For many pet owners with dogs and cats, treating their animals with flea and worming treatments is a routine part of keeping them healthy. However, with our exotic pets, parasite prevention can sometimes be overlooked or not even considered.
Tortoises are no expectation. These brilliant reptiles can be affected by a range of parasites, including endoparasites, which can cause health problems in large numbers.
If you have a tortoise, have you ever considered a worm egg count?
Let’s unravel what a worm egg count is and how it could benefit your shelly friend.
What is a worm egg count?
A worm egg count is available for any animal and helps to give owners an insight into whether their pet has contracted internal parasites – or at least, to quantify how heavy their burden is. This is a test that helps to identify whether your tortoise is passing worm eggs in their faeces, along with the types of worms and the amount that is present in the faeces.
In order to carry out the test, a fresh faecal sample is collected and then examined under the microscope at a veterinary practice or laboratory. The sample is carefully examined for parasite eggs, helping to determine whether treatment is required.
Depending on the type of testing being performed, the faeces can also be examined for other types of parasites, such as protozoa. The results of the test can help to determine whether treatment or further testing is required.
Other faecal sample testing methods are available, and many laboratories may use a range of tests to aid in the diagnostic process.
Is a worm egg count reliable?
In many cases, worm egg counts can be a reliable diagnostic tool, helping to give vets and owners an insight into their pets’ current worming status. If parasites are detected, veterinary surgeons can prescribe an appropriate treatment to eradicate the problem.
However, a negative worm egg count score doesn’t necessarily mean that your tortoise is free from worms.
One reason for this is that parasites do not continuously produce eggs, as it depends where in the life cycle the parasite is.
An egg count also doesn’t detect every type of parasite, as some parasites may not produce eggs that are identifiable. In these cases, your vet or laboratory may suggest additional testing to be certain.
Other tests can be performed which can include a more detailed faecal examination, along with considering the tortoises’ clinical history and husbandry.
Why might a tortoise need a worm count?
One of the main problems is that many tortoises can carry internal parasites without showing any obvious signs of there being a problem.
This means that you may not know that your tortoise has a parasitic burden by just looking at them or taking them to the vets for an examination.
In many cases, worms can be present in small numbers, causing little to no noticeable problems. However, a significant parasitic burden can lead to illness, especially in tortoises that are already unwell, or have poor nutrition and incorrect husbandry.
If your tortoise is displaying signs of a gastrointestinal upset, or they are struggling to grow and put on weight, your vet may consider a worm egg count.
Carrying out a worm count can help you to understand your tortoise’s current worming status.
What are the signs of worms in tortoises?
Signs can vary from minimal to severe. Symptoms that can be associated with gastrointestinal parasites can include:
- Changes in appetite
- Lethargy
- Dehydration
- Poor growth
- Changes in the amount of faeces
- Diarrhoea
- Weight loss
- Presence of worms in the faeces
Unless you see parasites within the faeces, these symptoms may not necessarily mean that your tortoise has worms. There are many reasons that they may stop eating, have diarrhoea or lose weight, so an egg count can help to confirm the problem in tortoises that are unwell.
Routine faecal testing can be a super useful tool even in healthy tortoises and may be recommended by your veterinary surgeon.
How to collect a faecal sample from a tortoise
If you’re asked to collect a faecal sample, you may wonder where to begin – but it’s a lot easier than you may think.
Ideally, the sample should be as fresh as possible to give the most accurate diagnosis.
Firstly, start by cleaning out your tortoises’ enclosure thoroughly and replace the substrate with shredded paper or newspaper. This prevents their normal substrate, such as soil, getting mixed into the faecal sample. Plus, spotting faeces on paper instead of soil will be substantially easier.
Your vet should provide you with a faecal container to collect the sample. Collect as much faeces as possible for accurate testing.
Your vet may ask you to collect a 3 day pooled sample of faeces, as eggs may be present at different life stages of the parasites.
Do tortoises need to be wormed regularly?
Depending on the tortoise, administering worming medication may not be as easy as it is with cats and dogs.
Tortoise parasite management is different to that in other pets, and the advice of your veterinary surgeon with doses and frequency should always be followed. In many cases, your vet may request a faecal egg count to be certain.
If parasites are identified, your vet will be able to prescribe the most appropriate treatment. In many cases, treatment may need to be administered every day for a course of 3-5 days; however, this can vary depending on the medication prescribed.
It’s important that tortoises are not given worming medication that has been formulated for another animal. Many medications are species specific, so always follow the advice of your veterinary surgeon.
Can parasites in tortoises be prevented?
One of the best ways in which you can avoid your tortoise contracting parasites is good husbandry.
It’s important to note that it may not completely prevent your tortoise from contracting parasites, but it can help to reduce the risk of exposure.
Good husbandry can include:
- Removing faeces daily from the enclosure
- Feeding a suitable diet for your specific tortoise species
- Washing food before feeding, especially foraged weeds
- Providing the appropriate lighting and heating
- Avoiding overcrowding
- Quarantining new tortoise additions
Tortoises thrive when they are kept in outdoor enclosures in the summer. It allows them to find their own food sources and naturally obtain UV from the sun.
This does mean that they can be exposed to parasites in the natural world, so it may be especially useful to have your tortoises’ faeces examined for parasites if they live outdoors during the summer.
If you keep multiple tortoises together, it is worth noting that parasites, both internal and external, can be transmitted between animals.
How often should an egg count be carried out?
All tortoises are different, so no one routine schedule suits all. However, many owners opt to carry out the test every 6 months on a routine basis.
Do remember that if your tortoise does show signs of a gastrointestinal upset, it may not necessarily mean that they have internal parasites. It’s always best to book an appointment with a veterinary surgeon if you are worried.
Are parasites bad for a tortoise’s health?
Like many exotic pets, tortoises can be very good at hiding when they are feeling unwell.
By carrying out a worm egg count, both you and your vet will understand if your tortoise is suffering from internal parasites.
A small number of worms are unlikely to cause a problem for your tortoise. However, a substantial burden can cause weight loss, malnutrition and death in severe cases.
If you’re concerned about the health of your tortoise, always speak to your veterinary surgeon. If they are unable to help, they should be able to point you in the direction of an exotic vet.
The vet finder tool can also help you to find your local exotic practice.
Final Thoughts
Parasites are a normal part of the environment that tortoises live in, but can cause problems in high numbers.
Regular faecal testing alongside good husbandry and monitoring your tortoise for any changes can help you stay on top of their general health.
Keep a close eye on what goes into your tortoise, keeping foraged foods clean where possible. On the flip side, keep a close eye on what comes out the other end too – it can tell you a lot about your tortoise’s health!
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