Well, it's been long enough that I feel up to posting this.
My eastern Hermann's tortoise, Elsa, is no longer with us.
Several months ago I notice a pink splotch on her plastron. It didn't rub off, and was clearly in the bone.
I immediately took her to the LSU veterinary school exotic animals clinic for an emergency evaluation, thinking she was septic.
At the very first physical exam, they had surprising news: "she" was actually a "HE"! During the exam, "she" had apparently flashed "her" boy parts at them!!! I was shocked to say the least! I purchased her as a female, and had her for 11 years. She had a short, stubby tail which I pointed out to the vet. He just laughed and said "sometimes that happens"!
After a further 48 hours (and $2,500) of exams and tests by multiple docs, it became apparent that whatever was causing the splotch on her plastron was VERY ominous, and her outlook was not good. There was also the possibility of risk to US from a suspected unusual multi-organism infection. We made the sad decision to euthanize her and requested a necropsy.
The necropsy report showed she had CANCER!!! It was specifically squamous cell carcinoma of the plastron. Most of it was internal: extending into her abdominal cavity and possibly up into her lung. All the vets dealing with her were dumbfounded. They said this was almost unheard of, and they asked my permission to write up a medical article about this case, to be published in a professional herpetology medical journal.
I'm just posting this to let my tortoise family know.
Farewell Elsa.
My eastern Hermann's tortoise, Elsa, is no longer with us.
Several months ago I notice a pink splotch on her plastron. It didn't rub off, and was clearly in the bone.
I immediately took her to the LSU veterinary school exotic animals clinic for an emergency evaluation, thinking she was septic.
At the very first physical exam, they had surprising news: "she" was actually a "HE"! During the exam, "she" had apparently flashed "her" boy parts at them!!! I was shocked to say the least! I purchased her as a female, and had her for 11 years. She had a short, stubby tail which I pointed out to the vet. He just laughed and said "sometimes that happens"!
After a further 48 hours (and $2,500) of exams and tests by multiple docs, it became apparent that whatever was causing the splotch on her plastron was VERY ominous, and her outlook was not good. There was also the possibility of risk to US from a suspected unusual multi-organism infection. We made the sad decision to euthanize her and requested a necropsy.
The necropsy report showed she had CANCER!!! It was specifically squamous cell carcinoma of the plastron. Most of it was internal: extending into her abdominal cavity and possibly up into her lung. All the vets dealing with her were dumbfounded. They said this was almost unheard of, and they asked my permission to write up a medical article about this case, to be published in a professional herpetology medical journal.
I'm just posting this to let my tortoise family know.
Farewell Elsa.
