New tort Dolly has Protozoa

[Easter Bunny]

Hi all, Dolly is doing really well, eats like a horse and seems to be well.

however I did see lots of worms in her poo, quite alot actually so sent off a poo sample to wormcount.com. Just gor her results back and they found OXYUIDS 1340epg and also Nyctotherus (protozoa).

I've already gave her a dose of the Panacur but she now needs Flagyl., so she will need to go to the vets.

What I wanted to ask is.. Is having Nyctotherus really bad? and the other day she climbed over into Ronnie and Reggies enclosure (found her eating their food) will they be a risk now of Protozoa?

Thanks Lynne x

[Easter Bunny]

I've just read this n the tortoise trust;

Balantidium sp. and Nyctotherus sp. are ciliated protozoans which are frequently encountered in chelonians stools. They are considered as normal inhabitants of the normal chelonian digestive-tract flora and play a usefull role in the digestion of cellulose. Therefore, in most cases, they appear to cause their hosts little or no distress. However, from time to time, due to a variety or reasons (such as dietary mismanagement; drugs treatments; …), these protozoans may outnumber their normal proportions resulting in pathogenic consequences (severe irritation of the intestinal walls). The symptoms may range from acute diarrhea, resulting in dehydration and weight loss into chronic cases with a complete loss of normal digestive-tract flora and inanition as a result of an inability to digest and metabolise the food consumed.

So I'm confused now as it says they live naturally in tortoises. Will she need treatment?

[Bindi]

I really couldn't tell you Lynne, maybe you should get them tested too?

[Alan1]

I don't know either but it might be better to wait a bit before testing as it might take a wee while to appear in them if it is going to

[Easter Bunny]

Just rang my regular vet that I use for my dog and explained the situation with Dolly.. she said if I bring a copy of her wormcount results she will give me the medication. She said she would like to see Dolly just to weigh her, think she just wants to see a tortoise to be honest as I can weigh her, lol
She said obviously she wouldn't charge me for bringing her in

The reptile vet I rang earlier wanted to charge £45 for a consultation and then another poo sample

[emmajh]

My pebbles has tested positive for protozoa not sure which type though. She was very poorly though lost a load of weight very quickly, hardly eating and had very funny poo with lots of undigested food in it that smelt revolting oddly wormcount didn't show this up it only showed up high count of oxyurids it wasn't til I got vet to check stool sample that he found protozoa. So if it was high enough to make her ill then she would prob be quite poorly

[emma_mcraf]

Sorry to hear this about Dolly, Lynne. Your vet sounds pretty good though. Let us know how she gets on. x

[Easter Bunny]

Shes got to have 0.5ml of metronidazole twice, 14 days apart. I've given her the first dose today, she's not a happy tort now

[emma_mcraf]

Originally Posted by LYNNEE

Shes got to have 0.5ml of metronidazole twice, 14 days apart. I've given her the first dose today, she's not a happy tort now

Poor Dolly. I can imagine she doesn't like taking it. Fingers crossed it does the trick Lynne.

[Bindi]

Last week one of my females had a prolapse. After much stress and trauma and various proceedures she was tested for protozoa as part of the process of elimination. She tested positive, I don't know what they were just that they were in there and my vet thinks that this could be the possible cause. She did have a bit of runny poo which I put down to her perhaps having a bit too much salad but apart form that she showed no other signs of illness. The prolapse happened after she laid her second clutch in less than a month.

Ed is always saying that protozoa is far more of a problem than worms or anything else (not his exact words but you get my drift)

Now I don't know if it was the protozoa that caused the prolapse, or too many eggs from a rapidly grown female ( first year with eggs, she's only about 7) but It's given me a right shake up.

This is the first time I've spoken about this on the forum as it has upset me so much but want people to know the importance of getting animals tested for parasites, I really thought I might lose my little lady this week.

Good luck with Dolly, Lynne, I am glad you're getting her treated hun, better safe than sorry imo