The term 'parasite' usually causes any keeper to think of worms. There are any number of potentially harmful parasites - internal and external - that can cause disease. Ticks, mites, protozoa and worms can indirectly or directly result in the death of a tortoise. Signs to watch for indicating that your tortoise could be infected: Refusal to eat, weight loss, anemia, lethargy and depression, vomiting, diarrhoea, spluttering small amounts of liquid from the mouth, "gurgling" sounds when breathing and dehydration/malnutrition from a reluctance to feed or drink. As this
is a very comprehensive subject, we will deal now with internal parasites
only. Protozoa are a complete one celled living organism that are only
visible under a microscope, whereas worms are often visible to the naked
eye. Internal parasites harm their hosts in many ways. There is active
competition for any food/liquid ingested. Some suck blood and others
destroy body cells. Excessive parasitic loads can lead to obstructions
in the intestine, bile ducts and blood vessels. Some parasites can produce
toxic substances and cause allergic reactions. Heavy parasitic loads
can cause stress and suppress the immune system - opening the door to
a wide variety of infectious bacteria. Heavy infections can also affect
the fertility level of eggs and thus reproduction. Some parasites
- e.g. hookworm - have a direct life cycle. The worms reproduce in the
host, and the eggs are excreted in the feces. The larva hatch, and can
then re-infect the tortoise by being ingested via food/water or even
by skin penetration. Yet others
- e.g. roundworms -have an indirect life cycle. Worm eggs are passed
in the feces but do not re-infect the tortoise unless the larva are
eaten by an intermediate host (e.g.snails) General: There are over 500 identified reptile nematodes. Most occur in the intestine and stomach though some larva can migrate into the lungs and throat. Those most commonly found are 'roundworms' which have an indirect life cycle. These can rob the tortoise of up to 40% of available nutrients in food ingested. Hookworms
have a direct life cycle and huge loads can build up in the system in
a very short time. Pinworms also have a direct life cycle and commonly
cause an obstruction in the intestinal canal. Strongyloides have a direct
life cycle, and these can cause severe diarrhea, mucous in droppings,
and sometimes respiratory distress owing to larva invading the lungs. Establishing if your tortoise is infected: Some owners
are never aware that their tortoise has worms until they see them in
droppings, and by then infestation can be severe. The responsible tortoise
keeper should have droppings from animals in his care checked twice
yearly. This test is simple and can be performed by any veterinarian
or competent animal keeper with a microscope. Certainly, before any
tortoise is added to your collection it should be tested for parasites
repeatedly during the quarantine period. You will
need to supply: a fresh dropping sample. Some protozoa, worm larva and
coccidia die if they dry out or are exposed to high temperatures. Place
a sample dropping into an air/water tight container and get it to your
vet as soon as possible. For those of you willing to purchase a microscope
and the necessary chemicals, most vets would be only too happy to teach
you to identify parasites yourself. The most
harmful parasites are those with a direct life cycle - e.g. hookworm. As stated
before, a tortoise in the wild may have worms without suffering any
undue harm. Place this same tortoise in captivity and several things
happen. He is confined to the same environment and is unable to escape
constant exposure to parasite infection. He is stressed - from overcrowding,
inadequate diet, inappropriate temperature differing from his natural
habitat, lack of hideaways, handling, aggression from companions - and
this lowers his immune system and increases susceptibility to heavy
worm infestation. Treatment: NOTE: Drug information mentioned here is for veterinary use only! It is illegal to use or administer any drug without a veterinary consultation, it is also dangerous for the animals in your care as many drugs can have serious adverse effects. Do not attempt to treat your animals yourself. Abuse of these drugs has led to drug resistant parasites, always be guided by a qualified vet. Drugs commonly used: Panacur (fenbendazole) 25-50mg/kg orally once every two weeks for two to three treatments. Infestation with hookworm may require weekly treatment until a fecal tests clear. The environment should in this case be treated as well or they will simply reinfect themselves. Oxfen (Systamex
or oxfendazole) 65mg/kg orally as a single dose. This is roughly 3ml/kg
of the 2.256% solution. Tape
worms:
Droncit (praziquantal) 5mg/kg orally Protozoa:
Flagyl (metronadizole) is used for treating protozoa (Hexamita/trichomonas)
and amoebic infections. Dosage 20-50mg/kg orally and repeat dose three
days later. Some practitioners use a single dose of 250mg/kg, usually
repeating this after two weeks. Sometimes a lower dose of 35mg/kg daily
is used for ten days. Hexamita:
Is highly contagious and identified from a urine sample. Symptoms include
Strong smelling urine, Dark green urine sometimes flecked with blood,
excessive thirst, anorexia and fluid retention, weight loss. Coccidiosis:
this is common where rabbits, poultry and pigeons are kept and sometimes
occurs in tortoises causing diarrhea. Treatment is dosing with Sulfa
drugs. This is best left to your vet. No drug for this disease should
be administered in food as this can interfere with drug absorption and
cause the drug to accumulate in the system. Once your
tortoise has been tested and treated, it is imperative to have a follow-up
test done to ensure that no more worms/protozoa are present. Drugs
can be administered by stomach tube, though this is best left to qualified
people. It can also be administered via food, and here you can divide
the dose into three and give one third daily on a piece of favorite
food for three days. For tiny baby hinged tortoises the dosage can be
injected into a snail or worm and then fed to the tortoise. If you are
fortunate enough to have Panacur paste available this is easily fed
via a favorite tidbit of food. Prevention: Isolation and testing of any 'new' animal added to your collection no matter what the source is. Prevent them from eating dog or cat droppings, as this is a common source of infection. Hygiene:
removal of contaminated food and water. Disinfect ponds weekly (household
bleach is commonly used here but rinse well afterwards). Prompt removal
of tortoise droppings plus any surrounding soil that may be contaminated.
Do not give any uneaten food to another enclosure/tortoise. Wash hands
between handling tortoises. Remove other animal droppings (e.g. cat,
dog) as soon as possible if the tortoise has access to them. Yes it
is true that a tortoise will eat animal droppings in the wild, particularly
hyena, but there is a vast difference between the diet of a hyena and
the average household pet. A once or twice yearly routine testing. Discourage
flies - fly "traps" work reasonably well. After
any treatment: Many drugs can and do upset intestinal flora, depleting
them to a point where digestion is affected. It is very wise after any
drug is used to feed the tortoise with either Benebac, live natural
yoghurt or droppings from a healthy tortoise of the same species - these
droppings should however be carefully screened by a fecal before using
them. Droppings from hatchings of the same species are ideal for this
purpose. The aim here is to boost the animal with beneficial bacteria
to offset any damage done by drug administration, and it is a wise precaution
to take no matter what drug is used. Prevention is always better than cure - always try to maintain your animals with the best possible husbandry and hygiene. Site design & layout by Misty Corton 2002 ©
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