Are the swabs in the mail yet? Thanks.
deadheadvet said:
Intranuclear Coccidiosis (Tortoise Bubonic Plague)
- Thread starter tortadise
- Start date
No,
Need a bit of information first before I can send the supplies out.
I'll need to know how to identify the sample, i.e. Tortoise group name or number for example mine all have studbook numbers so I identify by their numbers or you can by name, or just say Sulcata group since it's a group sample.
Then you will need to call my office 919-469-0029 so we can get the tortoises set up in the computer, collect payment via c.c. Over the phone, and I'll send the kit out with the form filled out.
Any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them for you over the phone
Dr. R.
Need a bit of information first before I can send the supplies out.
I'll need to know how to identify the sample, i.e. Tortoise group name or number for example mine all have studbook numbers so I identify by their numbers or you can by name, or just say Sulcata group since it's a group sample.
Then you will need to call my office 919-469-0029 so we can get the tortoises set up in the computer, collect payment via c.c. Over the phone, and I'll send the kit out with the form filled out.
Any questions, I'll be more than happy to answer them for you over the phone
Dr. R.
I like seeing these posts here. The more animals tested the better knowledge and information can be gained on this nasty stuff. Thanks Evan for doing this for people here.
No problem Kelly. A very worthwhile disease. All tortoise keepers can get samples on their own. I forgot to mention, for really young tortoises, you can run tests on fresh feces, but cloacal swab is best. Just contact me if any interest on submitting samples.
Good. I'll do that asap. I have a critical care rescue that was suppose to pare of that group; however, it's very likely that she may pass away soon. She is isolated from the others, but should I still get her tested as part of this group? I have concerns about her because of her sickness and former husbandry.
deadheadvet said:
I'd suggest testing her separately. I'm assuming your others are healthy and have been together for a while. If that is the case. Test the rehab animal separately, and the others as a group. You are looking at, 90$ for the group, 30$ for the rehab animal, 5$ for the shipping and supplies, and 3.13$
For c.c. fees. Your only additional cost is Fedex priority overnight to the lab.
For c.c. fees. Your only additional cost is Fedex priority overnight to the lab.
Ok, I'll call your office. It's al.ozt 4 p.m. here. Is your office on eastern or central time? If on the east, it will be almost 5 p.m. Will they still be open?
deadheadvet said:
I talked to April Childress at UF lab yesterday. She updated my hospital account and answered my questions promptly. I'm acquiring a female RF, presumably an older WC Venezuelan female. I plan to test her before I introduce her to my other RFs.
Is there enough data collected to determine at least if this is coming from farm raised (like the mass produced Columbian RFs) or is it still very random at best?
Is there enough data collected to determine at least if this is coming from farm raised (like the mass produced Columbian RFs) or is it still very random at best?
Sulcata_Sandy said:
Determining the source, or sources of this outbreak would be quite interesting. But then as some of the members who are more familiar with IC than others of us have stated, it may have been around for a long time and just not identified.
First confirmed case was 1994. Radiated Tortoise from St. Catherine's Island.
I can tell you first hand from discussions from those who have been doing the research the longest, this disease likely started in the early 70's. It wan't confirmed however since we didn't have the technology we have now. So this bugger has been around a long time.
I can tell you first hand from discussions from those who have been doing the research the longest, this disease likely started in the early 70's. It wan't confirmed however since we didn't have the technology we have now. So this bugger has been around a long time.
Wow, in more reason to test your tort(s) or collection. If I'm not mistaken, the incubation period of this organism could take even years before the onset of symptoms? However, once established, it's 100% deadly. And, we really don't know ALL there is to know about contamination, do we?
All correct assumptions on your part. It would require a lot of grant money to pursue all the variables with this. We don't know the epidemiological impact yet on this organism. We don't know if this is a wild tortoise problem or captive problem. There was a recent confiscated group of forsteni that all died of INC but it is unknown if they had it before they were confiscsted or contracted it through the process of transportation and close contact with each other. The bottom line is all died, stress, close proximity of large animals leads to bad things.
By now, since this may have started back in the 70's or longer, we just don't know, it may have crossed over from wild to captive or vice versa. The point is, now both wild and captive cases have been confirmed. That's why i'm having mine tested.
quote='deadheadvet' pid='782271' dateline='1386259406']
All correct assumptions on your part. It would require a lot of grant money to pursue all the variables with this. We don't know the epidemiological impact yet on this organism. We don't know if this is a wild tortoise problem or captive problem. There was a recent confiscated group of forsteni that all died of INC but it is unknown if they had it before they were confiscsted or contracted it through the process of transportation and close contact with each other. The bottom line is all died, stress, close proximity of large animals leads to bad things.
[/quote]
quote='deadheadvet' pid='782271' dateline='1386259406']
All correct assumptions on your part. It would require a lot of grant money to pursue all the variables with this. We don't know the epidemiological impact yet on this organism. We don't know if this is a wild tortoise problem or captive problem. There was a recent confiscated group of forsteni that all died of INC but it is unknown if they had it before they were confiscsted or contracted it through the process of transportation and close contact with each other. The bottom line is all died, stress, close proximity of large animals leads to bad things.
[/quote]
Can't tell you that. The info was published as part of a paper dealing specifically with INC. There was a specific group of Forsteni that were part of that study that was only published early this year.
So don't know if it's the same group from '07.
So don't know if it's the same group from '07.
deadheadvet said:
Sadly, wild caught and or imported forstenii are difficult to begin with. Many of the animals I knew of back in the 80's (or was it 90s?) did OK for a while but most ended up crashing.
Is that a generally fragile species?
Sulcata_Sandy said:
Imports have been tough but captive hatched are wonderful.
Benjamin knows a lot about them...
cdmay said:
I do not really consider forstenii to be a fragile species. They are however, very susceptible to "foreign" pathogens. Trade animals are often cross contaminated with other species before arriving to the US. I currently have 6.5 WC animals, all captive a decade or more. An additional 1.4 did not survive longterm. Two of the females did produce a few hatchlings prior to their untimely demise. With the sometimes(often)poor treatment of WC animals from the point of collection on, it is amazing that as many survive and eventually thrive as do. For every WC animal thriving in captivity many more were not so fortunate.
To quote my friend/vet support regarding some WC animals "they are already dead, they just don't know it yet".
I have received the package from deadheadvet (Evan) to take samples of my 4 sullies. One sully, Ms. Piggy, had passed away this morning. I took a sample of her and placed it in the refrigerator until Monday, when I expect to get the rest of the samples done. Then I'll mail all samples overnight to UF. I just need to k ow if Ms. Piggy had this disease.
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