Abstract

LESCANO G, Jesús; CHIPAYOG, Ysaac  and  QUEVEDO U, Miryam. Gastrointestinal obstruction by foreign bodies in a captive giant south american turtle (Podocnemis expansa). Rev. investig. vet. Perú [online]. 2015, vol.26, n.2, pp.357-364. ISSN 1609-9117.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15381/rivep.v26i2.11009.

The case of a 4-year-old giant South American turtle (Podocnemis expansa) that presented anorexia, vomits and constipation during four days is reported. The animal was kept in a temperate land-water terrarium with gravel as substratum. The diet was only composed by commercial pelleted food for turtles. No alteration was observed during physical examination. Radiologic examination revealed multiple radio-opaque foreign bodies in the stomach. Gastric foreign body obstruction was diagnosed. Medical therapy was administered during seven days with limited success. Gastrotomy was performed and multiple stones of about 5 x 10 mm were removed. Then, the animal continued receiving medical therapy by means of prokinetic, analgesic and antibiotic drugs. The animal fully recovered

Keywords : giant South American turtle; chelonian; gastrotomy; prokinetic drugs; pica.

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