acriflavine treatment for frt

[Oneiromancer]

hi I noticed my frt developed circular lesions last week. it hasn't eaten for more than 2 weeks. it's still active just not interested in food. it'll come up for food but ignore it. I've been treating it with malachite green as per a research paper which described turtles suffering from similar symptoms. it's been a week and the lesions are still there with no improvement in appetite. so I've decided to try acriflavine. however I don't have a suitable quarantine tank because my frt is fully grown.. so I've been taking it out for treatment. my qns are as follows:
1) can I apply acriflavine directly on the affected areas with a q-tip? then dry dock the turtle for 15 minutes or whatever duration is required
2) or is it better if I dip it in an acriflavine solution for 15 minutes?

 

[Joshuakahan]

hi I noticed my frt developed circular lesions last week. it hasn't eaten for more than 2 weeks. it's still active just not interested in food. it'll come up for food but ignore it. I've been treating it with malachite green as per a research paper which described turtles suffering from similar symptoms. it's been a week and the lesions are still there with no improvement in appetite. so I've decided to try acriflavine. however I don't have a suitable quarantine tank because my frt is fully grown.. so I've been taking it out for treatment. my qns are as follows:
1) can I apply acriflavine directly on the affected areas with a q-tip? then dry dock the turtle for 15 minutes or whatever duration is required
2) or is it better if I dip it in an acriflavine solution for 15 minutes?

What’s an FRT?

 

[tlindsey]

What’s an FRT?

Fly River Turtle

 

[jjohnwm]

I don't know anything about using acriflavine dye on turtles and have never had a FRT, but have in the past used Betadine solution as a topical treatment for marks and lesions on other turtles, including similarly-aquatic species like softshells. I always had much, much better success by removing the turtle, dabbing the Betadine onto the affected area, and keeping the turtle dry for a half hour or so before returning to water. This allows the higher concentration solution to work on the affected area without needing to worry about the eyes, mucous membranes, etc. being adversely affected. IMHO, "dips" are pretty much a fish-only thing; an air-breathing reptile can handle the more precisely-targeted approach very well and will benefit from it.

If you go this route, be careful that the turtle is kept dry in a smooth-walled container that doesn't allow it to rub or scrape itself on anything that will cause further damage. Keeping it dark tended to quiet them down and minimize chance of self-injury also.

I wonder about the lack of appetite. Does this indicate some sort of systemic infection, rather than merely a localized external one? Might be wise to start looking for a vet willing to deal with exotic reptiles and have it looked at?

 

[Oneiromancer]

I don't know anything about using acriflavine dye on turtles and have never had a FRT, but have in the past used Betadine solution as a topical treatment for marks and lesions on other turtles, including similarly-aquatic species like softshells. I always had much, much better success by removing the turtle, dabbing the Betadine onto the affected area, and keeping the turtle dry for a half hour or so before returning to water. This allows the higher concentration solution to work on the affected area without needing to worry about the eyes, mucous membranes, etc. being adversely affected. IMHO, "dips" are pretty much a fish-only thing; an air-breathing reptile can handle the more precisely-targeted approach very well and will benefit from it.

If you go this route, be careful that the turtle is kept dry in a smooth-walled container that doesn't allow it to rub or scrape itself on anything that will cause further damage. Keeping it dark tended to quiet them down and minimize chance of self-injury also.

I wonder about the lack of appetite. Does this indicate some sort of systemic infection, rather than merely a localized external one? Might be wise to start looking for a vet willing to deal with exotic reptiles and have it looked at?

except frt are semi if not fully aquatic turtles so I'm not sure if it can be treated like other turtles like res.. appetite wise it might turn it to be eating just less enthusiastic.. only eating when the food has been left there for a while

 

[jjohnwm]

except frt are semi if not fully aquatic turtles so I'm not sure if it can be treated like other turtles like res.. appetite wise it might turn it to be eating just less enthusiastic.. only eating when the food has been left there for a while

That's why I mentioned the softshells; they are essentially fully aquatic as well. 30 minutes out of water certainly didn't seem to cause them any discomfort; not sure how much longer I'd take it, if any. Even the most aquatic of turtles are obviously far less dependent upon water than fish.

Hopefully it is indeed eating; is it on its own, or do you have other critters with it so that you can't be sure where the food is going? If it has tankmates, consider segregating it to better monitor the situation.

 

[Oneiromancer]

That's why I mentioned the softshells; they are essentially fully aquatic as well. 30 minutes out of water certainly didn't seem to cause them any discomfort; not sure how much longer I'd take it, if any. Even the most aquatic of turtles are obviously far less dependent upon water than fish.

Hopefully it is indeed eating; is it on its own, or do you have other critters with it so that you can't be sure where the food is going? If it has tankmates, consider segregating it to better monitor the situation.

hi sorry for the late reply.. ok I've seen it eat.. not as greedy as it used to be.. maybe more like how it was a few months ago.. it's been on a week of malachite green+acriflavine dips plus acriflavine on affected areas.. lesions look the same but just noticed smaller ones appearing.. not sure why.