Angina

How to drip the eyes of a red-eared slider. Eye diseases in turtles

Pets always make you happy and bring you a good mood. Except when they are sick.

A turtle breeder may also encounter a number of problems, one of which is the pet’s closed eyes.

Turtles, like any other animals, close their eyes when they rest and sleep. But it happens that the pet stops opening its eyes altogether, the eyelids swell, and the turtle’s activity decreases.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR EYES ARE CLOSED?

If your turtle suddenly stops behaving as before and spends all the time with his eyes closed, you need to start observing him to understand the cause of the symptom and take action.

The disease is not as terrible as the lack of treatment or a late reaction to the symptoms - most turtle owners wait until the last minute for everything to go away on its own. This should not be done under any circumstances - the turtle cannot control its condition and say when it feels bad, and diseases usually develop very quickly.

The first thing to do is make sure that the turtle is kept in good conditions. Perhaps the temperature has dropped and the animal is trying to hibernate, or the water is too dirty and microbes are multiplying in it. In any case, after the errors identified in care are eliminated, the disease can slow down significantly.

You need to closely monitor your sick pet.- how it moves, how it breathes, whether it eats, how much it sits on land and how much time it spends in water. Observations will help you find out the reason for the closed eyes, however, you should not extend this period for a long time - it is optimal to watch your pet’s behavior for about a day in order to begin treatment the next day.

Video: swimming with eyes closed

Possible reasons

Even under excellent living conditions, a pet can get sick. Eyes swell with conjunctivitis, pneumonia and may be accompanied by rhinitis. It is best to have the turtle examined by a specialist, however, not all cities can boast of veterinarians who know how to treat turtles.

Sometimes it happens that after expensive treatment in a veterinary hospital, a turtle not only does not recover, but becomes more ill. This is due to the use of strong drugs against turtle diseases - the same drugs are often used for them as for dogs and cats.

You can determine the cause and begin treatment yourself. It is possible to cure a turtle if the disease is noticed and identified at an early stage. If the turtle has been in this condition for a long time, and several of the listed reasons and signs are present at once, it is better to look for a truly trusted specialist and entrust the pet to him.

DISEASES AND TREATMENT

Conjunctivitis

Signs- one or both eyes close and swell, the mucous membrane may turn purple.

Treatment begins with transplanting the turtle from the aquarium into a separate basin without water. Conjunctivitis is often caused by bacteria and germs getting into the eyes.

It is necessary to drip sodium sulfacyl (albucid) into the eyes several times a day, preventing the turtle from retracting its head and avoiding treatment. Tetracycline ointment is also applied to the eyes. If the turtle's eyes fester, you need to carefully remove the pus with a blunt object, such as a toothpick or a cotton swab.

A sick pet will benefit from warm (warmer) ordinary water in an aquarium) baths with freshly brewed chamomile.

The aquarium needs to be washed and cleaned to get rid of germs and add new water. For final disinfection, it is advisable to drop a few drops of Mythelen blue into the water. You can return the turtle to the aquarium only after complete recovery.

Pneumonia

Closed eyes often accompany a turtle's cold.

Signs- lethargy of the pet, poor appetite, the turtle floats on the surface of the water and does not drown, but at the same time does not make any movements and seems to float, often unable to dive. May “cough” – make strange sounds with the mouth while sitting on dry land.

Treatment can be divided into medical and traditional methods.

In the first case, an examination by a veterinarian is required. The turtle will need to be weighed, and based on the weight (excluding the shell), intramuscular injections of the prescribed medication will be given. The difficulty of treatment lies in calculating the correct dose, since the slightest overdose leads to the death of the animal.

The traditional method of treatment does not pose any dangers, and in non-advanced stages of the disease it is very effective.

The turtle must be removed from the aquarium into a dry container. The room in which it is located must be warm, with dry air, without drafts.

The main medicine in this case is chamomile.. A strong decoction is brewed and two types of procedures are performed on the turtle - “inhalation” and bathing.

Inhalation is aimed at warming the lungs. You need to boil water in a saucepan, brew chamomile in it, and then carry out actions similar to regular cold inhalations. It is best to sit on the bed and place a stool next to it, with a pan of boiling water on it.

To concentrate the heat and prevent the heated air from dissipating throughout the room, you need to cover yourself with a blanket. You can hold the turtle in your hands, but it is even more effective to hold it directly above the pan, without burning it, at a distance of ten centimeters. To avoid the risk of dropping your pet into boiling water, you can place it in a sieve and cover it with something on top, even your palm, and prevent it from getting out.

During this procedure, the turtle breathes a hot chamomile infusion, which is very useful for inflamed lungs.

Bathing is done in the same chamomile decoction, cooled or diluted. The temperature of the broth should be higher than usual for the turtle, but not burn. The turtle should be left in the broth for about 20 minutes, after which it should be placed back in a basin without water.

Sore eyes with pneumonia must be treated in the same way as with conjunctivitis - by instilling albucid into the eyes and applying tetracycline ointment. Chamomile will also treat sore eyes - as an antibacterial agent.

Rhinitis

Turtles also have a runny nose. Most often, due to inflammation of the nose, the eyes become swollen and fester.

Signs- nasal discharge, “sneezing” and squeaking when the turtle breathes.

Treatment is mainly carried out with antibiotics, however, a dry regime (in a basin without water) and chamomile baths can also help here. The main thing is that the turtle is not cold.

With any disease, the main thing is to determine the cause as quickly as possible and begin treatment. It is possible to cure a turtle at home, the main thing is to do it and devote all possible free time to your pet.

And contrary to popular belief, chamomile is an excellent remedy and medicine. If the treatment does not help within two to three days and no improvement is observed, then you should consult a doctor.

If you have questions, leave them below - we will definitely answer you!

Most often, swollen eyes are caused by the following factors:

monotonous food;
keeping an animal in dirty water;
hypothermia;
too bright lighting;
no ultraviolet lamp.

Avitaminosis

If the problem is caused by a lack of vitamin A, then, in addition to swelling of the eyes, peeling of the skin is clearly visible. Also, a cheesy coating may form on the tongue, emitting an unpleasant odor, and trophic ulcers may appear on the skin.

Conjunctivitis

The causative agents of this infectious disease inflammatory in nature Streptococci and staphylococci serve. Allergies or poor living conditions can trigger the disease. The inflammation usually affects one eye, but can spread to the other. In a sick animal, the conjunctiva turns red, the eyelids swell, a white purulent coating appears, and the eyes water. If left untreated, the temperature rises, coordination of movements is impaired, and appetite disappears.

Panophthalmitis

The disease is caused by pathogenic bacteria that penetrate under the cornea. In this case, all fabrics eyeball are affected by a purulent infection. The animal's lower eyelid swells and swells, and the eyeball becomes cloudy. In the absence necessary treatment the pet may lose vision.

Blepharoconjunctivitis

The main cause of the disease is a lack of vitamin A. A substance similar to pus accumulates in the animal’s conjunctival sac, and the nictitating membrane swells, causing the eye to be closed. The turtle does not touch food, which leads to exhaustion of the body.

The disease is infectious in origin and always affects both eyes. Most often it develops due to hypothermia or after winter sleep. The turtle's eyelids swell and yellowish-white pus accumulates in the lower part of the eye. The animal stops eating and becomes exhausted.

Pneumonia

If a turtle is kept at low temperatures, hypothermia can cause pneumonia. The animal begins to sneeze and cough, makes wheezing or whistling sounds when breathing, and becomes short of breath. Foam flows from the pet's nose and mouth, the nasal openings become clogged with pus, and the eyes become swollen. The turtle becomes inactive, floats on the surface of the water, and refuses to eat. If the necessary measures are not taken, she will die.

When a turtle has a cold, it sneezes and often opens its mouth. Her eyes become swollen and festered, mucus flows from her nose, and her breathing becomes noisy.

Due to vitamin D deficiency, the turtle's skeleton becomes soft and deformed. If treatment is not started, the eyes become red and swollen.

The most common eye disease in turtles is conjunctivitis, in which not only the eyes become swollen, but also a white purulent coating appears due to the inflammatory process. In some cases, the eyes may not open or take on an uncharacteristic purple color. Conjunctivitis occurs when streptococci or staphylococci come into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes.

This disease is of an infectious nature and often occurs due to unbalanced diet with a low content of microelements, vitamins, as well as when keeping the red-eared turtle in stagnant, too dirty water. If the animal is not treated, its appetite will gradually decrease, coordination of movements will be impaired, and the temperature will rise.

Another eye disease that causes the eyes to swell is panophthalmitis. An inflammatory process occurs in the eyeball due to infection. First, the lower eyelids are affected, then clouding of the lenses occurs. The disease often leads to blindness in amphibians.

Also, a reptile's eyes may swell if there is insufficient quantity of carrots, egg yolks, dairy products, liver and other carotene-intensive foods in the diet.

With a lack of ultraviolet radiation, low water or environmental temperatures, inflammatory processes can also begin, leading to eye diseases and manifested by their swelling.

If a turtle has watery eyes and swollen eyelids, this means that there is a lack of vitamin A in its body. At the same time, eye disease can develop in two stages: the first stage is a lack of vitamin A, and the second stage is complications caused by this disadvantage.
A turtle's eyes may become swollen due to exposure to bright light.
Damage to a turtle's eyes due to an infection of bacterial origin.

When examining the animal, you should also pay attention to the condition of the pet’s skin. If areas of peeling skin are found, this indicates a lack of vitamin A. If such traces are not visible, then the eye disease is associated with an infection in the eyes. In this case, you should start making the terrarium absolutely clean. To do this, you need to clean the stones, replace the soil, wash the feeder and walls, etc.

If the eye disease is associated with an infection, then it is better not to self-medicate, but to consult a specialist. If going to a specialist is difficult, then at least by phone you should try to get useful information.

In fact, if a turtle's eye is swollen, this may be the result of both various diseases and improper maintenance. Most often, this is caused by a whole range of mistakes: an incorrectly formulated diet (the food contains too little vitamin A), irregular cleaning of the terrarium, muddy water in which harmful microorganisms actively multiply.

Also, if your red-eared slider's eyes are swollen, it can be assumed that this was due to the low temperature in the terrarium. Still, all reptiles, much more than warm-blooded ones, depend on external conditions environment.

Finally, puffy eyes may occur if the turtle has not received enough ultraviolet radiation.

Symptoms and causes of eye diseases in red-eared turtles

Diseases that cause swelling and redness of the eyes of a land turtle include blepharitis and blepharoconjunctivitis. With these ailments, the animal's orbital glands become blocked, causing the eyelids to become very swollen and not open.

Symptoms of eye inflammation include the following conditions:

pus accumulates in the conjunctival sac;
the turtle does not open its eyes due to severe swelling of the eyelids;
The lenses of your pet's eyes become cloudy, and a white coating is visible on the eyeballs.

The main factor provoking inflammation is vitamin A deficiency, which results in the following symptoms:

difficulty breathing;
peeling of the skin;
prolapse of the cloaca.

A sick turtle is lethargic and the coordination of its movements is impaired. The animal constantly sleeps, does not eat the food offered, and its body temperature rises.

Main symptoms for eye problems:

the mucous membrane of the eyes is red;

swollen eyelids;

white coating on the eyeballs;

eyes are closed or completely closed;

corneal clouding;

difficulty moving the eyeball.

Associated symptoms: poor coordination of movements, weakness, poor appetite, high fever.

The most common diagnosis made in the presence of the above symptoms is conjunctivitis. This disease is caused by staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria.

Reason infectious disease there may be either poor conditions of detention or Not proper nutrition.

If a red-eared turtle's eyes are swollen, this may also be a consequence of vitamin deficiency or keeping the amphibian in dirty, stagnant water.

Another turtle eye disease is panophthalmitis. This is a deep purulent inflammation of the tissues of the eyeball. The infection first affects the lower eyelid. Then clouding of the eye occurs. Lack of treatment in in this case inevitably leads the turtle to blindness.

Treatment

First of all, you need to make sure that the living conditions of the animal correspond to the norm. If a sick turtle lives in the same terrarium with its other inhabitants, the pet must be isolated. The disease caused by vitamin deficiency is treated with injections of vitamin A. The drug Eleovit is used as a multivitamin complex (the dosage is 0.6 ml of medication per 1 kg of pet weight).

Rinsing the eyes with Ringer's solution or boric acid will help clear the eyes of the accumulation of pus. A steep infusion of chamomile is also suitable for these purposes. If severe inflammation and swelling of the eyelids are observed, the pet is prescribed antibiotic-based ointments and drops:

Sofradex;
Ciprofloxacin;
Tsiprovet.

If an animal constantly scratches its swollen eyelids due to itching, they should be treated with Hydrocortisone, a potent hormonal ointment. Therapy for eye diseases in turtles usually lasts 7 days. During this time, the animal should open its eyes, since a properly selected treatment regimen helps eliminate swelling and inflammation.

To enhance the effectiveness of therapy, your pet’s diet must be enriched with plant foods:

cucumber slices;
cabbage;
river algae;
watermelon rinds;
dandelion leaves.

Regular cleaning of the terrarium (aquarium) will help to avoid blepharitis in reptiles. balanced diet and prevention of vitamin A deficiency at home.

In most cases, the cause of swollen eyes is unsanitary conditions. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to move the reptile to clean water, and her home should be well disinfected. You should also diversify your pet’s diet, provide heating and exposure to ultraviolet light.

Eye drops will help improve the condition of the turtle: Albucid, Tsiprovet, Sofradex, Topradex. In this case, plaque is first removed using chamomile decoction or a weak solution of boric acid. In the initial stages of the disease, tetracycline ointment will help. If curd or purulent nitrous is present, the eyes are washed with Ringer's saline solution. If your pet scratches its swollen eyes, they should be treated with hydrocortisone ointment at night.

But in any case, you need to contact a veterinarian. Many diseases can only be cured with antibiotics. Otherwise, the pet will die.

First of all, make sure that you are properly caring for your pet. Have you provided him with maximum comfort, close to his natural habitat?

Then the reptile must be separated from other turtles living with it for the entire period of treatment. Place the animal in an aquarium with warm water (temperature 27-28 degrees).

If the disease is caused by a lack of vitamins in the diet (vitaminosis), then the specialist will prescribe intramuscular injections of vitamin A to the reptile. The course of treatment and dosage depends on the severity of the disease. You will also need to wash the turtle's eyes with a solution of boric acid two to three times a day.

In more severe cases, antibiotic eye ointments are prescribed. During the period of treatment, it is necessary to enrich the pet’s diet with plant foods, despite the fact that these reptiles are predators by nature. The reptile will happily feast on hornworts or duckweed, which can be grown independently in aquaterrariums. These animals also like lettuce, dandelion, clover leaves, watermelon rinds, and cucumber slices.

For infectious eye diseases, treatment with sulfonamides and antibiotics is prescribed. In addition, eye drops are instilled twice a day: Sofradex, Albucid, Tsipromed, Tsiprovet, Tobradex. With the eyes closed, you need to carefully lift the turtle's lower eyelids and drop drops into the eyes.

In case of severe illness, when the red-eared turtle cannot open its eyes, it will not be able to feed on its own. Owners need to be patient and feed their pet using a pipette.

