Vet is suggestion a Mouth smear & getting blood count how important are these?

[Chuckd]

Hello

I am going to take my tortoise for his yearly check up. The vet is suggestion a mouth Smear and a blood count. Are these needed or is this something i can hold off on. My tortoise has been healthy over the past year. One problem is I moved 30 plus miles away and i cant really do multiple visits with the vet. I might try to find a different one closer but i do like the vet i am using. so any info on how important those are to do would be much appreciated.

 

[wellington]

A whole lot of us that have had tortoises for years, some decades, never take our tortoises to a vet unless it is very sick or injured
Save the money and don't take him at all unless he is sick. Even then, come here first as many here can help with home remedies.
So, no, they are not needed and neither is the yearly check up.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't take a tortoise to the vet unless it's sick or injured.

 

[Tom]

Hello

I am going to take my tortoise for his yearly check up. The vet is suggestion a mouth Smear and a blood count. Are these needed or is this something i can hold off on. My tortoise has been healthy over the past year. One problem is I moved 30 plus miles away and i cant really do multiple visits with the vet. I might try to find a different one closer but i do like the vet i am using. so any info on how important those are to do would be much appreciated.

Why does the vet want to do these things? Is there a problem that they see that they are trying to diagnose? If the tortoise is eating well and behaving normally, I see no reason to run either test. Both will cost money and be stressful for the tortoise, for no good reason.

 

[TammyJ]

If it's not broken don't fix it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I also only use my vet when I need her.
I also have a tortoise that has never seen a vet and is probably 11 years old.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Does the Vet suggest mouth rot?