Tortoise with possible haematuria and radiolucent thingie

RE: Tortoise with possible haematuria and radiolucent thingie

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 17:06:40 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]Gastric stones are not aggregations of mineral, just pebbles from the garden...[/quote]Doh! Obvious really, I'm obviously too focused on uroliths/calcium deposits!!

RE: Tortoise with possible haematuria and radiolucent thingie

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 14:51:26 GMT

Gastric stones are not aggregations of mineral, just pebbles from the garden so no need to reduce supplement! They voluntarily eat them, presumably to help break down vegetable matter or provide a slow release calcium source. They're quite commonly picked up as incidental findings on radiographs, even in tortoises that haven't been outside in months or years.

RE: Tortoise with possible haematuria and radiolucent thingie

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 14:38:19 GMT

Thanks Marie. Obviously I meant radiopaque in the title not radiolucent! I did suggest the pink urates were probably dietary, didn't know about gastric stones though - could it mean they're overdoing the calcium supplement? We took the X-ray as a quickie survey radiograph in the dying moments of evening surgery so didn't have time to set up a lateral but it would have been a challenge as the generator head cannot be lowered so it would have meant wedging the tortoise on its side! They are very knowledgeably owners and I have no concerns over husbandry although it is a tad overweight according to the McIntyre ratio.

There's nothing fancy about the X-ray, it probably just shows the quality of image we get with the AGFA CR30 processor.

RE: Tortoise with possible haematuria and radiolucent thingie

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 14:10:24 GMT

Looks like GI in location. Gastric stones are pretty common and generally benign.

Pink urates I have seen with diet change or feeding of heavily pigmented vegetables, and in some very dehydrated tortoises. If clinically well and husbandry generally good I would just suggest cutting root veg and their leaves out the diet and bathing daily to see if that is all that is needed.

Can't see much otherwise on the rad, bone density looks ok but is that an enhanced view as soft tissues are reasonably bright? A laterolateral will give better soft tissue evaluation and localise the stone more precisely.

Marie