my turtle was attacked

Question
QUESTION: hi,
i have 2 RES, one i had for 2 years now and the other one was abandoned and i had him for about 2 months now. well, about a week ago i put them both together in the same tank and it was fine but yesterday i came back to fine that the little one was bitten. the tail and his left foot was gone and a big part of his shell was gone too. i took him out and cleaned the wounds, put him in diluted iodin then put some corn starch on the bleeding leg and some antibiotic ointment. ( i didn't take him to the vet cuz the vet we have is good for nothing, really cant deal with turtles). well, he is out of water most of the time but i put him back for 4 hours in clean and warm water, when he is in the water he is active but out of water he starts a bit active then sleeps most of the time, he didn't eat since he was bitten. also, now his leg, the part near the wound is turnning hard and black. im scared, i don't want to lose him but don't know what to do. please, help.

ANSWER: Rana,

Your turtle might be getting gangrene (I don't know I'm not a vet).  Go to a vet and ask for antibiotic injections.  The vet should send you home with enough for at least a week, hopefully more.  

The vet may be good for nothing but he has access to syringes and antibiotics and should give you what you ask.  Go to another vet if you need to but make sure you leave with antibiotics.

I'd also ask for:

Pain medicine
Vitamin injections

It's ok if you leave without these but it's worth a try.

Keep your turtle out of the water but keep his upper body moist with a wet towel.  Let him sleep.

If you are worried that the vet doesn't know how much to give him then write me back with the name of the antibiotic.  Make sure the vet knows you are worried about gangrene.

Let me know how it goes,

Amanda

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

QUESTION: Hi Amanda,
thank you for the fast reply, i took my turtle to the vet. she looked at him and said that the shell is healing just fine but and about the leg ( i told her everything and insisted on taking the antibiotics so she wanted to give me some to give him by feeding but i told her he is not eating so then she said "ok, then if he is strong he will survive" so i told her to give him antibiotic injections and she said it might interfere with his eating. now, she gave him one injection (.4 ml baytril( i think)) and i have to take him to there every day for another shot. she didn't give me anything for the pain and no vitamin. about the feeding, he is still not eating and i have tried everything, so what to do?! i know it is important for his recovery to eat but i cant force feed him ( 1. he is very small, 2. i know they get very stressful when you force feed). thank you again

Answer
Great job!  You did it!  Your vet needs to go back to vet school.

Baytril is a good antibiotic for turtles.  Don't worry about him eating right now.  He likely won't eat until he feels better.  However make sure he gets drinks of water at least once a day, preferably twice a day (without getting the leg wet).  

Every other day mix in an electrolyte solution with the water he drinks(a sports drink or the electrolite solution given to babies which can be found in the baby isle - you can ask your pharmacist).  Mix one half volume electrolyte drink (make sure it's not carbonated!) with one half water.

If he goes 2 to 2 and a half weeks without eating you may have to force feed with a syringe.  If the turtle starts needing to be force fed he will likely be weak enough that it will be easier to get food down.

I hope he gets better...