Mycoplasma - It is really that common?

[laney]

It's a shame people are not more aware of mycoplasma. People can do the 6month quarantine and the torts appear fine so then place them together, that's what I did now my torts have it. I would recommend anyone about to place torts together to get their mouths swabbed for it. My torts showed no symptoms, never had runny noses etc but unfortunately I knew nothing about the disease at the time and it flared up years later.

 

[Louise C]

It's a shame people are not more aware of mycoplasma. People can do the 6month quarantine and the torts appear fine so then place them together, that's what I did now my torts have it. I would recommend anyone about to place torts together to get their mouths swabbed for it. My torts showed no symptoms, never had runny noses etc but unfortunately I knew nothing about the disease at the time and it flared up years later.

That's a real shame....all the books tell you to do the quarantine period too so you would believe you were fine. I hope your torts stay healthy.

 

[dmmj]

does anyone know how much the test cost on average and how long it takes?

 

[pdrobber]

Also, @deadheadvet or anyone else that may know,how is a tortoise tested for it? Is it a blood test? Can a cytology be done of nasal discharge/mucous? Or a culture? Fluid analysis?

 

[deadheadvet]

You need to get a swab with a sterile culturette of nasal discharge and submit for PCR of Mycoplasma at Univ. of Florida. Cost is somewhere around 100-200$ dollars.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Hi Ascott, Yes he was captive bred. The breeder has been breeding Russians for 30 years so have all come from captive stock. I know they do have other breeds such as Sulcata's etc and not sure about them being 100% captive bred but I didn't think that different breeds would be mixed especially by an experienced breeder /specialist.

Trying to be humorous in an unpleasant topic area with this response.

The first rule of turtle club is you don't tell others about turtle club.

Some breeders, zoo, wildlife rehabers, etc. want to maintain a reputation of textbook cleanliness. Some succeed. Most do not.

Without it sounding like some conspiracy, look at hospitals and what kinds of things develop there that are disease pathologies that can kill the very workers in those hospitals. Some medical workers actually have to leave medicine as they become carriers of SARS etc.

Any large collection may very well have sub clinical disease in them. The stress of neonates getting moved about is a way these issue present themselves.

Based on your narrative you followed-up in an ethical way. That you may be appreciated for it is an open question.

But, NO it is not something so infused into the nature of captive breeding facilities, backyard hobbyists or commercial breeders that it should be considered "just the way it is".

The other side of it is how you follow up with the supplier of the animal. You really have to ask what benefit will be made by whatever further action you may or may not take. If by your measure and values you can improve the lot of existence of the animals or people dealing wit them, then do go forward with an action or inaction.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Dr. Boyer mentioned a therapy that may well result in cure, that is no detectable element of the disease after a regime of treatment by any current detection method. So far successful in Desert Tortoises. He's on the vet list here in TFO.

 

[ascott]

Dr. Boyer mentioned a therapy that may well result in cure, that is no detectable element of the disease after a regime of treatment by any current detection method. So far successful in Desert Tortoises. He's on the vet list here in TFO.

No detectable element in all actuality does not equal cure...there is still not a cure..just saying...and in NO WAY laying into an argument...

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

No detectable element in all actuality does not equal cure...there is still not a cure..just saying...and in NO WAY laying into an argument...

I'm reporting what a globally respected reptile vet has said. I guess you know more. By denying your looking for a debating conversation is to declare that is exactly what you want. I am sure Boyer spends a bit of time here on TFO, maybe he will respond, maybe not. If you feel I have somehow inaccurately restated something you are knowledgeable on, then please correct my error.

And ultimately there could be a fair statement that no disease is ever cured due to many biological processes that include our own genome changing based on the disease having been in your body as the host.

If the standard diagnostic is a PCR swab that detects tortoises with the disease, that have no clinical signs of the disease, and then a treatment regime is implemented and then the same test shows no sign of the disease, that fulfills the criteria of "cured".

That's how medicine works. It's called practicing, not doing for a reason.

 

[ascott]

I'm reporting what a globally respected reptile vet has said. I guess you know more. By denying your looking for a debating conversation is to declare that is exactly what you want. I am sure Boyer spends a bit of time here on TFO, maybe he will respond, maybe not. If you feel I have somehow inaccurately restated something you are knowledgeable on, then please correct my error.

And ultimately there could be a fair statement that no disease is ever cured due to many biological processes that include our own genome changing based on the disease having been in your body as the host.

If the standard diagnostic is a PCR swab that detects tortoises with the disease, that have no clinical signs of the disease, and then a treatment regime is implemented and then the same test shows no sign of the disease, that fulfills the criteria of "cured".

That's how medicine works. It's called practicing, not doing for a reason.

okay...what ever you say...see, I do not desire to argue...you have yours and I have mine...all good...thanks.

 

[laney]

does anyone know how much the test cost on average and how long it takes?

It was around £100 here in uk, the torts mouths were swabbed and sent to a special lab in Germany.

 

[BradKellerDA]

does anyone know how much the test cost on average and how long it takes?

Mine just cost me $85 and I got the results back in 4 days.