Yellowfoot xray

[Meganolvt]

I took Roland to work today to use him for xrays. We are tweaking our technique charts and I needed an exotic animal to work on. Check out his xray. I had no reason to xray him other than for practice. It has to be a pile of rocks I think? He has had no access to pebbles since i've had him (4 months). Could they have been ingested before and are just sitting there? My other thought was kidney stones maybe? Despite being a vet tech, I know very little about tortoise anatomy or gastrointestinal normalities. Can they hold on to things like females do eggs? In a dog or a cat, these would be pebbles in the intestines. In a tortoise, I don't know. He's eating, active, etc. Any thoughts? My vet wasn't in today, we'll see what she thinks tomorrow.

 

[mike taylor]

That's crazy !

 

[Yvonne G]

Yellowfooted tortoises' diet should include food containing seeds. They are used to eating seeds and will eat rocks if they aren't fed seeds.

 

[Meganolvt]

@Yvonne G you mean like fruit with seeds?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

Whoa, fascinating. My tortoise anatomy is quite weak. What structure are they bound into? I've seen images of material that's made it into the intestines and it's all spread out and doesn't look anything like that.

 

[Tom]

Many tortoises will eat pebbles like that. Its usually associated with a low fiber diet of grocery store greens and lack of mineral content, but not always.

That X-ray almost doesn't look real. The detail and color of the pebbles almost looks like a picture superimposed on your X-ray photo. Also the way they are grouped there seems pretty unusual.

 

[Yvonne G]

@Yvonne G you mean like fruit with seeds?

Yes. Any kind of fruit whose seeds are small enough to fit down the tortoise's throat would be good - papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.

I learned this fact because I had a YF tortoise who was egg bound and prolapsed. The x-ray showed many small pebbles through the digestive tract. While the vet was trying to get the prolapse back inside, many pebbles came out. This is when I learned about the importance of seeds in their diet.

 

[Meganolvt]

Many tortoises will eat pebbles like that. Its usually associated with a low fiber diet of grocery store greens and lack of mineral content, but not always.

That X-ray almost doesn't look real. The detail and color of the pebbles almost looks like a picture superimposed on your X-ray photo. Also the way they are grouped there seems pretty unusual.

It's real! Crazy huh?

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I'm very curious to hear what a vet has to say about this.

 

[lisa127]

Yes. Any kind of fruit whose seeds are small enough to fit down the tortoise's throat would be good - papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.

I learned this fact because I had a YF tortoise who was egg bound and prolapsed. The x-ray showed many small pebbles through the digestive tract. While the vet was trying to get the prolapse back inside, many pebbles came out. This is when I learned about the importance of seeds in their diet.

I'm assuming the same goes for redfoots?

 

[deadheadvet]

Depending on the health status of the animal, they could pass on grass and hay only. No greens. If the tortoise is compromised, could be problematic.
If the tortoise is off food, a feeding tube might need to be placed so fluids and some pureed fiber diet could help move the rocks along. Serial radiographs every week could show any movement of the rocks.

 

[motero]

Can you get a shot from the side, to see how thick the pile of rocks is. Might give you a better idea of how much is really in there.

 

[Meganolvt]

You can really see his crazy shell shape on this one. He wasn't exactly lateral (sideways), a little oblique (he was really fighting me).

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I agree with Tom.
I would have discounted this as photoshopping.
The area of "pebbles" is so pronounced and in such focus.
Please update us as soon as you are able to.
Very interesting.
I've had a few tortoises eat stones. By why would they all collect in an area like that?
It almost has to be something else.

 

[Pearly]

View attachment 158235 You can really see his crazy shell shape on this one. He wasn't exactly lateral (sideways), a little oblique (he was really fighting me).

Sorry you are having to deal with this potentially serious issue. This second xray makes me think that the pebbles are getting stuck at this particular part of intestine for some reason (narrowing?). The shell shape also looks like an advanced MBD. I'm glad you took this animal for the practice xray. Who knows, you maybe able to save his life and spare suffering. Thank you for posting. Very good education!

 

[deadheadvet]

Looks like the pebbles are in the stomach or proximal duodenum but without contrast or CT can not be sure. As far as bone density goes, you can not tell from these images since the radiograph was set for whole body and not limbs. The limbs are burned out and can not be visualized well. Very nice Digital radiograph. That is why there is very good detail.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Looks like the pebbles are in the stomach or proximal duodenum but without contrast or CT can not be sure. As far as bone density goes, you can not tell from these images since the radiograph was set for whole body and not limbs. The limbs are burned out and can not be visualized well. Very nice Digital radiograph. That is why there is very good detail.

So it is the stomach?
What great timing. This would likely end in the death of the tortoise if not found wouldn't it?

 

[Pearly]

Looks like the pebbles are in the stomach or proximal duodenum but without contrast or CT can not be sure. As far as bone density goes, you can not tell from these images since the radiograph was set for whole body and not limbs. The limbs are burned out and can not be visualized well. Very nice Digital radiograph. That is why there is very good detail.

This goes to show how ignorant I am in chelonian anatomy and pathophysiology. Thank you for the correction. I guess I made assumption that stomach would look more like pouch kind of a compartment, duodenum didn't cross my mind because the pebble collection looked like it was "contained within" but you are right, without further study it's hard to say for sure. As for MBD I was under the impression that such severe shell deformities are commonly associated with MBD. Again, my bad. I just tend to "fish out" health related threads in my very limited forum time, as to increase my own awareness of potential issues. I'm very glad to have the professionals contributing here. Thank you again

 

[deadheadvet]

I have been dealing with a similar case (maybe) Tortoise ate a bunch of small rocks. What was initially thought was all the stones were in the stomach.
Nope, cranial duodenum on CT. Some started to move along on their own. So depending on the yellow foot's health status, it could be possible to take a conservative approach and see if they will move along on their own, daily soaking could help stimulate the GI tract to move them down. Fiber diet may help push the stones through. Without follow up radiographs, no way to know.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I'm not sure that a tortoise eating rocks is all that unusual. I've seen it many, many times and said rock always seems to pass.
What's frightening is to see so many that look to be stuck. If they truly have all been there for at least four months, I wouldn't be too comfortable not attempting something soon. (Like surgery)