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The BCG Turtle Airlift Notes for Veterinary Surgeons

B	A	C	K

This veterinary information sheet has been prepared by Stuart McArthur B Vet Med MRCVS, Veterinary Liaison Officer of the British Chelonia group.

Stuart McArthur can be reached by email at hohovet@aol.com, by fax at ++44 (0) 113 2663048, or by telephone at ++44 (0) 1132 369030

Stuart McArthur B Vet Med MRCVS
The Tortoise Clinic
468 Street Lane
Moortown
Leeds
UK
LS17 6HA

The British Chelonia Group (BCG) is actively involved in a scheme to "Airlift" unwanted Red eared terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans) from the United Kingdom to a far more suitable environment and habitat. Historically, Red eared terrapins were frequently sold in the UK as pets, but as a result of a demanding care regime, many have subsequently become unwanted. Many maintained in captivity have become diseased or have died, and many have even been abandoned and released into the wild, where British weather is unsuitable for their long-term survival and where they actively compete with British wildlife. This is a threat to the survival of some British wildlife.

The scheme to relocate these turtles is known as "The Louisiana project" and it involves the development of large naturally heated freshwater pools at "CARAPAX", a chelonian conservation facility in Tuscany, central Italy. These pools are volcanically heated, are filtered naturally by plants and islands of cork are provided for basking.

A similar project at CARAPAX to house and re-home Red eared sliders from Continental Europe (known as the Florida project) has been up and running for three years and this is being used as a model for the UK project. So far it has proved highly successful and relatively free from health complications such as infectious diseases.

Anyone interested in the valuable work of CARAPAX can visit their website at www.carapax.org.

The project is also sponsored by VIRGIN EXPRESS who provide flights for the turtles.

THE ROLE OF UK VETERINARY SURGEONS

Veterinary surgeons who become involved in this project will be asked to undertake three tasks:

1. To perform a physical examination of Red eared sliders owned by the BCG and proposed by them to be suited to export and inclusion in the project.
2. To insert a microchip, provided by the BCG, into animals deemed healthy and suited to inclusion in the project.
3. To issue a "Health certificate for export" which will accompany animals during the airlift. The certificate will state that specific animals identified by microchip are healthy, free from signs of infectious disease and are fit to travel by road and air to Tuscany.

Physical examination

Animals must be physically examined by a veterinary surgeon prior to insertion of a microchip and the issuing of a health certificate stating suitability for transportation and export.

It is the aim of the BCG only to involve relatively healthy animals in the scheme. Members of the BCG are relatively adept at identifying ailing chelonians. Ailing chelonians will not knowingly be submitted for microchip insertion. However, despite this, the BCG membership is not qualified to assess the health of animals and it is the duty of the veterinary surgeons to satisfy themselves that the animal is in adequate health for transportation by air to a veterinary rehabilitation centre in Italy and that the animal is healthy enough to receive an identichip.

The Terrapin should be examined and observations recorded

• Sex
• Weight
• Demeanour/activity/behaviour of the unrestrained animal should be assessed
• Respiratory rate and effort should be gauged without excessive handling
• The shell should be examined e.g. for softness and evidence of infection of septicaemia
• The skin should be examined for lesions and abnormalities such as abscesses sores swellings and oedema.
• The limbs should be examined and compared - if possible, but this can be difficult in an aggressive healthy sub-adult
• The eyes should be examined and a basic assessment of visual ability made
• The oral mucosa should be assessed. However this may only be possible if the animal opens its mouth and gapes in a threat response to the clinician

Where it is felt that an animal is in inadequate health to receive a microchip, or to be transported soon after by plane and road to CARAPAX Tuscany in the care of a BCG officer, it MUST be rejected from this Airlift project and returned to the BCG officer who will then enter it in the adoption and rehabilitation scheme being prepared for such terrapins.

Microchip insertion

The procedure for insertion of a microchip is relatively straightforward, however the RCVS has issued a statement to me that in the UK only a veterinary surgeon is allowed to insert a chip, as there is a requirement to close the implantation site.

Animals should not be marked with an identichip if they are either less than 100g or alternatively less than 10cm straight carapace length. If they fail to meet either criterion they should currently be returned to the BCG officer caring for them as unsuited to the project at this time.

Identichips should not be inserted into debilitated animals with evidence of skin and shell infections. Identichips should only be placed into reptiles which have been adequately stabilised and provided with appropriate heat in order to heal the insertion site and to utilise a viable immune system to counteract any organisms which may act to cause an infection at the implantation site. Animals which in the opinion of the veterinarian are not strong or well enough to receive an identichip should be rejected from the project and put forward to the adoption/rehabilitation project currently being set up by the BCG to continue their care.

