Tortoises are remarkable creatures. Most of their vital organs are located inside their shell, an essential part of their anatomy. While tortoise shells look very different from the anatomy of humans and other mammals, they are actually made of some of the same body parts we have—ribs, sternum (breastbone) and vertebrae—but fused together. The shell’s hard, bony plates serve as protection for these incredible animals.

The first sign of trouble for the female gopher tortoise was when she stopped eating all her food and appeared lethargic. A general exam, including X-rays and blood tests, showed that her intestines were partially obstructed by some sandy material. She likely ingested the sand as part of her normal foraging behavior in her habitat. Medication and fluid therapy flushed out some of the sand, but when the tortoise stopped improving, we sought additional help from an unlikely source—the diagnostic imaging and radiology department at Baptist Health South Miami Hospital.

The Frost Science veterinary team loaded the gopher tortoise into a van and took her to the hospital for a CT scan. This scan gave the medical team a detailed 3D look inside of her body, without the shell interfering as it does in an X-ray image. To prevent the tortoise from wiggling around during the scan, the team designed a custom foam pillow with a cutout exactly the size and shape of her body.

Luckily, the CT scan confirmed that the tortoise did not have a complete obstruction of her intestine, which would have required emergency surgery to correct. Instead, she was continued on her course of medical management for her condition, and within a few weeks she finally passed the sand! She has been doing well since the incident and is now back on exhibit on The Vista. We are grateful to Baptist Health South Miami Hospital for their tortoise diagnostic assistance.