Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐, commonly referred to as ๐๐๐๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐๐ is a bacterial infection of the skin and shell of turtles, that eventually enters the bloodstream causing ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ (bacteria in the blood).
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Freshwater turtles get this condition!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
The most commonly reported bacteria causing SCUD is ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ข, but other bacteria can cause it as well. Citrobacter is typically acquired from the water the turtle is living in. Normally this bacteria would not cause issues for the turtle, however if the turtle has lowered immunity due to poor nutrition, management or housing, the bacteria can set up shop on the animalโs shell.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
This disease initially causes large ulcerations on the skin and shell, before entering the bloodstream. Once in the blood, the bacteria can cause muscle weakness, limb paralysis and ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ (cell death) of the shell. It can also cause abscesses in the internal organs like the liver, spleen, kidney and heart.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
In most cases, the veterinarian has a pretty good idea of the diagnosis based on seeing the ulcerated shell and skin. To confirm, biopsies can be taken to visualize the bacteria using special stains, or the bacterial DNA can be identified.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
These turtles typically need ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ข๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ to treat the bacterial infection, along with treating the wounds directly by removing dead tissue. To prevent the disease, proper management of turtles is essential, along with good sanitation practices.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Ulcerated shells and skin on sad turtles.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Terio, KA, McAloose, D, St. Leger, J. Pathology of Wildlife and Zoo Animals. 2018.
Photos 1-4 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors Metro licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
