# Sulcata with worms?



## Robbie Denby (May 20, 2013)

Hello!
Recently my sulcata has begun to eat less and less, he's never really been a.massive eater, I change his food twice a day and he has approx 5 different types of food always available in his viv. The other day I soaked him as usual (daily) and when I went back I noticed a grayish 'worm' about 3-4 inches floating in the water.. It had to have come out of Tony as there's no way it would of got in, by the size of it I'd say he's had 'worms' since I got him, 
After reading alot I've ordered a Panacur 2.5% and based on hos weight read he.needs 0.72ml of this 3 tTimes, once every ten days.. I'm currently waiting for this to arrive by post and I'm confident enough to do this, I was just looking on the site and I've found nothing on this.subject... anyone had this issue? Or similar experience??

Also:
He's only been on the garden twice since I got him 10 months ago, and that was both recgently, (live in the UK it's cold all the time and he's a sully) he bathes daily, in 10 months he's grown from around 60g to Now 240g last few months he's remained around 240g

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## theelectraco (May 20, 2013)

He should continue to grow at a steady pace. He hasn't put on weight because parasites are getting all the nutrients he should be. Good luck recovering your tort!


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## Robbie Denby (May 20, 2013)

*Re: RE: Sulcata with worms?*



theelectraco said:


> He should continue to grow at a steady pace. He hasn't put on weight because parasites are getting all the nutrients he should be. Good luck recovering your tort!



Thanks  

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## deadheadvet (May 21, 2013)

Not all parasites are problematic and some actually aide in digestion so don't always jump to conclusions on parasites. Oxyurids and Nyctotherus or common commensal parasites seen in tortoises and don't need to be dewormed. Get a fecal run first and see what you have before shoving meds at an animal that may not need any.


Glad to see all of you can identify parasites without a microscope and immediately decide that Panacur is in order. Since when is it a tortoises best interest to prescribe medication without having a diagnosis when there is always a risk of making an animal worse than finding out if said medication is even necessary? How about you let someone with some expertise examine a fecal sample and do what's right?


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## Joanne (May 21, 2013)

are you meant to worm tortoises periodically like you do with cats and dogs?


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## Yvonne G (May 21, 2013)

deadheadvet said:


> Not all parasites are problematic and some actually aide in digestion so don't always jump to conclusions on parasites. Oxyurids and Nyctotherus or common commensal parasites seen in tortoises and don't need to be dewormed. Get a fecal run first and see what you have before shoving meds at an animal that may not need any.
> 
> 
> *Glad to see all of you can identify parasites without a microscope* and immediately decide that Panacur is in order. Since when is it a tortoises best interest to prescribe medication without having a diagnosis when there is always a risk of making an animal worse than finding out if said medication is even necessary? How about you let someone with some expertise examine a fecal sample and do what's right?





Excuse me, but the OP is the only one of "all of you" that mentioned de-worming.

To answer the OP's concern - there are a couple schools of thought on the de-worming subject. Some folks automatically de-worm their tortoises twice a year whether they see worms or not, and some only de-worm when they have taken stool sample to the vet and the vet says he has worms. Since you saw an actual parasite, it would be a good idea to take it to the vet and have it i.d.'d and let the vet decide whether or not the tortoise should be de-wormed.

Another thing is that de-worming medicines come in different strengths. Its not a good idea to get your dosages off the internet. You should take the medicine that you ordered to the vet and get the dosage from him.


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## Robbie Denby (May 21, 2013)

*Re: RE: Sulcata with worms?*



deadheadvet said:


> Not all parasites are problematic and some actually aide in digestion so don't always jump to conclusions on parasites. Oxyurids and Nyctotherus or common commensal parasites seen in tortoises and don't need to be dewormed. Get a fecal run first and see what you have before shoving meds at an animal that may not need any.
> 
> 
> Glad to see all of you can identify parasites without a microscope and immediately decide that Panacur is in order. Since when is it a tortoises best interest to prescribe medication without having a diagnosis when there is always a risk of making an animal worse than finding out if said medication is even necessary? How about you let someone with some expertise examine a fecal sample and do what's right?





