Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Turtle intestinal blockage fixed by surgery after eating scutes
By Gould, W J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1992·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Surgical correction of an intestinal obstruction in a turtle.
- Species:
- reptile
Plain-English summary
An 18-year-old turtle was brought in because it had stopped eating and was showing signs of distress due to an intestinal blockage caused by ingested scutes (the hard outer shells of turtles). The veterinarian performed surgery to open the turtle's abdomen and remove the blockage. After the procedure, the turtle recovered well and was able to eat again.
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Abstract
Ingested scutes caused an intestinal obstruction in an 18-year-old turtle. An enterotomy, performed through a flank approach to the celiac cavity, successfully relieved the obstruction. The scutes were ingested during a period of neglect by the owner.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1568915/