My big girl is not eating :(

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by lonelylayla

Oh what a shame Hanako - was thinking of your "big girl" yesterday. It's so bizarre that she is doing this when there seems no obvious cause and desperately worrying for you. Do the vets have no idea at all what the problem may be?

No, vet doesn't seem to know. They are willing to do whatever I suggest, but I am not a vet!

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by becciwales

I've never seen animal blood results but I may be able to help.
Still keeping everything crossed for you x

I will list only the values that are outside the 'normal' interval.
She has:
low white blood cell
high haemoglobin
large number of Eosinophils
High level of total protein
High level of uric acid
High level of calcium
high level of phosphate
Low bile acids
high cholesterol
High Total Bilirubin


I have got about 5 different books about tortoises illnesses, including the huge book by Stuart McArthur Medicine and Surgery of tortoise and turtle. From all those books it seems that lowered white blood cell is in infectious conditions where animal is in poor condition (like chronic long term illness).
Not sure what high Haemoglobin means.

High Total protein, high calcium and high phosphate - Total protein, calcium and phosphate can be raised in reproductive active females, or in dehydrated animal. so that would explain that I think (she is not drinking at all).

High uric accid - also can be in dehydrated animal.

Cholesterol can be raised in females in the summer.

Not sure what does low bile acid means.

Not sure what High total bilirubin means.

Large numbers of Eosinophils are found in cases of parasitism or inflammatory disease of mass cell-rich tissues (skin, gut, lung, uterus). I can't see anything wrong with her skin. Lung maybe, at some stage I thought she breathes a bit heavier but she has always done that so I am not sure if it is really anything wrong.It can be inflammatory of gut?


Any suggestions? Any other interpretation of the results?

[pagan queen]

I know that the white blood cell count can vary and some people can have a naturally low count but if it is a problem it can mean the bone marrow is not producing enough white cells which is the body's immune defence system. This leaves the body open to infection.

Elevated bilirubin can be a sign of liver disease, gallstones stuck in a duct, or destruction of red blood cells. In general, the higher it is, the worse it is.

This is all in humans though. Has she had an x ray?

[becciwales]

The Eosinophils may be high due to the low white blood count, they're a similar disease fighting cell.
I agree with Wendy on what she's said.
The others are probably due to dehydration and malnutrition (I would think) I'm not a vet and things mean different things in humans to animals. x

[Hanako]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

Has she had an x ray?

She had X ray. Nothing wrong there. Lungs clear, no eggs, no other material stuck where it is not supposed to be...actually I posted it in my first post of this thread.

[Hanako]

Just found on the internet that in humans elevated levels of hemoglobin are associated with increased numbers or sizes of red blood cells. This elevation may be caused by congenital heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, pulmonary fibrosis, too much erythropoietin (some hormone), or polycythemia vera (blood cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many red blood cells). So if tortoises works on similar principle as humans, there doesn't seem much that can be done for her. But she is not suffering. She seems happy; she just refuses to eat and drink.

[Evie]

I am so sorry things haven't improved it must be such a worry for you

I really hope things pick up soon

[Hanako]

Thank you, guys. At least she doesn't appear to be suffering. Maybe some miracle will happen and she will be suddenly fine, or maybe she will slowly keep loosing weight until she pass away, but while she is happy, that's all we can wish for. If anyone have any suggestions about any sort of treatment...

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Hanako

She had X ray. Nothing wrong there. Lungs clear, no eggs, no other material stuck where it is not supposed to be...actually I posted it in my first post of this thread.

Sorry Hana, I thought it would be quicker to ask than trawl through the messages. I just wondered if she could have kidney stones or something.

[Evie]

Originally Posted by Hanako

Thank you, guys. At least she doesn't appear to be suffering. Maybe some miracle will happen and she will be suddenly fine, or maybe she will slowly keep loosing weight until she pass away, but while she is happy, that's all we can wish for. If anyone have any suggestions about any sort of treatment...

Hana could a second opinion from another specialist vet be an option ?