Speedy Update

I finally took Speedy to the vet. It was long overdue, but I had really hoped she'd somehow miraculously turn a corner and everything would work out. Last weekend I came to the realization that that wasn't going to happen so Monday morning I took her to the vet and they admitted her for treatment. She was severely dehydrated which is ironic since she lives in water. She was also too cold so they kept her in an incubator for a couple of days to warm her up. They gave her antibiotics because she had developed an upper respiratory infection in addition to the infected injury she sustained to her nose. All in all, she's a very sick little turtle and I feel like a horrible mommy.

She did show some small amount of improvement Tuesday, but by Wednesday the vet felt the improvement wasn't enough so she had me take Speedy to the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph for further treatment. They've been giving her a "turtle Gatorade" which contains electrolytes and vitamins and they've also been giving her a stronger antibiotic for the infection. They're concerned she may have some organ damage or failure as a result of the dehydration so they've taken a blood sample and we should have the results sometime tomorrow. She has improved since arriving in Guelph--her colour has improved and she's moving around a little--but they're saying she's not out of the woods yet.

I know you're all wondering but too polite to ask, so I'll let you off the hook--yes, this is costing a fortune. Last count was almost $1000. Fortunately, my wonderful Honey has offered to foot the bill and it's a good thing 'cause there's no way I could afford that on my own. In addition to the cost of her care, I now know I have to make a greater investment in her living space. When she comes home she's gonna need a warmer environment and a UV light to support her rehabilitation so it's off to the aquarium shop tomorrow to price that out. I guess I should get one for Zippy too while I'm at it...

This isn't a particularly witty post, but I'm really not up to it today. I really just wanted to let you all know what's going on and get this off my chest. Hopefully my next post will bring good news--I'm not giving up on this little turtle yet!