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Tortoises Flashcards

1
Q

Four species of Mediterranean tortoises

A
  • Testudo graeca
  • Testudo hermani
  • Testudo marginata
  • Testudo horsfield
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2
Q

Important anatomy and physiology of tortoises

A
  • ectothermic
  • impervious skin but can absorb fluid through cloacal membrane
  • herbivores mostly
  • dilated proximal colon for microbial digestion
  • metabolic rate 20% that of mammals of same size
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3
Q

Microchipping tortoises

A

Left hind leg in quadriceps
close with glue

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4
Q

Routine healthcare of tortoises

A
  • Weigh regularly
    • Photograph young animals regularly
    • Monitor for parasites
    • Annual (at least) health check
      • Quarantine new tortoises and check for disease
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5
Q

Hibernation of tortoises

A
  • Triggered by reducing photoperiod, reduced temperatures and reduced food
  • No obligation to hibernate (except maybe Horsefields)
  • Anything from 0days to 3 months, depending on many factors
  • Not until over 4 years old unless growing too fast
  • Enter hibernation:
    ○ Fully hydrated and empty stomach (and small intestine)
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6
Q

Common diseases in young tortoises (4)

A
  • Developmental
  • metabolic bone disease
  • dehydration
  • urate cystic calculi
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7
Q

Developmental issues in tortoises

A

up to 80% mortality in wild
poor developers, stop eating, lethargy, maybe swollen

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8
Q

Metabolic bone diseases in tortoises

A

Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

Flexible jaw/thickened areas of shell/soft plastron

Too rapid growth/overfeeding

Inadequate calcium

Incorrect Ca:P

Inadequate exercise

Long term secondary effects

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9
Q

Dehydration in young tortoises

A

Can be a problem in closed areas with limited sources of hydration

Often heat 24 hours a day

Combined heat/light bulbs without thermostatic control

Compounded by poor husbandry

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10
Q

Urate cystic calculi in young tortoises

A

Humidity/hydration

Present as ‘constipated’ - seen straining

X-ray, check bloods

Surgical removal

?ultrasonic break up?

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11
Q

Common problems in tortoises

A
  • endoparasites (worms, protozoa)
  • ‘post hibernation anorexia’
  • respiratory disease
  • gout/kidney disease
  • generalised oedema
  • pica
  • heatstroke
  • liver disease
  • overgrown beak and claws, shell fractures, osteomyelitis
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12
Q

Worms in tortoises

A

Live worms are often passed following worming

Major problem in colonies on permanent pasture or limited space - especially after mild winter

NEVER use ivermectin

use fenbendazole/oxfenbendazole

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13
Q

Protozoa and amoeboids in tortoises

A

can cause colicky enteritis

diarrhoea, pain

treat with metronidazole

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14
Q

Post hibernation in tortoises

A

Do not leave a tortoise to wake up on his own

Once awake, should be eating/drinking within a couple days

Metabolically and physiologically stressful

Highlights underlying conditions

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15
Q

Hibernation temperature in tortoises

A

5-8 degrees

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16
Q

Respiratory disease in tortoises

A

URTI often made worse by hypovitaminosis A
○ Squamous metaplasia
○ Swollen conjunctiva

LRTI: often lung abscesses rather than generalised lung infection

17
Q

Stomatitis/mouth rot in tortoises

A
  • Predisposing factors:
    ○ Immunosuppression
    ○ Herpes virus infection
    ○ Hypovitaminosis A
    • Treatment:
      ○ Establish likely cause
      ○ Clean with care
      ○ Nutritional support
      ○ medication
18
Q

Chelonian herpes virus (runny nose syndrome)

A

Rhinitis, stomatitis, glossitis, oesophagitis, plaques

Treat with acyclovir and nasal flush

19
Q

Gout and kidney disease in tortioses

A

Cannot produce hypertonic urine
○ No loop of Henle
○ More urine required to get rid of electrolytes

Uric acid is main waste product

Predisposing factors:
○ Dehydration
○ High protein diets
○ Too much or too little supplementation

Tortoises can hold urine they can be sure of taking more water on board

Remember the bladder is not linked to the urinary tract

Diagnosis:
○ P>Ca
○ Hexamita in urine
○ Uric acid
§ Normal: up to 250
§ Post hibernation: 400
§ Severe renal disease: 1000
§ Irretrievable, gout++: 1500-2000

Treatment:
○ Vigorous fluid therapy
○ Treat Hexamita if present
○ Allopurinol (50mg/kg sid)
○ In recovery: B vitamins, phosphate binders

20
Q

Generalised oedema in tortoises

A

Hypoproteinaemia
○ Likely causes
§ Malnutrition
§ Parasites+++
§ Liver disease
○ Recovery is possible

Renal disease
○ If the swelling develops during fluid therapy the prognosis is grave
○ Can try diuretics, but unlikely to help

Circulatory failure
○ Heart failure - usually elderly animals
○ Coelomic masses occluding venous return

21
Q

Liver disease/hepatic lipidosis in tortoises

A

Causes
○ Inappropriate diet (dog food)
○ Chronic hyperoestrogenism/follicular stasis
○ Chronic malnutrition
○ Excessively long hibernation

Clinical signs
○ Inactivity
○ Not eating
○ Biliverdinuria
○ Jaundice

Diagnosis
○ Neutropaenia
○ General elevation liver enzymes
○ Elevated bile acids (over 80mmol/l)
○ High cholesterol
○ Low albumin

Treatment
○ Nutritional support
○ Liver supplements

22
Q

Overgrown beak and claws in tortoises

A

Check diet
Check husbandry

23
Q

Shell fractures in tortoises

A
  • As RTA in dog/cat
    • Analgesia a priority
    • Start antibiosis, give NSAID/opioids
    • Radiography
    • Clean and cover wounds
  • If going to refer: do the above first, possibly not Xrays
  • Then start to plan fixation, method depends on the degree of damage, position of lesion, age of tortoise
    - Oesophageal tube placement?
24
Q

Osteomyelitis/shell disease in tortoises

A
  • Flushing or petechiae: septicaemia
    • Osteomyelitis (shell rot): erosive lesions, smell
    • Common causes:
      ○ Damp substrate
      ○ Trauma
    • Treatment:
      ○ Thorough debridement
      ○ Wet to dry dressings
      ○ Bact/sens to determine - appropriate antibiotic (anaerobes?)
      ○ Bandaging?
      ○ Analgesia?
      ○ Oesophageal tube?
25
Q

Limb amputation in tortoises

A
  • Cope very well
    • Consider effects if a front limb (resp)
    • Wheels/acrylic skids
26
Q

Follicular and egg stasis in tortoises

A
  • Medical management (oxytocin)
    • Implants
    • Surgery
27
Q

Common conditions of sliders (invasive species)

A

○ Hypovitaminosis A - swollen eyes, anorexia
○ MBD - soft/deformed shell
○ Retained scutes
○ Bacteraemia/septicaemia
○ Wounds

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