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Diseases Of Turtles
Dr. Saba Badar
Diseases mean anything that causes Dis-ease, anything that is
deviating from normal is count under the heading of disease.
Turtles are supposed to be a group that can never catch any
disease, whatever kind of environment they live in they are
thought to be a part of that and thought to be immune against
all the possible threats which other aquatic or terrestrial
life is supposed pro vulnerable. It is a general idea
regarding the Turtle species in our country. But facts say
things far different.
 Turtles
are found to be very sensitive for their hygienic environment,
for a balanced diet, for a suitable temperature and even for a
rest place in their aquatic environment that could prevent
them from drowning. It is seen that if no proper sunlight is
provided to the turtles, their shell doesn’t get harder enough
to make them look like a turtle but only like a prawn!!
Turtles are prone to malnutrition as fishes or human beings or
any other domestic animal. In fact they show clear signs for
lacking one nutrient or the other. Their skin, eyes, oral
cavity, respiratory tract, nose and their over all appearance
and performance is disturbed. They show swelling, mucous flow,
abscess formation, redness, weakness, anorexia (lack of
appetite) as symptoms of their malnutrition. Moreover some
don’t go to water to swim, coz they know they are not able to
swim.
Vitamin A deficiency leads to manifestation in the form of
swollen eyes. Vitamin A is essential for the intactness of the
membranes and this helps for the defense mechanism of the
individual. The lack of Vit. A leads to fragility of the optic
membranes and allows bacterial invasion from the air and from
the aquatic environment. This complicates the situation
depending upon the kind of bacteria has invaded.
Calcium, obviously, that is part and parcel of the skeleton,
essential for muscle contraction, salts and mineral balance,
and particularly in case of turtles, it results in
strengthening the shell. That makes it resistant to predators
and enemies. In case of calcium deficiency shell is not able
to attain its due strength and remains fragile. Lack of
calcium affects a pregnant turtle mother badly. Egg binding is
a phenomenon in which a turtle mother is not able to lay a
single egg at one time but eggs remain inside the uterus and
don’t come out. It is more due to calcium deficiency in
pregnant turtles. Muscles of the uterus are not able to
contract and relax properly in the deficiency of calcium.
Further the shells of the eggs don’t get harder enough to stay
as separate entity in the uterus and retain the property of
liquid to stick with each other; no doubt calcium deficiency
is playing a central role in that. This is a life threatening
point to a mature turtle, so in expecting turtles nutrition
must be balanced. Some people use to place “Turtle-Blocks”,
they are actually the blocks of calcium carbonate and plaster
of Paris in the niche of turtles, but unfortunately this
practice not at all helps the turtles. Rather experts suggest
that hormones and calcium injections must be injected to the
turtle as a precautionary measure and extra care for expecting
turtles. It also causes deformed shells of eggs, which are an
additional problem for laying them. Deformed shells of eggs
during their laying cause severe damage to the tract and
extensive bleeding may occur which can lead to the death of
turtle and other sequences like long-term weakness, fever,
non-productivity etc may also follow or result.
Vitamin D3 is important too. There are three important
components for shell hardening in the turtles, they are:
Ultraviolet light, calcium and Vit. D3. Each of these are so
important that if the growing turtle is deprived of any of
these, its shell doesn’t get enough harder. It remains fragile
and frail. Vitamin D3 can be fed through diet using feeding
formulae and so does the calcium. But most limiting factor is
the UV light, because it is not even provided naturally. The
role of UV light is not known properly but whatever it is, it
is crucial one. Probably this light helps the turtle to retain
the vitamin from the hypodermis, as it is the normal filtered
sunlight in other cases. UV radiations, due to high frequency
are more penetrateable than normal visible light and so they
affect the body of turtle inside the hard shell. They cause
the melting of fat layer underneath the skin and this
penetrates the shell and strengthens it, in a similar fashion
as this layer strengthens the bone by the action of normal
visible light.
Turtles require all kinds of nutrients in a suitable amount,
rather a balanced diet. Some turtles have specific demands for
example Diamond Terrapin turtle likes brackish water with
no-iodine salt. Similarly some live naturally in more
vegetable areas to have good amount of carbohydrates and other
nutrients.
Though this is true that deficiency of any nutrient has a
suppressive effect on turtle but excess is bad also. More
iron, metal dust like in factory areas is harmful. Similarly
over feeding of one type of food, all vegetable and no meat or
vice versa is harmful too.
Turtles are not only susceptible to nutritive deficiency,
which is an internal weakness if malnourished or internal
strength and resistance against diseases if properly
nourished. External hazards are still there anyway. And
bacterial diseases are first to affect them taking advantage
of a suitable substrate in the form of a weak turtle; and
there are several causes for weakness malnourishment is one of
them that can make the turtle vulnerable to bacteria. This is
to be remembered that bacteria can enter the turtle’s body
even through the diet, they are always present in the
environment and always in a try to enter the body, but whether
they show their presence or not depends upon the condition of
the turtle; if it has a powerful resistance (immunity) against
them then saved otherwise susceptible.
