https://www.vetsurgeon.org/f/clinical-questions/8517/tortoise-help-please I have seen a 6 year old horsefield tortoise today who has worn all his claws down. He is dragging himself along instead of standing up on his legs. He is now wearing his shell down on the bottom Owner reports still lively and eating well. He mainlyen-USTelligent Community 10https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39491?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:36:11 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:26c3e9d0-a47b-413c-99d0-682c61aa9d4eClaire Godfrey<p>Thank you for the help,</p> <p>Will contact the owner and see what they are&nbsp; willing to do!</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39369?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:33:19 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:9c434481-b685-41b9-b616-8904835786ffMark Hedberg<p>Michael: Congratulations! :)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Mark: Great picture, will try that myself if i get a tort in!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39368?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:29:46 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:f9676318-19ce-4c51-8c75-6ca316ac3499Gillian Mostyn<p>oh - I guess that&#39;s a pretty good excuse.</p> <p>Hope the sun shines and that it all goes well.<img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/emoticons/v2/Very_happy_smiley.png" alt="Very happy" /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39364?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:44:10 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:3d0b9194-396b-40d8-a7db-ebf2773f6430Michael Woodhouse<p>[quote user=&quot;Gillian Mostyn&quot;]I&#39;m sure you only say these things to annoy me Michael!!![/quote]</p> <p><img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/emoticons/v2/Winking_smiley.gif" alt="Wink" /></p> <p>[quote user=&quot;Gillian Mostyn&quot;]Incidentally, are you going to the NVS next weekend????[/quote]</p> <p>No, I&#39;m not. I&#39;m actually getting married that weekend. <img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/emoticons/v2/Very_happy_smiley.png" alt="Very happy" /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39363?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:36:47 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:04306f21-fd70-41c3-a455-72a77ef97738Gillian Mostyn<p><img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/emoticons/v2/Angry_smiley.png" alt="Angry" /></p> <p>I&#39;m sure you only say these things to annoy me Michael!!!</p> <p>Incidentally, are you going to the NVS next weekend????</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39358?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:18:39 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:c576db16-b4d2-4107-b7db-ec3d813469a5Michael Woodhouse<p>So many options </p> <p><img src="http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38182000/jpg/_38182410_tortoise300.jpg" style="max-width:550px;" border="0" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01460/tortoise_1460876i.jpg" style="max-width:550px;" border="0" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/injured-turtle-wheels-1.jpg?w=500&amp;h=325" style="max-width:550px;" border="0" alt="" /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39350?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:05:55 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:de7744b7-3016-4fe7-a465-706d5d0218d5Mark Rowland<p><img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/resized-image.ashx/__size/550x550/__key/CommunityServer.Discussions.Components.Files/88/6076.Fig-7-Jugular-Venepuncture-in-a-tortoise.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39349?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:01:04 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:1ceee31f-1fe0-40cb-ae62-e0feb9ec6d96Mark Rowland<p>I take blood from the jugular vein in tortoises. The vein lies dorsally in the neck (dorsal to the perceived jugular groove) and superficially. I preheparinise a 1ml syringe and orange or blue needle (basically suck up some heparin and push it back into the vial). Hold the tort &nbsp;right side up and slightly inverted (ie head facing down) extend the neck, get the nurse to hold the right fore leg, swab the area and collect the blood into a heparin tube for biochem and haem. Ill try to post a pic.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39347?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:42:25 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:a474890d-e3b8-40f6-ac31-f95ad5d4e5e4Hannah Wynne Richards<p>Most heat lamps infra red Mark How do you blood test a tortoise?</p> <p>Wynne</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39345?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:34:01 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:d8ec1410-c144-4e09-ab1b-e8a43243e0d0fluffygirl<p>I saw a&nbsp; Greek tortoise a few weeks ago with similar mobility issues - unable to stand up on&nbsp;her hindlegs and thus wearing the rear edge of her plastron from dragging it along the ground and causing some abrasion of the tail. After careful questioning of the owner - who&nbsp;appeared to be&nbsp;doing everything right (although I am certainly no expert here <img src="https://www.vetsurgeon.org/emoticons/new/icon_exclaim.png" alt="Exclaim" />) - it turned out she&#39;d been &#39;rescued&#39; from a relative who had not looked after her well in her early years. Unfortunately&nbsp;present owner&nbsp;declined any further investigations including radiographs. Tortoise was eating well and otherwise fine.&nbsp; I suspected metabolic bone disease from the previous poor diet and lack of UV light had caused some malformation of the hindlimbs. Not sure what this means in the longer term - tortoise seemed to be&nbsp;coping OK. &nbsp;Suspect your clients heat lamp is not a UV source.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetsurgeon.org/thread/39344?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:17:32 GMT146601cc-3922-4be7-9974-7e1d4e45a66b:a823ef25-d294-4386-a356-958900744f05Mark Rowland<p>Hi</p> <p>A thorough husbandry review (esp UV light provision) bloods and radiography are required for these cases, with Metabolic bone disease being high on your list. Take rads and post them and we will assess bone density for you if you wish</p> <p>Goodluck, Mark</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>