Be Kind To Pets, Vet case studies, Photography tips, Travel Stories: 3403. Two adult 16-year-old female red-eared sliders

Jan 21, 2019

Swimming lop-sided is a sign of serious lung disease or infections.
Early detection and treatment are important for survival.

LOP-SIDED
For the past 16 years, no respiratory infection problem. Vomited blood 5 years ago.
Diet: Vegetable, pellets and minced chicken meat as meat ball. Chicken makes up almost 90% of diet.

1. Onset: August 2018. Anorexia for 2 weeks.
1.1 Video sent to me of lop-sided onset
1.2 Images - Egg yolk and broken shells

2. Dec 22, 2018. Vomited blood but still eats.

3. . Anorexia. Consulted Vet 1. Soft-shelled carapace and plastron.
Vet 1 diagnosed constipation (X-rays). Advised to pour 2 cans of Campbell's V8 juice and 1 can of Cambell's Chicken broth into tank per day. "She swam and struggled to breathe," the owner said. The theory is that after struggling, the slider will drink the juice. "But the slider stood like a mummy with the head above the juice to breathe!"

Owner attempted syringe feed V8. Video sent. Gave up. Still anorexic. "Some 8 cans of V8 still in my house!"

4. Jan 18, 2019. Lop-sidedness for more than 1 month before second opinion in TPV.
5. One month as inpatient in TPV. Syringe fed pellets, Critical Care and multivit B and calcium 20 ml/day for 1 month.

5. Owner took back and syringe feed for 2 months. Fish tank heater for smaller one at 28 deg C.

Nov 7, 2018. Appetite returned after 2 months. Now eats better quality of minced raw chicken (Sakura brand). The meat is softer. 30% more expensive. More yellowish/pinkish,very smooth, makes more tasty soup for human consumption.

Around 5 balls per slider per day. Reject the usual chicken sold by NTUC supermarket. Rejects pellets. But owner syringe feeds 25 ml pellet for small one and 30 ml pellet juice for big one.

Feed 2 x.day.
After a hard day's work, tired but glad to see them appreciative of care.

OUTCOME
1. Smaller one does not move much. Eats less chicken balls.
2. Bigger one moves a lot and swim happily after changing to warm water.

Daytime before going to work. Heater from aquarium shop to warm up water to 28 deg C.
Night. Smaller one - dry towel

---------------------------------

X RAYS NINJA. 16-year-old female RES.
Aug 2018. Not eating for over 2 weeks.
Vet 1 took X-rays. Diagnosed constipation. Soft shelled carapace and plastron - broken egg shell and yolk seen earlier. Gave laxative, calcium and diagnosed constipation.

Came to Toa Payoh Vets for 2nd opinion.
Sep 27, 2018. X Rays taken at Toa Payoh Vets

Oct 2018 X-rays. Complaint of constipation

Ninja Consultations at Toa Payoh Vets
29.8.18 3 days. X rays
8.9.18
29.9.18 3 days. constipation. X-rays.
13.10.18 constipation. enema + laxative
27.10. 18. 10 days. Neurobion 1/2 tab per day.
3.11. 18 Constipation. fiberplex

7.11.18 RECOVERED APPETITE. Eats raw Sakura chicken ball. Reject pellets.
Video sent. Not as active as Ruby but eating on her own from Nov 7 2018 to date at Jan 28, 2019. Eats less than Ruby but eating. Owner is very happy. Owner believed that Neurobion was the medication causing return of appetite.

ANOREXIA Aug 2018 to Nov 2018. Around 3 months.

EGG BINDING
X RAYS RUBY. Four eggs laid within 1 hour after oxytocin and calcium injections.