RECOGNISING VETERINARY EMERGENCIES
Early
signs of serious problems
By
Nadine Gill
With continuing
advancements in medical technology, more people are surviving heart attacks
than ever before. There are still far too many, however, who could have been
saved, but died because they wasted time getting to a hospital.
They felt a loss of breath, pain weighing on their chest
or shooting up their arm, but instead of calling an ambulance, they called a
couple of friends to get their advice… decided to give it awhile to see what
would happen... and what happened was – they died.
Too many turtles and
tortoises die every day for the same reason. It only takes a browse through any
on-line discussion list or message board, and you will find e-mails from people
asking questions like, “Does anybody know why my turtle is laying on a rock,
wheezing, and too weak to swim?” or “My tortoise has been in an accident, and
his carapace is cracked. What should I do?” And in their search for advice, the
clock is ticking, and the chances of recovery for a seriously ill animal grows
less likely by the minute. I get phone
calls, e-mails and, on occasion, even letters. And when I hear the symptoms
indicative of critical illness or trauma injury, my answer is immediate – “Get
the animal to a specialist vet, without delay”.
Knowing the warning signs
for critical illness, and acting on them, can save a turtle or tortoise’s life.
In addition to any major shell injury, these are symptoms that should signal us
to take our pet the vet immediately. In such cases, every minute counts:
1.
Wheezing, nasal discharge, labored breathing
or breathing with mouth help open (shown above): Possible causes: Respiratory
illness, including pneumonia.
2.
Red flush or
bleeding from carapace, plastron or skin.
Possible causes: Systemic infection or bacterial or fungal skin infection,
or subcutaneous ulcerative infection (‘shell-rot’) as shown above..
3.
Swelling, flesh has a puffy appearance. Edema
(see above). Possible
causes: If arises suddenly, could be related to renal or pulmonary disease.
If long-term without other symptoms, may indicate obesity and over-feeding.
4.
Raw or reddened skin, open lesions. Swelling of
eyes. Possible causes: Vitamin A deficiency or excess, or bacterial,
viral or
fungal skin infection
5.
Weakness, listlessness, unable to walk or swim,
poor hind-limb power or responsiveness. Possible causes: These symptoms are indicative of critical
illness that could result from numerous underlying conditions including
metabolic bone disease, severe nutritional deficiency, egg retention or
dystocia, egg–yolk peritonitis, articular gout, septic arthritis, trauma
injuries (all of which can be diagnosed using x-rays), serious overheating, pneumonia, or
any conditions associated with
septicemia.
6.
Pale mouth (except in species where this is the
normal coloring). Indicates dangerously low red blood count. Possible causes:
Severe parasitic infection, internal hemorrhaging, renal or liver disease.
7.
Locomotion difficulties or paralysis. Possible
causes: Could be symptomatic of renal disease, spinal injury or metabolic
bone disease. In females suspect egg-retention problem and x-ray to confirm or
eliminate.
The following are symptomatic of serious conditions that
need prompt diagnosis and medical treatment.
1.
Rubbing eyes or
sides of head with forelegs. Suspect eye or ear infection (shown below: box
turtle with supurating ear abscess).
2.
Weight loss,
worms seen in stools, or loose stools with mucus, blood, or undigested food.
Internal parasites.
3.
Difficulty in
movement, due to avoiding the use of a limb. Could have localized swelling.
Possible broken bone or dislocation.
4.
Weight loss, non-specific anorexia. Could be the
result of numerous conditions that require proper diagnosis.
5.
Hatchings failing to thrive, very low growth
rate, carapace and plastron do not harden in the normal period of time. Could
be due to nutritional deficiencies, parasite problems, possible thyroid-related
defect or other genetic abnormality.
As you can see, some symptoms may occur with various forms
of illness. Swollen eyes are often found in conjunction with an ear abscess,
but they can also be the result of a vitamin A deficiency, or a purely local
infection. Locomotion difficulties and weakness are symptomatic of any number
of serious conditions that could quickly result in the death of an animal.
It isn’t surprising that veterinarians themselves avoid
making a diagnosis on a verbal description. Certain symptoms may indeed
indicate a serious illness, and signal the owner and the vet that the animal
needs to be seen immediately, however, to provide an accurate diagnosis and
effective treatment; a full and comprehensive evaluation is required. This
would include a physical examination, any necessary diagnostic tests, and a
review of the diet and husbandry being provided.
The early warning signs of illness are sometimes quite
subtle, and you may also observe a symptom that was not included here, so if
you notice anything unusual in your turtle or tortoise’s behavior, appearance
or feeding habits that gives you concern, don’t hesitate to call your
veterinarian. Remember, early treatment saves lives, both for people - and
their pets.
© Text Nadine Gill/Chelonian Educational Resources Ltd. 2002
© Photos:
A. C. Highfield/Tortoise Trust
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