Wound on Turtle

Question
I have a pet Red-Eared Slider who is about two years old. He is about 4.5 inches long and has a white spot on the back of his neck that is about 1/4" wide with a small red dot in the middle. He's only had it for about a week, and when I touch it, he doesn't flinch or anything. What could this be and what should I do to help him? Thanks!

Answer
These wounds can have many causes-
- rough spot on the shell above the wound
- burn from a heat lamp or bulb
- injury from a tank mate
- fungus infection
- shedding problem
- soiled water causing a skin problem
- dietary issues
- etc.

The generic care we would offer includes reviewing the basic cares and diet at a good site like http://www.redearslider.com and treating the wound.

Wound care would be to clean the turtle (and the habitat), dab on some Betadine Solution or other providone iodine product and let it dry for about an hour, then return the turtle to the water. Repeat 1 or 2 times a day until it appears healed.

At the same time, boost water temps to about 80-85F to help boost the immune system.

Monitor and if there is no improvement in about a week, ask again, or see a vet. Besides this site, you can also get great turtle advice at the forums at http://www.turtleforum.com

Good luck!