Hero in a huge shell: Zoo sends Galapagos tortoise for CT scan to diagnose limp

Bruno the tortoise isn't winning any races against hares or otherwise, but when Cincinnati Zoo noticed he was running even slower than usual, they had to get creative.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden said staff members noticed 16-year-old Bruno, the Galapagos tortoise, had begun to walk with a bit of a limp.

"The keepers had noticed that he was walking a little funny," said Dr. Jessica Heinz, an associate veterinarian for the Cincinnati Zoo. "It seemed like he would kind of drop in the hind end. And it's really hard to tell lameness in tortoises because they're so low to the ground. They don't limp the same way a dog or a cat or a horse or even a human limp."

Zoo caregivers noticed Bruno was having a tough time getting himself going in the morning and while that's pretty relatable overall, it was also an indication something was wrong with Bruno.

Vets at the zoo tried a few different avenues, from pain medication to supplements — but normal X-rays didn't reveal much because of his giant shell.

"He's just so big and so thick that our X-rays couldn't get very deep into his tissues and we couldn't get a full look at his hips, at his back, at his spine," said Heinz. "And we realized we were going to need some advanced imaging for that."

Enter MedVet.

While the veterinary clinic's waiting room is usually full of feline friends and pupper pals — or other, smaller furry creatures — this time it welcomed the giant Galapagos tortoise for a CT scan.

When a Giant Galapagos tortoise needs a CT scan, where do you take him?

The Cincinnati Zoo has relied on MedVet's facilities in the past, but in those cases the animals were usually closer in size to a household pet — not a 180-pound tortoise with a massive shell.

Staff members were nervous, because Bruno's shell is both quite wide and quite tall, so there were concerns he wouldn't fit inside the CT machine.

"We decided to go for it anyways, even if he didn't fit all the way through, we may be able to get information from the front and back parts that did fit," said Heinz.

Luckily, that wasn't necessary. Bruno just barely fit inside the machine for his check-up and, after the scan, zoo officials discovered what was likely ailing him.

"The scan revealed abnormalities in Bruno's back and spine that are likely causing muscle soreness," said Heinz. "The curvature, similar to scoliosis, puts extra pressure on one side or the other and that would explain his abnormal gait."

But how to solve that issue is another problem zoo staff members had to puzzle out. According to the zoo, pain medications seem to alleviate Bruno's symptoms but his caretakers are still searching for a more long-term solution.

Because tortoises' spines are fused to their shells, they can't be repaired through processes like surgery, but the reptile team is working on a plan for exercise and physical therapy to help prevent any further complications.

After Bruno's positive vet trip, zoo staff members said they plan to bring in some of Bruno's friends for a check-up as well.

"We're also planning to scan one of the other tortoises, Mishell, to compare the look of her hips and joints with his and check her lungs and heart, because she has some signs of fluid buildup in her body," said Heinz.

Still, the zoo said, Bruno and the rest of the Galapagos tortoises at the Cincinnati Zoo still have some growing to do — and the breed is one of the largest tortoise species in the world. According to National Geographic, a Galapagos tortoise can grow to be up to six feet long and weigh over 500 pounds.

Besides Mishell and Bruno, the zoo is home to 15-year-old Knobby and 16-year-old Husker — all fairly young for their species, which can live for more than 170 years.

Galapagos tortoises are currently listed as vulnerable, which means they're not currently endangered but they are still facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild.

According to National Geographic, Galapagos tortoises were hunted heavily from the 17th through the 19th centuries; since then, the species' biggest threats are from non-native species brought by humans to their home islands, like dogs, cats, rats, goats, donkeys and feral pigs. These animals prey on tortoise eggs and hatchlings, but they also compete with tortoises for food.

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