What are some of the common diseases of pet turtles?
Common conditions of pet aquatic turtles include metabolic bone disease, vitamin A deficiency, respiratory diseases, abscesses, shell infections, shell fractures, and parasites.
What are the signs of these diseases?
Fig. 1: Red-eared slider with severe metabolic bone disease (MBD). Photo courtesy of Gregory Rich, DVM.Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus due to an improper diet, lack of adequate ultraviolet (UV) light, or a combination of both. Signs of MBD in aquatic turtles are usually a misshapen shell or deformed bones in 1 or all 4 legs. Turtles affected by MBD will grow slowly and often never grow to full adult size.
Vitamin A deficiency (hypovitaminosis A) occurs when turtles are fed an inappropriate diet. Turtles that are fed iceberg lettuce, an all-meat diet, or a poor-quality commercial diet are most likely to develop hypovitaminosis A. Lack of vitamin A produces changes in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and in the mucus-producing glands and membranes lining the mouth, eyes, kidneys, and upper respiratory tract. Symptoms include a lack of appetite, lethargy, swelling of the eyelids (often with a pus-like discharge), swelling of the ear (due to the formation of an ear abscess), kidney failure, and/or chronic respiratory infections.
In turtles, most respiratory tract infections are caused by bacteria and are often secondary to vitamin A deficiency. Aquatic turtles also succumb to respiratory infections if their tank does not have proper water filtration to help cleanse the water from waste and bacterial growth. Turtles with respiratory infections may have excess mucus in their mouths (seen as bubbles in the mouth, nose, and eyes), nasal discharge, lethargy, loss of appetite, wheezing, extension of the neck to breathe, and open-mouth breathing or gasping.
If the infection is severe or if it spreads into the lungs, the turtle will generally develop pneumonia, which may be noted when the turtle tilts to the side while swimming. This tilt occurs because the diseased lung tissue is heavier than the regular lung tissue, and affects the turtle’s buoyancy.
Abscesses (infected, pus-filled swellings within a tissue of the body) appear as hard, tumor-like swellings anywhere on the skin or within the pet's body. Reptile pus is usually thick and dry, with the texture and consistency of cottage cheese. Abscesses often develop in turtles’ ears or oral cavity, and they appear as large swellings on the sides of the head, just behind the eyes or on the roof of the mouth. Abscesses in turtles’ ears and oral cavity are often related to vitamin A deficiency.
Shell infections (also known as shell rot) are often encountered in turtles and are caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites. These infections are often secondary to trauma, burns, or bites. Some of these infections can penetrate deep into the layers of the shell, causing ulcers, pitting of the shell, or extension into the bone below. The outer layer of the shell (keratin) protects the living bone underneath; the shell provides important protection for the inner organs located beneath the shell.
Gastrointestinal parasites, such as roundworms and protozoa, are common in pet turtles. In many cases, parasitic infections do not cause any clinical signs. Intestinal parasites can be detected on a routine fecal examination by your turtle’s veterinarian. With severe infection, parasites may cause diarrhea or weight loss and may require treatment.
How can I tell if my turtle is sick?
Signs of disease in turtles may be specific for certain diseases, such as nasal discharge in the case of a respiratory infection, tilting while floating due to pneumonia, or shell deformities with MBD. More commonly, signs of illness are non-specific, such as a turtle with lack of appetite and lethargy, which can be seen with many diseases. A turtle who shows any deviation from normal should be evaluated by a veterinarian familiar with reptile diseases as soon as possible.
How are turtle diseases treated?
Vitamin A deficiency is treated with either oral or injectable vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency typically indicates improper nutrition that must be corrected. Treatment should only be performed under veterinary supervision, as overdose of vitamin A can occur.
Respiratory infections are most often caused by bacteria. Many turtles with respiratory tract infections also have underlying vitamin A deficiency that requires correction. Your veterinarian may recommend X-rays (radiographs), blood tests, and cultures to determine the cause of the infection. Treatment of respiratory tract infections usually involves administration of antibiotics, which are given orally, through injection, or possibly as nose drops. Note that giving oral medication to a turtle is extremely difficult and your turtle’s best chance of beating the infection is through use of injectable antibiotics. Very sick turtles may require hospitalization for intensive care, including injectable fluid therapy and force-feeding.
Abscesses are treated surgically. The veterinarian will open the abscess, drain the pus, and flush the affected tissue with a medicated cleansing solution. A culture of the abscess is typically recommended to determine the type of bacteria causing the abscess. Topical medication, plus oral or injectable antibiotics, may also be required.
Shell infections can be challenging to treat, but treatment usually involves microscopic analysis and culture to identify what type of organism is causing the infection (virus, bacteria, or fungus), thoroughly cleaning the shell, and treating with appropriate medications. Veterinarians can often repair most basic shell fractures if the fractures are fresh, and the patient is in a good nutritional state.
Gastrointestinal parasites are treated with deworming medications. The type of parasite identified on a microscopic analysis of the stool will determine which drug is needed.
