russian tortoise with follicular stasis

[JSG]

Hi, I just joined! I have had Tashi my russian for 2 years and she is about 7 years old. The past two months have been rough. She ate a large stone which we saw on x ray but it turned out that that wasn't the cause of her lack of eating lately. She was diagnosed with follicular stasis and sepsis. I have been giving her antibiotic injections for a month now. Last week she passed the stone and started eating again. The signs of her infection are gone too. My vet suggests I mate her so she can ovulate and avoid this problem . Has anyone else gone through this with their mature female tortoise. I wasn't planning on having another especially a male, but am not sure now.
I appreciate all suggestions and your experience, thanks!

 

[Heather H]

hi and welcome. where are you located?

 

[JSG]

San Diego

 

[Dizisdalife]

Welcome to the Forum. There are a lot of tortoise keepers in and around San Diego. Maybe someone with a male could help you out so that you don't need to adopt a tortoise that you are not wanting to keep. Just a thought. I know it is not a simple process, but compared to what you have been going through, and may have to go through again, it could be worth the effort.

Just curious, which Vet have you been seeing?

 

[JSG]

Dri Nissen at Palomar Animal Hospital. She did a wonderful job!

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hello JSG welcome to the TFO from AZ . Have a great tort day!

 

[ascott]

Hi, I just joined! I have had Tashi my russian for 2 years and she is about 7 years old. The past two months have been rough. She ate a large stone which we saw on x ray but it turned out that that wasn't the cause of her lack of eating lately. She was diagnosed with follicular stasis and sepsis. I have been giving her antibiotic injections for a month now. Last week she passed the stone and started eating again. The signs of her infection are gone too. My vet suggests I mate her so she can ovulate and avoid this problem . Has anyone else gone through this with their mature female tortoise. I wasn't planning on having another especially a male, but am not sure now.
I appreciate all suggestions and your experience, thanks!

While I do not hAve direct hands on with this particular conditions...it is a condition that is likely corrected by change to your husbandry...here is what I mean...be sure the tortoise has a prime location deep enough to dig down into to perform nesting behavior ....be sure the calcium levels are appropriate for the female tortoise...make sure you are providing warm water soaks a couple times a day for a couple of months after her ordeal...then be certain to keep her well hydrated...plenty of pacing room is ideal as well for the female...it is also beneficial for the tort to have access to a warm humid hide at all times...the female system is designed to produce eggs so the calcium requirement is increased over that of her male counterpart ...I really would not rush out to get a male...that can cause a whole other list of hazards to add to her ...especially while she recovers over the next couple of months...again, just my thoughts....

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Welcome!

 

[Momof4]

I'm not far from you in Poway. Is she an exotics vet? I haven't heard of her but I'm always open to trying new vets if needed.

 

[pam]

Welcome

 

[Dizisdalife]

Dri Nissen at Palomar Animal Hospital. She did a wonderful job! View attachment 115086

Thanks. That is good to know.

 

[JSG]

Thanks All for the welcome and for a your Imput. I am reluctant to get another tort as I tried once and Tashi became very aggressive and threatened with repeated biting and beak sharpening behaviors. I am planning to enlarge her outdoor enclosure which is approx 3x6 feet now and give her more areas to burrow.
Thank you Ascott for your recommendations. Her calcium levels are high which is seen in FS and I have been soaking her everyday 30 minutes for a month, I think it got her through it besides the fluid injection she recieved once at the vet along with the mineral oil lavage to help glide the stone out. She didn't eat, drink, urinate or have a stool for 2 months. I really thought she wasn't going to make it. Amazing how resilient they are!

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm wondering how the vet determined this diagnosis. You really can't see follicles on a radiograph, and you especially wouldn't be able to see degenerating follicles. If she has 'stasis' that means the follicles are not growing, and are degenerating. Breeding her would not help (in my opinion). She would need healthy follicles for breeding.

I'm thinking the stone was her problem and just don't even worry about the other. Some female tortoises lay unfertilized eggs every year with no male ever being present. Some never do unless they've been with a male.

 

[JSG]

The Follicular Stasis diagnosis was made after her blood work panel came back. Her calcium, liver enzymes, anemia, signs of sepsis, along with lack of appetite/activity support that. She had a red streak running down the middle of her plastron indicating sepsis. Apparently the follicles can be at various stages of age and decay. They don't show up on xray so if she hadn't responded and a more aggressive treatment was needed then an ultrasound would be the next step.

 

[ascott]

Thanks All for the welcome and for a your Imput. I am reluctant to get another tort as I tried once and Tashi became very aggressive and threatened with repeated biting and beak sharpening behaviors. I am planning to enlarge her outdoor enclosure which is approx 3x6 feet now and give her more areas to burrow.
Thank you Ascott for your recommendations. Her calcium levels are high which is seen in FS and I have been soaking her everyday 30 minutes for a month, I think it got her through it besides the fluid injection she recieved once at the vet along with the mineral oil lavage to help glide the stone out. She didn't eat, drink, urinate or have a stool for 2 months. I really thought she wasn't going to make it. Amazing how resilient they are!

http://www.britishcheloniagroup.org.uk/vetscorner/stasis

This is a good visual link....while there is speak of breeding as a "possible" aid....it also clearly shares that this is a speculation and nothing more....I am happy to hear that your tort is progressing....with your attentive care I bet she will be just fine....