URGENT - Very Sick Bluetounge.

guygardner1 · Postby **guygardner1** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:49 am

I have a yearling BlueTounge who is housed with other yearlings in an outdoor enclosure. We live in Victoria and about 4 weeks ago we had a freak summer cold snap and cold flooded rains, followed by an instant heat wave.
The day after the rains I found this yearling Bluetounge not seeking shelter but out in the rain walking around its enclosure holding its head high.
That was 3 weeks ago.
I brought it inside and tried to get it warm and then rereleased it back into its enclosure during the heat wave we had.
The end result is that its chest cavity is swollen and its holding its head up all the time, and constant weeping from its eyes.
Does anybody know what could be wrong and how i can heal this reptile ?

Tattoo · Postby **Tattoo** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:02 am

I can't say with certainty what the problem is but would suggest an immediate trip to the vet. The swollen chest cavity and weeping from the eyes make me very uncomfortable. Some of your fellow Aussies may have exacting advice when they drop in. Please keep us posted.

Postby **Zach** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:09 am

Sounds like an R.I.....a vet visit would certainly be recommended.

Good luck, welcome -- sorry it's not under better circumstances..

SailleSkinklover · Postby **SailleSkinklover** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:12 am

Try PMing DeadEye, he does all sorts of lizard rescue, ( mostly Shinglebacks, which I hear are more prone to R.T.I.'s than other skinks because they like slightly drier conditions)
And definitly get him/her to a good herp vet ASAP.
Good luck, I hope it'll be ok!

KyleWeiss · Postby **KyleWeiss** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:59 pm

Ian/DeadEye is probably the best bet for what to do in the meantime, perhaps even who to go to...

KW

Tattoo · Postby **Tattoo** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:47 pm

I sent Ian a PM and e-mail for you. Hopefully he will see it soon.

Geoff Gates · Postby **Geoff Gates** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:04 pm

An elevated head is a symptom of a respiratory Infection (RI).

Your bluey will need antibiotics so a Vet visit is a must and keep him warm & dry until he is healthy again.

Is your Bluey an Eastern? They are more susceptible to RI than Blotchies.

Lisa · Postby **Lisa** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:14 pm

These are some of the herp vets in Vic if you've not had the need to visit one before:

http://www.wolfwoodwares.com.au/rept2.html

guygardner1 · Postby **guygardner1** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:17 pm

Thank You everybody for your awesome help.
We are off to an excellent reptile vet in 3 hours time. Ill keep you all posted. Cheers.

aggiegirl · Postby **aggiegirl** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 7:21 pm

Good luck. Please keep us posted!

Leigh · Postby **Leigh** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:46 am

I would suggest seperating him from the rest to stop it spreading if tis a R.T.I.,and make sure you scrub up well so as not to transmit it through touch,best of luck and all that.

Jenn · Postby **Jenn** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:15 am

Any news on this guy!

KyleWeiss · Postby **KyleWeiss** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:42 pm

I'm sorry, I keep forgetting there's other powerhouse Aussie bluey keepers in the world. My apologies, Geoff and Lisa. :lol:

KW

guygardner1 · Postby **guygardner1** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:43 am

I'm back.
Yes it was an RTI.
I was lucky enough to visit one of Victoria's Blue Tounge Skink specialists who practices 20 mins from my house.
Anyway we have an Respiratory Tract Infection.
We are taking 1.5 mls a day of a new wonder antibiotic called Baytril Oral Solution for the next 14 days.
Already on day 3 their was a massive improvement in my Bluey's condition.
Also I found out that the virus that causes the RTI is dormant in all Blue Tounges. It just needs the right condition to flick the switch in the virus to make it active. It's not a transmissable disease as they all already have it in them. Nor is it common in only "Common Blue Tounges" as my vet has treated 3 Blotched Blue Tounges for RTI this week already and mine was the first Common species he had for a while. Also Shinglebacks (Stumpies) have an RTI virus that is hairtrigger in the cold which is why they do poorly away from dry conditions.
Unfortunatley being caught in the cold rain turned my Bluey's RTI virus on and down the hill he slided.
But we are all good and on the road to recovery.
So everyone has now learnt something new from this experience.
Thanks everyone for your help.

Leigh · Postby **Leigh** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:22 am

Nice mate,if you get the chance to talk to Ian/DeadEye he'll tell you a tale or fifty about it and the shingles of Perth,I've heard there was land slides and all that in South Aus,anywhere near you?

Tattoo · Postby **Tattoo** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:28 am

Glad to hear your buddy is on the mend. :wink:

SailleSkinklover · Postby **SailleSkinklover** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:14 pm

Heres to a healthy Bluey in the very near future! Thanks for the info, and I'm glad he's getting better so quickly! Thank you for caring enough to take such good care of your Bluey!

gloom_kitty · Postby **gloom_kitty** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:48 am

thats the same meds that ive been giving loki (and a watered down version to one of my geckos) im glad youve had some sucess with it.

URGENT - Very Sick Bluetounge.

URGENT - Very Sick Bluetounge.

good luck

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