Turtles are susceptible to bacteria similarly as the other
species and diseases can be similarly complicated. Bacteria
can invade all the systems of turtles to infect and affect
them. Turtles are susceptible to septicemia, which means
bacteria can be found in their blood. These bacteria can enter
the blood cells, may stay in the plasma and divide and
redivide there to give a large number of progenies. (This
cycle is similar to the lifecycle of malarial parasite of
human beings Plasmodium). Which can lead to weakness, anemia,
fever, and recurrent pyrexia. This weakness and drowsiness may
lead to the drowning of water turtles. Bacteria can make
colonies in different sites inside the body of turtles. These
colonies can block pathways of blood, ingesta, respiratory
tract, may even attack the heart.
There has been evidence that a blockage of ear canal by
bacterial colonies can affect the respiratory tract in
turtles. The ears either one of the two or both appear red and
swollen in the infectious state. If the infection is deeply
affecting the respiratory tract the turtle appears very
restless. It is reluctant to eat anything. It shows gasping,
open mouth, and sneezing. As it is the ear affected first
completely then the infection moves to the respiratory and
nasal passageways, so the balance center in the ear is
disturbed and turtle is not able to keep its balance in water,
shows tilting to one side. It can’t detect its target and
destination and so does the case with feed, it can’t reach to
the feed; ultimately gets even weaker. Cannot recover and
resume the powerful immune system gets more prone to the
complexity of this disease and vulnerable to other problems
also. Later on the disease moves to the respiratory and nasal
passage that blocks its breathing, now one can better
understand if breathing stops what one experiences!!! if left
to experience….
Shell-rot is another disease that is not only affecting the
productivity, health and activity of a turtle but also it
reduces the beauty and attraction of the shell, which is of
many uses due to its durability. In shell-rot disease the
shell is cracked, breaches appear in it and the underlying
viscera of the turtle are exposed to the environment. Bacteria
love such openings like wounds, injuries, and cracks in the
body of any creature to enter into them. So here in the case
of shell rot the bacteria soon come to attack the cracks in
the shell where they form colonies, from where they do enter
into the body as the primary defense line is broken and then
onwards inside the body can go any place that suits to them.
Superficial colonies that are not penetrating deep inside the
body can be treated with some antiseptic solution, can be
removed manually by a veterinarian, but to treat the deeply
penetrating ones, surgical treatment of the shell is
necessary. Cracks and injuries can occur on both the carapace
and plastron (top and bottom shell respectively) by many ways.
In case water is hazy by pollutants or by feed turtles strike
against surrounding walls and stones that can lead to minor
injuries to the first defense line. If it is recurrent and
repeatedly practiced then severe injuries are not a big deal.
Most commonly the injury to shell occur during mating and
female turtles are more affected.
Sometimes as in Torpor (hibernation of turtle) the algae and
fungus from the environment grow on the shell, which shows the
non-hygienic water. Fungus gives its rhizoids (root like in
function and position) in to the shell layer can be stronger
itself but weakening the shell, this is possible mostly in
captive turtles due to static water for most of the time of
the year. It is avoided by not allowing the captive turtle to
go for torpor. In wild water is moving and turtle do hibernate
but not in water but only in moist sand. It is a rare
phenomenon however.
As it is mentioned earlier that after entering the body
bacteria may go to any place and cause infection depending
upon the state of victim and population of bacteria. So they
also cause a disease of oral cavity of turtles. Mouth-rot; the
disease starts first when bacteria do not have to face the
resistance of the body and they make a basic colony in the
oral cavity. This is actually because bacteria find a suitable
pH and salt concentration in the oral cavity and start growing
there. As no treatment is done they keep on multiplying
leading to the full damage of the oral lining. This is called
as Stomatitis when the normal lining of the mouth is rotten.
Further it leads to a pyometra (pus formation) like formation
that is a white fluid, accompanied by the bleeding, blisters,
and flow of mucous from the mouth. Eventually the bacteria
seep into the muscle layer of mouth and deteriorate all the
musculature, further destroying the covering of mouth and oral
cavity, thus not only infecting from inside but also inviting
other hazards from outside by exposing the cavity. Mouth
cavity and its boundaries get red, inflamed, and may be
swollen if some resistance is shown otherwise keeps on being
deteriorated by the attacking bacteria. Obviously turtle is
not able to intake anything thus continually looses its
resistance undergoes malnutrition and liable to all the
hazards possible in its environment and to all that threats
its health status and productivity state.
Most effecting bacterial disease is Salmonellosis, caused by
bacteria Salmonella. Its importance is because this disease is
transmittable to human beings. This bacterium resides in the
intestinal tract of turtles and follows an oral-fecal route.