Microchip insertion Protocol

The site traditionally chosen for microchip insertion has been subcutaneously into the ventral surface of the left hind limb. However, this site poses significant problems in small Red eared terrapins as it involves extraction and handling of the limb which may cause stress and trauma to the animals, especially where metabolic bone disease is present. Two people will be required to restrain a Red eared terrapin to receive such a chip and if dealing with a large number of animals, this could be very time consuming and may distress both the handlers and the animals. The subcutaneous limb site also has a recognised risk of implant failure and migration. If the ventral limb surface is used this may affect the femoral vessels and nerves, and if the dorsal limb surface is used may affect the sciatic nerve and associated vessels.

A preferred alternative site has been used in an introduced population of over 400 Trachemys scripta elegans on the Eckerd college campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. These animals have been monitored without obvious complications for about 10 years.

1. Implant the identichip between the pubis and ischium of the pelvis and the "xiphiplastra", an area that is filled with connective tissue and a minimum of muscle. This area is located by inserting the implant needle parallel to the plastron, through a point beneath the tail and cloacal opening following a line in the midline between the two caudal anal scutes of the plastron.

2. This site can be reached without excessive handling and trauma to the patient and does not involve forcibly restraining limbs. It may be possible for the chip to be implanted using a single operator.
3. The surgeon should make reasonable attempt to disinfect the implantation site using a dilute povidone iodine or chlorhexedine solution. Faecal or pond water contamination should be thoroughly removed and the site is then best dried with clean paper towel.
4. The animal should be restrained appropriately. Ensure that excessive force is not applied to limbs, which in some circumstances can be vulnerable to ligament and bone damage where previous care and husbandry has been poor.
5. If the chip is inserted in the midline of the caudal plastron area as described above, it may be possible to do this without excessive restraining such that a single person can manage.
6. After successful insertion the surgeon should, if possible, apply temporary digital pressure to the insertion area, as this will limit any associated haemorrhage.
7. A small amount of tissue glue can be applied to the implantation site to seal the skin.
8. The animal should then be maintained out of water in a damp holding container, such as in a clean plastic bucket or storage container upon a damp towel. Once the glue has set the animal can be returned to water once more, or maintained in the damp container depending upon individual circumstances.

Animals should be observed for around 1 hour post chip insertion. All animals comfortable and free of complications should be able to be issued a health certificate for export.

Should an animal be distressed or suffer obvious haemorrhage following microchip insertion then it cannot be flown by plane to Italy until this has resolved and so it MUST be returned to the BCG and identified as unable to be immediately transported and in need of further treatment. These animals can either be treated on an outpatient basis or admitted depending upon the veterinarian and their facilities. Once recovery has occurred they can be re-examined with a view to a repeat effort regarding transportation abroad.

Health certificate

• Generally these can be made valid for up to 96 hours from the time of the examination.
• A certificate is generally issued on a veterinarian's headed notepaper and can be marked with the practice stamp.
• The certificate should have the practice address and telephone number, the date and the name and signature of the issuing veterinarian.
• The certificate should name the owner of the animals and their address. ( This will be provided by the BCG member.)
• A certificate can be used for multiple animals and it is not necessary to print off one per animal.
• The certificate should identify each animal by its sex, weight and identichip number.
• The certificate should state the address and country to which the animals are being exported
• The certificate should state the mode of transport and the approximate dates of travel
• The certificate should contain the sentence "This is to certify that on (date), being (no.) hours prior to export, I examined the above named Red eared terrapins owned by the British Chelonia Group and presented to me by their agent (name). The animals showed no signs of infectious or contagious disease and in my opinion are fit to travel by (mode e.g. road and air) on the dates suggested to the location named."
• The validity of the statement (e.g. 96 hours) can be stated.
• The certificate should be signed and the veterinarian's name printed in block capitals.

Future care of the turtles

A signed declaration has been issued by Carapax, Tuscany, Italy to the effect that upon their arrival in Italy the Red eared sliders exported by the British Chelonia Group become owned by CARAPAX and their veterinary care and the management of all health issues arising, be they as a consequence of the identichip implantation or export, will be the responsibility of their own veterinarian. This declaration releases veterinarians from their duty of care to animals they have inserted chips into and therefore they have ensured that there is a continuous line of veterinary care provided to any animal should it experience an unforeseen complication. Animals will be quarantined for around four weeks. In this time they will be appropriately housed and observed for any problems following their arrival. There is a veterinary facility on the CARAPAX site. A copy of the declaration is available upon request from Stuart McArthur at the address given earlier.