Description
Nursing the Anorexic Tortoise - A guide to tortoise husbandry and care in the clinic by John Chitty. This will cover the basics of tortoise biology and husbandry, aswell as the causes of anorexia in Mediterranean species. Nursing care isparamount in the management of these cases, especially with respect toproviding the correct environment when hospitalising these species. Anorexia is a common presentation in tortoise medicine. Causes of anorexia can be multiple and the syndrome is complex. These causes can include husbandry factors as well as overt disease. These factors may also be chronic in onset- as a result therapy is often carried out over a long period, and it is rare to be able to treat these cases without at least some period of hospitalisation and nursing. This talk will discuss some of the problems seen and what is required for successful nursing of the anorexic tortoise. It will also cover some of teh preventive measures that may be utilised for successful husbandry and keeping of these fascinating but often misunderstood reptiles John Chitty BVetMed CertZooMed MRCVS. RCVS He is advanced practitioner in Zoological Medicine. He qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1990 and gained RCVS Certificate in Zoological Medicine in 2000. He is co-director of a small animal/ exotics practice in Andover, Hampshire with a 100% avian/ exotics/ small mammal caseload- referral and first opinion. He is consultant to five zoological collections, a commercial laboratory and the Great Bustard Reintroduction project. He is also co-editor of two texts on avian medicine, one on rabbit surgery and co-author of a textbook of tortoise medicine. Author of various book chapters and papers on a range of species. Chairman of European Association of Avian Veterinarians and on editorial board of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine & Vice-President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.