Enrich your pet's diet with seaweed, seaweed, and seafood. Aquarium clams are especially useful for reptiles.

You may need to undergo a course of vitamin treatment, as recommended by your veterinarian.

Don’t forget the simple, well-known truth: “Any disease is easier to prevent than to treat.” To prevent your red-eared turtle's eyes from becoming swollen, follow simple, simple rules: timely cleaning of the habitat, balanced nutrition, proper temperature conditions. And, of course, your attention, care and careful attitude. And then you will not encounter unpleasant situations. Health and long life to your pets!

Subject to availability purulent discharge You should wash your eyes. To do this, you can use a regular syringe without a needle. Ringer's saline solution is used as an eye wash.
To support the turtle's body, vitamin cocktails should be injected. Similar drugs in ampoules can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy. One injection may last for 2 weeks, after which, if necessary, the procedure can be repeated.
You can instill Tsiprovet drops into the lower eyelid area. They can also be purchased at any veterinary pharmacy.
If the animal begins to scratch its swollen eyelids, then you need to smear them with Hydrocortisone ointment and this should be done at night.

In order for your pet to develop and grow without such problems, you should constantly monitor its diet, temperature conditions and cleanliness within the pet’s habitat. Only this approach will protect the land turtle from various diseases.

First of all, the animal must be placed in clean water, since it is the polluted environment that often causes eye diseases in turtles.

Drug treatment consists of the use of drops and antibiotics.

One of the drugs (“Sofradex”, “Tsiprolet”, “Albucid”, “Tobradex”) is instilled into the pet’s eyes 2 times a day. If the eyelids are tightly closed, then the lower one must be carefully pulled back. The course lasts 5-10 days, depending on the condition of the turtle.

Panophthalmitis is treated with antibiotics. A course of these medications must be prescribed by a veterinarian, since self-medication with such medications, which are difficult for the turtle, usually leads to death.

In severe cases, the eyeball is removed.

Treatment of eye disease red eared turtles It is recommended to accompany the intake of veterinary multivitamin complexes: “Intravit”, “Multivit”, “Eleovit”. When purchasing, be sure to read the composition of the drug. It should not contain vitamin D2 as it is poisonous to turtles. Vitamins, on the recommendation of a doctor, can be administered by injection.

As additional measures to alleviate the condition of the red-eared turtle, use a decoction of chamomile and a solution of boric acid. Moisten a cotton swab with it and remove plaque from your eyes.

For mild forms of the disease, tetracycline ointment is used externally.

Prevention

Alas, in most cases, all the diseases listed above are to blame for an insufficiently attentive owner. If you take a turtle into your home, try to provide it with the most comfortable living conditions.

First of all, this is, of course, hygiene. The terrarium needs to be cleaned regularly. When turtle scraps and feces get into the water, various bacteria can develop in it, representing serious danger for both reptiles and humans. Therefore, you need to ensure that food is eaten and leftovers are removed.

Also, do not forget about the temperature. If a red-eared turtle's eyes are swollen and do not open, there is a high probability that she caught a cold because of the cold. 24-27 degrees seems to you to be quite a sufficient temperature. But such conditions are completely unsuitable for a cold-blooded reptile. She was used to living in a much warmer climate.

Therefore, make sure to install a lamp of suitable power in the terrarium - you can purchase it at any pet store. Don’t forget about a thermometer to monitor your temperature – overheating is no less dangerous than hypothermia.

Finally, it is very important to properly formulate the diet for your red-eared slider. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Diet

When dealing with eye diseases, proper nutrition is very important for red-eared turtles. So, the menu must contain foods containing vitamin A, which is beneficial for vision, for example, carrots. Give your pet liver once a week. The main food is seafood. Focus on plant foods, especially if the turtle is already an adult: cabbage, lettuce, seaweed, seaweed.

Since a sick animal may lose vision or be unable to open its eyes due to purulent discharge, it is difficult for it to independently find food in the aquarium. Then the owner will have to feed the pet from a pipette.

If several turtles live in one aquarium, it is better to temporarily isolate the patient.

A sick animal requires not only good treatment, but also proper and balanced nutrition. Red-eared turtles, unfortunately, do not secrete saliva, so water helps them swallow all their food. This feature of turtles will help keep the aquarium clean longer if you feed them in a separate bowl of water. Even if you feed her on land, she will pull food into the water.

Turtles whose shell size is up to 10 cm are fed every day, from 11 cm to 18 cm every 48 hours, if the shell size is more than 18 cm, it is almost an adult turtle; its feeding schedule should be 3-4 times every 10 days. The most nutritious food for turtles is freshwater fish such as perch, crucian carp, sea fish, for example, saffron cod, hake, cod, blue whiting; shelled shrimp and snails are also useful.

The diet should include greens - these are lettuce, dandelion and plantain leaves, as well as algae. Additionally, you can give strawberries, zucchini, cucumber, and apple. Chicken or beef liver can be given once every 10 days. There are also special foods that contain essential vitamins and minerals. If you don’t eat food, you need to add calcium to your turtle’s food to correct height and shell formation. Frozen food can be purchased, or you can make it yourself. It should include:

Fish 150 gr.
Shrimp 100 gr.
Vegetables 50 gr.
Fruits 50 gr.
Egg 1-2 pcs.
Water 200 ml.
Gelatin 1 pack.
Vitamins “Tetravit” 30 drops.

Grind everything in a meat grinder, add eggs, water and vitamins. Pre-soak the gelatin in warm water, and then bring it to the desired state in a water bath. Mix everything and put it in the refrigerator. The resulting volume should be enough for 10-12 servings.

By accepting an animal into your home, you become responsible for it. In case something goes wrong, don't panic! Do not make a diagnosis yourself, and especially do not self-medicate. Contact a specialist who will prescribe your pet full treatment. And under your careful supervision and proper care, your animal will get stronger and will delight you for a long time.

Many people choose red-eared turtles as pets because of their low maintenance nature. In nature, they have fairly good health, but at home they require close attention. From poor care and poor nutrition, red-eared turtles can develop various eye diseases. How to treat them?

Instructions

1. Panophthalmitis - inflammation of the membranes eyes, which occurs due to penetration of pathogenic bacteria under the cornea. At the first stage of the disease, only the lower eyelid of the animal is affected, after which clouding of the eye occurs. If this disease is not treated, the eye can go blind. Antibiotic ointments and eye drops are used to treat panophthalmitis.

2. Swelling of the eyelids in red-eared turtles can occur as a result of a lack of vitamin A or due to grimy water. Swelling can be unilateral or bilateral, complete or incomplete. This disease causes severe discomfort in the animal; the turtle can often rub its eyes, which only worsens their condition. Before starting treatment, you should rinse the terrarium and change the water. The animal's eyes must be washed with a 3% solution of boric acid or chamomile decoction 2 times a day and eye drops, say, albucid, should be instilled. In severe cases, tetracycline ointment can be used.

3. Conjunctivitis appears in red-eared turtles due to streptococcal and staphylococcal infections. In this case, the animal’s conjunctival sacs and eyelids become inflamed. Conjunctivitis is treated with ointments containing chloramphenicol or tetracycline. For severe inflammation, antibiotics are prescribed orally.

4. For any eye disease, a turtle needs to take multivitamin supplements. The best option is veterinary “Eleovit”. It is also allowed to give “Intravit” and “Multivit”. Other vitamin complexes are not suitable because they contain vitamin D2, which is poisonous to turtles. Do not forget to feed your pet with the help of tweezers - eye diseases often make the turtle virtually blind, and it cannot detect food.

Your pets make you happy every day. And how sad it becomes when you see that your beloved turtle is sick. Quite often it happens that there is no chance of contacting a veterinarian. In such cases, great advice from those who have already encountered this problem comes to the rescue.

Instructions

1. What to do if your turtle has stomatitis. It is impossible not to notice the signs of this disease. Every time an animal wants to eat, it cannot do this, because the oral cavity is covered with white spots, which quickly become ulcers. The sooner you start treatment, the less your pet will suffer.

2. In veterinary pharmacies there is a drug called “dentavedin”, it needs to be poured into the turtle’s mouth 2 times a day. This is difficult to do, the animal’s jaws are powerful and it is not easy to open them. To pour in the medicine you will need a tight wooden spatula. Carefully insert it between the jaws, open the mouth slightly and pour in the suspension. To prevent the disease from developing, it is advisable to give an antibiotic injection. Amoxicillin 15% for veterinary use, once every 2 days, 1 cube per 1 kg of weight, in an insulin syringe. You need to inject into the muscle of the hind leg, it is not difficult. If after the first injection the condition has improved significantly, then the 2nd injection is not necessary.

3. And one more quite frequent and unpleasant case. If your turtle took a walk in the yard and later spots with a pinkish tint began to appear on its skin, which after a couple of days become wounds, do not rush to get scared. The main thing is not to start the disease. Immediately need to be lubricated with hydrocartisone or tetracycline. If the turtle is aquatic, then a decoction of chamomile or calendula should be added to the water. Don't forget about positive care and nutrition.

Video on the topic

Pay attention!
How to treat colds in turtles? The most common illness in red-eared turtles is pneumonia or a cold. Signs of illness are a runny nose, which causes turtles to open their mouths wide to breathe. Air accumulates in the lungs, and turtles cannot dive. If the disease is not detected and treated in a timely manner, the turtles die after about two weeks.

Useful advice
When to treat a land turtle? It is safe to say that if your animal lives on the floor or in a cold terrarium without a source of ultraviolet light, then you should show it to an expert. It is useful to familiarize yourself with the recommendations for contents and feeding land turtles, and if you find important errors, you also need to take the turtle to the veterinary clinic.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most widely known virus in the world. According to statistics, at least 80% of earthlings wear this infection in yourself. While a person’s immunity is in order, the virus is suppressed and does not activate. The slightest failure of the body’s immune defenses – papillomavirus infection begins to multiply at lightning speed. The virus lives in skin cells and mucous membranes. Manifests itself in the form of warts, papillomas, condylomas.

You will need

To treat papillomavirus infection, prepare the following components:
– celandine;
- burdock.

Instructions

1. In the fight against human papillomavirus official medicine offers drugs of the interferon series, cytotoxic action: podophyllotoxin, panavir, genferon, kipferon, viferon.

2. To successfully combat papillomas, traditional medicine recommends cauterizing them with celandine extract and taking celandine infusion orally. Twist fresh flowering celandine with roots and squeeze out the juice. Mix celandine juice with vodka in a 1:1 ratio. Apply this solution to the areas of papillomas 2-3 times a day.

3. At the same time as cauterization of papillomas, take the infusion of celandine orally. Take a sprig of raw celandine or 1 teaspoon of dry celandine and brew it with a glass of boiling water. Leave to infuse in a warm place for 40 minutes. Take 30 ml 4-5 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

4. For effective treatment the body from papillomavirus infection, traditional medicine offers healing of the body with infusions and juice of burdock. Prepare juice from burdock leaves by twisting them in a meat grinder and squeezing the raw material through 2 layers of gauze. Mix the resulting juice with sugar in a 1:1 ratio and add alcohol in a ratio of 8-10% of the volume of juice and sugar. Store the composition in the refrigerator. Take a tablespoon 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment is 3 months.

Video on the topic

Pay attention!
You should know that some HPVs are viruses of high oncogenic risk, that is, they provoke the formation of cancer, exclusively of the cervix, rectum, anus, and oral mucosa.

Edema eye may arise due to serious illnesses or in absolutely healthy people with eating disorders and excessive consumption of certain foods. They can also be treated in different ways, depending on the occasion.

You will need

-full examination of all organs
- flax seed
- diet
-renal fees
-refusal of alcohol
-ice cubes
-tea bags
-eyelid massage

Instructions

1. Edema may occur with age and indicate the presence of kidney disease, vascular disease, or lymph stagnation. To treat edema, you should contact an expert and undergo a full course of examination.

2. For swelling associated with lymph stagnation, you can use several methods. To stop the stagnation, you can massage the swelling with your fingers, but not firmly. If swelling needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible, then the skin around eye you need to wipe it with slices of ice or apply a compress from tea bags, which are first brewed.

3. A decoction of flax seeds helps reduce swelling. You can take it for a long time with short breaks. This decoction helps to normalize general metabolism and removes everything unnecessary from the body.

4. Diuretic drugs are wonderful for edema, but they can only be taken on the recommendation of a doctor. At home, you should use decoctions from the kidney collection, which are available in a wide range in pharmacies.

5. To get rid of edema, you can use a diet without salt. Also, swelling can go away if you get enough sleep, don’t eat at night, and even more so, don’t drink alcoholic beverages.

6. If after following a low-salt diet and other methods described above, swelling does not go away or occurs very often, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Because physiological swelling not associated with serious illnesses goes away independently or with the help of home methods. Edema The resulting diseases cannot go away on their own until the main cause of their origin is eliminated.

Probably, every person who acquires a pet inevitably wants to know whether a “boy” or “girl” will settle in his home, and the red-eared turtles– is no exception. How to distinguish a male red-eared turtles from a female? Vos use our advice.

Instructions

1. Before turtles reach sexual maturity, which occurs at the age of 6-8 years, it is quite difficult for a novice naturalist to figure out who is who. This is clear: determining the sex of “red-eared cats” is based on extremely vague signs, which can vary both between sexes and from individual to individual.

2. Be guided by the tail. Males' tail is quite long, thick at the base. Females have a shorter tail due to the fact that the oviduct is located in it. The cloaca of females is located on the tail at the very edge of the carapace (the upper side of the shell). The cloaca of males is located invisibly further along the tail.

3. Evaluate the plastronThe plastron is the ventral side of the shell turtles. In males it is concave, this is explained by the need for the male to stay on the female’s shell during mating. Females have a more flat plastron.

4. Monitor behavior Males behave more energetically than females. Sometimes it is possible to notice signs of aggression in the behavior of males, which representatives of the fairer sex actually never allow themselves to do.

5. Compare the distance between the top and bottom surface shell in various individuals Since females are adapted by nature for laying eggs, the posterior edge of the plastron and the corners of the carapace form a hole in them, the diameter of which is larger than that of males.

6. Take a closer look at the muzzle. Experts assure that the muzzles of males are more pointed than those of females.

7. As for determining the sex of mature turtles, it is quite easy to identify it by the length of its claws and body size. Females are noticeably larger than males. At the same time, males “grow” long claws on their front paws, which “charming ladies” never have. However, be careful: this secondary sexual sign can be nullified by continuous grinding against the surface of the “land” in the terrarium, only if the “land” has a scratching surface.

Useful advice
If at first it is quite difficult to understand where the “boy” is and where the “girl” is, do not despair: when you gain skill in identifying red-eared turtles, take a closer look at them; determining their gender will not be difficult for you even using such comparative signs.

With age, the skin begins to fade. This process has an extremely powerful effect on the skin of the face. Often the muscles in the eyelid area lose their elasticity and sag, resembling bag-like folds. Get rid of bags under eyes difficult at home. This will require all your patience. But the efforts spent will not be in vain.

Instructions

1. Prepare an infusion of one teaspoon of sage and half a glass of boiling water. Close the lid and leave for 30 minutes. Cool half of the broth, and heat the other half. After this, alternately wet the tampons in cold and hot broth and apply each tampon to your eyes for ten minutes. Do this procedure every other day in the evenings. Later in the procedure, lubricate the skin with eyes special eye cream. Improvement will occur in about a month.

