Tortoise Ailments
Cracks or other shell injuries which expose tissue should be dressed with flavine oil emulsion.
Ticks covering legs and necks should be treated with an insect powder containing gammexane allowing the ticks to be removed with tweezers an hour later.
If the tortoise’s eyes and mouth are sealed with mucus these should be bathed with warm water, and a mild antiseptic applied. Yellow oxide of mercury (Golden Eye Ointment is effective. However, this is in many places now available only on prescription, so a visit to the veterinary surgeon will be necessary.
Sadly, tortoises can suffer from gangrene, an unpleasant sloughing of the skin round the head, and this is usually incurable.
Never try to put a tortoise to sleep yourself or allow one yo be placed in a chloroform lethal chamber.A barbiturate must be injected underneath the skin by a qualified veterinary surgeon, and indeed if there is doubt as to your pet’s health it is best to consult a veterinarian, and soon.