Turtle Shell Repair
Damien N. Oxier, CWR Arrowhead Rep le Rescue
Last updated December 8, 2014 What is a turtle?
Turtle vs tortoise?
Has shell, consists of upper carapace, lower plastron, and connec ng bridges, carapace fused to vertebrae and ribcage, pectoral and pelvic girdles inside ribcage
Bony shell covered with kera n scutes, seams do not match, sheds scutes
320+ known living species, half are listed on IUCN as vulnerable, endangered, or cri cally endangered EXAMPLE: eastern box turtle Terrepene carolina carolina • Family Emydidae • Found in northern states (pond turtles) to Michigan peninsula • Genus Terrapene (turtle) and Maine at eleva on below 1000 • Species carolina (box turtle) • Found in south to Florida • and Mexico at eleva ons Ssp carolina (eastern) below 6000 • NOT a pond turtle • Prefer forest floor, like • NOT a tortoise shallow pools and mud • IS a turtle puddles • IS a terrepene • Species of concern in • IS a rep le most locali es Eastern box turtle
• Protected species in Ohio, • Omnivore Indiana, Kentucky • Ectothermic • State rep le of NC and TN. • Seasonal bruma on and Rejected in PA, VA. aes va on • O en collected for pets • Hinged shell • Not considered edible • Only lay 2-3 eggs • Iris color not determina on • Poor swimmers of sex • Difficult to determine level • Live over 100 years of fear and pain • Grow en re life and exhibit • Live en re life in area 100 growth rings meters square • Suscep ble to dietary • Thought to exhibit hypovitaminosis rehoming ins nct Turtle Fast Facts • Must be within POTZ (preferred op mum Temp zone) for healing to take place • Rep le wounds take longer to heal than mammals • Openings in turtle shells should not be sealed closed, wound should be managed • Movable pieces of fractured shell with blood supply should be immobilized • Do not impede hinge on shell • So shell turtles not treated same as hard shelled • All turtles egg layers, females may benefit from nes ng box • Wild turtles should not be expected to recognize commercial turtle diets as food • Daylight cycle is a factor in appe te and bruma on, will fast • Brumate instead of hibernate, need water in bruma on, occurs in varying degrees, most aqua c species brumate under water • Cover glass to reduce stress for terrestrial turtles and tortoises, need hide box • Over filtra on and basking areas necessary • House alone to reduce stress, compe on for food, prevent injuries and disease transmission • Natural sunlight best, broad spectrum with UVA/UVB necessary, can forego in short term rehab cases • Base drug dosages on total weight, shell is bone- do not subtract from weight • Gular pumping assists olfactory, not respira on • Sexual dimorphism- colors, claws, tail length, plastron shape • Apnea makes gas anesthesia difficult
Intake exam and triage
• Head and neck should move freely around, extend and retract. May pump head/neck. • Eyes should be clear, open, and reac ve. Cloudy, blue, or crusty eyes are no normal. • Mouth should be shut with no blood, fluid, or bubbles present • Limbs and appendages should be moveable with no obvious injuries • Shell should be intact without damage or fractures. Old, healed injuries OK. Should be able to close shell completely if hinged. • May hiss, bite, retract into shell. • Check for aural abscesses, URI, eye infec on.
Shell repair No repair needed if: REPAIR NEEDED IF:
One fracture less than 2” long, not at the • Any fracture over 2” long edge, no blood present, no gap or • Crack at edge of shell separa on of pieces, no pieces are movable • Any pieces are movable • Blood or ssue present through wide crack Other problems that require care and • Open fracture and you can see inside treatment: • More than one fracture Eye problems: crusty, blue, opaque, or missing eyes • Internal organs exposed mouth/nose problems: discharge, fluid, blood, or bubbles present Foot and toe infec ons, missing limbs, CONSIDER EUTHANASIA IF: self amputa on (if new injury) • Gurgling, bubbles, and/or blood from Maggots present mouth accompanied by severe shell fracture • Skull fracture or crushed head Always use minimal repair to accomplish immobiliza on without sealing wound • More than 1/3 shell missing Large area patches covering wound used • Large pools blood with severe trauma as last resort for severe fractures with • Severe bridge fractures mul ple pieces of shell where reconstruc on is necessary. Long term • Obvious major internal injuries, entrails or rehab case. organs prolapsed
Infec on control
CHECK WITH YOUR VET FOR PROPER ANTIBIOTIC TO USE
TERRESTRIAL- CLEAN AND DRY NO SUBSTRATE AQUATIC- SHOULD HAVE WATER AS MUCH AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE Release considera ons
• Many turtles thought to have • Three legged turtles can be a rehoming ins nct, release in released if normal mobility same area found and able to retract and close • Do not allow witnesses, they shell may return to capture the • Open holes need wound turtle managed, do not release un l • Do not release near obvious shell openings have closed hazards (roads, railroad tracks, • Never release with any cliffs) fractures that have not been • Should not be released with immobilized large area patches on shell • Do not release if cannot • Water turtle wounds should completely close shell with all be healed enough to be limbs pulled inside (hinged waterproof prior to release turtles) DISCUSSION OF SHELL REPAIR MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
OLD METHOD:
LONG RECOVERY INVASIVE PAINFUL COSTLY
Resources h p://www.arrowheadrep lerescue.org/rehab username: wildlife password: rehab
• Minimum Standards for • ARR turtle triage guide Wildlife Rehabilita on • Second Chance Wildlife Ohio (IWRC/NWRA) 2014 rehab manual rep le • LafeberVet Herp chapter Veterinary Guide • inaturalist.org • Merck Veterinary Manual • Natureserve.org • ARR Rep le formulary • Rep le Medicine and • Chelonian Emergency and Surgery, 2e (Mader, Cri cal Care Douglas) • Rep le clinician’s handbook (Frye, Fredric)