I work alot, I only really get Sunday's off work, I noticed a difference in the attitude of my tortoise, anew days before he passed this 4 inch worm, and after he's stills abit sluggish, I don't have time to take him to a vet until I have a week off work, I read about panacea and doses, and read people use it regardless Of the worms being inside the tort at all! As.most people use it every 6 month's, I've.never used it since getting him, I got him from a pet store that since has removed all torts (think someone stepped in and taken them away thank God), anyway I wouldn't want to see my tort in agony or pain, I've already began the panacur process and he is quite lively and happy, no signs of further worms yet but it's only been a few days, I don't regret worming him

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## Robbie Denby (Jun 2, 2013)

UPDATE ON WORMING MY SULCATA

After starting this twenty days ago, he has passed approx 7 worms all around 4 inches in size, he has also become alot more active and has a better attitude to food, he has gained 62 grams also in the last twenty days which is a massive increase from his previous weigh in, (from 260g to 322g) I'm extremely happy with progress 

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## JoesMum (Jun 2, 2013)

Excellent news


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## Tom (Jun 2, 2013)

Very glad to hear your tortoise is doing better. I've never seen this sort of problem before with 4" worms being expelled. I would love to have one IDed, so we can all learn what it was.

I work with companies that house and maintain large collections of exotic animals daily. Over the years I have gotten to know and worked with lots of vets. Often diagnosis of specific problems is very expensive, ineffective and very difficult, dangerous or stressful to the animal. Ever pull blood from a king cobra or an adult chimp? Ever try to ultrasound a lion? All of the exotic vets I have worked with use the "diagnose through treatment" method. Most of the time symptoms can be looked at and evaluated, and a pretty good guess about what is going on can be made. In a case where the normal treatment for the suspected ailment is a fairly mild drug like Panacur, our vets will often treat the animal and just see if the treatment succeeds. If the treatment does succeed, everybody is happy. If it doesn't, no harm was done and we all know that further diagnosis is necessary.


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## Robbie Denby (Jun 9, 2013)

*Re: RE: Sulcata with worms?*



Tom said:


> Very glad to hear your tortoise is doing better. I've never seen this sort of problem before with 4" worms being expelled. I would love to have one IDed, so we can all learn what it was.
> 
> I work with companies that house and maintain large collections of exotic animals daily. Over the years I have gotten to know and worked with lots of vets. Often diagnosis of specific problems is very expensive, ineffective and very difficult, dangerous or stressful to the animal. Ever pull blood from a king cobra or an adult chimp? Ever try to ultrasound a lion? All of the exotic vets I have worked with use the "diagnose through treatment" method. Most of the time symptoms can be looked at and evaluated, and a pretty good guess about what is going on can be made. In a case where the normal treatment for the suspected ailment is a fairly mild drug like Panacur, our vets will often treat the animal and just see if the treatment succeeds. If the treatment does succeed, everybody is happy. If it doesn't, no harm was done and we all know that further diagnosis is necessary.



Thanks for your feedback Tom I massively appreciate it, I've researched alot into this matter and haven't myself seemed to find this happen to any other tort, after seeing the state my sully was in recently before I started this treatment I knew I had to take the matter into my own hands.

QUICK UPDATE:
Since starting this Tony has expelled approx 30 worms, most around 4 inches in size, he's gained a massive 100g in approx 20 days and this morning was the first time I have ever saw him eating at his food bowl for more food!. Later on he will have his final amount of panacur, and hopefully that's the end of it 





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## LeopardTortLover (Jun 9, 2013)

After reading this thread I'm also going to get my tort checked for parasites. So thanks for posting it!


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## AustinASU (Jun 9, 2013)

Could've been a tape worm


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## Robbie Denby (Jun 9, 2013)

*Re: RE: Sulcata with worms?*



AustinASU said:


> Could've been a tape worm


I think tape worms are long and flat, hense the name tape worm, these worms seem to be rounded and around 4 inches and a white ish grey colour, although I've had none of these worms verified I'm just happy he's expelling them. I think the pet store recently found this issue with the torts (poor torts were in a poor state) because they seem to have all disappeared from the shop floor.


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LeopardTortLover said:


> After reading this thread I'm also going to get my tort checked for parasites. So thanks for posting it!



Glad to hear it 

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