Human beings can confront this bacterium that are particularly
in contact with turtles. In wild turtles eat several kinds of
things, may be contaminated, but they become carriers of the
cause without showing the signs of disease. But human handlers
have not a powerful immune system as that of a wild turtle,
and they fall a victim to the disease. Human beings can catch
the disease by handling the turtle and not washing the hands
after handling them. Turtles feces may be present on their
shell, which carries the oocytes of the disease that can stick
to the handler during contact. They can even release their
fecal material on a carpet, in living place, or at any place
wherever they go, even they can contaminate human food
directly or indirectly, and cause the spread of the disease to
humans that are very vulnerable for that. So the experts,
veterinarians and human doctors suggest it that turtles must
be kept away from living places, kitchen or any place where
food is present. Every person handling the turtle must be
cautious to wash his hands before touching anything after
turtles. Also the pet and reptile dealers always suggest that
reptile dishes, cages or aquariums should never be washed in
the kitchen sink.
Salmonellosis is a disease causing epithelial lining damage of
the intestinal tract. They stay in the tract to develop and
multiply there. Persons suffering from immune suppressed
diseases like AIDS fall an easy victim to the disease. Healthy
persons do recover before the disease gets worse. But if it
goes on it leads to diarrhea, followed by extreme loss of
salts and water from the body that could be fatal in most
cases because in such a crude condition of intestinal tract
epithelium even the antibiotics do not stay in the body. The
cells of epithelium slough off more ghastly than they are
replaced and body is not able to perform the function to
retain the vital nutrients. Finally extreme weakness that
can’t be over come leads to death. Not only that during severe
conditions it causes septicemia by producing porosity in the
intact wall of intestine, and finally reaches to brain by
producing meningitis.
If we think that somehow the reptiles and turtles could be
treated for Salmonellosis that they carry, then by now there
is no foolproof method or antibiotic suggested or discovered
for that. And their this carriage without showing signs is a
reason that turtles are not cultures widely because shedding
occurs before they get mature in few progenies. In human
beings children under or equal to 3-5years of age and
immunosuppressed people are extremely susceptible to this
disease and its lethal affects.
Like the human society, turtles’ society is also not free from
parasites. There are external and internal parasites in
turtles. They can harm or can’t harm depending upon the health
status of the host. Round worms are their intestinal
parasites, can be ingested by the turtles along with the food
in wild. Accompanying them there are tapeworms and flukes. WBC
count and fecal analysis can be done in order to diagnose the
type of parasite dwelling inside the turtles’ body. Turtles
should be analyzed and dewormed at least once in the year in
order to know the parasitic condition of the turtles.
There are blood parasites too who not only live inside the
blood cells but also in the plasma. They can cause anemia of
RBCs. There are no zoonosis of parasitic diseases but owner of
turtle or any captive turtle or turtles seen in the wild must
be diagnosed for their parasitic infestations. Ironical is
that the treatment of haemoparasites of turtles is difficult
and not practiced!!!
Leeches are common external parasites for turtles. A
veterinarian should remove them and injections are given to
turtles for making their blood toxic to leeches.
There are certain reproductive problems rather than disease
that male turtles are to face. One of them is Paraphimosis
that is the erected penis remains engorged and can’t be
retracted. For its recovery a veterinarian is involved in
order to low or avoid the damage to penis. Similarly sometimes
penis undergoes paralysis for that commonly it is amputated
and turtle is no more able to copulate. Sometimes prolapse
also occurs, leaving the turtle not able to copulate until
undergone a proper medical treatment.
There are certain problems related to ingestion of abnormal
particles, which can be traced by X-ray treatment, by
ultrasound and even treated by laser therapy if more severe.
Injuries to shell are a major problem. They occur mostly
during copulation, when male turtles become over aggressive
and may bite the female turtles. Premature withdrawal of
engorged penis may also result in severe injuries. Shell
injuries must be given early attention as this may lead to
several complexities as discussed above. Veterinarians to
repair the shell use some resins and acrylic glues. For
precautionary measure the turtles are kept away from water in
order to allow the injuries to heal.
Above cited problems are most common among turtles, which are
thought to be resistant to any kind of danger. But studies
show they are sensitive as even a slight imbalance in their
needs occurs, that costs a turtle very high. For UV light they
require a suitable amount essentially as it helps them to
retain the Vit. D3 for the shell and bone strength. Any excess
or any scarcity in the provision of UV light may cause
problems by increasing or decreasing the temperature of the
niche of turtle. For that it is found that they require a
photoperiod phenomenon i.e. 10 to12 hours of light time and 12
to 14hours of darkness with gradual increase in spring and
gradual decrease in winter. It is suggested that turtle should
allow to take sunlight by placing them in the sun for two to
three hours and in aquariums certain UV light emitting bulbs
may be introduced. However the practice in aquarium may lead
to high temperatures enough to cause fading of turtles so care
must be taken.
The purpose of the article is to raise a sense of
understanding the problems, sensitivity and significance of
turtles among the communities. Try to solve the problems of
this specie and its endangered members. It is unique in its
most characters, needs care and attention as other pets do.
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