Entamoeba Cyst in stool o/p, treat???

[CC3]

Hi! I am new to this forum and a new tortoise owner as of 2 months ago. Our redfoot tortoise is 16 months old. His stool specimen just came back with only Entamoeba Cyst. Our vet is calling zoos to see what to do with it?? Help?? Anyone have experience with this? He is just getting over a lower respiratory tract infection. He is acting fully recovered, just finishing out the injections. Normal formed stools, eating well, high energy levels. Thanks for any input you may have!

 

[CC3]

Hi! I am new to this forum and a new tortoise owner as of 2 months ago. Our redfoot tortoise is 16 months old. His stool specimen just came back with only Entamoeba Cyst. Our vet is calling zoos to see what to do with it?? Help?? Anyone have experience with this? He is just getting over a lower respiratory tract infection. He is acting fully recovered, just finishing out the injections. Normal formed stools, eating well, high energy levels. Thanks for any input you may have!

 

[Yvonne G]

Far as I know, it's just a parasite egg. He treats it with a de wormer.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Do you mind sharing where your little one came from? It may or may not matter, but it might help with the context.

 

[CC3]

Do you mind sharing where your little one came from? It may or may not matter, but it might help with the context.

From a reputable breeder in Florida

 

[Pastel Tortie]

You might want to contact the breeder just to let them know what's going on. Nothing accusatory, just FYI. It helps to have the context.

Breeders and sellers need to be informed when a health issue shows up in a tortoise that they sold recently. If the buyer doesn't tell the breeder or seller, they won't know. If a breeder or seller were to hear back from multiple customers about multiple tortoises, they would know there's a problem closer to home they need to deal with.

 

[CC3]

You might want to contact the breeder just to let them know what's going on. Nothing accusatory, just FYI. It helps to have the context.

Breeders and sellers need to be informed when a health issue shows up in a tortoise that they sold recently. If the buyer doesn't tell the breeder or seller, they won't know. If a breeder or seller were to hear back from multiple customers about multiple tortoises, they would know there's a problem closer to home they need to deal with.

Ok , will do, thanks!

 

[CC3]

You might want to contact the breeder just to let them know what's going on. Nothing accusatory, just FYI. It helps to have the context.

Breeders and sellers need to be informed when a health issue shows up in a tortoise that they sold recently. If the buyer doesn't tell the breeder or seller, they won't know. If a breeder or seller were to hear back from multiple customers about multiple tortoises, they would know there's a problem closer to home they need to deal with.

He said he'd never heard of it.

 

[Pastel Tortie]

He said he'd never heard of it.

Understand. It's good you told him. If he ever hears about something similar, he will have heard it before. Or if he encounters any issues at his end, at least he will have what you told him in mind.

I'm sorry it doesn't help much in your end, though.

 

[Markw84]

I would treat. Entamoeba invadens can be quite pathogenic in some reptiles, while others are unaffected. It is contracted by ingesting contaminated water or feces and can be commonly carried by garter snakes, black racers and box turtles, who are unaffected by this protozoan. However, some giant tortoises have been know to be extremely susceptible to this and as your redfoot is of the same genus, I would treat. If kept outside, your tortoise could have got it from perhaps one of the species mentioned above in the environment.

Drug of choice is Flagyl. I'm sure your vet will know the dosages.

 

[CC3]

I would treat. Entamoeba invadens can be quite pathogenic in some reptiles, while others are unaffected. It is contracted by ingesting contaminated water or feces and can be commonly carried by garter snakes, black racers and box turtles, who are unaffected by this protozoan. However, some giant tortoises have been know to be extremely susceptible to this and as your redfoot is of the same genus, I would treat. If kept outside, your tortoise could have got it from perhaps one of the species mentioned above in the environment.

Drug of choice is Flagyl. I'm sure your vet will know the dosages.

Thank you for your input. We do not keep him outside. However, our breeder did keep him outside in Florida. We have only had him 2 months. Thank you so much!

 

[Pastel Tortie]

I'm curious if @ZEROPILOT has encountered anything like that before, since he keeps redfoots in South Florida.

 

[Yvonne G]

He said he'd never heard of it.

"cyst" is what a parasite egg is called.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm curious if @ZEROPILOT has encountered anything like that before, since he keeps redfoots in South Florida.

Eggs being passed in the poop is part of the normal life cycle of several parasites.
It means that the tortoise has parasites. A lot of tortoises do.
It doesn't neccesarily mean that you need to treat it.
A heavy infestation usually manifests itself by a tortoise passing live, whole worms in the poop.
That is NOT as normal

 

[CC3]

Eggs being passed in the poop is part of the normal life cycle of several parasites.
It means that the tortoise has parasites. A lot of tortoises do.
It doesn't neccesarily mean that you need to treat it.
A heavy infestation usually manifests itself by a tortoise passing live, whole worms in the poop.
That is NOT as normal

This must be why the vet said ok to not treat. Thank you for your input! Your explanation is exactly how we treat horses too. Makes sense! I will probably retest his stool in 6 months just to make sure. Thanks!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The only issue I see at this moment is that if you are keeping multiple tortoises together, there is a very high likelihood that they will all be infested.
Eating eggs is how the cycle begins.

 

[CC3]

The only issue I see at this moment is that if you are keeping multiple tortoises together, there is a very high likelihood that they will all be infested.
Eating eggs is how the cycle begins.

He is the only tortoise we have. He came from living outside with a lot of tortoises in South Florida with the breeder. We have only had him for 2.5 months and he lives inside. We do take him outside for about an hour a day here in NC though. The type of parasite this is scares me after researching on the internet. We will just keep watching him to see how he is behaving clinically and do repeat fecal tests. We will do a total enclosure substrate change and disinfect today. Thank you!

 

[Pastel Tortie]

@CC3 Please keep us posted on what you decide to do, how it goes, and what you find out. We would like to know and learn.

After mention of crypto on a completely different thread a while back, I find myself trying to come more up to speed on protozoal infections lately. ?

 

[CC3]

@CC3 Please keep us posted on what you decide to do, how it goes, and what you find out. We would like to know and learn.

After mention of crypto on a completely different thread a while back, I find myself trying to come more up to speed on protozoal infections lately. ?

Will do!