Speed Bump
Click on the image above to view the slide show.
Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter
Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair
Speed Bump came to us from the East Valley Shelter in September of 2015, where he’d been turned in
as a stray, and had a cracked and bleeding shell. It turned out that his caretaker had backed into him in the driveway, and turned him in to
the shelter instead of taking him to the vet.
He was treated at the emergency hospital, and the shell repaired with a fiberglass and epoxy patch. He was unable to move his rear legs or
move under his own power. We didn’t know if he had neurological damage or if any internal organs were affected. He was also bleeding from
over his right rear leg. A hole where the skin and shell met was sutured. Since Reaper didn’t need it any more, a
couple of days later, we put Speed Bump on the skateboard to see if he was able to use it. He was a much shorter tortoise than Reaper in
stature and had a shorter "wheelbase." Fortunately, Speed Bump's front legs worked fine, and he pulled himself around with no problem. He
did not want his back legs moved for "range of motion" exercises, and touching his feet made him pull them up. Then gravity would take hold
and his legs would hang back down. Repeating the touching, and allowing the legs to drop naturally allowed him to get some range of movement
without having to physically manipulate the legs. About a month and a half after the accident, he started moving his legs while on the skateboard
in a motion as if he were walking. A month after that, he was able to extend his legs to the ground, and "walk." He got stronger, but due to
the injuries, plus his not urinating and defecating, he was not allowed to hibernate. For almost 2 ½ years, he continued to make progress,
although he was not able to urinate other than twice in that time period, a problem in and of itself. He did start to defecate, but not
on a regular schedule like a normal tortoise. His appetite fluctuated, but he did start to graze on his own about 8 months after he came
to us. Throughout the time he was with us, he had a great attitude, and appeared to be doing well, aside from the elimination issues. Neurological
injuries can sometimes resolve themselves, but take a very long time, if they are going to heal.
New Year’s Eve 2017, he developed a difficulty in breathing. Was rushed to emergency, and treated by draining fluid from his body cavity. His
breathing improved, and he was released to go home. He had an appointment to see his own vet, the aspirated fluid was sent to the lab, and
blood was taken for analysis. The blood test revealed some bad news. His blood protein was at basement levels, and the fluid that had been
aspirated appeared to come from his bladder, and not the body cavity as originally thought. His appetite dropped off, making it difficult
to get food with more protein into him to try to raise the blood protein levels. He would still walk around when outside and graze when he
was hungry. As he wasn’t defecating as often as a normal tortoise, tube feeding could backfire and he’d become blocked. He had 3 more "attacks,"
and after the last one, in April, it
was determined that he had some kind of issue for which there was no cure. The low protein levels in his blood meant that fluids were leaking
from the vessels, and regardless of where it collected, was putting pressure on the lungs. There was nothing we could do at this point, and
the attacks were increasing in frequency. Although it was an extremely difficult decision, it was kinder to let him go. The low blood protein,
and resulting fluid loss from the vessels created hypovolemic shock. A necropsy additionally showed that his heart was very small and thin-walled,
so he likely had that condition from birth. Some tortoises can truly touch your heart in a way you don’t expect, which makes the failure of their
treatment even more difficult to accept. We miss him, and are sorry we couldn’t solve his problems, but he brought a lot of joy for the time he was
with us.
Speed Bump
Speed Bump
Click on the image above to view the slide show.
Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter
Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair
Photos courtesy of the California Turtle & Tortoise Club (CTTC): Valley Chapter
Text by Karen Berry: Treasurer | Adoption Chair
Speed Bump came to us from the East Valley Shelter in September of 2015, where he’d been turned in
as a stray, and had a cracked and bleeding shell. It turned out that his caretaker had backed into him in the driveway, and turned him in to
the shelter instead of taking him to the vet.
He was treated at the emergency hospital, and the shell repaired with a fiberglass and epoxy patch. He was unable to move his rear legs or
move under his own power. We didn’t know if he had neurological damage or if any internal organs were affected. He was also bleeding from
over his right rear leg. A hole where the skin and shell met was sutured. Since Reaper didn’t need it any more, a
couple of days later, we put Speed Bump on the skateboard to see if he was able to use it. He was a much shorter tortoise than Reaper in
stature and had a shorter "wheelbase." Fortunately, Speed Bump's front legs worked fine, and he pulled himself around with no problem. He
did not want his back legs moved for "range of motion" exercises, and touching his feet made him pull them up. Then gravity would take hold
and his legs would hang back down. Repeating the touching, and allowing the legs to drop naturally allowed him to get some range of movement
without having to physically manipulate the legs. About a month and a half after the accident, he started moving his legs while on the skateboard
in a motion as if he were walking. A month after that, he was able to extend his legs to the ground, and "walk." He got stronger, but due to
the injuries, plus his not urinating and defecating, he was not allowed to hibernate. For almost 2 ½ years, he continued to make progress,
although he was not able to urinate other than twice in that time period, a problem in and of itself. He did start to defecate, but not
on a regular schedule like a normal tortoise. His appetite fluctuated, but he did start to graze on his own about 8 months after he came
to us. Throughout the time he was with us, he had a great attitude, and appeared to be doing well, aside from the elimination issues. Neurological
injuries can sometimes resolve themselves, but take a very long time, if they are going to heal.
New Year’s Eve 2017, he developed a difficulty in breathing. Was rushed to emergency, and treated by draining fluid from his body cavity. His
breathing improved, and he was released to go home. He had an appointment to see his own vet, the aspirated fluid was sent to the lab, and
blood was taken for analysis. The blood test revealed some bad news. His blood protein was at basement levels, and the fluid that had been
aspirated appeared to come from his bladder, and not the body cavity as originally thought. His appetite dropped off, making it difficult
to get food with more protein into him to try to raise the blood protein levels. He would still walk around when outside and graze when he
was hungry. As he wasn’t defecating as often as a normal tortoise, tube feeding could backfire and he’d become blocked. He had 3 more "attacks,"
and after the last one, in April, it
was determined that he had some kind of issue for which there was no cure. The low protein levels in his blood meant that fluids were leaking
from the vessels, and regardless of where it collected, was putting pressure on the lungs. There was nothing we could do at this point, and
the attacks were increasing in frequency. Although it was an extremely difficult decision, it was kinder to let him go. The low blood protein,
and resulting fluid loss from the vessels created hypovolemic shock. A necropsy additionally showed that his heart was very small and thin-walled,
so he likely had that condition from birth. Some tortoises can truly touch your heart in a way you don’t expect, which makes the failure of their
treatment even more difficult to accept. We miss him, and are sorry we couldn’t solve his problems, but he brought a lot of joy for the time he was
with us.
