August is hanging in there, and got a chance yesterday to stretch his legs and explore his foster-home a bit. He is very curious, but tires out very easily, and started to go downhill last night. His appetite has slacked off, and this morning he could not keep his food down. This prompted us to take him back in to see
Dr. Daly. The good news is that he has put on a little weight, and started eating a bit more this afternoon. The bad news is that, after taking x-rays, Dr. Daly discovered that Auggie has fluid in his lungs: pneumonia.
As a tropical species, August (like other Red Footed tortoises) is designed to handle hot, wet temperatures: 90* or even higher, with plenty of humidity. In the wild he would never encounter conditions like our chilly springs here in RI. By dumping an animal like August outside, an irresponsible owner is guaranteeing them illness...or worse. Lucky for Auggie, a concerned citizen took the time to get him the help he needs. Now it is our job to do what we can for him, and that's just what we plan to do. August will have a long, hard road ahead of him, but he is now in good hands. Please, consider
sponsoring August; any amount that you give will go a long way to paying for the expensive treatments he will need to get healthy. It is unfortunate that it is so much more costly to treat a tortoise than it is to treat a dog or cat with a similar illness. However, if August can receive the care he needs, he will be able to settle in for a long, long healthy life - tortoises can live up to a hundred years, or even more!
August received more fluids tonight, as well as a dewormer
treatment (we strongly suspect that parasites are the reason for his upset stomach), and is now basking comfortably under his spotlight. He does
not enjoy his medications, but he does very much enjoy his bribes: fresh mango! For now, his new friend Bula is keeping careful watch over him and seems quite concerned with is progress:
Please check back to follow August's progress and to read other stories from around the RISPCA!
It's been a busy week for our boy Auggie. He hit a speed bump health-wise mid week and had us worried, but he's back on the road to recovery! With his bloodwork results in hand, we're moving ahead with treatment and carefully constructed diet, and he's responding wonderfully. August's breathing has quieted a good deal, and his strength improves every day! We have received generous donations of fresh food from friends and local businesses, and he's thriving on his healthy diet. Some of his staples are: chard, kale, red leaf lettuce, collard greens, blueberries, melon and strawberries (his favorite).
This weekend, we moved into a new home, and August moved with us! This new house has a big porch, and we took the opportunity to construct him a safe, healthy outdoor play area where he can spend supervised time on sunny days. The natural sunlight and exercise on uneven terrain are both doctor recommended and very important for his recovery. We hope, once he is healthy, he will find a home where he can have a great outdoor escape like this for the summer time (you can even plant live, edible plants in there!).
August is very personable with us and with visitors, and is loving is new life ... a life he couldn't have had alone! We would like to thank again Dr. Daly and Dr. Brown for their excellent continued care of August, and all the people who have been following his story and contributing to his recovery. It can be harder for people to relate to exotics such as August than it is to relate to animals like dogs and cats. However, Auggie's current success is a tribute to the kind, animal loving community that we are proud to live in.
