Hypovitaminosis in Trachemys dorbignyi: Case report

Abstract

Hypovitaminosis A is a nutritional imbalance that occurs in several animal classes, one of which is reptile due to food management error. Beta carotene is a carotenoid, the most important precursor of vitamin A and is found in vegetables. Reptiles do not absorb beta carotene well, so it should be a component of the diet. Vitamin A plays the very important role of maintaining the epithelial tissue of every organism. The clinical signs resulting from this nutritional imbalance in testudines are: squamous metaplasia, hyperkeratosis of the respiratory and ocular epithelia, aural abscess, blepharoedema, peeling of the carapace. The diagnosis is made basically through clinical signs, food history and treatment responsiveness. The treatment instituted is the application of high doses of vitamin A along with adequate nutritional management. This present report describes the case of a Trachemys dorbignyi turtle of 23-year-old tiger, attended at the Silvestre Veterinary Clinic in Goiânia, presenting blepharoedema, carapace desquamation, ataxia, motor incoordination, lethargy, difficulty in locomotion . After an established therapeutic protocol, the animal did not respond to the treatment and died after 11 days of hospitalization. This case report aims to show the importance of nutritional and environmental management in the quality of life of wild and exotic pets.