Endoscopic evaluation of the esophagus and stomach in three loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and a Malaysian giant turtle (Orlitia borneensis).
Three loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and a Malaysian giant turtle (Orlitia borneensis) were presented with suspected or confirmed esophageal foreign bodies. Esophagoscopy was performed on all turtles, and gastroscopy was performed on three turtles. In all cases, endoscopy was easy to perform, and allowed visualization of most upper gastrointestinal features. The papillated esophagus was easy to navigate, but mucosal papillae in the loggerhead sea turtles prevented examination of the underlying mucosa. The stomach was easily entered and examined in both species, but the working endoscope length (100 cm) prevented inspection of the pyloric antrum and the duodenum in all turtles. The turtles in this report may serve as references for future endoscopic examinations of these species.
Department of Clinical Sciences , College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA.
Barrak M
BM
Pressler
Robert A
RA
Goodman
Craig A
CA
Harms
Eleanor C
EC
Hawkins
Greg A
GA
Lewbart
D000818:Animals; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D004947:Esophagus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013270:Stomach / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014426:Turtles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*