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General Diseases of the Turtle and Tortoise:
Shell and Skin: Diseases of the shell and skin can be caused by bacteria, fungal organisms and/or parasites. SCUD, Subcutaneous Ulcerative Disease, is caused by the bacteria, Citrobacter. It presents in turtles, especially those in very damp conditions, as ulcers on the skin. The bacteria, Beneckea, produces enzymes which digest the matrix of the shell resulting in erosions of the shell and secondary infections typically called “shell rot”. Many conditions result in generalized weakness of the shell such as: poor water quality, poor nutrition, calcium deficiency, kidney disease, lack of exposure to natural sun light and trauma. Presence of these conditions may predispose the turtle to other infections by bacteria, fungal organisms and parasites. Shell disease may appear as clear bubbles or blisters under the surface of the shell or scutes, erosions of the shell exposing the underlying bone and pits or loosening of the shell plates. Kidney disease may result in loosening of the scutes and loss of parts of the shell surface. Whitish discoloration of the skin may be normal skin that has failed to shed or may indicate infection. Fungal disease may present as white or gray patches on the skin or shell and may be associated with pits in the shell. The shell should be hard, like bone. Soft shells are usually a result of poor diet and inadequate balance of calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin D. (see metabolic bone disease) Reptiles normally have little odor. Odor often indicates infection, parasites, unclean environment or feces stuck to the reptile. Swellings on the skin may indicate infection, abscess, parasites, fly larvae deposited under the skin, or tumor. Swelling of the membrane over the ear causing it to bulge outward usually indicates an abscess of the middle ear. Most abscesses need to be opened surgically to allow removal of the infectious material in the abscess cavity. Additional treatment involving antibacterial flushes of the wound and antibiotics may be needed. In particularly serious wounds and in reoccurring infections, a culture may be required to identify the bacterial organism causing the infection in order to determine the most effective treatment.
Generalized treatments of skin and shell lesions soaks
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- Fungal disease may respond to salt water soaks (1/4 cup non-iodized salt to 5 gallons of water) and to dilute nolvasan soaks
Traumatic Injuries: Slow moving chelonians often fall prey to dogs, other predators, lawn m other.
Swollen Eyes/Respiratoryous resistancy. Too much contributes to early kidney disease.
Disorders of the Digestive Tract: Failure to pass feces may be due to dehydration; impaction with foreign material such as sand, gravel, or cage litter; or starvation. Diarrhea may result from feeding foods with: absence of normal substrate provision of proper nesting substrate to surgical removal of eggs. Failure to relieve a dystocia can result in death. Straining as a result of eggs, intestinal foreign bodies or bladder stones may result in prolapse of the rectum, bladder or uterus. Treatment involves cleaning the prolapsed tissue with sterile saline solution and coating the tissueleonians often prolapse their penis as a part of courtship display. In these cases, the penis usually returns to its normal position unaided, however if drying or injury occurs, assistance may be needed.. Low, stunting and if severe, death. In adults, the bones are brittle and easily broken, shell may become soft, intestinal motility may be reduced and egg binding is more common. Prevention by feeding.
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