X-Ray of Leopard Tortoise-- Input Requested Please!

[spikethebest]

Hello,

I took my 2 year old Leopard Tortoise to the Vet today, and this is a copy of the X-ray that was performed. The reason for the visit was because the Right back leg was not functioning properly. She wasnt walking on it much, and always keeping it tucked in.

Any suggestions? Any advice would be helpful. I love her so much.

Here is a link to the picture of the x-ray.

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-12544.html
this is NOT spam, just a forum that I posted the picture too.

Thank you!
Cory

[16 shells]

Interesting post Cory, what was the vet's opinion on the leg. No vet, to me the legs tooked in look the same, someone may have had this problem with there's. Hopefully you're tort will get sorted out.

[Evie]

What was the vets comments Cory?

I had my male leopards nails clipped once and he really pulled his leg in quickly which resulted in him being unable to walk on it for a few days.

Does she relax it when she is being bathed?

How long has it being going on?

[Bindi]

Fascinating picture. I'm no vet either so no help I'm afraid. Sometimes egg retention can cause the back legs not to work properly, indeed I had a Tgg xrayed for the same reason, but no eggs there that I can see.

Out of curiosity I wonder what that white shape is just left of centre.

[fantapants]

the white shadow in the picture that somebody highlighted on the other forum is NOT on any of my healthy leopard xrays ( i keep them all). i would suggest sending the xray to rodneyvet on captivebredforums or to Kevin eatwell on the TPG and see if they can offer any advice. Often, constipated leopards will loose the function in the back legs due to (i believe ) pressure on the nerves. but the density of that lump looks more like it could be impaction or a mass.

also, how big is the leopard? i know you said 2 years old but just below the shadowy lump to the left is a perfect half circle, where all my xrays are void unless their is eggs high up in a female. Often newish eggs wont show as entire cirlces as they are undercalcified......but you can rule eggs out depending on the size of the female (if it even is a female!).

[Evie]

Ali is right - I am surprised your vet hasn't given you any diagnosis.

Rodneyvet does visit this site and is a really nice chap - I am sure he will be able to guide you and tell you what to do for the best.

Maybe this thread should be put into Tortoise health.

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by Bindi

Out of curiosity I wonder what that white shape is just left of centre.

I had actually thought that's what the reason for the x-ray was as I was skim reading again. is it a stone perhaps?

[rodneyvet]

Hello
The X ray is non diagnostic sadly. The dense mass in the middle is simply substrate in the intestine, not in the bladder and not ovulatory follicles. i doubt it is causing an impaction ( there are no distended gas filled loops of intestine which you would see in most cases). in the intestine generally there is evidence of food. No bladder stones to see. I would question the bone density. A tortoise will eat dense substrate if it is low in calcium so metabolic bone disease may be an issue. i would sedate this tortoise, re xray with the leg extended and run a profile to check organ function ( a swollen kidney could press on hindlimb nerves causing dragging etc). Bathing, adressing husbandry issues including UV access are all things you can do but more needs to be done in this case
Goodluck

[Evie]

Any news on your leopard?

[Alan1]

Thanks for commenting rodneyvet, your advice is valuable not only to those asking the question