My Red Ear SWEET Turtle Tuti (Female)

Question
QUESTION: First GOD will award You helping us  and guiding us for the Utmost best care of these helpless creatures. Briefly I inherited 2 red sliders after My only Bother in Florida Died very Young in a tragic accident. The Turtles were Babies 4 years ago. I TOOK very GOOD Care of them as if there were my Own Children, without an incident. I live in Michigan which is obviously Very Cold. BUT I took care of the UVB (Coil light every Year I changed), heater, basking area etc.. However as Mom just died, I might and I admit did not check the temp with thermometer ( I do Now: temp always kept at 85 with a heater round the clock: clean Tank. well fed though they Only ate at first pellets, then wax worm,Krill, shrimps then upgraded to fish: tuna, Salmon, chicken cost me a fortune BUT for the sake of my Dead only Brother and Mom's spirit  kept me going. They adamently Refused green ( salad, lettus, occasionally  OK carrots,  apples) with Vitamine and high CA/P ratio supplements. I DEARLY Love my turtle and I rather Starve for them to keep them fed. Since December, the female ( tuti) : 7 inches, 5.5 oz after being Bitterly harassed by Susu ( the male). He bit her in the neck , scratched her eyes almost blinded her by night. I had to seperate them and that is when problem happened with occasional Drop of temp. Tutu started to Sneeze , occasionally sounded like a cough ( not so sure), used to eat GOOD every day then started to  eat very little. I IMMEDIATELY Rushed to the vet for exotic reptile ( as I was told). Without examening the Turtle, he asked his associate over thephone ( Though he PROMISED me that he would be there before I drove with my SWEET sick Tuti in a very frigid weather), and gave me a Clavamox oral drops. I Refused. Mom knew him for the last 3 years as he boarded the turtle several times when we were overseas. So the same day 12/10/09 I drove to a Second Exotic Vet ( Money Hungery) WITHOUT Checking the turtle or answering my questions, after I caught her as she left /Rushed out of the room Reading a Textbook ??!!!!!

