Hatchling Sulcata Problems - urgent

[Baoh]

Why do you want to know? Do you think it's the dreaded disease? Have you seen these lesions before?

What is the source of the photo?

It is in accordance with my curiosity. Why do you want to know why I would want to know?

What dreaded disease?

No, I have not. Illnesses in my animals are rare and most cases are ones that keepers bring to me when they cannot afford to handle it.

 

[sibi]

Because I thought you may have see the lesions the OP was concerned with, and that it may just be cryptosporidiosis, although I understand it can't be absolutely confirm w/o a necropsy.

Why do you want to know? Do you think it's the dreaded disease? Have you seen these lesions before?

What is the source of the photo?

It is in accordance with my curiosity. Why do you want to know why I would want to know?

What dreaded disease?

No, I have not. Illnesses in my animals are rare and most cases are ones that keepers bring to me when they cannot afford to handle it.

 

[Baoh]

Because I thought you may have see the lesions the OP was concerned with, and that it may just be cryptosporidiosis, although I understand it can't be absolutely confirm w/o a necropsy.

Why do you want to know? Do you think it's the dreaded disease? Have you seen these lesions before?

What is the source of the photo?

It is in accordance with my curiosity. Why do you want to know why I would want to know?

What dreaded disease?

No, I have not. Illnesses in my animals are rare and most cases are ones that keepers bring to me when they cannot afford to handle it.

It is a GI endoparasite.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Precisely why I figured metro or Fenbendazole should treat it, and both are safe to use in Chelonians.

I'm very anxious to hear the outcome and DVM diagnosis, or at least DDX. I'm memory banking everything I learn here for any torts we see at the hospital. Excellent educational forum this is.

---

Lightbulb!

I'm wondering if this is truly is Crypto, and if its similar to Cutaneous Larval Migrans...where a parasite invades the wrong host...like this bug is common in bovines...where is nestles into the intestinal mucosa...but in an inappropriate host...like this baby tortoise, it doesn't know where to go because the gut is all different, so it migrates to the tissue and is now erupting in the skin.

With CLM's, ascarids, I believe, get into humans (dogs and cats are its normal hosts), and end up crawling around human skin. Personally I think it's fascinating, but def freaky. But I'm a bio-nerd.

 

[Tom]

Point of clarification: The lesions are not crypto. They, according to each of the many vets I spoke to, are a secondary infection thought to be brought on, or allowed to become a problem, because of the primary infection. The lesions were lanced and cultured and they were found to be an unusual seldom seen skin bacteria. Can't remember the name right now. It was initially thought that this bacteria was the problem. It wasn't. Several of the vets I know got a good education from this case, so be aware that whatever vet you talk to about this will likely need to be caught up to speed on this if they haven't seen it before.

And another symptom that has not been discussed openly yet, is the afflicted animals desire to eat substrate. I change think of a few theories why this happens, but have no way of really knowing. I only know that it does happen.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

Hi.good luck and keep us posted what it is and if u can cure it

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[sibi]

Great point Tom! So, the infection somehow causes these lesions (secondary infection), but the primary parasitic infection is living in the GI of its host. How can it be diagnosed without a necropsy? If it can be treated, as someone suggested, would it be wise to take chances of contaminating other reptiles? Btw Baoh, I call all illnesses a "disease" just as a matter of speech regardless of the actual technical expression of parasite or bacteria.

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

Keeps getting more and more interesting.

 

[Nic0]

Alright after some phone tag with the vet, he seems to think everything is improving from the point at which I took my tort in for the first visit. The initial problem seemed to be that we were not keeping our tank hot enough, so the vet said it will take some time for her to warm up and her digestion to catch up. Like I said, she did have a large poop the other day in her soak and then seemed very interested in food, so I think that's a very good sign. He said to just vary her diet and add bright colors until she begins eating more.
I asked yet again about the "lesions." He had seen them, and I also explained that she had similar spots at the corner of her mouth. He said he believes they were just irritations from the shell/her legs and general movement. We plan on getting a scale to keep track of her weight to give us further data.
Thoughts?

 

[Sulcata_Sandy]

I agree, weigh it every 2-3 days (I don't recommend daily, and I done normally weight my hospitalized patients daily either...sorta that "watched pot never boils" adage.)

Keep up the warm soaks. I'm still amazing how "magical" they can be for our shell-babies.

Can you post more pix??

 

[Nic0]

Sorry these pictures aren't very good, but you can see one of the "lesions" I was talking about on her cheek. She's shed them out everywhere else.

 

[lkwagner]

Aww poor thing. Love the dark head, sure is cute. I hope everything works out and it lives a long healthy life!!

 

[Nic0]

We're seeing some improvement in appetite and activity. I'm crossing my fingers it just took a while for her new lights to kick in. My fiancé and I went through the same difficult stage with our redfoot. After juggling lights and offering tons of different foods she eventually came around and is doing great.

 

[luvpetz27]

Glad to hear there is improvement!!!

 

[chandlerpeanuts]

Did anyone ever figure out what this is? My hatchling also seems to be displaying several of these symptoms, including the lesions.

 

[sibi]

Were these lesions ever cultured? If not, why not? If they were, did you ever get the results?

Sorry these pictures aren't very good, but you can see one of the "lesions" I was talking about on her cheek. She's shed them out everywhere else.