2. Boil a tablespoon of mint over low heat for ten minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature. Soak cotton swabs with the resulting decoction and apply them to the bags under eyes. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times in a row every day.

3. For eye lotions, use parsley infusion. To do this, pour a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley into a glass of boiling water and leave for about two hours. Soak a gauze pad in the strained broth and apply to your eyes for 3-5 minutes.

4. Use compresses made from linden, dark tea, chamomile flowers or sea salt solution.

5. Grate raw potatoes on a fine grater. Apply it to cotton swabs or a sterile napkin and apply to the bags for a quarter of an hour. After you remove the mask, apply a special cream to your eyelids. After this, after a quarter of an hour, clean the skin of excess cream with cotton wool soaked in freshly brewed but cold tea.

6. By the way, tea is an amazing remedy for reducing bags under eyes. Use freshly brewed strong tea for compresses. Apply the compress for 10-15 minutes. Later, apply cotton swabs soaked in water to your eyes. cold water. After 5 minutes, apply nourishing cream to the areas where the bags form.

7. Grate a fresh cucumber and apply the paste on bags under eyes for 10-15 minutes. Also use freshly squeezed cucumber juice for lotions.

Puffy eyelids and bags under the eyes obviously do not make a woman’s face look good. In addition, they can signal the emergence of problems with health, the need urgent treatment. Therefore, you should not wait for it to “go away on its own.” Having found out the reason, you will be able to quickly restore your former attractiveness.

Instructions

1. Swelling of the eyelids can be caused by innate structural features of the eye. Let's say too much thin membrane, located between the skin of the eyelids and subcutaneous tissue. With age, it becomes even thinner, therefore, any malaise or stress can “decorate” the eyelids with swelling: tea liquid is retained in the fiber, which is no longer actually separated from the skin of the eyelids. Bottom line: avoid stress, take care of your health, this will protect you from swelling of the eyelids.

2. Swollen eyelids can also be a sign of certain diseases, for example, conjunctivitis, a runny nose or a cold. Inflammatory processes lead to stretching of blood vessels, and consequently swelling. Soothing, antibacterial or antiviral drops, which contain substances that constrict blood vessels, will help get rid of them. However, first of all, it is worth consulting with a doctor about the treatment of the underlying disease; on the contrary, no measures aimed at eliminating eyelid swelling will give the desired result.

3. If you are relatively healthy, however, your eyelids suddenly swell, then you should exclude the possibility of an allergic reaction. Start using face creams, facial washes, and decorative cosmetics with caution. Having noticed the first signs of swelling, put aside the new product. If the condition of the eyelids and skin around the eyes improves later, then it is worth looking for a hypoallergenic analogue, made specifically for emotional skin.

4. In addition, swelling of the eyelids can be a consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle. Lack of sleep, smoking, excessive consumption of fried and salty foods, as well as large amounts of liquid are immediately reflected on the face. There is only one way out: good sleep, a balanced diet and abandonment of harmful habits.

5. If swelling of the eyelids is just a cosmetic problem, then a number of salon procedures will help you cope with it. So, manual lymphatic drainage massage of the temples and the area around the eyes, coupled with special gymnastics for the eyes, will help relieve small swelling. If the swelling is quite severe, then you can get rid of it with the help of electrical stimulation, mesotherapy or dermotony. All these procedures improve cellular metabolism and restore blood microcirculation and lymph exchange.

Eye diseases are not uncommon for kittens. Often they can indicate the development of a serious illness. If there are no other signs, then it is necessary to treat eyes your furry pet.

Instructions

1. If your kitten is watery eyes, but the discharge is transparent, eyes not red and not swollen, the purr does not have a fever, he does not vomit, he does not cough or sneeze, activity and appetite are not reduced, then it is acceptable that the reason for his watery eyes is worms. Give your pet deworming medication and monitor him. If one or more of the above signs are present, the kitten is progressing serious illness, take him to the vet.

2. If the discharge from the eyes of a furry baby is abundant, white-yellow in color, there is doubt about conjunctivitis. Rinse eyes small purr with chamomile decoction and put 1% tetracycline eye ointment behind the lower eyelid 2-3 times a day. For red-chestnut discharge from the eyes, use “Tsipromed” or “Tsiprobid” drops to wash the eyes, 1 drop, 2 times a day, for a week. A universal medicine for all inflammatory diseases is homeopathic remedies– “Aconite”, “Belladonna”, “Bryonia”. Let's get them kitten 2 pcs inside x 2 times a day.

3. If pus is discharged from your pet's eyes, wash them with calendula tincture - 5 drops per tablespoon of water. Use homeopathic remedies until you find one that works best for each one. kitten. They are definitely harmless. But, perhaps, Vitafel alone will be enough for treatment. Apply it strictly according to the instructions. If your pet is teary eyes and the fur around them dries out, give him chloramphenicol drops 1-2 drops x 3 times a day.

4. If eyes injured, take the kitten to the vet immediately. Before the veterinarian, if your eyes bleed, rinse them and the conjunctiva with a solution of furatsilin (1 tablet per glass of boiled water). Or drop it into eyes fluffy drops with antibiotics. When appearing in the corner eyes red swelling, use antibiotic drops before going to the doctor. This is a prolapse of the Harder gland, therefore, the faster the veterinarian corrects the gland, the greater the likelihood of successful treatment.

Pay attention!
Do not self-medicate; in any case, it is better to take the kitten to the veterinarian.

You will need

– antiseptics;
– solution of bicarbonate of soda;
– Vaseline oil;
– yellow mercury oxide ointment;
– iodoform ointment or penicillin;
– boric acid;
– zinc sulfate solution 0.5%;
– adrenaline;
– furatsilin;
– antibiotics.

Instructions

1. Wounds on the eyelids of animals can be punctured, cut, superficial or penetrating. In this case, the edge of the eyelid itself, the scar or eyelashes mechanically irritate the cornea and conjunctiva, causing inflammation and ulceration of the cornea. Such wounds are subjected to surgical treatment using antiseptic agents, and stitches are applied. When applying sutures, you should try to restore the eyelid positively, this way you will avoid inversion or eversion.

2. Blepharitis can be caused by a variety of reasons: irritation of the eyelids by thermal, mechanical and chemical influences, as well as complications of bruises and wounds. Predisposing factors: animal exhaustion, metabolic disorders, vitamin deficiency. Crusts or scales may form at the base of the eyelashes, and lacrimation is monitored. Soften the crusts with lotions from a warm solution of bicarbonate of soda 1% and vaseline oil. Twice a day, lubricate the edges of the eyelids with yellow mercuric oxide ointment 2%, iodoform or penicillin ointment. In advanced cases, the eyelids are treated with an alcohol solution of 1% brilliant green.

3. Acute catarrhal conjunctivitis is accompanied by itching, swelling of the conjunctiva, severe redness, and mucous discharge from the inner corner of the eye. When palpating the eyes and eyelids, there is pain. Cold packs are used to treat this disease. Rinse the conjunctival sac with a 3% boric acid solution. Use drops of 0.5% zinc sulfate solution as an astringent. In case of severe hyperemia, add adrenaline to zinc sulfate (one drop per milliliter).

4. Keratitis - inflammation of the cornea occurs in virtually all animals. The disease can be superficial and deep. The cause may be injuries, blows or a foreign body, exposure to low and high temperatures, as well as infectious diseases. First, the cause of the disease must be eliminated. Rinse the cornea with a solution of 3% boric acid or furatsilin. After this, place furacilin, xeroform, iodoform or yellow mercury ointment behind the eyelids. Heat is prescribed in the form of compresses, as well as irradiation with Minin or Solyaux lamps. When the disease is purulent, antibiotics and sulfonamides are prescribed.

Active and playful kittens often suffer from various diseases eye. They can damage them during play or introduce infection into them. Veterinarians have noticed that recently cases of viral and allergic diseases have become more frequent. Whatever the reason for the illness, it is better to immediately show the animal to an expert, but even if there is no such probability, the kitten’s eyes must be treated strictly.

You will need

– Drops “Bars”;
– antihistamine drug “Parasicide”;
– chamomile infusion;
– eye drops “Tobradex”, “Tsiprovet”, “Iris”.

Instructions

1. If you notice that there is mucus coming out of the kitten's eyes, it is definitely a small amount. You should be alerted to copious, continuous lacrimation; it is characteristic mark onset of the disease. This is not strictly an eye disease, perhaps, say, rhinotracheitis; such signs can also be caused by an internal infection. Before he is examined by a veterinarian, drop Bars drops into his eyes; they are used to wash the eyes for injuries, for the treatment and prevention of conjunctivitis, keratitis and blepharitis.

2. If, later than sleep, a kitten develops dark chestnut-colored crusts on the eyelids at the edges of the eyes, this sign may be a sign of the presence of worms, which can be treated with “Parasicide” (for kittens in the form of a suspension). During treatment, he is allowed to wash his eyes with the help of a pipette with chamomile infusion or sleeping tea. Control your kitten's appetite and toilet.

3. The most common eye disease in kittens is conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the inner lining of the eyelid. It can be caused by mechanical injuries and many infectious diseases, including panleukopenia (distemper). Determine the cause by the nature of the discharge from the eyes. Pathogenic bacteria will cause purulent discharge, serous bacteria will often result from a viral infection, and mucous bacteria will cause allergic conjunctivitis.

4. Purulent discharge and souring of the eyes, caused by clogging and lack of hygiene, characteristic of stray animals, can be cured with Tobradex eye drops, rinsing with chamomile tincture or furatsilin. Tetracycline ointment gives a great result, but before you apply it, strictly wash the animal’s eyes, removing the discharge with a sterile bandage.

5. In severe cases, when a kitten has septic ulcers of the cornea, ulcers on the eyelids, other clearly defined infections of the anterior segment of the eye, as well as severe damage and trauma to the eyeball and adjacent tissues, “Iris” drops will come to your aid. Corneal ulcers and severe cases acute conjunctivitis You can also treat it with the help of Ciprovet eye drops, but in similar conditions it is better to seek help from a veterinarian.

Useful advice
Mucus discharge from your kitten's eyes can be caused by an allergic reaction to the food. If you previously introduced new baits into his diet, exclude them for a while to make sure that they were the reason for the “sour” eyes.

Legends are made about the ability of some animals to treat diseases in people. Since ancient times, it has been believed that cats calm the nervous system and treat various diseases. However, not only these pets can have a miraculous effect.

Instructions

1. Indeed, cats have been studied by scientists of all times for many centuries. Researchers at the University of Animal Communication, for example, have come to the conclusion that the “rumbling” of furry pets can even strengthen human bones with regular contact. In addition, cats relieve headaches, normalize heart function, and have a strengthening effect on the human immune system. At mental illness these beasts are the best experts for treatment. Become the best doctors These animals are also for hypertensive patients.

2. Another animal with unique healing abilities is the horse. Amazingly, there is even a special section of medicine, what is called “hippotherapy”. Refined doctors treat very important diseases, such as, say, musculoskeletal disorders, mental retardation, scoliosis and a whole series gastrointestinal disorders.

3. Since ancient times, the dog has had the rank of man's friend. Even in ancient times, there was a special profession - “temple dogs”. The main duty of such dogs was precisely treatment - they licked people’s wounds. Many sources contain information that dog saliva can even cure tumors. In addition, communication with dogs has a healing effect on the psyche - self-confidence increases, a person becomes more relaxed and sociable. Dogs literally “revive” paralyzed people.

4. The record holder in terms of treating human diseases is the dolphin. Animal in a unique way frees you from such a terrible diagnosis as cerebral palsy. Communication with dolphins also benefits healthy people - comical and mischievous animals instantly improve their well-being and relieve depression. Many doctors deliberately prescribe visits to dolphinariums as a method of raising vitality.

Pay attention!
The abilities of animals are continuously studied by a huge circle of experts from a wide variety of fields. There is no complete judgment on this issue. However, a lot of publications and life stories throughout the year increase the glory of our little brothers in the role of doctors.

The red-eared turtle is in great demand among breeders. Its shell is quite flat; with age, patterns in the form of yellow stripes are drawn on it. The turtle got its name due to the presence of a clear red spot behind the eye. Like any other pet, the red-eared turtle needs proper care and maintenance.

Red-eared turtles live quite a long time (at least thirty years), however, an irresponsible and unprepared owner can shorten the pet’s life to 3 years. This type of turtle must be kept in a spacious aquaterrarium. For one turtle you will need an aquarium of 150-200 liters. The water should be warm and clean. True, this reptile spends virtually all its time in the water; it still needs land, where it can rest and take a walk. Therefore, the aquarium should have a comfortable, gradually rising slope. The bank should be bold so that the turtle can easily cling to it with its claws. It is perfect if the land takes up at least a quarter of the area of the aquarium. In young animals, the shell has a clear green color, over time it becomes yellow-brown or olive. To purify the water, you can use an external aquarium filter of any type. Young red-eared turtles will grow faster if the water in the aquarium is clean. For complete replacement It is recommended to use settled water (it is necessary to change the water as it becomes clogged, but at least once a week). Turtles need warmth, so you should install an incandescent lamp above the island, its heat output is amazing, and the light is much more like clear light. Be sure to get an ultraviolet lamp; in the cold season, turtles are irradiated with this light for 3 minutes at a distance of half a meter. All animals and reptiles need clear light, so it is recommended to walk with a turtle in the summer; the air temperature should not be lower than 25°C. If your pet's nails are too long, trim them neatly with nail clippers. Be careful because the claws contain blood vessels.

What to feed your turtle?

Red-eared turtles happily eat granulated food, minced meat, and bloodworms. In order to eliminate calcium deficiency, turtles should be given boiled fish (low-fat varieties). The pet's diet should not consist only of meat, because the turtle can develop rickets. Animal food must be present on the menu; with age, it is better to give preference to plant foods. Until the age of two, feed the turtle every day; for older pets, it is enough to feed it two to three times a week. Place the food at the water’s edge. When the red-eared turtle gets used to it, you can start feeding it on the island, putting food in a saucer of water. The pet should not experience a shortage of plant food; give them young leaves of cabbage and lettuce, and a variety of pond algae. Please note that if there are fish in your aquarium, the turtle may eat them.

Tip 13: All about red-eared turtles: how they reproduce

Breeding red-eared turtles is quite a difficult task for a beginner. In order to breed offspring, you need to have a male and a female, purchased from an experienced terrarium grower, and not from an ordinary pet store. And the most important thing is not to simply achieve mating, but to raise small turtles from laid eggs that are capable of reproducing in subsequent generations. After mating, the female lays eggs in a pre-prepared cuvette, which is then placed in an incubator and the young are expected to emerge. The closer the data obtained are to natural conditions, the greater the number of baby turtles that will be born from laid eggs.

Instructions

1. Please note that turtles, like other animals and people, may have their own preferences, likes and dislikes. Consequently, in order to increase the chances of a sensation, it is desirable to have several males and females. Individuals that have reached the age of 6-8 years are suitable for reproduction. If they were raised at home, then 4-6 years. Before mating, separate the partners from each other for a while. After this, make the most convenient data possible by ensuring the temperature in the terrarium is at least 22-26 ° C, increasing daylight hours and removing all irritating factors. IN this period diversify the animal's diet with foods rich in vitamin E. It is also recommended to give vitamin preparations.

