What tortoise septicemia looks like

[Gennifer11]

I bought a baby leopard tortoise who seemed to be very shy, I figured he just needed to relax and open up to his new home. Little did I know, he had a blood infection called septicemia.

My tortoise was about 5 months old (30g) but had shown no growth, he was lethargic, his eyelids were puffy he refused to eat or bask in the sun and his shell was continually getting softer. After a few weeks of failing to get the poor guy to eat, stay awake, or do pretty much anything, he started to bruise on his tummy so we took him to the vet.

Immediately the doc diagnosed him with septicemia. This sickness in general is very deadly due to its rapid spreading nature, but in a baby tortoise it will consume the poor little guy in no time. He was also diagnosed with vitamin deficiencies (which I expected from the lack of appetite). Our vet doctor told us our tortoise was in critical condition without much chances of survival.

He was given a shot of antibiotics (1 of 3) but showed no progress before the next shot date. So we decided to surrender our baby leopard tortoise to the vet in hopes that they could help the little guy out better than we could.

I am making this post in hopes that It can help someone recognize septicemia and take immediate action. The attached photos are in chronological order, as you can see... Pip (our leopard) was very timid but still had some energy, this slowly diminished to sleeping all day and refusing to open his eyes. If I forced him to walk around, he would do so blind, which was a danger all in its own.

 

[G-stars]

Thanks for sharing. Do you have any idea how or why this happened?

 

[naturalman91]

the leopard didn't share a enclosure with the sulcata did it?

 

[dmmj]

As it progresses, it gets harder to treat. Will they keep you updated.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I'm sorry to hear.

I'm curious, did the doc diagnose him with blood tests? Or just by sight?

Your description and symptoms sound identical to "breeder failure syndrome" and the babies that suffer from chronic dehydration in the early days.

 

[G-stars]

I'm sorry to hear.

I'm curious, did the doc diagnose him with blood tests? Or just by sight?

Your description and symptoms sound identical to "breeder failure syndrome" and the babies that suffer from chronic dehydration in the early days.

I agree, heck even hexamita parva fits those symptoms. I truly wonder how many tortoises are misdiagnosed, not saying that's the case here.

 

[ascott]

I bought a baby leopard tortoise who seemed to be very shy, I figured he just needed to relax and open up to his new home. Little did I know, he had a blood infection called septicemia.

My tortoise was about 5 months old (30g) but had shown no growth, he was lethargic, his eyelids were puffy he refused to eat or bask in the sun and his shell was continually getting softer. After a few weeks of failing to get the poor guy to eat, stay awake, or do pretty much anything, he started to bruise on his tummy so we took him to the vet.

Immediately the doc diagnosed him with septicemia. This sickness in general is very deadly due to its rapid spreading nature, but in a baby tortoise it will consume the poor little guy in no time. He was also diagnosed with vitamin deficiencies (which I expected from the lack of appetite). Our vet doctor told us our tortoise was in critical condition without much chances of survival.

He was given a shot of antibiotics (1 of 3) but showed no progress before the next shot date. So we decided to surrender our baby leopard tortoise to the vet in hopes that they could help the little guy out better than we could.

I am making this post in hopes that It can help someone recognize septicemia and take immediate action. The attached photos are in chronological order, as you can see... Pip (our leopard) was very timid but still had some energy, this slowly diminished to sleeping all day and refusing to open his eyes. If I forced him to walk around, he would do so blind, which was a danger all in its own.

I am sorry for the stress you have been experiencing...however, why would you have to surrender the tortoise to the vet???? I also am curious as to how the vet determined the diagnosis...as the situation the tortoise found itself in could be a variety of issues....what type of lighting was in use in the enclosure? How close was that lighting? What type of substrate was being used and what color was that substrate? Was that tortoise housed with the larger Sulcata in the pictures?

 

[Gennifer11]

Hi sorry it took so long to reply.

The enclosure is a closed indoor enclosure 4'lx2'dx3'h, there's was a barrier between the two tortoises but yes, they would have breathed the same air, which worries me. What if this was airborne? The 2nd vet was not sure.

I am really confused as to why this happened. When I got him, he was already lethargic but I figured it was just a baby thing. Then I contacted people who had purchased his siblings, and the babies were slow at first but they picked up eventually, mine did not.

For husbandry I am very confident that I used all the right stuff, after much trial and error with my sulcata, research and talking with Tom and many others.

For husbandry;
Lights: national geographic 160watt on 12 hour timer, 2 CHE'S and a red heat light all set on a rheostat thermometer.
Substrate: coco husk with a small bit of coco fiber mixed in, for easier digging
Humidity: 78-84% during the time I had pip.
Baths: 30 minutes in the AM, 15 mins at night. With frequent water swaps to keep the water warm.
Food: at first he nibbled on some clovers outdoors but after a few days he stopped even trying to eat. The things I tried to get him to eat were, dandilion, clover, chickweed, other wild weeds, blended cucumber/pepper, spring lettuce, hibiscus, strawberry leaves, grass of course, grassland pellets, Mazuri pellets and a few more I'm probably forgetting. I would have been okay with him eating anything if it meant he was eating...
Suppliments: I couldn't give him any since he stopped eating. I tried to soak him in a warm carrot juice bath and tried to get him to drink a drop of cod liver oil.

