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The following info comes from several online and local
vets, and
personal experience. It is highly effective if put into play right away.
If this is a near drowning situation, there may still be hope. If the
pupils of the eyes are not fixed and dialated, there may be a bit of
life left in the turtle since their oxygen needs are much lower than
mammals, and their hearts will tend to continue beating long after
normal breathing stops.
Treatment for drowning:
1.Do CPR, which consists of pressing inward on all legs simultaneously,
then extending all the legs. This will help expel water from the lungs.
Repeat until no more water comes out. CPR should be done immediately for
best effect. In a few hours, the fluids will infiltrate surrounding
tissue, which makes it more difficult to expel.
2. In addition to the CPR described above, you may be able to force more
water out of the lungs in another way. Place the turtle in the palm of
your hand, with its head extended and held between two fingers. Swing
the arm in a gentle arc at your side. Centrifugal force and gravity will
often help draw out more liquid. This sometimes even works after
infiltration has occurred, so it's worth trying.
3. Keep the turtle on an inclined surface, with the head down. More
water may drain out.
4. As soon as possible following a near drowning, take the turtle to a
vet and request Dopram, a respiratory stimulant. This can be given
sublingually or by injection.
5. If the turtle resumes breathing with the Dopram, follow up with a
prophylactic antibiotic protocol. With foreign matter in the lungs,
infection is a near certainty, and would compound the problem. So it is
best avoided.
5. Keep the turtle moderately warm and dry until it is actively moving
around, which can take several days. IV hydration can be very useful
during this time, since dehydration can kill very quickly. In the
absence of IV hydration, you can try supervised soaks in shallow water
for about 10 minutes, two or three times a day.
A remarkable number of "drowned" turtles do recover if these steps are
taken.
Good luck!
Mary at the Turtle Puddle
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