2. Red-eared sliders can mate all year round, but the best time to mate is from February to May. Having placed the female with the male, watch their courtship, it is very exciting: the male pokes his muzzle into the female’s muzzle and swims in front of her, tail first. At the same time, he tenderly strokes her cheeks with his long claws. When free, females lay eggs on sandy soil from April to September. You must create something similar to such a shore in the aquaterrarium, offering the female an alternative to a ditch filled with a layer of peat or sand 5 cm thick.

3. Make sure that the turtle can easily reach such a ditch; on the contrary, it can lay eggs in the water. In this case, they need to be removed from the water, marking the top side of the eggs with a marker. This is necessary so that you do not accidentally knock over the eggs during transportation to the incubator; on the contrary, you will not get offspring. An aquarium or a polystyrene box can be used as an incubator. It should always be damp inside, so place containers of water at the bottom of the container and continuously add it. It is better if the eggs lie in a layer of damp sphagnum, not completely covered with it.

4. Install a heater in the incubator, for example, an ordinary incandescent lamp and a thermostat. Maintain a continuous temperature of 27-30°C. Depending on the conditions you make, the embryos will progress from 2 to 5 months. You can rightfully congratulate yourself on the success if only half the turtles from all the fertilized eggs are born. It is recommended to place them here in a separate container, because adults, including their own mother, can cause damage to them. The cleaner the younger generation has water and more nutritious food, the faster they will grow.

If you want to get a pet, namely a red-eared turtle, then before purchasing it, you need to find out how to feed it correctly and in what conditions it should be kept. The life expectancy of the pet will depend on this.

The red-eared turtle comes from the family of transoceanic freshwater turtles. It has an average body size: the length of the shell ranges from 18 to 30 cm, which depends on the sex and subspecies of the individual. Life expectancy is about 30 years. This exotic reptile does not require special care, but lovers of these peaceful and stubborn creatures will do well to know some rules.

Feeding the turtles

Good care for red-eared turtles primarily involves positive feeding. All turtles are diurnal animals, this significantly affects their diet. The main part of the diet consists of food of animal origin: bloodworms, earthworms, tubifex and dry aquarium food. All turtles happily eat gamarus - aquatic crustaceans, both live and dried. Each of the above will be enough for young turtles. Adults are allowed to eat beef or chicken, boiled or raw. The diet of an adult turtle must strictly include insects: cockroaches, beetles, mealworm larvae. The horned coiler and large pond snail are a few of the snails that can be included in the menu of red-eared turtles. Two or three times a week they are allowed to give fish, the slices of which must be doused with boiling water before serving. It must be remembered that the health of reptiles directly depends on the number of vitamins in the food, therefore, if you are not sure that there are enough vitamins in the diet, then you need to add them separately to the food. For example, vitamins A and D in the form of an oil solution must be available to everyone who keeps turtles. Once a week you need to add a few drops of vitamin D to a piece of food, and vitamin A once every two weeks.

How to care for a red-eared slider?

Keeping red-eared turtles is seriously complicated by the organization of water and land space. The difficulty lies in the fact that, unlike other pets, turtles of this species require two elements: water and land. They spend a huge part of their time in water, but they also urgently need land. The volume of the aquaterrarium per turtle should be about 150 liters, but not less than 100 liters. Land in the form of an island must occupy at least a quarter of each space. The water needs to be changed monthly. Contrary to popular belief, red-eared turtles are extremely agile, one might even say, nimble creatures, therefore the glass walls of the aquaterrarium must be higher than high point“islands” by at least 35 centimeters. In order for the turtle to be warm and comfortable, the aquaterrarium must be equipped with an incandescent lamp located above the “island”. If it heats up enough, there will be no need to additionally heat the water.

Regrowth of beak and claws in a turtle

If you don't cut the turtle's claws long enough, they will grow so long that they will interfere with its movement. Nails need to be trimmed periodically. This can be done independently with special scissors or by inviting a veterinarian to do this. It is impossible to trim the beak under any circumstances. With its support, the turtle is able to eat meat by tearing it into small pieces.

Tip 15: Why does the red-eared slider's shell become soft?

People often get a turtle as a pet, and very often a red-eared turtle. They are quickly sold out on the market, which indicates the growing popularity of this type of reptile.

Red-eared slider

The taxonomy of the red-eared turtle species is extremely confusing. Their shell is relatively flat. The young of these reptiles have a clear green tint of the shell; with age, its color transforms into clear brown or olive, after which patterns appear on it that look like vertical yellow stripes, which are extremely invisible in water. Behind the eye of the red-eared turtle there is an elongated red spot. It is because of him that it owes its name. Stripes of white and clear green are visible on the head, neck and limbs of the reptile.

Maintenance and care of red-eared turtles

Red-eared turtles live quite long lives. Their average lifespan in excellent conditions is about 30 years. These domestic reptiles must be kept only in spacious aquaterrariums. An aquarium for one turtle should have a volume of 100 to 150 liters. Red-eared turtles spend most of their lives in water. However, they still need land for rest and walks. Careful owners attach a plastic island to the wall of the aquarium and leave it at that. But in fact, this is unsatisfactory. It will be quite difficult for a turtle to climb on it. In specialized stores you can find islands for turtles that meet every requirement. The size of such an accessory should be at least a quarter of the area of each aquarium.

Why can a turtle's shell become soft and what to do in this case?

Red-eared turtles are weak creatures, and even those living in captivity can get sick at any moment. Signs that a turtle is not healthy are signs such as a soft shell, lifeless behavior, and a crappy appetite. The shell of a turtle softens due to a lack of ultraviolet radiation, which for a pet can result in a deterioration in the absorption of microelements and vitamins. To avoid problems with the turtle’s health, it should be regularly irradiated with an ultraviolet lamp, which is sold in virtually any pet store or specialized online store. This is an indispensable condition for keeping a red-eared turtle in captivity and can preserve its health. The diet of a red-eared slider must strictly include raw fish. Such food contains small fish bones, necessary for positive nutrition of a domestic reptile. It is allowed to give your pet additional calcium and vitamins. But there is no need to mix them with the core food of the red-eared turtle. They dissolve well in water and have right action on her health.

Red-eared turtles are famous pets. They are unpretentious and easy to care for. However, a number of conditions in the table of contents must be observed; on the contrary, various diseases may appear.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia in red-eared turtles appears from hypothermia, when climatic conditions in the aquaterrarium are not observed. Turtles need a light bulb to bask under. In the absence of proper treatment, pneumonia will lead to the death of the animal within a few days. The first warning signs: runny nose, heavy breathing, the turtle stays on the surface all the time and does not dive. The mouth is continuously open, the animal makes hissing sounds. Treatment can be carried out with both antibiotics and folk remedies. The final version is relevant only at the initial stages. The antibiotic is selected by the veterinarian, depending on the stage of the disease. Vitamins are vigorously introduced into the diet; it is advisable to buy a source of ultraviolet radiation. Among the folk methods, inhalation with chamomile decoction is effective for pneumonia. It is necessary to hold the turtle over the evaporating broth so far away that your hand does not burn. You can also take warm baths with chamomile.

Eye diseases

Eye swelling is another common ailment for red-eared turtles. The mucous membranes of their eyes become purple and their eyelids look swollen. The reasons for this condition are dirty water and lack of vitamins. The first step is to thoroughly clean the aquaterrarium and wipe the turtle’s eyes with a three percent boric acid solution. This can also be done with chamomile decoction. After this, contact your veterinarian for eye drops.

Shell diseases

Problems also invade the shells of red-eared turtles. The most common are rickets, necrosis and osteomyelitis. Rickets affects young individuals and involves softening of the shell and softening of the jaw. Treatment is necessary to prevent irreparable deformities from occurring. It is necessary to provide enough vitamin D3 in the diet, and to strictly install a source of ultraviolet radiation above the animal’s home. Necrosis appears after the integrity of the shell is damaged, when infection gets into the crack. The shell scutes begin to peel off, then the process moves on to the bones. If the damaged scutes are not removed, the animal will die. Wounds should be treated with special antifungal and antibacterial ointments, avoiding contact with water. In advanced stages, shell necrosis cannot be treated. Osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection of the shell. First, rough spots appear, later the shell layer dies off. In advanced cases, the process reaches the internal organs. Treatment: administration of subcutaneous antibiotics. The main reason is injury.

Skin diseases

Fungal infections of the skin are also common in turtles. Peeling and plaque are noted. Treatment consists of washing the skin with potassium permanganate and using antifungal ointments. You need to boil all the items from the aquaterrarium. Occasionally, peeling is a sign of vitamin A deficiency or hypervitaminosis. Only a veterinarian can make a positive diagnosis.

Useful advice
Veterinarians strongly recommend contacting them at the first signs of illness. By self-medicating, you can harm your pet, and it will be very difficult to correct this damage.

white coating on the eyeballs;

eyes are closed or completely closed;

corneal clouding;

difficulty moving the eyeball.

Associated symptoms: impaired coordination of movements, weakness, poor appetite, high temperature.

The most common diagnosis made in the presence of the above symptoms is conjunctivitis. This disease is caused by staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria.

The cause of an infectious disease can be both poor living conditions and poor nutrition.

If a red-eared turtle's eyes are swollen, this may also be a consequence of vitamin deficiency or keeping the amphibian in dirty, stagnant water.

Another turtle eye disease is panophthalmitis. This is a deep purulent inflammation of the tissues of the eyeball. The infection first affects the lower eyelid. Then clouding of the eye occurs. Lack of treatment in this case inevitably leads the turtle to blindness.

Eye diseases of red-eared turtles - treatment

First of all, the animal must be placed in clean water, since it is the polluted environment that often causes eye diseases in turtles.

Drug treatment consists of the use of drops and antibiotics.

In severe cases, the eyeball is removed.

It is recommended to accompany the treatment of eye disease in red-eared turtles with the use of veterinary multivitamin complexes: “Intravit”, “Multivit”, “Eleovit”. When purchasing, be sure to read the composition of the drug. It should not contain vitamin D2 as it is poisonous to turtles. Vitamins, on the recommendation of a doctor, can be administered by injection.

As additional measures to alleviate the condition of the red-eared turtle, use a decoction of chamomile and a solution of boric acid. Moisten a cotton swab with it and remove plaque from your eyes.

For mild forms of the disease, tetracycline ointment is used externally.

Nutrition for eye diseases of red-eared turtles

Since a sick animal may lose vision or be unable to open its eyes due to purulent discharge, it is difficult for it to independently find food in the aquarium. Then the owner will have to feed the pet from a pipette.

If several turtles live in one aquarium, it is better to temporarily isolate the patient.

Source:

Helminths

Most turtles caught in the wild are infected with worms. They are not very dangerous for humans, but in animals they can cause various diseases, including constipation.

In order to determine whether a turtle has worms, you need to put it in a warm bath, which stimulates the intestines, and check the animal's excrement for the presence of worms and their eggs.

If worms are found during the check, you need to carry out the treatment prescribed by your doctor.

You can rid your pet of some types of worms yourself by using chopped raw carrots, which should be fed to the turtle for several days. No other food should be given during this period. If treatment with carrots does not help, you need to use special medications.

Constipation

The causes of constipation can be different. Most often they occur after ingestion by a turtle foreign bodies, as a result of stagnation of intestinal contents due to worms. To relieve constipation, you can use warm baths and enemas with Vaseline oil.

Conjunctivitis

This is one of the most common diseases in turtles. With conjunctivitis, the eyelids and conjunctival sacs become inflamed. The cause of the disease is streptococci and staphylococci.

Treatment of conjunctivitis is carried out using ointments containing tetracycline and chloramphenicol. If the disease is advanced, it is treated with antibiotic ointments and antibiotics taken orally.

Necrosis of the shell

When the shell is mechanically damaged, pathogens of various infectious diseases can penetrate into the resulting cracks and wounds, causing separation of the shields of the shell, and then spreading to the bones under the shell. You can save the turtle only by removing the damaged scutes. Wounds should be treated with BetaisodonaR solution, and then antibacterial and antifungal ointments should be applied to them daily.

Aquatic turtles should be kept on land during treatment. Only necrosis in the initial stage can be treated.

Fractures

Occasionally, turtles experience fractures during periods of greatest activity. For open fractures, treatment is carried out as follows: splints and screw clamps are used. When closed, they rely on the internal resources of the body.

It should be remembered that the healing process for a reptile will take much longer than, say, a human. Within 10 days after bone surgery, turtles are administered subcutaneous antibiotics.

SHELL FRACTURES

Fractures of the shell are associated with the formation of cracks in the stratum corneum. Treatment begins with cleaning the gap, after which the horny and bone layers are drilled on both sides of it and pulled together with wire. The wire is removed after 3–4 months.

LIMB FRACTURES

A splint is placed on the injured limb and left for 2–3 months.

JAW FRACTURES

When treating a bilateral mandibular fracture, plates are used in each branch of the jaw, since fixation with pins is insufficient.

Injuries

Turtles, like any other reptile, are susceptible to various injuries.

Turtles receive very serious injuries during mating when the male bites the female, forcing her to stop.

Treatment of injuries in turtles depends on their size, nature and the possibilities of using certain means. For example, in the recent past, turtles that suffered massive shell injuries had to be euthanized. Recently, many materials based on polymers with quick effect actions that allow not only successful treatment, but also subsequent generation of offspring from injured turtles.

Some minor reptile injuries can be treated on your own; more serious injuries require veterinary intervention. At home, treatment of injuries begins with surgical treatment with any antiseptic, for example, Septonex aerosol. After this, the wound surface is covered with BF-6 surgical glue.

Burns

If the insulation of heating devices is poor or the electrical wiring in a home terrarium is faulty, turtles may suffer burns. According to severity, burns are divided into four groups.

I degree. Redness and peeling of the epithelium is observed.

II degree. Blisters appear and fluid accumulates under the stratum corneum.

III degree. In turn, it is divided into:

1) IIIa – skin necrosis without damage to the basal layer;

2) IIIb – necrosis of the skin with damage to the basal layer.

IV degree. Necrosis of all layers of skin and underlying tissues is observed. After healing, scars remain on the surface of the skin, and some parts of the body are deformed.

First degree burns require virtually no treatment. For burns of second degree or more, the burn surface is treated with a cloth soaked in a 70% solution of ethyl alcohol, removing dead tissue.

The bubbles are opened, their upper part is carefully cut off. Then the wounds are sequentially covered with 5% aqueous solution tannin and 10% solution of silver nitrate. As a result of these manipulations, a crust forms on the surface of the wound, which eventually comes off on its own.

Suppuration of the burn surface is treated in the same way as a regular abscess.

Nonspecific bacterial pneumonia

Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia in turtles include breathing noises. Animals with pneumonia behave unusually and assume an unnatural position. If nonspecific bacterial pneumonia is detected in an animal, the temperature in the terrarium should be increased to 30–35 °C, and the sick animal should be protected from drafts.

Treatment is with antibiotics wide range actions. If an animal refuses food for a long time during treatment, it must be fed artificially.

