Is a fecal test necessary if Smiley doesn't have symptoms?

[BigBiscuit]

Hello All,

I got Smiley last November from PetSmart. They say that all of their animals are vet-checked prior to sale. The people at the store said that Smiley was captive bred, but others on the forum say she is wild caught.

Smiley does not show any signs of sickness, and hasn't shown any in the time that I have had her. Do I need to get her a check-up, or a fecal test? Or, should I "leave well-enough alone" and let her be.

Thanks

 

[tortoisenerd]

In my opinion all torts should go to a vet and get a fecal, at least once a year. Actually, a fecal re-test needs to be done a few months after the first one. I got a CB tort. Would have never thought he would have a parasite but he did. First test didn't pick it up but the second one did! Well worth the $50-$100. Sometimes torts won't show symptoms at all, but then they get stressed or something and can quickly go downhill. So yes in my opinion it's a great idea. You also always want to have an established vet in case of an emergency. They will be much more willing to fit you in than a new patient.

Also, I never trust any pet store. I would go with whatever everyone here on the forum said over a pet store any day. If you didn't see your tort all the time from the time it hatched, you really have no definite idea of what happened from then to now.

I bet you can see I'm a big proponent of vet visits!

Before I got my Trevor I thought no he doesn't need to go the the vet. Someone on another forum explained this to me. My first vet visit with him my vet caught onto some husbandry things that quickly turned his personality and happiness around (he was too cold and lethargic; I thought it was normal since he was my first tort). I wouldn't probably have picked up on that for weeks or months. He had his clean fecal test then. They let me know they re-test about 3 months later; I didn't think much of it, but what's another $20.... So, we took his sample in at that time (and him too just to say hello so they could see how much he grew!). He now has a protozoa and is undergoing treatment. No symptoms at all. I never would have guessed but I'm glad we caught it before the parasite load got really high. I assume he got it from the breeder or pet store. Probably housed with other torts, something not cleaned correctly, etc. They take awhile to show up sometimes, thus two tests at least.

In my opinion vet bills are part of having a pet. Now I couldn't imagine not taking him for his check ups and having an emergency fund. On this same note, it's good to have an amount of money that you'd be comfortable spending set aside for emergency vet bills. I hate to hear of people not having the couple hundred dollars for a treatment for their tort.

 

[Stazz]

Evan thanks for asking that question !!! I wonder the same thing about Tallula. Thanks so much for the info Kate !!!! I'm going to wait to find a poop to take for a fecal test. I just need to take the poop and not actually Tallula right? Or should I take her too??? It's hard to find a poop with her, but I will keep a real close eye out for one ! LOL

 

[tortoisenerd]

If you have a visit set up for her, you need to take her too. If you are dropping off a sample that they know about, then usually just the sample is ok. Has Tallula ever been to the vet? I'm confusing if you want to take a sample to a current vet of her's, or have called a new vet about this.

 

[Laura]

Most vets will run a fecal test if you bring one in and not see the animal. If the test is positive, they will need to see the animal before prescibing meds.
If you wait for symptom to show, then it might be harder to treat/cure and may do harm to the tort. Some people just worm regardless. Mixed opinions on this..why give meds for something that isnt there AND you might not be using the right med to get rid of the parasite the animal has..

 

[spring pace]

last year i put my sulcata outside full time, he had 200 sq. ft to call his very own, this year i enlarged his yard about another 700 sq. ft and to my dismay here came the snails, though i go out every morning to pick them out before he gest up, its impossible to find them all and heres a high probability that hes found one or two. every year i take gali in for a wellness check up. torts take so long to present a problem they might be having and by then it could be a major problem, this year im askeing for a special fluke testing. there are no signs of distress but i am not taking any chances. i got galileo from a neighbor who bought him at a pet store, he and his hatchmate were sick for over a year while under their roof. the hatchmate died a week after it came to me and shortly afterwards gali starting showig signs of distress. it was so bad, he spent 9 days in hospital and about 6 mos of treatments, a $1200 bill. the neighbors paid for it. right then and there we made a deal, they take care of all his medical bills and outside habitat and i make sure i keep him as healthy as i can by getting him checked every year whether it looks like he needs it or not.

 

[Crazy1]

My torts are outside during the warm spring and summer. I do not take them to a vet unless they are visibly ill. I feed pumpkin & other squash etc. which helps with worming. But they are on the ground and eat on the ground or tile. It is not the most sanitary place to be but they have adapted to that. Pinworms, hookworm etc can be spread by cat or dog feces and carried in on your shoes or clothing if you came in contact with eggs. So the likely hood of a tortoise haveing a parasite is huge. As long as your tort is healthy there should be no problem in my opinion. Its when one gets sick that a good vet and/or good worm meds may come in handy.

