Hi guys,
Long time no post. Sorry about that. Life has been rather difficult as of late. Not really interested in getting into it.
I have a bit of a conundrum. One of my radiated tortoises passed away suddenly last night. Blood has been pouring from her nose and mouth today, 12 hours following her passing, and it maintains a sticky consistency, like half congealed super glue. She wasn't a small beast, 5 inches SCL, born in August of 2015. She's always been a shy thing, but ate well enough, drank water during her twice daily soaks. Yesterday, she didn't eat, went straight to her shelter, and when I pulled her indoors, she appeared to be struggling for breath. I figured she may have just had a hard day. I checked her nares to ensure nothing was blocking them, and they seemed clean. I was going to call the vet for an emergency visit this morning, but she was already dead.
Given the quick onset, I'm wondering if this could be intranuclear coccidiosis. I'm also wondering if I have anything to worry about with the others. I'm also uncertain as to how she might have contracted this disease, given that I maintain my animals in isolation. Necropsy is scheduled for later this week. I took a look at the blood and mucus under a microscope and didn't see anything unusual, but I don't really have training for this sort of thing. I mean, sure, I can identify worms in a fecal smear, but that's about it. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
T.G.
Long time no post. Sorry about that. Life has been rather difficult as of late. Not really interested in getting into it.
I have a bit of a conundrum. One of my radiated tortoises passed away suddenly last night. Blood has been pouring from her nose and mouth today, 12 hours following her passing, and it maintains a sticky consistency, like half congealed super glue. She wasn't a small beast, 5 inches SCL, born in August of 2015. She's always been a shy thing, but ate well enough, drank water during her twice daily soaks. Yesterday, she didn't eat, went straight to her shelter, and when I pulled her indoors, she appeared to be struggling for breath. I figured she may have just had a hard day. I checked her nares to ensure nothing was blocking them, and they seemed clean. I was going to call the vet for an emergency visit this morning, but she was already dead.
Given the quick onset, I'm wondering if this could be intranuclear coccidiosis. I'm also wondering if I have anything to worry about with the others. I'm also uncertain as to how she might have contracted this disease, given that I maintain my animals in isolation. Necropsy is scheduled for later this week. I took a look at the blood and mucus under a microscope and didn't see anything unusual, but I don't really have training for this sort of thing. I mean, sure, I can identify worms in a fecal smear, but that's about it. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.
T.G.