Swollen eyes

The eyes of turtles swell most often due to a lack of vitamin A in food; in addition, in aquatic turtles, the swelling can be caused by dirty water in a terrarium or aquarium.

If a disease is detected, the turtle should wash its eyes 2 times a day with a 3% solution of boric acid in distilled water. To prevent this disease, the water in the aquarium must be changed regularly, and foods containing vitamin A must be added to the turtle's food.

Armor osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis occurs most often in aquatic turtles and occurs due to bacterial damage to the bony areas of the shell. The disease often manifests itself as a consequence of shell injuries.

With further development of osteomyelitis, bone necrosis can spread throughout the entire shell and even affect internal organs.

This disease is treated with chloramphenicol or an aminoglycoside. The dosage should be calculated depending on the weight of the animal. The medicine should be administered subcutaneously.

To protect a turtle from osteomyelitis, it is necessary to remove from the terrarium all hard or sharp objects that could injure the shell, and isolate the pet from crustaceans susceptible to this disease.

Panophthalmitis

Panophthalmitis, a bacterial inflammation of the membranes of the eye, mainly affects aquatic turtles, most often red-eared turtles. The disease occurs due to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria from the oral cavity under the cornea of the eye through the lacrimal canal. At the initial stage, only the lower eyelid is affected, and slight clouding of the pupil appears.

If the disease is not treated, the turtle may go blind. Ointments containing antibiotics are widely used to treat panophthalmitis.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is caused by Salmonella - Escherichia coli bacteria, which are dangerous not only for animals, but also for people, especially children, because they produce toxins that can cause typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever.

Turtles can not only suffer from salmonellosis, but also be carriers of salmonella, which usually does not manifest itself in any way. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene when in contact with turtles and under no circumstances allow children to press turtles to their faces or kiss them. Symptoms of salmonellosis in turtles appear as follows: first, liquid, foamy diarrhea is observed. greenish color, characterized by an extremely unpleasant odor, then the animal refuses food and becomes apathetic.

Salmonellosis in freshwater turtles can be transmitted through eggs: hatchlings hatched from eggs laid by an affected female are carriers of Salmonella immediately after birth.

In the early stages of the disease, it is possible to treat with chloramphenicol in the form of a suspension (50–75 mg per 1 kg), which is administered through a tube 2–3 times a day with an interval of two days. If no improvement is observed, it is best to euthanize the animal.

Ulcerative stomatitis

Ulcerative stomatitis occurs in marine and freshwater turtles. This disease is treated with tetracycline.

Rhinitis and rhinopathy

A disease of the mucous membrane without inflammation is called rhinopathy, with inflammation - rhinitis. The causes of rhinopathy are:

– mechanical injuries to the mucous membrane of the nasal passages, if expanded clay or other materials were used as soil;

– lack of vitamin A in the animal’s diet;

- hypothermia. Signs of the disease are similar to those of pneumonia.

If it is not possible to make an accurate diagnosis, treatment is carried out as follows: a single injection of vitamin A not more than 100 thousand IU; washing the nasal passages with a catheter or syringe with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the animal’s nostril. A syringe or catheter is inserted shallowly into the nostril, then closed tightly with a finger to prevent fluid from leaking out. After this, by sharply pressing the syringe plunger, the nasal passage is washed with any antiseptic solution, which should then pour out of the animal’s mouth. The second nasal passage is washed in the same way. These measures, which help get rid of the signs of rhinopathy, can only provide short-term improvement in bacterial rhinitis, and will not help at all in bacterial pneumonia.

Bacterial rhinitis is treated in the same way as bacterial pneumonia.

Abscesses

Abscesses - limited foci of purulent inflammation - appear as a result of injuries to the skin about soil particles with sharp edges, cracks in glass, etc. Most often, abscesses are located subcutaneously, sometimes in internal organs. In this case, it is impossible to detect them yourself.

The main sign of subcutaneous abscesses is swelling, initially dense, then softened.

Surgical treatment: an incision is made at the location of the abscess to drain the pus, then the area of the abscess is washed with an antiseptic solution, such as hydrogen peroxide. At first, the wound is treated daily by introducing narrow, loose strips of bandage moistened with an antiseptic.

After the discharge of pus from the wound stops, chymopsin or trypsin is poured into it, which promotes the resorption of dead tissue. In severe cases, treatment is accompanied by antibiotics in the same doses as for pneumonia.

Abscess in turtles

Cloacite

A fairly common disease in turtles is cloacal prolapse, or cloacitis. It may appear as independent disease or be part of some other infectious disease, such as salmonellosis. Clinical picture banal cloacite is divided into two stages.

At the first stage, dried excrement adhered to the perianal shields is noted; there is a small amount of pus or blood in the feces. At this stage of the disease, the animal continues to eat well.

The second stage is accompanied by retention of feces. The animal stops eating, but still looks healthy.

Treatment is carried out in the same way as for stomatitis, but periodically the turtle is given enemas until normal bowel movements are restored.

Septic-ulcerative disease

Septic ulcer disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Beneckea chitinovora, which enter the turtle’s body through tiny breaks in the skin. Bacteria invade red blood cells, penetrate all organs and form ulcers on the surface of the skin. Clinical signs of the disease:

– decreased activity and muscle tone;

– erasing the gingival margin and claws;

– paralysis of limbs;

– ulceration of the skin against the background of hemorrhages and dilated vessels.

If no measures are taken, the animal will inevitably die. Treatment is carried out with the help of chloramphenicol succinate or chloramphenicol, administered intramuscularly to the turtle.

Ulcers are treated with an aerosol preparation called levovinisol, which contains chloramphenicol and vinylin.

Turtle diseases caused by algae

The shell of many turtles is covered with algae on top, which in natural conditions is an excellent camouflage, but when kept in captivity, this symbiosis sometimes leads to the development of disease.

It is assumed that the main cause of the disease is water heavily contaminated with food debris, which promotes the growth of algae.

This, in turn, leads to delamination of the shell scutes in turtles, sometimes to the complete loss of the surface layer.

Treatment of the disease: treatment of the affected shell with Lugol's solution or 1% copper sulfate. As a means of prevention, it is recommended to follow sanitary and hygienic rules for keeping turtles.

Metabolic disorders due to poor nutrition

Inexperienced turtle owners often make mistakes when caring for their pets. Ignorance of the rules for keeping turtles at home and failure to comply with nutritional standards lead to the development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic disorders.

Usually these are hypovitaminosis - a deficiency in the body of one or another vitamin; less common are avitaminosis - a complete absence of any vitamin in the body. In this case, the animal may die as a result of complications of any disease due to hypovitaminosis.

Hypervitaminosis, which develops as a result of exceeding the dosage of vitamin preparations, is quite rare.

Among hypovitaminosis, hypovitaminosis of vitamins A, C, D and group B are usually found.

In addition, non-compliance with nutritional norms and rules leads to the occurrence of diseases against the background of an imbalance or lack of certain minerals, most often calcium, iodine and phosphorus.

HYPOVITAMINOSIS A

A deficiency of vitamin A in an animal’s body occurs when there is a lack of carotene in the diet, the main sources of which are eggs, carrots, liver and milk.

Deformation of the upper jaw due to hypovitaminosis D

A lack of vitamin A in the body leads to dryness, clouding and softening of the cornea, severe swelling of the eyes, and impaired retinal function.

Treatment of the disease involves introducing into the diet of turtles foods rich in vitamin A and carotene, as well as retinol acetate (60-100 thousand IU, depending on the weight of the animal).

HYPOVITAMINOSIS D

Hypovitaminosis D occurs when there is a lack of vitamin D in the diet and its natural synthesis in the body is disrupted under the influence of ultraviolet rays, which leads to rickets. With rickets, disorders of phosphorus-calcium metabolism, protein and carbohydrate metabolism disorders develop.

The clinical sign of the disease in rickets is a change in the shape of the shell and jaws. In the early stage, the shell is soft, easily pressed with fingers, and over time it acquires an irregular, so-called tower shape. The lower jaw softens, the jaw edges are worn away, and the claws are bent. The upper jaw takes the shape of a beak.

Deformation of the shell due to hypovitaminosis D

Deformation of claws due to hypovitaminosis D

Treatment of the disease consists of the following measures:

– pharmacotherapy;

– irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

To irradiate animals, quartz lamps of the OKN-11 or Medicor type are used. Irradiation is carried out year-round, once a week, at a distance of 1 m, or daily in courses of 5-10 sessions, at the same distance, with intervals between courses of 20 days.

As dietary measures, products containing vitamin D and minerals are introduced into the diet of turtles: fish oil, yeast, eggshells, bone meal, etc.

If vitamin D in the form of Urzovit is added to water, it must be changed every 3-4 days. For injections, use “Tetravit” or “Laptovet” in normal doses. These drugs are administered weekly until symptoms of disease progression completely disappear, after which maintenance doses are continued. To reduce the risk of developing hypervitaminosis D, vitamin A is administered together with vitamin D3 supplements in a ratio of 1:5.

HYPOVITAMINOSIS B

With hypovitaminosis B, the body of turtles usually lacks several vitamins of this group at once. The most common causes of hypovitaminosis B include:

– lack of green and live food;

– use of fresh fish without preliminary heat treatment as the main feed;

– dysbacteriosis due to the use of antibiotics.

Signs of vitamin B deficiency in an animal’s body:

– growth slowdown;

– loss of appetite;

– gastrointestinal disorders;

– spasm of the masticatory muscles;

– convulsions and increased tone of the extensor muscles of the hind limbs.

When treating hypovitaminosis B, live and green food, cottage cheese, liver, etc., as well as vitamins themselves are introduced into the diet of turtles: B1 in the form of a solution in a dose of 2 to 10 mg per kilogram of animal weight (every other day), B12 in microdoses every other day for two weeks.

During the period of spasm of the chewing muscles, turtles are fed artificially.

HYPOVITAMINOSIS E

This disease, caused by a lack of vitamin E in the body of turtles, is considered one of the most common among other forms of hypovitaminosis.

Clinical signs of hypovitaminosis E:

1. Focal change subcutaneous tissue and muscles.

2. Impaired coordination of movements.

3. Paralysis of limbs.

4. Refusal of food. Treatment consists of administering vitamin E to the animal in any acceptable form 3 times within 1 week in an amount of 50-800 IU, depending on the weight of the turtle. However, tocopherol acetate is considered toxic to all reptiles in general, and an overdose can lead to severe liver damage.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a protein deficiency syndrome that develops due to many reasons, such as an overly long beak. With this disease, deformation of the vertebral body quite often occurs. As a treatment for osteoporosis, it is recommended to include a sufficient amount of protein in the diet, as well as give oral vitamins and calcium.

Maladaptation syndrome

Most turtles, due to insufficient adaptability to new living conditions, experience dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. Some reasons for this are known, others remain unclear to this day. It has been noticed that such violations appear:

– after hibernation;

– after long-term transportation;

– if the necessary conditions of captivity are not observed.

If the body is dehydrated and refuses food for a long time, glucose and electrolyte solutions are given orally or administered subcutaneously.

If all the above factors are present, it is recommended to carry out basic therapy: oral administration of an anthelmintic with simultaneous infusion of cattle blood serum using a probe (2 ml per 100 g of animal weight).

Pay special attention to keeping the pet: raise the temperature in the room to 29 °C, adjust the humidity depending on the type of turtle. Carry out daily warm rinsing of the cloaca, which helps stabilize the digestive tract.

Those animals who, despite measures taken, continue to refuse food, furosemide is prescribed (10 mg per kilogram of animal weight); To break down uric acid in the body, allopurinol is given orally (25 mg per kilogram of animal weight) until complete recovery.

Delayed egg laying

This disease is often fatal. Interestingly, even old females kept alone for several years are susceptible to it. Causes of the disease: – the need for calcium, necessary for the formation of egg shells, which is not replenished by the food received;

– development of vitamin D3 deficiency;

– poor sliding of eggs in the oviduct;

– abnormalities of eggs;

– air temperature is too low;

– unsuitable soil. Signs of the disease:

anxiety, refusal to feed, lethargy, swelling in the neck and limbs, respiratory dysfunction (12 breaths per minute when the norm is 4 breaths, mouth wide open). Eggs in the oviduct remain viable for four weeks.

To confirm the diagnosis, the turtle should be held in an upright position with its head up to displace the internal organs: it is often possible to feel the eggs with a finger in the cutouts of the shell in front of the hind limbs.

If oviposition is delayed, oxytocin is administered once simultaneously with calcium at a dose of 50 mg/kg. The female is placed in her usual terrarium, turning off the lights and heating the water in the pool to 30 °C. A large egg, located in front of the entrance to the pelvis, is pierced with a long needle, and the contents of the egg are sucked out.

Ulcerative dissecting disease of the shell

Ulcerative dissecting disease of the shell is a contagious disease that can take chronic course. The disease begins with a primary infection of the plastron by a fungus of the genus Candida albicans, after which the bacteria Aeromonas hydropholya invade the animal’s body. An important role in this is played by all sorts of small wounds or cracks on the shell. As a result, ulcers covered with whitish films appear on the plastron and carapace.

As the disease progresses, the number of ulcers and their size increase.

Treatment is carried out with chloramphenical or chloramphenicol succinate, administered intramuscularly.

To prevent disease, all newly acquired turtles are quarantined for at least 2 weeks. Freshwater crustaceans, which are also susceptible to this disease, should not be kept in the same aquarium with turtles.

Mycobacterial infection

With this disease in turtles, the lungs are most often affected, while damage to the internal organs does not have characteristic clinical manifestations. Treatment of reptiles in this case is not possible, so it is more advisable to pay attention to prevention, that is, creating optimal living conditions. There is a known experience when cubs from the same clutch were divided into two groups, the first of which was kept in good conditions. The juveniles of both groups were fed the decay products of animals with tuberculosis. Under normal conditions, the reptiles remained healthy.

Non-infectious gastroenteritis

Among all other diseases, non-infectious gastroenteritis occupies one of the leading places, second only to hypovitaminosis.

Gastroenteritis - inflammatory diseases of the stomach and small intestine - are divided into acute and chronic. Acute gastroenteritis occurs in stressful situations, in case of poisoning and temperature below the level necessary for digestion of food. Causes of chronic gastroenteritis:

– malnutrition;

– stressful situations.

If the turtle has become lethargic and does not respond to external stimuli, the animal must be shown to a veterinarian.

But any other long-term illness can provoke gastroenteritis. The side effects of some medications also lead to the same result: for example, after one course of antibiotics, regurgitation may occur during the first feeding as one of the manifestations of the disease. This symptom is considered characteristic of gastroenteritis.

Chronic gastroenteritis is divided into two forms - with increased and decreased secretory activity. With gastroenteritis with increased secretory activity, regurgitation appears on the 1st-3rd day after eating, with decreased secretory activity - at a later date.

Treatment of gastroenteritis begins with normalization of living conditions, administration of medications and diet. During treatment, turtles are switched to plant foods as they are the most digestible and rich in vitamins.

For chronic gastroenteritis with increased secretory function, Vikair, Vikalin, Almagel are used from drugs; with reduced secretory activity - abomin, pancreatin, festal.