Now the vet, he didn't take any samples but he felt soft shell, the puffy eyelids, the bruises shell, the bruised eyelid, lethargicness, refusal to eat, hadn't pooped for awhile, and with all that he came up with septicemia.

I decided to give him round one of the 3 antibiotic shots, and when it was time for the second shot I was going to decide whether or not to give him the 2nd antibiotic shot plus vitamins shots and a food suppliment thing. He only managed to get worse.
A friend of mine from another vet clinic told me I could surrender my pet and pip would get all they care he needs. She has been keeping me updated so far. They gave him his second antibiotic shot, they started a series of a different antibiotic shots too and they gave him vitamin shots already.

The only reason I gave him up was because he was getting worse and I was worried about the costs of vet care, especially since both vet clinics said that pip was probably not going to make it. My first visit with pip was $90 for the diagnosis, $40 for the first shot. He needed 2 more shots at least at $40 a pop, plus the vitamin shots and more care that would keep raking up the bill.

I loved pip and I struggled to give him up, I don't think it would have been fair for pip to not get all the care possible just because I didn't want to pay for it. So I did what I thought was right. I hope it was right. I really do miss him. It took me 3 days to convince myself to let him go.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Nooo, not vitamin shots!! I personally do not like the idea of shots in general for baby tortoises, it's way too stressful. Vitamin shots usually mean the vet has no idea how to handle tortoises, because the shots are ok for mammals but not so much for reptiles from my understanding. Too easy to overdose and it causes a lot of stress.

It's really sketchy too that he called it septicemia when it seems the symptoms are all wrong, and he basically just looked at your tortoise. Here's something from tortoistrust:

Septicaemia: Signs include vomiting, lethargy, distinct reddish flush or tinge on the plastron or under carapace shields (except in angulates). Haemorrhages of tongue and oral mucous membranes occur, jaundice, and the animal drinks excessively. This is sometimes caused by egg retention/rupture, or gut impaction. Obtain veterinary help immediately.

It's definitely not your fault and it's wonderful you tried so hard to help your little guy, I just want you to know that. Your husbandry sounds great. It just sounds to me like that vet was awful.

 

[crimson_lotus]

Just noticed the bruising in the 2nd to last picture, I'm probably wrong.

 

[G-stars]

I wouldn't worry about it being airborne. Very few things are airborne. However since the vet didn't test for anything, it could be something contagious. So I wouldn't put your other tortoises in the same areas where this little one has been.

Although it already has been mentioned, it can be a few different things that can fit those symptoms. And since you probably will never find out exactly what it is, it is best to be very cautious regarding cross contamination.

 

[Gennifer11]

I did a little reading up on some tortoise diseases. The ones that sound the most similar are pneumonia, parasites and septicemia.

I think septicemia because of the brusing. However, I also read that a tortoise that has been sick in the past, can continue to be a carrier for some time. My sulcata tortoise had a RI about 7 months ago. Although they did not have contact in the enclosure, they would walk around outdoors together and throughout the living room.

I've also decided, the next poop sample that my remaining tortoise disposes, I will bring it into the vet for parasite testing.

 

[Gennifer11]

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/commondisease.html

Any thoughts are welcome, I know they shouldnt have come into contact so that was definitely my mistake, a costly one, but I would like to learn what happened because I have no clue

 

[ascott]

I did a little reading up on some tortoise diseases. The ones that sound the most similar are pneumonia, parasites and septicemia.

I think septicemia because of the brusing. However, I also read that a tortoise that has been sick in the past, can continue to be a carrier for some time. My sulcata tortoise had a RI about 7 months ago. Although they did not have contact in the enclosure, they would walk around outdoors together and throughout the living room.

I've also decided, the next poop sample that my remaining tortoise disposes, I will bring it into the vet for parasite testing.

what type of substrate did you use? sometimes the substrate color will bleed onto the tortoise...and in turn appear as you have described... that was the reason it was one of my questions...a good vet should have tested the tort for proper diagnosis...I am sorry you are dealing with this crap...also sorry the little tort is too....

 

[teresaf]

I don't think ri's are contagious
They Come from having high humidity and too low temps. Did baby get too cold? I noticed quite a few pics on floor. Unless you keep your home at 90f your floor(where it's coldest) Is no place for a baby. Also, you weren't using a coiled bulb right? If they can't open their eyes because of a coil bulbs brightness they will hide and stop eating.