Help – DBT hit by car
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Last time I visited with a question, y’all were extremely helpful, so I am hoping you can be again. My wife (a wildlife rehabber and park ranger) rescued a male adult terrapin who was trying to cross a bridge yesterday. Unfortunately, he had been hit by a vehicle, but he is still alive. His shell was cracked in 3 spots… twice along the “hinge” on his right side between his front and back legs, and across the top. A local vet suggested trying to epoxy the shell together (taking care not to get the glue “inside” the soft tissue). We were able to hold him and apply a thin coat of epoxy which is still holding 24 hours later, but I am not confident it will continue to hold. The vet also mentioned using some fiberglass cloth to cover the cracks, and epoxy to hold the cloth in place. Does either option sound right? The terrapin seems to be doing okay. We were able to stop the bleeding and it has not begun to bleed again. We have him in a small carrier with access to water and a heat lamp. The intent is to rehab and release as soon as we can be reasonably assured of his survival. My wife has (at work) a couple of DBTs in aquariums, so she is familiar with the animal, just not familiar with treating traumatic injuries to them. My question is: does anyone have any experience with patching together an injured DBT, and if so, can you contact me asap? I’ll continue to check here, but you could also send it to my inbox (carlinsc@…). Thanks in advance, and let me know if I can give you more information that would help you to answer my questions. Carl in SC
In a message dated 7/3/2004 2:06:49 PM Pacific Standard Time, carlinsc@… writes:
I volunteer at a wild life rehabilitation center and we see turtles hit by cars all the time. When the shell is cracked as badly as it sounds like it is, you should take it to a veterinarian that specializes in or has a good deal of experience with reptiles. This web site lists reccomended Herp Vets in the United States http://www.herpvetconnection.com/ The vets at the clinic I am at either use expoxy or screws and wires to stabilize the shell but it is imperative that the wound first be thouroughly scrubbed out with nolvasan or it will become infected. Sealing “gunk” in the shell will likely cause a deadly infection. It is remarkable what kind of damage they can take and survive if properly treated. I admire your attemt to fix it yourself, but I would highly reccomend taking it to see a veterinarian with turtle experience. Bad shell fractures need special care. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the quick response. Here’s what has happened since I posted…. Under the phone instructions of a vet with a great deal of experience with sea turtles (he works for the DNR on Loggerheads mostly).. We covered the cracks with fiberglass cloth pieces, then applied a coat of epoxy over them to seal it and hold down the edges. We are keeping the terrapin away from water overnight, except for trying to get him to drink some. He seems very active and mobile and not too happy to be captive. Definitely a lot of spirit left. Thanks for your help and I will keep you posted. Carl in SC
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