

1. August 27, 2018    Yellowish liquid discharge and viscous later from the vent passed into the water. Likely to be uterine infections. The fluid from decomposed eggs and egg shell in the right uterine area resulted in a radio-dense material seen on the right side.  As the slider is not gasping for breath and able to drink water and spew out bubbles of water, the lungs are not infected.    

History from the owner. Vent discharge.
1.  August 11, 2018    The owner reported a stinking sticky yellowish watery discharge and had seen soft shelled eggs laid around 6 months ago.

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