Tortoise bladder stone cost

[Yvonne G]

Pain causes them to stop eating. The stone blocks the urethra (?) plus the sheer size of it causes the colon to be compressed so waste can't pass through, and the size of the stone presses on the nerves, which may cause temporary back leg paralysis.

 

[Amydillo]

1. What are the symptoms of a bladder stone?
2. If a Sulcata had a bladder stone removed in the past, are they more susceptible to developing them in the future, or is it totally management related?
3. Any veterinary teaching University (ie Texas A&M Vet School) would have all the necessary exotic specialists and equipment to deal with tort issues and are very good at working with you financially.

 

[Thury]

@Yvonne G
Is this most common in Sulcata?
It sounds like an $75 xray every few years could be money well spent.

My tortoise had a CT SCAN which revealed he had a bladder stone. Not cheap, but had I known about this sooner, he would probably still be alive today. Good luck to you. These beautiful creatures deserve the best!

 

[Thury]

1. What are the symptoms of a bladder stone?
2. If a Sulcata had a bladder stone removed in the past, are they more susceptible to developing them in the future, or is it totally management related?
3. Any veterinary teaching University (ie Texas A&M Vet School) would have all the necessary exotic specialists and equipment to deal with tort issues and are very good at working with you financially.

We took our Tort for a check up and the vets noticed him straining and they did a CT SCAN which identified a bladder stone. He had been having daily bowel movements but, we too, had noticed that he seemed to strain a bit. If you suspect anything at all, I would encourage you to talk to a vet, one who specializes in exotics. We ultimately lost our beloved 11 yr old because of the baldder stone. He had a procedure to try to remove it but it was unsuccessful due to the size. Two years after the procedure, he passed. He stopped eating and didn't attempt to go to his favorite sunny spots in the yard. One final blood test revealed that he had kidney failure. Once we started to see the decline, it was within a week that we helped him pass, with dignity and love. The sooner you get something like this diagnosed, the better your chances of success although; there is no guarantee that the tort won't develop stones again. Sulcatas are the best!

 

[vladimir]

@Thury I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your story.