 

[Stazz]

Kate, Tallula has never been to the vet. I just thought it was ok that she'd never been as she has nothing wrong with her that I can see. I have an exotics vet very close to my work, so thats lucky. I feed her butternut squash once a week. But what I meant was, (sorry I wasn't clear hehe) that do you think I should send a fecal sample to the vet (after talking to them) just to check it out, or should I just leave it? I've had her since Feb.

 

[Gulf Coast]

last year i put my sulcata outside full time, he had 200 sq. ft to call his very own, this year i enlarged his yard about another 700 sq. ft and to my dismay here came the snails, though i go out every morning to pick them out before he gest up, its impossible to find them all and heres a high probability that hes found one or two.

why pick out the snails? is there a connection with snails and worms? Please explain, because I thought some torts could eat snails or is it turtles? Waldo hasn't had any that I know of, but if he had would it hurt him?

 

[Crazy1]

Spring, I have heard of flukes in fresh water snails and a fluke that infects the eyes and brain of a rainforest snail but what flukes infect yard snails?

 

[tortoisenerd]

Stace: My personal opinion would be to take Tallula for a checkup and also bring a sample. Get a fecal done for her every 6 months or as recommended by the vet, and a checkup every year. That is my personal opinion and opinions do vary as we all here know. I don't want to take chances with Trevor's health. I have read here that by the time symptoms show up for many illnesses in a tort it can be too late. I factored in vet costs with my pet ownership budget and I would not consider having a pet without taking it for regular vet visits, as I do for my health too. At a bare minimum I would do an initial vet checkup and parasite test and then not go back again unless you had problems. Keep in mind that parasites always won't be picked up with the first test. They have life cycles such that there can be a low count when you test, and then it will spike back up a few months later (this happened to Trevor). Many vets recommend a re-test 3-6 months after the first one for a double check. I also had been feeding Trevor butternut squash. Only semi-regularly though. I am making more of an effort with it now, but nothing can be a sure thing.

 

[Candy]

last year i put my sulcata outside full time, he had 200 sq. ft to call his very own, this year i enlarged his yard about another 700 sq. ft and to my dismay here came the snails, though i go out every morning to pick them out before he gest up, its impossible to find them all and heres a high probability that hes found one or two.

why pick out the snails? is there a connection with snails and worms? Please explain, because I thought some torts could eat snails or is it turtles? Waldo hasn't had any that I know of, but if he had would it hurt him?

Oh my gosh I just noticed your little comic at the right hand corner of your post. It is soooooo cute. I love it.

 

[Laura]

Can totoises get Liver flukes? I know livestock can...

 

[Gulf Coast]

Thanks Candy.. I thought it was sooo cute too..

last year i put my sulcata outside full time, he had 200 sq. ft to call his very own, this year i enlarged his yard about another 700 sq. ft and to my dismay here came the snails, though i go out every morning to pick them out before he gest up, its impossible to find them all and heres a high probability that hes found one or two.

why pick out the snails? is there a connection with snails and worms? Please explain, because I thought some torts could eat snails or is it turtles? Waldo hasn't had any that I know of, but if he had would it hurt him?

Oh my gosh I just noticed your little comic at the right hand corner of your post. It is soooooo cute. I love it.

 

[Stazz]

Ok thanks so much for your opinion Kate I'm going to take her this week before we leave ! Really appreciate it !

 

[tortoisenerd]

Awesome! Glad to hear. I feel pretty strongly on this topic so hope I don't come across too strong.

 

[Stazz]

No you don't come across too strong at all !!! Its what I needed to hear !

---

I'll keep you posted on what happens....gotta take her in the next week or two...just crazy since we got back. Back at work, apartment hunting, but will always ALWAYS make time for my baby!

 

[tortoisenerd]

Keep us updated! Hope things turn out well. My little Trevor is still fighting off a coccidia but he sure doesn't show any signs.

 

[Stazz]

A what what? Google is my friend ! Aha a parasite, shame poor boy. Well at least you caught it early! I really hope and pray Tallula is healthy, she seems healthy as an ox, but hey, as you say, you never know with these gorgeous little torties

 

[spring pace]

Thanks Candy.. I thought it was sooo cute too..

last year i put my sulcata outside full time, he had 200 sq. ft to call his very own, this year i enlarged his yard about another 700 sq. ft and to my dismay here came the snails, though i go out every morning to pick them out before he gest up, its impossible to find them all and heres a high probability that hes found one or two.

why pick out the snails? is there a connection with snails and worms? Please explain, because I thought some torts could eat snails or is it turtles? Waldo hasn't had any that I know of, but if he had would it hurt him?
[/quote

sorry it took so long to answer your question about the snails. the snails carry a parasite called flukes that are very hard to get rid of and damaging to a tortoise. the flukes come from the birds poop the snails eat. thats why im so anal about getting rid of them in the tort yard, i really dont want gali to have to go down that road. its supposed to be especially bad in areas that have sheep as livestock, i think (if i remember right) they are the originators of the fluke in their intestinal track.



Oh my gosh I just noticed your little comic at the right hand corner of your post. It is soooooo cute. I love it.