B-complex is also used at a dosage of 0.8 ml/kg 1-2 times a week. To improve the regeneration processes of the gastric epithelium, animals are given rosehip or sea buckthorn oil.

Before giving any sick turtle any medicines, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian, since only he can determine correct diagnosis and prescribe your pet the necessary course of medication.

Sepsis

Sepsis is one of the most serious diseases of reptiles, resulting from the spread of infection through the bloodstream throughout the body. Sepsis appears as a consequence of another disease - stomatitis, pneumonia, infected wound. A characteristic sign of sepsis in reptiles is pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin and mucous membranes.

If, in addition to turtles, there are other reptiles in the terrarium, there is a possibility of the turtles becoming infected with viral infections.

There are three forms of sepsis:

1. The acute form is most common in young animals. It manifests itself in decreased activity, convulsions due to damage to the central nervous system, leading to death 24 hours after the onset of the disease.

2. Septic pneumonia has all the signs of ordinary pneumonia. Without treatment, turtles die already on the 5-6th day after the onset of the disease.

3. Chroniosepsis most often occurs in adult reptiles and manifests itself in the form of sluggish stomatitis in combination with respiratory disorders. Lack of treatment leads to the death of the animal in the 5-6th week of the disease. Treatment is carried out with the use of antibiotics, and repeated changes of drugs are required.

Basic methods for preventing sepsis:

– optimal conditions of detention;

– balanced nutrition;

– timely treatment of other diseases.

Invasive diseases of turtles

To prevent diseases in turtles in the terrarium, it is necessary to periodically disinfect. In addition, pet food can only be purchased in specialized stores.

As a result of laboratory studies, other protozoa were identified:

– larvae of Dioctophyma renale;

– pulmonary nematodes;

– fuscovenosa and Rhabdias spp;

– cestodes;

– acanthocephals;

Peeling skin

Skin peeling in turtles can be clinical sign various diseases, for example, a consequence of mechanical damage or one of the signs of an infectious skin lesion. Most often, peeling of the skin is caused by a deficiency of vitamin A and B vitamins (B2, B6, B12).

Sometimes peeling is observed with hypervitaminosis resulting from an overdose of vitamin preparations. To determine an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment, consultation with a specialist is required.

Ticks

The cause of most diseases of aquatic turtles is non-compliance with living conditions: untreated water, lack of heat and light, poor diet.

Mites can be found in folds of skin at the base of the tail, around the neck, and near the eyes and mouth.

Treatment is as follows:

– lubricate the affected area of the reptile’s body with olive oil. The layer of oil will block the tick's access to air, and it will fall off on its own;

– to remove invisible ticks you need to use a solution of Stomazan or Neostomazan. Before use, the drug is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 200, then the soft parts of the turtle’s body are lubricated with it. After a few hours, the reptile should be gently wiped with a soft cloth;

After treatment, the turtle must be rinsed with warm water.

Pneumonia

With this disease, animals experience a severe runny nose. Due to disruption of the lungs, air accumulates in them, and the turtle cannot dive. Without timely treatment, reptiles die in about two weeks. Treatment: intramuscular injections of ampicillin for 7-10 days (50 mg of the drug per kilogram of animal weight) or chloramphenicol in the same dose.

If the condition worsens, injections of gentamicin sulfate (10 mg/kg) for 10 days are usually recommended.

Softening the shell of aquatic turtles

In most aquatic turtles, if the conditions are not met, the shell becomes soft. The cause of this disease is often a lack of vitamin D. Treatment: introducing foods with a high content of vitamin D and calcium into the turtle’s diet (chalk, eggshells, bone meal, etc.). Calphos is also recommended to restore the calcium-phosphorus balance.

Impaired movement coordination

The cause of this disease is vitamin E deficiency, which often occurs when turtles are fed fatty sea fish. Animals experience impaired coordination of movements, refusal to feed, and paralysis of the limbs.

Treatment: introducing vitamin E into the turtle’s diet 1-3 times every 7-9 days at a dose of 80-100 IU, depending on the size of the animal.

Mycosis

With this disease, the limbs, head and neck are covered with a white cotton wool-like coating.

Treatment: treatment of the affected areas with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 3–4 days.

Source:

Eye diseases in turtles

Infections of the eyes and orbital structures in turtles

Vasiliev Dmitry Borisovich, herpetologist

Blepharoconjunctivitis

Although inflammation of the superficial structures of the orbit (eye socket) and eyeball (eyelids, nictitating membrane, conjunctiva and cornea) is in many cases etiologically associated with hypovitaminosis A, this does not occur as often as is believed in clinical practice. Primary bacterial blepharitis or conjunctivitis is not such a rare occurrence.

If the turtle does not have other symptoms of hypovitaminosis A (skin peeling, peeling of scales, rhinitis, swelling) or if the symptoms of blepharoconjunctivitis do not disappear after the prescribed treatment (albucid + retinol acetate), then, as a rule, we are talking about primary bacterial blepharoconjunctivitis. In addition, even if blepharoconjunctivitis is primarily caused by hypovitaminosis A, secondary bacterial infection is the most common form of complication.

Symptoms: Symptoms of predominantly bacterial blepharoconjunctivitis are:

Acute development of the process.

Absence of other symptoms of hypovitaminosis A.

One-way process (if this type turtles have a functioning naso-lacrimal duct, then the cause may be obstruction (blockage) of this duct, in which case it is necessary to rinse the external nostril from the right side).

Accumulation of pus-like material in the conjunctival sac.

Hyperemia of the eyelids without skin peeling (hyperemia with peeling is a common reaction to prolonged instillation of vitamin A into the eyes).

The disease was found in a land turtle (blepharitis caused by hypovitaminosis A is most common in young freshwater turtles).

Treatment

Treatment of conjunctivitis is local. Any antibiotic containing eye drops and eye ointment are usually used. Ointments and drops should not contain steroid hormones. Drops are instilled 2-3 times a day, ointment is applied at night. The duration of treatment is on average 5-10 days.

Uveitis and panophthalmitis.

Inflammatory processes can also involve the tissues of the eyeball, involving the cornea (keratitis), the anterior chamber of the uveal tract (uveitis, iridocyclitis), the posterior chamber (choroiditis), the sclera (scleritis), the retina (retinitis), the vitreous body (endophthalmitis) or all tissues and membranes of the eye (panophthalmitis).

Inflammation can develop exogenously (with chronic bacterial conjunctivitis, corneal injuries, burns, sudden violations humidity conditions, etc.). In these cases, the disease is usually preceded by conjunctivitis. The prognosis turns out to be more favorable.

If the disease manifests itself suddenly and does not involve the orbital structures, then, as a rule, we are talking about an endogenous infection.

The most common diseases found in turtles are uveitis and panophthalmitis. In the first case, the process (at least in turtles) is almost always bilateral and develops secondary to septic pneumonia, other forms of sepsis, or after sudden cooling. The causative agents of the infectious process are most often Pseudomonas spp, Aeromonas spp and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The eye retains its integrity, however, in the lower sector of the eye, in the subcorneal space (in the anterior chamber of the eyeball), cellular inflammatory material and yellowish-white pus accumulate. This clinical form is called hypopyon. As a rule, general symptoms are present: exhaustion, rhinitis, dyspnea, lethargy. The turtle, naturally, does not eat (as with any disease that impairs vision). In the vast majority of cases, the disease develops after wintering or when kept without heating for a long time. Aquatic turtles are most often affected.

With panophthalmitis, the process involves all the tissues of the eyeball. The eye is sharply hyperemic, injection of orbital vessels and hemorrhage may be observed. Over time, the tissues of the eye thicken and the eye looks like a dense purulent granule, with a cloudy white lens in the center.

In some cases, for example, with chronic purulent conjunctivitis, an antebulbar abscess may form (not involving the tissue of the eyeball, which is pushed deeper into the orbit and is completely invisible). When such an abscess is removed, a completely normal eye opens. With panophthalmitis, the lens is usually visible.

Treatment:

For treatment, systemic antibiotic therapy, vitamin therapy (B-complex or Neurobion) are prescribed, alternately detoxification and infusion therapy. Solutions are infused intracoelomically. Despite massive infusions, diuretics cannot be prescribed. The total amount of fluid administered parenterally should not exceed 4% of body weight per day.

For anterior chamber uveitis, part of the antibiotic (aminoglycoside), approximately 1/4 of the dose, is injected into the anterior chamber (access through the cornea).

For panophthalmitis, part of the antibiotic (third generation cephalosporin or semisynthetic penicillin, since aminoglycosides cannot be used topically in this case) is injected from the back of the eyeball into the vitreous body (retinal access). The strictest antiseptics are necessary. It is advisable to perform local anesthesia with lidocaine before starting the procedure. The outside of the eyeball, conjunctiva and eyelids are covered with a thick layer of ointment containing an antibiotic 2 times a day. You can also use eye drops (see above).

The use of glucocorticoids, which is proposed by some authors, does not seem justified to us. With purulent panophthalmitis, there is a huge risk of generalization of infection (septicemia). In addition, even when the infectious process is suppressed, the tissues of the eyeball usually undergo sclerosis and vision is irreversibly impaired. That's why in the best possible way Treatment for unilateral panophthalmitis may include extirpation of the eyeball.

Source:

Pet - exotherium - Turtles - Prevention and treatment of turtle diseases.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to avoid this, but many diseases can still be prevented by taking simple preventive measures.

In nature, red-eared turtles They are distinguished by fairly good health, but at home they need constant attention and good care, since they live outside their natural habitat.

Health in many ways turtles depends on the minerals and vitamins it receives with food. The lack of necessary elements leads to various developmental disorders, diseases and even death. turtles. Not always in the foods that households eat turtle. contains all the necessary substances, so it is recommended to add special vitamins to her food to prevent health problems, because it is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it.

The effect of vitamins on health turtles .

Vitamin A

This vitamin has health benefits turtles huge influence. The growth and development of the body, normal metabolism and the functioning of the visual organs depend on it. Vitamin A increases resistance animals to various infections, diseases of the intestines and respiratory tract. U turtles With a lack of vitamin A, eye diseases begin first of all: the cornea becomes dry, cloudy and softens; swelling of the eyelids develops, which is sometimes so severe that it prevents the animal from opening its eyes. Lack of vitamin A often causes damage to the nasal mucosa, and turtles a runny nose occurs.

In order to prevent the manifestation of the symptoms described above, animals must be given foods containing vitamin A: butter, egg yolk, cod and sea bass liver, beef liver. Many plant foods, such as lettuce, spinach, carrots, cabbage, apples, bell peppers, parsley, green onions, nettle and dandelion leaves, contain provitamins - elements that are converted into vitamin A in the body.

Lack of vitamins, in particular vitamin A, in turtles can cause weakening of connective tissues, which manifests itself in the fact that the mucous membrane of the cloaca seems to slide down the submucosal layer, which leads to prolapse of the cloaca.

For health turtles Vitamins are extremely important.

In case of severe hypovitaminosis, in addition to the listed products, animals can add an oil solution of retinol palmitate or fortified fish oil to their food. A good addition to the diet turtles there will be wheat germ flakes, which contain many vitamins, including vitamin A.

B vitamins

B vitamins are responsible for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in turtles. animal growth, appetite. Signs of a lack of vitamins of this group in red-eared animals turtles are impaired coordination of movements, spasm of the masticatory muscles, due to which animals often cannot even open their mouths. If there is a deficiency of vitamins B1 and B6 in the body, water turtles cannot swim due to cramps in the hind limbs. Lack of vitamin B2 causes dermatitis. Vitamin B12 has a direct effect on blood clotting and is involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin.

Animals suffering from a lack of B vitamins are recommended to give cottage cheese, lettuce, dandelion and nettle leaves, beef liver, pollen. In case of severe hypovitaminosis turtles It is recommended to give injections of a complex of vitamins at the rate of 0.3 ml per 1 kg of weight. If an animal experiences convulsions, it is recommended to give injections of a 10% solution of calcium gluconate at the rate of 1 ml per 100 g of weight. With spasm of the masticatory muscles turtle must be fed using a pipette.

Vitamin D

There are about ten varieties of this vitamin, of which only two have a noticeable effect on the body - vitamin D2 and D3. These vitamins regulate the exchange of calcium and phosphorus in the body and also promote their absorption. Vitamins of this group have a positive effect on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract in animals, on metabolism, and also increase resistance to various infections.

Important role for health turtles plays not only the presence of the required amount of vitamins in food, but also a balanced intake of minerals, in particular calcium and phosphorus, the lack of which can lead to various diseases. Most often, disorders caused by an imbalance of these minerals occur in females. turtles after laying eggs.

With a lack of vitamin D in the body, the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus is disrupted, and rickets occurs. First at turtles Appetite decreases or completely disappears, coordination of movements is impaired, then the shell softens. If the disease is not treated, the shell gradually changes shape, the scutes become dome-shaped.

With rickets caused by vitamin D deficiency, the lower jaw turtles softens, and the upper one takes on a beak-like shape. In advanced cases, the beak may enlarge to such an extent that the animal cannot eat; sometimes it cracks or becomes forked.

Vitamin D in small quantity found in egg yolk, butter, fish oil, cod liver, avocado, mango, grapefruit, bone meal. If turtle regularly feed aquarium snails, earthworms, small fish along with bones, then the likelihood of her developing hypovitaminosis D3 is sharply reduced. For the treatment or prevention of rickets turtles Bone meal or crushed eggshells should be added to food. Vitamin D3 oil solution can be added to the diet turtles in winter, no more than once a month. Turtles Under the age of 1 year, this vitamin should be given 1 drop, adult animals - 1-3 drops. It should also be remembered that in the body turtles Vitamin D3 can only be synthesized under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, so pets should be given natural or artificial sunbathing throughout the year.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is responsible for the functioning of the hematopoietic organs and reproductive function of animals, regulates protein consumption, and normalizes hormonal balance. This vitamin is directly related to vitamin C - it promotes its synthesis, and vitamin C, in turn, allows you to regulate the consumption of vitamin E, suppressing the formation of organic peroxides in the body.

This vitamin is very important for freshwater turtles. including red-eared ones. Its deficiency in their body leads to focal changes in subcutaneous tissue and muscle tissue. Over time, if the deficiency of the vitamin is not compensated, turtles Coordination of movements may be impaired, and appetite may completely disappear.

Sometimes there is paralysis of the limbs.

For prevention diseases. caused by a lack of vitamin E, turtles You should add barley, wheat, rye sprouts, carrots, rosehip seeds, sea buckthorn berries, and walnuts to your food. In advanced forms of hypovitaminosis, you can give an oil solution of tocopherol acetate or pollen.

If you give turtles vitamin preparations - do not overdo it. Their dose should be small so as not to harm the animal’s body.

Vitamin C

This vitamin plays a vital role in life turtles. Blood clotting, regulation of redox processes, the formation of hormones of the gonads, thyroid and pancreas, as well as the permeability of blood vessels depend on it. If red-eared turtles do not get enough vitamin C from food, they become more susceptible to colds and infectious diseases.

Lack of vitamin C in the body occurs most often, manifesting itself in various concomitant diseases, such as stomatitis, therefore, when treating turtles you need to pay attention to this factor and, in addition to medications, give vitamin C for faster recovery.

