small area of plastron lifting

[Lyn W]

Hi, after soaking Lola this evening as usual I noticed a rough area on his plastron and it looks as if very small area just in front of the tail scutes is lifting. I can't post pics at the moment as I don't have a working camera - will try to borrow one.

There is no discolouration on any of the plastron so it doesn't look like the examples of dry or wet rot I've seen here. and it doesn't look like an injury. He has daily soaks of about 15 mins, a humid hide and a moist substrate of coco coir topsoil and orchid bark so he shouldn't be getting too dry,but this little flake feels dry.

So do you think I need to see the vet and is there anything I can use like petroleum jelly/Vaseline to moisten it to stop the peeling?
Many thanks

 

[mike taylor]

If you have a cell phone download the app and post some pictures .

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks MIke but that's the trouble - the camera isn't working on my phone and I don't have another at the moment so will have to try to borrow one tomorrow.

 

[Lyn W]

This isn't Lola but copied a picture to show which area I'm talking about. I think the tips have been missing since I got him, but I thought that was normal it's only looking for pics now that I see they do. When I examine his plastron I've been looking out for injuries or signs of rot, and that is done as quickly as possible so as not to put pressure on his lungs. The last time I had a look was about a month ago. It was only that it felt rough that made me look today. It is the red area that is raised about 1-2mm off other scutes. All advice gratefully accepted to stop this getting worse or causing infection.

 

[Lyn W]

I feel terrible about this! I was looking at old pics the other day and was thinking that the pyramiding he came with in July wasn't any worse, but didn't pay as much attention as I should have to his plastron. I didn't even take pics of it at the beginning so I could look out for changes. I will certainly be letting new tort owners learn from my mistake.

 

[Lyn W]

Sister take pic on her phone and will email it to me later.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi this is Lolas tail end with the area that's lifting away.

On closer inspection today with someone holding him while he's dry and in the light the other side seems a bit flaky too and there is a small grey patch which could be rot but I'm not sure. He is always bashing his rear end when he climbs over anythingor gets in his water dish because of his shorter leg which isn't where he thinks it should be, so he stumbles and catches his back end quite a lot; could it be an injury?

I have emailed my vet for an appointment but meanwhile what can I do to help him? He is very active, eating well and very curious so doesn't seem in pain or ill but I don't want this to escalate into an infection or something more sinister, so all help and advice gratefully received.
Many thanks,
Lyn

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Sorry, I've never seen this before, so can't help.
Just replying so you know I looked, really.
Really hope it's nothing serious.
if it were me it'd be vet time for sure.
Better safe than sorry.
(I know you've an apppointment.)

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks Adam

 

[Lyn W]

Any thoughts @mike taylor @yvonne @Tom anyone?

 

[Gillian M]

Any thoughts @mike taylor @yvonne @Tom anyone?

Extremely sorry to have heard that your tort is not well, also sorry that I cannot be of help here.

Wishes for your tortoise to get better soon, MEIN FUHRER!

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi Lyn. I'm sure some expert advice will be along soon. I'm a novice and still learning. When is your vet appointment. For now I would clean and dry him then keep him dry and on a clean substrate like paper. Just what I would do till I got some advice.
What did you mean one leg shorter than the other. Is it an past injury.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi Anyfoot when he was found last July in a field he had a rear foot missing possibly rats, dogs we don't know. He also has pyramiding and a couple of little scutes at the front of his shell that look like little horns. So he's far from a perfect specimen but all adds to his character, He manages to walk OK but scrambling over stuff causes a few bumps. Yes I have him on a dry surface at the moment following some advice for rot just in case. I haven't had an appointment with vet emailed me yet but will ring them tomorrow morning and make it soon as possible, I don't know what they can do about raised bits of plastron, I suspect the only thing would be to remove them but maybe they can't. I feel as if I have let him down though by not checking more often. Hopefully it can be sorted out somehow though. Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Anyfoot]

Hi Anyfoot when he was found last July in a field he had a rear foot missing possibly rats, dogs we don't know. He also has pyramiding and a couple of little scutes at the front of his shell that look like little horns. So he's far from a perfect specimen but all adds to his character, He manages to walk OK but scrambling over stuff causes a few bumps. Yes I have him on a dry surface at the moment following some advice for rot just in case. I haven't had an appointment with vet emailed me yet but will ring them tomorrow morning and make it soon as possible, I don't know what they can do about raised bits of plastron, I suspect the only thing would be to remove them but maybe they can't. I feel as if I have let him down though by not checking more often. Hopefully it can be sorted out somehow though. Thanks for your suggestions

Don't be daft, let him down. You would have never known till you could see it, like you can now. I doubt nobody inspects there torts every single day. I think you have found it at its very early stages. You are probably going to have to have soft grounds so not to scrape his plastron if he has a defected plastron. I saw a vet programme yesterday that had a tort on with its back leg missing. They attached a small caster wheel to its plastron so it didn't rub on the floor. Chin up.

 

[mike taylor]

It wouldn't be anything I'd worry about . My adults have some places like this . It's like the keratin is stacking . It happens no worries .

 

[Lyn W]

Don't be daft, let him down. You would have never known till you could see it, like you can now. I doubt nobody inspects there torts every single day. I think you have found it at its very early stages. You are probably going to have to have soft grounds so not to scrape his plastron if he has a defected plastron. I saw a vet programme yesterday that had a tort on with its back leg missing. They attached a small caster wheel to its plastron so it didn't rub on the floor. Chin up.

Thank you. Pepsiandjac know of a cobbler in Wales who offered to make boots for Mrs T a tort whose been in the news recently having lost 2and half legs so they are passing on my details to see if he can do anything to level up Lola's leg. Worth a try to save her hips maybe

 

[Lyn W]

It wouldn't be anything I'd worry about . My adults have some places like this . It's like the keratin is stacking . It happens no worries .

Thanks Milke Does it just fall off or do you have to cut it off to save it catching?

 

[mike taylor]

I just leave it alone. As he walks it will wear down .

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks again!

 

[Lyn W]

This a different angle which shows how much it's raised at the moment - slightly less on other side.