?Liver failure (green urine)

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bouaboua

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This is a great thread. Lots to learn. Thanks

You got to love this forum........Looking forward to next update.
 

RGB

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Urine cultures (post flagyl): Negative for pathogenic bacteria

So now we wait and see what happens.
 

sibi

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Wait for what? Did they do an analysis on the urine other than check for parasites/works? That green urine has to test for something?

RGB said:
Urine cultures (post flagyl): Negative for pathogenic bacteria

So now we wait and see what happens.
 

ascott

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Elevated levels of calcium can give off green color in urine....if you are offering mazuri as regular part of diet and then during the warmer months the tort is outdoors grazing is there a reason you are supplementing additional calcium??
 

RGB

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Sibi- wait and see if the tort gets "ill" or the green urine subsides. Nothing else to get tested in the urine.

Ascott- not sure what makes you state that calcium would make green urine. I have never read that. I have been providing some calcium supplementation as a rapidly growing leopard would seem to have a high demand... Maybe it's unnecessary. But I'm not sure how it would contribute to the green pee.

Thanks
Bob
 

RGB

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So here is my latest research:

It appears that Heme in Red Bood cells typically gets broken down into bilirubin by animals/humans. Excess bilirubin causes jaundice which is yellow and causes yellow blood and brighter yellow urine.
However in birds/reptiles, heme from RBCs gets converted into biliverdin that relies on the liver to excrete it in the bile. So anything that causes excess biliverdin to be produced (excessive blood breakdown-hemolysis) or reduction of biliverdin excreted in bile (either obstruction of bile secretion /blockage post hepatic, or liver failure preventing the excretion of the biliverdin in bile) will result in accumulation of biliverdin in the blood and therefore excreted in the urine (biliverdinuria). The most common cause of Biliverdinuria is liver failure. Biliverdin is green and creates bright green urine. It would not be detected in urine with dipsticks that detect bilirubin.

This is what I believe my tortoise has: biliverdinuria. Most likely from liver failure just based upon probabilities. I could investigate further, although I am unsure of any therapy that would alter the outcome. I will continue to give it the best supportive care; nutrition and hydration; and see if it can improve/recover. She is strong and eating well, so that is good for prognosis at this point. I will continue to research the potential causes, investigations and treatments to see if there is more worthwhile to do other than wait and see how she does.

I'll keep u posted!
Bob
 

TortsNTurtles

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Thank you for sharing your research. Keep us posted. Sorry to hear the possible bad news and I hope you come across information that may help.
 

RGB

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Update:
The tortoise has been doing great. Other than continuing to have green urine (see pic), she has had no other symptoms.... At times she urinates normally, at times quite green. She continues to grow appropriately and is very healthy and strong.

I would think that a serious illness such as hemolytic anemia or liver failure would have had other problems (or death ) by now!! It's been many months since this was first identified.

I'm totally stumped.

Just thought i would pass along the update...ImageUploadedByTortForum1412874423.802917.jpg
 

Tyanna

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It would be really interesting to figure out the cause of this.
 

tortadise

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For renal quandaries a blood panel would be best. However in my experience renal failure would be unlikely in an animal 3-4 years old unless in an extreme neglected scenario. However that doesn't dissolve the possibility. Nature can allow it to happen. But I would get a blood panel done, and do a local swab for PCR analysis through university of Florida, I can forward you there lab information if you'd like. I had a chilensis pass from renal failure, did not take it long. Once the liver goes it passes off to the kidneys. Urination typically doesn't take place anymore. They will swell typically around the neck or hind legs. Very intriguing indeed. Hope all comes through well.
 

AmRoKo

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In my experience with humans and animals, any that have liver failure smell like rot and people/animals with kidney failure smell sickeningly sweet.
 

Amanda81

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Perhaps you could eliminate one thing for say a month, see if the green urine clears up. Like stop the calcium supplement for a month, mazuri is a complete diet so she should be fine. Then if she still has green urine after that month, just eliminate something else, like in the summer stop feeding mazuri for a month, see what happens. You might discover the issue that way. Just a suggestion.
 

ascott

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Update:
The tortoise has been doing great. Other than continuing to have green urine (see pic), she has had no other symptoms.... At times she urinates normally, at times quite green. She continues to grow appropriately and is very healthy and strong.

I would think that a serious illness such as hemolytic anemia or liver failure would have had other problems (or death ) by now!! It's been many months since this was first identified.

I'm totally stumped.

Just thought i would pass along the update...View attachment 99462


I bet is simply some part of the tortoise diet....and that is not a sickly green color by the way....beautiful tort.
 

RGB

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In the past it has been thick dark green like bile... Now it is just green coloured but otherwise normal "water" like urine.
 

les27

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I have a 3 -4yr old 13", 11lb Leopard Tortoise that has begun to progressively pee dark green for about 2 mos. I first noticed it after feeding it some peas, corn, and beans (first time I ever let it eat anything other than weeds/grasses/greens/mazuri....the staple if it's diet is mazuri.... Probably unrelated, but might as well share this detail) I can't seem to find much info online about possible causes... If I decide to go and try a vet in my area, it is helpful if I can go with great ideas because this specialized area of animal care is not easy to find. I have basically found that the urine looks like bile and I believe represents possible liver failure.
I've treated with flagyl for possible hexamitiasis. No improvement. The tortoise still eats and drinks well. It walks upright and appears very healthy other than the dark green urine.
I suspect this isn't going to end well for my tortoise :(. There does not appear to many treatable causes of green urine that I can find...
Any thoughts??
View attachment 71759
Hi
Very sorry to hear the leopard with green wee my 9 year old leopard had the same problem treated by vet with furtum & flagyl with no effect who passes away today .
How is your tortoise doing?
 

dmmj

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in 30 years I've never seen green urine. And that is green. be interesting to see what this is.
 

Randi

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@deadheadvet
Sorry to bother you as I'm sure you're very busy. Do you have any experience with this? Thank you.
 

Kori5

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@OurZeus beloved tortoise was peeing green. It had liver failure. You can contact @thewoodenleg on instagram. His tortoise has liver problems and the treatment is milk thistle through tube. The tortoise is getting better :). I wish you luck. Ups. Now I see it's an old thread :(.
 
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deadheadvet

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We would be concerned for either intrahepatic disease or cellular rupture causing the change in color. Diet sounds good so less likely to be the culprit. Trying to get a dose for S-adenosyl for a tortoise, has been used in sea turtles in the past but don't know how much.
 
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