ANSWER: You need to post a follow up and provide the information in my instructions, or I cannot help and will have to reject your question. Also, please keep it relevant. I know most veterinarians do not know anything about reptiles, and that is why I am here, but you are not giving me much info to go on, and your English is a bit hard to understand. I cannot comment on what a vet recommends when you have given me no background information.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: On 12/10/09, The vet said that she will give the Turtle 5 Injections of Baytril 14 mg ( 0.14 cc)for her 6.03 Oz Wt as a Prophylaxis and I would come in 48 hours. The Turtle was Very Active, Both 2 eyes open, eating OK, Only Occasional  Sneezing , ??!!Wheezing/ raspy Sound ( Coughing ??!Not sure as if the turtle is clearing her throat ). Any way: she told me that the Turtle is Hibernating with early Cold, and No Need to Isolate her from the Other Turtle. As I went Home, the turtle took turn to the Worst the MOMENT we started this Baytril and DRIVING in very Cold Weather for 8 Trips total each almost One hour Driving  : Not Eating at all, Not interacting with the Same wheezing. Went on 12/12 ( the Vet was Not there and the technician gave her #2 Shot of Baytril in her REAR Right leg though the VEt told me that it SHOULD be giving in her Front arm.. and the Vet also Refused on out initial visit to start any Oral antibiotic or something I would give her at Home !! to Save teh turtle the Trip in COLD weather !!). The Turtle Did relatively OK.. BUT Not as She Was BEFORE I Rushed her to the VET Out of My Concern ( she was FAR much better Before the Baytril)!!!. The Course was Interrupted to watch the Turtle. I called her on 12/29 The Vet Instructed me to Come for the # 3 Baytril ( initially said she did Not need it, then said she might need More Injections !! ). The turtle I drove her almost ONE Hour drive Back and Forth in a VERY COLD weather, She started to SHUT down her Eyes, Clenching/Biting on her Teeth ( the vet said she is Hungry ).. I would say because it was VERY COLD !!, Still Sneezing, REFUSED to EAT anything.The VET Gave her the # 3 Baytril SHOT . The Turtle was Downhill : No eating Just Asleep with SHUT both Eyes ( Swollen )!! I brought her back on 12/31 ( as the VET told me, Weighed her: she lost wt : 2 oz in 48 hrs, the Vet Refused to give her the # 4 Shot Of Baytril and told me to call on 1/5 I did that the Turtle is NOT doing any better: NOT eating, Irritant/about to bite the other turtle Strange Behavior Never happened before !!, CLOSED Eyes, Not Moving At ALL, Downhill. The Vet told me, that the Turtle is Hibernating that is WHY Baytril is Not working : instructed to HEAT the Water to 85 ( which I did already), Light for 12 hrs to wake her up ( I use Both the Basking and the UVB : 26 Watt Coil : Repti Glo 10.0 UVB : Exo-Terra Just bought on 12/29. Turtle has been DRAGGING on /off , eats Very Little if any  every 5-6 days, Not much, Still Wheezing, swollen eyes, CLOSED, Not moving Much, LOST Lots of Weight. As if the Baytril Shots were NOT indicated from the Start. Now the Vet who is obviously Flip Flop, saying that she might have a Heart Failure or pneumonia !!! WITHOUT checking the turtle, Just over the Phone with Hefty Charges.She said that the Noise I am hearing is SNORING because the Turle was Over weight.. and this is Good that she is Losing Weight !!.. Then she said she wants to charge me now almost $100 for an X-ray ( I CAN NOT Afford all these Charges.. and I do NOT TRust this Vet at all.. Just tortured the Turtle to suck Money.. and MADE the POOR animal Worse.. while she was Initially in a VERY GOOD Shape in December.. as I Rushed her out of my Concern !!). On January 29,2010 I called the Second Exotic Vet ( who knew Mom/Turtles for 3 years).. Told me to come By myself and do NOT bring the Turtle is she is very Sick.. and the weather is very Cold . He gave me  the CLAVAMOX Oral Drops and give it to her ( 0.5 cc based on her weight 4.9 oz ) : every 12 hours for a total daily dose of 50 mg amoxicillin & 12.5 mg Clavulanic ).. The Turtle Is Not eating. Tried to force Feed her.. She seems she can Not Swallow properly because of Laryngitis/ Sore throat !!??, with the Same Wheezing ( Occasionally). the Turtle is Not Yet open mouth breathing. There is NO Nasal or mouth discharge or bubbles ( except under water which is Normal). But NOT EATING at all, and LOST Weight,STILL Laying in the water ASLEEP.. with SHUT Swollen eyes.. very Lethargic/ Sluggish  and I am so SCARED to give her the Clavamox which Could even make it Worse OR KILL her.. What should I do and I rushed My turtle to TWO EXOTIC/ Reptile vet (  SPECIALIST so they CLAIM), Charged me lots of Money I have to BORROW and BEG people to lend me.. for the Sake of the Turtle.. and The TURTLE is DYING Right in front of My Eyes.. HELP me.. Should I just go ahead and Give her the CLAVAMOX.Oral Drops !! or what Should I do .. I TRied to call all other eotic doctors.. even the American Journal of teh Veterinary Medicine..and No Satisfactory Answer .. PLEASE Help me.. I do NOT want to Bury my Turtle.. as this Vet ( who initiated the Baytril from teh start is telling me that she would charge me $ 47 to get rid of the turtle when she dies Or $ 250 if I want her ashes !!).. No mercy.. Just ignorance and above all GREED.. and I am Left with Lots of DEBTS to pay towards the turtle Care.. and She NEVER Got better.
SHOULD I JUST GIVE HER THE CLAVAMOX ORAL DROPSas the SECOND VET ( REptile ) Told me.. and watch her for 48 Hours and call him or what woould I do.. Should I put Vit A drops in her eyes to open her eyes.. PLEASE HELP ME
Thank You for Your URGENT and KING HELP and Response.. Gigi

Answer
I am placing myself on vacation because I have rescue acitivities to do. You will have to email me at the address I give below or through my website at wichitafallsreptilerescue.webs.com

Ok, clam down. I need this more simple to make sense of it. Email me personally at phrynosoma_texas@yahoo and send the following information in clear and simple language, line by line. Just answer the following directly and simply.

I need to know current basking area and water temperature
Are you providing a dry basking area
Send pictures if you can get them
Details of where you obtained the turtle and when
Approx how old is the turtle
Does it cohabitate with other turtles, and what species
What the turtle was eating before the problems
What the turtle is eating now
What size is the terrarium
List dates and medications given along with amount given
What is the concentration of the medication given
Weight of the turtle
Do you use a filter
Do you use chemicals in the water
Do you have plants, rocks, pebbles in the water

I have to stress I need this in plain simple terms. Your writing makes it hard to make sense of it, as it is one huge paragraph with no separation.

The turtle should be isolated and given separate terrarium with dry land basking area as well as shallow water so as not to get too weak and drown.

Water temp should be high 70s-low 80sF.

Basking area should be mid 90sF.

Do not place or use vitamin A at this point. Vitamin A is dangerous if not given properly.

Do not allow any more injections of Baytril. Baytril should only be injected FIRST dose, and in the front limbs, never the back. Following doses should be given orally. The proper dose should be 5-10mg/Kg. The turtle should not have received 14mg unless she is 1.4Kg.

Clavamox will be ineffective in most situations unless also used with an aminoglycoside. I cannot make further recommendations without more information. I do not know whether this is respiratory or perhaps impaction from something swallowed in the tank. Not enough information yet.

X-ray would be recommended to check for ingested debris.