In healthy people turtles Vitamin C is synthesized in the required doses in the kidneys, but if the animal is weakened or sick, it is necessary to give it vitamin preparations or increase the proportion of foods containing vitamin C in the diet.

With severe hypovitaminosis turtles recommended to add to food drinking water or rosehip tincture.

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is found in fairly large quantities in cabbage, nettle and dandelion leaves, sea buckthorn and black currant berries, pine needles, rose hips and citrus fruits.

Often, to treat hypovitaminosis and its consequences, it is necessary to use various artificial vitamin supplements, but this often causes difficulties. It is necessary not only to correctly determine the dosage, but also to ensure that the vitamins enter the body turtles .

Give drugs that dissolve in water turtles the easiest way, but it is impossible to calculate how much water the animal will drink and when, and these drugs cannot be stored in dissolved form.

You can administer vitamin preparations along with food, however, if the animal is sick and refuses food, this method is also unsuitable.

Most common diseases turtles

At proper care and maintenance of red-eared turtles They can live without getting sick for a very long time. Animals that are weakened as a result of long journeys and climate change are most susceptible to various diseases. Diseases can be caused by poor nutrition, injuries, temperature disturbances, and contact with sick animals.

Below are descriptions of the main diseases turtles and methods of treating them, however, you should remember that if you notice the first signs of illness in your pet, you should first contact a veterinarian.

Treatment This disease is performed surgically: the place where the abscess is found is opened under local anesthesia so that the pus comes out. A 0.5% solution of novocaine is used as an anesthetic. Then the resulting wound is washed with hydrogen peroxide. Narrow strips of gauze soaked in hydrogen peroxide should be inserted into the wound daily.

For abscesses in land animals turtles Compression of tissues located above the site of inflammation may be observed. If the abscess is not treated, the tissue may begin to die.

After the pus stops secreting, the wound is sprinkled with trypsin or chymopsin. It is advisable to carry out in parallel treatment antibiotics.

Pneumonia

This disease occurs in turtles more often. It is caused by bacteria that become active in the body of animals during sudden changes in climatic conditions, drafts, and hypothermia. Very often turtles catch cold during transportation.

The first symptoms of pneumonia are wheezing when breathing, mucus in the mouth, stretching in threads. Then a runny nose appears, in which the fluid released from the nostrils forms bubbles, and difficulty breathing. A sick animal opens its mouth and breathes convulsively. With further development of the disease during breathing turtles gurgling wheezing is heard, the mucus in the mouth becomes yellowish and cloudy.

Most often, for the treatment of pneumonia, subcutaneous or intramuscular injections of ampicillin (50-75 mg per 1 kg of weight) or ampicillin trihydrate (3-6 mg per 1 kg) are given for 7-10 days, once a day. You can also inject tetracycline (50 mg per 1 kg) once a day for 9-10 days or chloramphenicol (50 mg per 1 kg) for 1 week. In case of severe damage to the respiratory tract, it is necessary to take a course of injections of gentamicin sulfate (10 mg per 1 kg) for 10 days with an interval of 2 days.

There are several forms of rhinitis, in red-eared turtles the most common are viral-related rhinitis or rhinitis that manifests itself as a consequence of sinusitis.

Symptoms of rhinitis include thin nasal discharge, which becomes thick over time if the disease is not treated.

Virus-related rhinitis is a consequence of viral infections and is always bilateral. This type of disease is treated with tetracycline or other antibiotics.

Rhinitis as a consequence of sinusitis is usually unilateral, less often bilateral. The eye on the side where there is inflammation is usually closed and festering. This type of rhinitis is treated with antibiotics and steroids.

Symptoms of a runny nose often resemble those of a cold. The causes of this disease include: the use of soil in a terrarium or pen that produces fine dust, infections, hypothermia, unbalanced nutrition, and lack of vitamin A in the body.

In the treatment of any form of runny nose or rhinitis turtle must be kept warm and protected from drafts. It should be remembered that most often the occurrence of these diseases leads to a violation of the temperature regime.

Treatment should start with a single dose turtle intramuscular vitamin A. Then the nasal passages should be rinsed antiseptic liquid using a syringe with a catheter attached to it, with a diameter slightly smaller than the nostril turtles. When rinsing, the liquid should flow out of the animal’s mouth. Both nostrils should be rinsed alternately.

Viral infections

Both land and water animals are equally susceptible to these infections. turtles. The symptoms of the disease are the same as for a cold, in addition, conjunctivitis occurs.

Sick animals have no appetite.

With severe damage to red-eared turtles necrotic changes appear in the tissues of the lungs and trachea.

This disease is very dangerous; in severe cases, more than half of the animals die. Treatment methods for at the moment unknown.

Nonspecific bacterial pneumonia

Symptoms of this disease include breathing noises in turtles. Red-eared turtles. people with pneumonia behave unusually in the water, take an unnatural position or stay on the surface.

With inadequate treatment or its complete absence turtle may die. In order to detect the disease in a timely manner, it is recommended to closely monitor the pet, tracking changes in its behavior and appearance.

Aquatic patients with pneumonia turtles They dive poorly, and during swimming one side on the side where the source of the disease is located is raised upward.

If nonspecific bacterial pneumonia is detected in an animal, the temperature in the terrarium should be increased to 30-35 °C, and the sick animal should be protected from drafts. Treatment carried out with broad-spectrum antibiotics.

If an animal refuses food for a long time during treatment, it must be fed artificially.

Cloaca or rectal prolapse

The cause of prolapse of the rectum or cloaca may be swallowed turtle sand, which damages the intestinal mucosa. In males, the genital organ can also fall out: it is quite simple to set it back if turtles there were no serious injuries that caused the fall. Causes of rectal or cloaca prolapse can be constipation or enteritis.

To reduce the cloaca, you first need to inject a little SupronalR using a pipette, then return the organ to its place with a finger or some blunt object, apply a cotton swab and cover it with the tail on top turtles. After this, the tail is fixed, attached to the shell with adhesive tape, and turtle a little Vaseline oil orally. Through After a few days the adhesive tape is removed. For some time you need to monitor whether you have turtles problems with bowel movements.

Often turtles are infected with worms. In most cases, they are not dangerous to humans, but they can cause various diseases in animals, such as constipation. In order to determine whether you have turtles worms, you need to put it in a warm bath, which stimulates the intestines, and check the animal’s excrement for the presence of worms and their eggs.

If worms are found during the check, you need to treatment. prescribed by a doctor. You can get rid of some types of worms yourself with the help of chopped raw carrots, which should be given to turtle within a few days. No other food should be given during this period. If treatment carrots will not help, you need to use special medicines.

Dermatomycoses

With dermatomycosis, a grayish-white coating appears on the skin and shell, which can lead to tissue death. Often with this disease, the shell is deformed, the plates of the cornea peel off. Sometimes the formation of granulomas is observed.

Ringworm at an early stage is quite treatable, therefore, as soon as you notice signs of this disease in an animal, it is necessary to take timely measures.

Turtle. affected by dermatomycosis, it is recommended to bathe for 2-3 days for 15 minutes in a solution of malachite greens (0.15 mg per 1 l). You can also bathe the animal in a solution of potassium permanganate (dilute 1 g of potassium permanganate in 100 ml of water, then dilute 1 ml of the resulting solution with 1 liter of water).

After bathing, Canesten should be applied to the affected areas of the shell and skin. If the disease is advanced and there are deeply affected areas of the skin, it is advisable to remove them and apply Betaisodon-R ointment to the surface of the resulting wounds.

It should be remembered that treatment will be successful only if the living conditions and nutrition of the animal are improved.

Conjunctivitis

This is one of the most common diseases at turtles. With conjunctivitis, the eyelids and conjunctival sacs become inflamed. The cause of the disease is streptococci and staphylococci. Treatment conjunctivitis is carried out using ointments containing tetracycline and chloramphenicol. If the disease is advanced, it is treated with antibiotic ointments and oral antibiotics.

Delayed egg laying

This is a very serious disease that often leads to the death of the female. It is most often found in land animals turtles. The reasons for delayed egg laying may vary. This is a lack of calcium in the body, due to which the shell cannot form, poor patency of the oviduct, and abnormal development of eggs. In addition, it is also important external factors- low room temperature, inability to find a place to lay eggs.

Eggs located in the oviduct remain viable for 4 weeks, after which offspring can no longer emerge from them. The first sign of delayed egg laying is restlessness turtles. unusual behavior. Then the animals lose their appetite and become passive. In severe cases, they experience swelling of the limbs and neck, and rapid breathing.

Only regular examination helps to detect diseases in a timely manner.

You can make sure that the listed signs indicate a delay in egg laying by holding turtle vertically upside down for a while. In this case, the internal organs are displaced and it is often possible to feel the eggs in the cutouts of the shell in front of the hind limbs. Can also be done in veterinary clinic X-ray examination.

When found in the body turtles eggs, you must immediately give her 4 IU of oxytocin and at the same time 50 mg of calcium per 1 kg of weight. It is also recommended to bathe turtle in water at a temperature of 30-33 °C or place for some time in a warm, dark room. If an egg is found in the oviduct that is too large to come out, you need to carefully pierce it with a needle and suck out the contents with a syringe.

The reason for the retention of eggs in the body may be either the abnormal development of the uterus, or the growth of eggs to the uterus.

In this case, urgent surgery is required, which must be performed by a specialist.

Maladaptation syndrome

This disease occurs most often with a sharp change in living conditions, after a long transportation of the animal. The syndrome manifests itself in disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

In case of maladaptation syndrome, it is necessary to introduce turtles oral dewormer. If the animal refuses to eat, then using a probe or catheter turtle you need to inject blood serum from cattle. You can normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract with daily warm bathing and rinsing the cloaca.

One of the manifestations of the syndrome is dehydration of the animal’s body, which causes significant weight loss, turtles It is recommended to administer a glucose and electrolyte solution orally or subcutaneously. A sick animal should be kept at a temperature not lower than 29 °C and at high humidity.

Often turtles long time continue to refuse food, since their body still contains a significant amount of toxins.

In this case, animals should be given the diuretic furosemide at the rate of 10 mg per 1 kg of weight.

To promote the breakdown of uric acid in the body, it is recommended to regularly give allopurinol at a dose of 25 mg per 1 kg of weight.

More often this disease young red-eared birds are susceptible turtles. The main symptoms of rickets are softening of the shell (when pressed with a finger, it is pressed through) and lower jaw animals. Over time, if left untreated, the shell and jaws become deformed, the latter leading to turtle cannot eat normally.

The cause of rickets is a lack of vitamin D3 in the body of animals, a violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, and a lack of ultraviolet radiation. To treat the disease you can give turtles along with the food, mineral supplements containing calcium, vitamin preparations (after consultation with a veterinarian).

You can determine the strength of the shell by pressing on it with your finger.

Necrosis of the shell

When the shell is mechanically damaged, pathogens of various infectious diseases can penetrate into the resulting cracks and wounds. diseases. which cause separation of the shell scutes, and then spread to the bones located under the shell. Both land and water animals are susceptible to necrosis. turtles. however, aquatic to a greater extent.

Save turtle It is possible only by removing the damaged shields. Wounds should be treated with BetaisodonaR solution, and then antibacterial and antifungal ointments should be applied to them daily. red-eared turtles during treatment should be kept on dry land. Only necrosis in the initial stage can be treated.

Armor osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is common in red-eared cats turtles and occurs due to bacterial damage to the bone areas of the shell.

The disease often manifests itself as a consequence of shell injuries.

The first symptoms of osteomyelitis are pinkish spots with a rough surface that appear on the shell. Then, if the disease is not treated, the surface layer of the shell dies, and yellowish areas appear on its surface. With further development of osteomyelitis, bone necrosis can spread throughout the entire shell and even affect internal organs.

This disease is treated with chloramphenicol or an aminoglycoside. The dosage should be calculated depending on the weight of the animal. The medicine should be administered subcutaneously. To protect turtle from osteomyelitis, it is necessary to remove from the terrarium all hard or sharp objects that can injure the shell, and not contain turtle together with crustaceans susceptible to this disease.

Osteoporosis

This disease occurs as a result of a lack of protein in the body, which appears due to the fact that turtle has difficulty eating due to a beak that is too long or due to an incorrectly formulated diet. Osteoporosis leads to softening of the bones, sometimes to deformation of the vertebrae. This disease is treated quite simply - you need to give it regularly turtle complex vitamins and calcium, as well as increase the energy value of food and normalize protein consumption turtle .

Parakeratosis of the land turtles

The cause of parakeratosis is believed to be an excess of vitamin A in the body and improper animal husbandry. With this disease, the epithelium begins to separate, first in the neck and cloaca, and then throughout the body. The shell and other horny surfaces are not affected.

When treating a disease, you must first reduce the dosage of vitamin A in the diet. turtles. It is recommended to bathe the animal in BetaisodonaR solution. The resulting wounds must be lubricated with antibiotic ointments.

Panophthalmitis

This disease occurs mainly in waterfowl. turtles. and most often in red-eared cats. Panophthalmitis - bacterial inflammation of the membranes of the eye - appears due to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria from the oral cavity under the cornea through the lacrimal canal.

At the initial stage, only the lower eyelid is affected, and slight clouding of the eye appears. If the disease is not treated, the eye may collapse. Ointments containing antibiotics are widely used to treat panophthalmitis.

Swollen eyes

eyes turtles swell most often due to a lack of vitamin A in food, in addition, in red-eared turtles The cause of swelling may be dirty water in a terrarium or aquarium. Affected eyes should be washed 2 times a day with a 3% solution of boric acid in distilled water. To prevent this disease, the water in the aquarium must be changed regularly, and the food must be turtle add foods containing vitamin A.

Most common cause of ocular diseases at turtles- failure to comply with animal hygiene standards.

Refusal to eat

The reasons that an animal refuses food can be different. Most often, lack of appetite turtles may be caused by low room temperature. In order to digestive system these cold-blooded animals function normally, they need to be well warmed up before feeding, otherwise they will not eat. Therefore feed turtle follows after a warm bath or a few hours after turning on the heater in the terrarium.

If turtle still refuses food, she needs to be seen by a vet as she may be seriously ill.

Fractures

Fractures in turtles occur as a result of injuries, severe bruises and falls from great heights. Closed fractures often do not require special care and heal on their own, but open limb fractures should be treated with splints and the use of screw clamps. During treatment, one should not allow turtles into hibernation. After bone surgery or splinting turtles Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be given for 10 days.

To prevent fractures when moving red-eared animals turtles handle them carefully from place to place.

When the shell is fractured, noticeable gaps and cracks form on it. In this case, you need to clean the horny and bone layers of the crack, then drill small holes on the sides of the crack and connect it with wire. The wire should be removed when the fracture heals, after 3-4 months.

Jaw fractures occur in turtles after falls from great heights. A broken jaw is fixed with pins; epoxy glue is sometimes used to fix the lower jaw.

Microbacterial damage

There are many varieties of microbacteria that infect aquatic turtles. Aquarium fish can become a source of infection if they are kept in the same aquarium with turtles or feed them.

Externally, symptoms of microbacterial damage do not appear; the cause of the disease is determined only after the death of the animal. It is impossible to get rid of microbacteria.

