This is interesting. I hope it's something like this, and not cancerous.
Overgrown scales on Sulcata leg?
- Thread starter Crocgirl
- Start date
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Completely out of my depth so I don’t really have much input, but I thought the exact same thing looking at the photos! Hopefully it’s something like that and nothing sinister, very unusual to see..
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- Nov 17, 2013
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From my personal experience with two Radiated Tortoises and a Ploughshare Tortoise, unexplained swollen looking areas like that shown on your tortoise have been cancer (1) and abscesses (2). All three required surgery by very good exotic vets. The two animals which had the abscesses are still living, but the one which had cancer died a few years later when the cancer returned and was inoperable.
I would still recommend that a qualified exotics vet examine your tortoise to rule out potentially serious problems.
I don't see what you're seeing???
Ok, you're talking about the stringy-looking glob in the first picture. Got it. I just thought it looked like a foot that did a lot of walking on concrete. Upon Wellington's suggestion I did a Google image search and one of the pictures that came up showed a dog's paw that's the spitting image of your tortoise's foot.
I have no experience with this, so I can only suggest a good, emphasis on GOOD, tortoise vet.
I have no experience with this, so I can only suggest a good, emphasis on GOOD, tortoise vet.
No not the white stringy glob. The protruding hump that has stiff looking hair lol that looks like the dogs foot you found when you searched Hyperkeratosis in dogs.
My dog had it. It's really stiff weird hair like on a dogs paw.
Looks just like this Sulcatas foot looks, but they don't have hair.
I didn't refer to it correctly. We're talking about the same area.
When I first looked at the picture, because the subject line referred to LEG, I didn't look closely at the foot and just assumed the pad was rough because of walking on cement.
How's he doing?
Hi all!
Apologies for the delay, I’ve been slightly snowed under. Awaiting vet visit on Wednesday to see what they think. I believe one is slightly ulcerated as it seems to occasionally bleed. He’s my main concern right now as others with him do not have the hyperkeratosis or swelling/growth, so I fear it maybe more than just environmental. Please keep you’re fingers crossed for him and I’ll update you when I can and answer some more questions in comments when I can.
Also to the commenter that said they were looking at the leg because I wrote ‘leg’ - yeah, that’s my bad. I do apologise, wrote it in a minor panic
Thank you all. Hugely appreciated
Apologies for the delay, I’ve been slightly snowed under. Awaiting vet visit on Wednesday to see what they think. I believe one is slightly ulcerated as it seems to occasionally bleed. He’s my main concern right now as others with him do not have the hyperkeratosis or swelling/growth, so I fear it maybe more than just environmental. Please keep you’re fingers crossed for him and I’ll update you when I can and answer some more questions in comments when I can.
Also to the commenter that said they were looking at the leg because I wrote ‘leg’ - yeah, that’s my bad. I do apologise, wrote it in a minor panic
Thank you all. Hugely appreciated
So sorry everyone; I've been completely snowed under.
Just wanted to give an update for those who were interested, and to help anyone who finds a similar issue.
The x-rays showed nothing unusual underneath, all just keratinous overgrowth. Nothing we can do about it according to the vet so I'm just monitoring gait and making sure it doesn't impact their leg movements too much for now.
Thank you for all your help!
Just wanted to give an update for those who were interested, and to help anyone who finds a similar issue.
The x-rays showed nothing unusual underneath, all just keratinous overgrowth. Nothing we can do about it according to the vet so I'm just monitoring gait and making sure it doesn't impact their leg movements too much for now.
Thank you for all your help!
Littleredfootbigredheart
Well-Known Member
Thank you for giving an update!
Thanks for your sharing! I just found out my tortoise had the same issue as yours, it’s like cooked scallops on the foot pad. Did your tortoise recover from the condition
Alright sit down .......
This has to be examined by a GREAT not good vet..... We have multiple members with far worse than this is, we even have one that the bottom of the foot is just lumps.....he doesn't walk on anything but those lumps. We have had very extensive imaging and testing as he has these lumps all very his legs and feet here's what resulted......
The lumps are scary tissue.....yep that's it. For whatever reason (autoimmune, etc.) the body develops these lumps which the body continually makes scar tissue. Our guy that is the worst has no pain or issues with them other than weird foot placement and looks ugly. DO NOT allow ANY lancing or syringe draw to try and obtain a cell sample it will only increase the scar tissue buildup. There is no pill, medicine only love and understanding. I hope this helps and if you need just reach out personally......Yes we answer the phone.
This has to be examined by a GREAT not good vet..... We have multiple members with far worse than this is, we even have one that the bottom of the foot is just lumps.....he doesn't walk on anything but those lumps. We have had very extensive imaging and testing as he has these lumps all very his legs and feet here's what resulted......
The lumps are scary tissue.....yep that's it. For whatever reason (autoimmune, etc.) the body develops these lumps which the body continually makes scar tissue. Our guy that is the worst has no pain or issues with them other than weird foot placement and looks ugly. DO NOT allow ANY lancing or syringe draw to try and obtain a cell sample it will only increase the scar tissue buildup. There is no pill, medicine only love and understanding. I hope this helps and if you need just reach out personally......Yes we answer the phone.
This is why you need a great vet NOT a good one. What you are experiencing may be different BUT it will take a very educated and up to date vet to determine this. BE VERY CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU ARE TOLD .....
This will take you processing the info and making the right decision do not expect answers to be given to you. If this was to be treated as an abscess by an unqualified vet, the tortoise's life would be in great jeopardy. As this may not be life threatening the ignorance of humans and their ego is a real threat not to be dismissed.
OMG, you had an EBT too? best dogs ever!!!
Yes they are great. Can pee you off one minute and have you busting a gut the next. Such clowns.
Because of health issues in the house hold, we didn't get another one, got a Pom instead. Love my Pom, but wish I had gotten a Bull Terrier instead or a Shar-Pei, they are great dogs too. I used to raise and show them.
They call them clowns of the terriers for a reason!
The original PARTY animal! Spuds rock! Wow, from EBT to a Pom .... my brain just broke. 
It's like switching from heavy wrestling to ballet! And now I am thinking about the classic joke. What do you get when you mix a Bull Terrier with a Shihtzu?Similar threads
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