Reptile Case Study: Greek Spur-Thighed Tortoise

As a follow on from this case, after implementing treatment, the owner presents the tortoise for a recheck three weeks after starting treatment. They report the tortoise has been brighter and has started to have a better appetite. You examine the tortoise and find that it no longer has ocular discharge, and its oral mucous membranes are within normal limits.

The owner asks you if the tortoise is ‘cured’ now. What do you say?

What are common tiggers for a flare up of mycoplasma clinical signs?

The owner wishes to get another tortoise in the future and is concerned that one may also have mycoplasma or catch mycoplasma from this tortoise. What would be your recommendations for introduction of a new tortoise?

As a conclusion to this case study, we tie up some loose ends. Unfortunately we can never refer to a tortoise with mycoplasma as 'cured' as often they will carry a latent infection that will show up again later in life. Usually, this is due to a stressful event that results in immunosuppression. Common triggers include improper hibernation, traumatic injury, heavy parasite burdens and other infections that result in immunosuppression. However, most tortoises who develop symptoms are able to be managed quickly with appropriate treatment, and often have no long-lasting side effects from these infections.

Unfortunately, mycoplasma is very contagious, so if this owner were to look at introducing a new tortoise, either they would need to look for one that thad also tested positive for mycoplasma, or keep both tortoises very separate with no contact, not allow them to enter the same spaces, even at different times, and not switch utensils or cage furniture/items between the two tortoises.

Thank you all for reading along with this case study - I hope you found it interesting and were able to learn something.