injured painted turtle

Question
My dog got a hold of a painted turtle and injured it badly before I saw what was happening.  There is quite a bit of damage done to the shell.  a peice in the front by the head is broken off ( about a 1" piece) but still attached to the soft tissue. The turtle's shell is about6-7" total. The head and legs of the turtle were not injured, but some of the soft tissue under the shell was.  The turtle has been hanging around our pond, moves slowly and will not go in the water.  My question is have you heard of turtles surviving this type of injury?  Is there anything I can do for it?  I feel terrible and would like to help it.

Answer
Have I heard of turtles surviving this sort of injury? Yes. Turtles routinely survive attacks (even from alligators), car injuries, etc. Many studies indicate that they may actually have a better chance of survival in the wild than they do in an animal rehab program, and definitely better the cares  most home keepers or non-specialist vets can offer.

It may take a few days for it to get over the shock, but as long as the damage does not interfere with breathing, it should be OK.

If it does not look to be improving, the next option would be to locate a wildlife or reptile rehab group nearby to see if they can help.

Honestly, however, this is a natural event. While I understand your feelings, I really would not let it upset me too much. It would be sad if the turtle did not make it but the poor things are the prey for many animals in the wild.