Why has my tortoise got a growth on his jaw?

by Paul Long
(Norwich England)

My 5 year old leopard tortoise has developed a growth on one side of his lower jaw.It looks like an over grown finger nail sticking out.I would be very grateful to know what it is so i can get the appropriate treatment.

Many thanks.

Comments for Why has my tortoise got a growth on his jaw?

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Jan 27, 2010

Vet Time!
by: The Greek Tortoise Guild

So, with anything super-abnormal like this jaw growth it's just a good idea to go to the veterinarian. But, make sure that your vet specializes in reptiles. The first two times that I took my Greek Tortoises to veterinarians they didn't know any more about reptiles than I did! In fact, I think that I knew quite a bit more than the second vet. On the other hand, if you're like I was in these two situations and you live out in the country, your vet will likely see more livestock, horses, cats, and dogs than reptiles. Still, a veterinarian will know principles of how to care for animals and will have access to medications that simply need to be adjusted for your tortoise's weight.
While you're at the veterinarian's office, suck him/her dry for all the information that you can about how to care for your tortoise and how to recognize problem signs, etc. You may even want to ask him/her some of your questions over the phone when you make the appointment so that he/she can do some research to find the answers. You should do this in order to get your full money's worth and also because you have a responsibility to be as well-informed as possible since this tortoise's life is in your hands.
I hope that his helps some. If you have any other questions about this or any other chelonian-related topic you can either reply to this post or ask me directly on TheGreekTortoiseGuild.blogspot.com

Good luck!

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