Salmonellosis

This disease is caused by Salmonella - coli-shaped bacteria that are dangerous not only for animals, but also for people, especially children, as they produce toxins that can cause typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever. Turtles may not only suffer from salmonellosis, but also be carriers of salmonella, which usually does not manifest itself in any way. Therefore, it is necessary to observe hygiene rules when in contact with turtles and under no circumstances allow children to press turtles to the face or kiss them.

If turtle She doesn't move much, maybe she's sick.

Symptoms of salmonellosis in turtles manifest themselves as follows: first, liquid, foamy diarrhea of a greenish color appears, characterized by an extremely unpleasant odor, then the animal refuses food and becomes apathetic. In the early stages of the disease it is possible treatment chloramphenicol in the form of a suspension (50-75 mg per 1 kg), which is administered through a probe 2-3 times with an interval of 2 days. If no improvement is observed, it is best to euthanize the animal.

Maintaining personal hygiene when in contact with red-eared insects turtles will protect you and your family members from many infectious diseases diseases .

Systemic mycoses

These are diseases of internal organs caused by fungi. The lungs are most often affected, since fungal spores spread most quickly there. Systemic mycoses occur when conditions of detention are violated, long-term treatment with antibiotics and poor nutrition.

Systemic mycoses are one of the main causes of mortality turtles. The difficulty of this disease is that it does not manifest itself externally. In addition, with mycosis of the lungs, other organs are often affected: pancreas, liver, spleen.

It is almost impossible to cure systemic mycosis, so it is recommended to focus on prevention.

The cause of diarrhea can be either illness or poor diet. If you find turtles diarrhea and feces should immediately be sent to a laboratory for analysis.

If there is an infection, it is necessary to carry out the procedure prescribed by a veterinarian. treatment. and if there is no infectious disease, the diet should be changed turtles .

The most common cause of diarrhea in turtles are amebiasis (amebic dysentery), which is caused by protozoa.

The causes of constipation can be different. Most often they occur after ingestion turtle foreign bodies, as a result of stagnation of intestinal contents due to worms.

To relieve constipation, you can use warm baths and enemas with Vaseline oil.

Chronic gastritis

This is a fairly common disease turtles. If chronic gastritis If left untreated, it leads to the death of the animal. This disease is caused by a fungus.

Symptoms of the disease include vomiting and lack of appetite. If you have any suspicion that turtle is sick with gastritis, she needs to be orally administered the lubricating drug PanologR at a dose of 0.2-0.3 ml per 1 kg of weight.

Peeling skin

Leather turtles may peel for various reasons. Peeling often appears as a result of mechanical damage to the skin or infectious skin diseases. it is also often a symptom of serious diseases .

Peeling of the skin occurs as a result of a lack of vitamin A and B vitamins in the body. This disorder can also occur with hypervitaminosis, which occurs as a result of an overdose of vitamins.

Determine the cause of peeling and prescribe treatment Only a specialist in reptile diseases can do this.

Ulcerative stomatitis

Stomatitis - inflammation of the oral mucosa - is caused by bacteria that are very resistant to antibiotics.

This disease occurs mainly in marine turtles. but sometimes it can also be observed in freshwater animals. Ulcerative stomatitis is treated with tetracycline.

For successful treatment in the body turtles It is necessary to administer vitamin C in parallel with antibiotics.

Medication administration techniques

If your turtle If she gets sick, it is not always possible to take her to the veterinarian or constantly visit him so that he can administer medications to her. The easiest way is to learn to do it yourself. Below are the different ways to administer medications. turtles and the necessary tools for this.

Oral administration of drugs

To administer medications orally, you must first fix your head with your fingers. turtles. then open her mouth. If the animal is small, you can use a strip of thick paper, which is inserted into the mouth from the front, to open the mouth. Large turtles the mouth can be opened using a small spatula, which is inserted into the mouth with the narrow tip forward in the direction from bottom to top. You need to use a spatula very carefully, trying not to damage oral cavity animal.

After inserting the spatula, it must be turned perpendicularly to prevent the mouth from closing.

The procedure of opening the mouth is very unpleasant for the animal, so you should, whenever possible, try not to create additional unpleasant moments when administering medications so that the animal does not become nervous. It is necessary to exclude extraneous noise, too bright light, the presence of strangers. You need to act slowly, talking with turtle in a calm voice and gently stroking her. After several treatments, she will begin to react more calmly and will not clench her jaw too much.

Injections

Medicines turtles administered not only orally, but also by injection. Giving injections to animals is not difficult, the main thing is to overcome your fear. For injections, it is preferable to use disposable syringes with a capacity of 5 ml.

A syringe needle is inserted into the ampoule so that it does not touch the walls of the ampoule, and the medicine is drawn out. After this, the syringe is raised with the needle up and air is released from it until a trickle appears. If there is more medicine in the syringe than necessary, you should release the excess to the desired mark on the wall of the syringe.

Air bubbles stuck to the walls of the syringe can be removed by lightly tapping it with your finger.

Some injectable medications are not available in liquid form but in powder form, such as bicillin, so they must be dissolved in a liquid. The solvent used is isotonic sodium chloride solution or novocaine, which are sold in pharmacies.

The ampoule with the medicine must be shaken or tapped with your finger so that the medicine is at the bottom. Then you should cut the ampoule with a special file at the narrowing point or carefully break off the tip, covering it with a piece of cotton wool.

The solvent is drawn into a syringe and released into a bottle of medicine. Then the medicine and solvent are thoroughly mixed and drawn back into the syringe. Before giving the injection, the needle is changed. Injections of drugs produced in powder form are recommended to be done with a wide-bore needle. Turtle it must be in a horizontal position.

skin turtles the place where the injection is supposed to be given should be wiped with alcohol or iodine. Injections turtles should be done subcutaneously or intramuscularly, being careful not to get into the blood vessels. To make sure that the needle has not entered the vessel, you need to slightly pull the syringe plunger towards you after inserting it. If blood appears in the syringe, it means the needle is in the vessel. In this case, the needle needs to be moved a little deeper.

Before removing the needle, lightly press on the skin next to it with a piece of cotton wool soaked in alcohol, which helps reduce pain. After the needle is removed, the area where the medicine was injected should be massaged for a minute so that the medicine is distributed more quickly throughout the tissues.

Prevention diseases turtles

It's always unpleasant when your pet gets sick.

Although most diseases treatable, it is still better to spare no effort in preventing them than to subsequently waste time and money on visits to the veterinarian.

In addition, it should be remembered that some animal diseases can be transmitted to humans.

Prevention in veterinary medicine is a system of measures to prevent diseases animals and protecting human health from infection by them.

1. Daily inspection turtles. Allows you to identify signs of a particular disease and promptly begin treatment. During examination, special attention should be paid to the condition of the skin. turtles. eyes, shell. It should be taken into account how good appetite in animals, whether they behave actively enough. Any changes in the usual behavior of the red-eared turtles may indicate that they have a particular disease.

2. Regular cleaning of the terrarium or aquarium where red-eared fish are kept turtles. This way you can avoid creating a favorable environment for the development of pathogenic microorganisms. It is recommended to clean the terrarium once a week; in addition, you need to remove any uneaten food every day after feeding. turtles. Once a month should be carried out general cleaning: turtles transplant into a separate container, wash the walls of the terrarium, rinse the soil.

3. Regular change of water in the aquarium or terrarium. If we neglect this rule, on the shells of red-eared turtles Algae deposits may form. In this case, you need to carefully remove it, trying not to damage the shell.

4. Proper organization of nutrition. Diet turtles. properly compiled is a reliable guarantee against the occurrence of such diseases. such as vitamin deficiencies, rickets, gastrointestinal disorders. Always use for feeding turtles high-quality feed containing all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and microelements. Do not give your pet spoiled food or frozen food. The latter, before giving to your pet, must be defrosted and warmed to room temperature.

Dirty water in an aquarium is a source of infections

Hypothermia can cause turtles colds, so you need to monitor the serviceability of heating devices, especially in winter.

5. Regular check of heating and lighting devices, as well as water filters. Only normal operation equipment allows you to maintain in a terrarium or aquarium with red-eared turtles proper conditions of detention, similar to natural ones.

6. Compliance with personal hygiene rules. After contacts with turtles. especially for sick people, be sure to wash your hands with soap and disinfect all care items.

Carapace turtles need to be cleared of algae.

7. Mandatory quarantine for sick or recently acquired turtles. It is advisable to prepare a small terrarium in advance in which the animal can be placed.

8. Limiting contact with the patient turtles with other pets and family members, especially children. This avoids infection infectious diseases, for example salmonellosis.

9. If you release turtle walk freely around the house, you should carefully monitor her movements. Do not forget that falling even from a small height can lead to broken limbs and damage to the shell. For the same reason, do not allow large pets (cats or dogs) to play with turtle .

10. Ultraviolet irradiation. Aquarium or terrarium with red-eared fish turtles In summer, take it out onto the veranda or balcony.

As already mentioned, these animals require ultraviolet radiation for normal development.

In winter, replace natural sunbathing with artificial ones, using special devices for this.

11. Regular examination by a veterinarian. If you are unsure about the health of your turtles. be sure to show them to your doctor. Not all diseases can be diagnosed independently, but treatment The disease will be successful only if the diagnosis is made correctly and in a timely manner.

Proper care is the key to your pet's health.

Content:

Eyes for red-eared turtles, as for any living creatures, are vital important organ. , to which turtles are susceptible, worsen the quality of life of pets and cause discomfort. If you do not know the symptoms of eye diseases and neglect the disease, partial or complete blindness may develop. Therefore, owners of red-eared turtles must constantly monitor the condition of their pets’ eyes and pay attention to their hygiene. What to do if your red-eared slider's eyes are swollen? What leads to the development of ophthalmic diseases and why do your pet’s eyes turn red?

Main symptoms of eye diseases

Eye diseases in turtles have different etiopathogenesis and, accordingly, are characterized by different symptoms and clinical manifestations.

The main symptoms of eye diseases in red-eared turtles:

swelling, edema, sticking of the eyelids;
redness of the mucous membrane;
cloudy cornea, presence of a bluish film, white coating on the eyes;
partial decrease in visual function, loss of vision;
photophobia, blepharospasm;
lacrimation;
abundant mucous, catarrhal-serous, purulent discharge from the eyes;
inadequate reaction of the pupil to light;
corneal clouding;
decreased activity, lethargy;
deterioration of general condition.

Other symptoms that indicate the development of ophthalmic diseases in pets include: weakness, decreased appetite, refusal of favorite treats, inappropriate behavior, and lack of response to external stimuli. The turtle stretches its neck forward, takes unnatural poses, and rubs its sore eye with its paws. It hurts and stops opening.

The intensity of clinical manifestations depends on the root cause, the nature of the pathological process, and the stage of the disease.

Causes of eye diseases

Eye diseases and eye pathologies often develop due to an unbalanced diet, feeding turtles with low-quality food, unfavorable conditions and maintenance rules, and lack of proper care. Dirty water, improper arrangement of an aquarium or terrarium, keeping a pet in unsanitary conditions - all this can cause red eyes, swelling or sticking of the eyelids.

Eyes can become swollen due to injury, constant mechanical stress, and also if the pet is kept in a draft or near heating devices.

Conjunctivitis of various etiologies, swelling of the eyelids occur due to blockage of the channels of the orbital glands, as well as against the background of hypo-, avitaminosis, systemic acquired, congenital pathologies. The cause of eye diseases in red-eared turtles can also be eye injuries of various types, metabolic failures, insufficient lighting levels, sudden changes in temperature conditions, low temperatures environment, unfavorable indoor microclimate, poor filtration.

Eye diseases in red-eared turtles: symptoms and treatment

Most often, turtles have swollen eyes and swollen eyelids due to the following diseases:

conjunctivitis;
respiratory infections and diseases (rhinitis, pneumonia);
viral diseases;
blepharoconjunctivitis.

Regardless of what triggered the development ophthalmological disease, it is very important to start treatment therapy in a timely manner. The treatment regimen and medications will be selected by the attending veterinarian after an accurate diagnosis has been established. You should not self-medicate to avoid causing serious complications.

How to treat the eyes of red-eared turtles?

What to do if your red-eared slider's eyes are swollen? This question interests many breeders who care about the life of their beloved pet. Treatment of turtles if their eyes, eyelids are swollen, or any other ophthalmological ailment is diagnosed, is prescribed by a veterinarian. It is very important to establish what triggered eye disease in your pet, normalize its general condition, restore visual acuity and visual function in case of its impairment.

Important! As a rule, therapeutic therapy involves complex treatment using general medications and drugs for local treatment (drops, ointments, liniments).

If your turtle's eyes are swollen and cannot open, or the eyelids are inflamed due to conjunctivitis, the first thing you need to do is determine the root cause. Be sure to move your pet to a new aquarium and create optimal living conditions. Change the water in the turtle's usual habitat.

Antibacterial drops, anti-inflammatory, and general restoratives are used in treatment. The pet may be assigned the following drugs: Albucid, Sofradex, Tsiprolet, Tsiprovet, Floxal. Drops are applied to the eyes 2–3 times a day for 5–7 days.

If your tortoise cannot open its eyes on its own, gently pull down your pet's lower eyelid before adding drops. Before carrying out the procedure, use a sterile gauze-cotton swab to wipe the eyes from dirt, remove dry crusts using physiological solutions, antiseptics (Ringer-Locke solution).

Important! Drops should be instilled into each eye, even if the eyelids are swollen and inflamed on one. Use a separate cotton pad for each eye. Carry out all manipulations very carefully. To prevent the pet from pulling its head into its shell, secure the turtle well and hold it at the base of the neck. Enlist the help of an assistant.

If a turtle's eyes are swollen, the treatment course can range from 5 days to 2 weeks. Treatment of the disease is continued until the condition is completely normalized.

If the turtle constantly rubs its eyes or scratches its eyelids, use Hydrocortisone ointment and drops containing corticosteroids are instilled into each eye. Treatment takes about 5–6 days. After eye drops, do not place your pet in water for 15–20 minutes.

In the absence of positive dynamics, if medication, conservative treatment did not produce results, the condition of the red-eared turtle is deteriorating, a surgical operation will be scheduled, which is performed under anesthesia in a hospital setting.

Treatment for inflammation of the eyes and eyelids can be supplemented with complex vitamin preparations, immunomodulators, and mineral supplements. In severe cases, you can pierce your pet intramuscularly with a prescribed vitamin preparation. Dosage - 0.6 mg/kg. It is permissible to give a second injection after 12–14 days.

If there are no contraindications, the eyes are open, but the eyelids are edematous, swollen, in combination with drug treatment Warming up with a UV lamp helps a lot. Since red-eared turtles may not be able to withstand 5–6 hours of warming up, arrange shelters for your pet. Place a bath of warm water in the aquarium.

To ensure your pet’s treatment is successful, follow all recommendations of your doctor. Stick to the dosages indicated in the medication label.

During treatment, enrich your diet with plant foods and fresh herbs. Give your turtle raw beef liver, carrots, which are a source of vitamin A, young cabbage, squid, pond algae, and lettuce. should be healthy, fortified and balanced. Young turtles should be fed at the same time every day. Adult red-eared turtles after three years of age need to be fed no more than three times a week.