ABSTRACT

Lymphoblastic leukemia was diagnosed in a diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin, based on hematology, bone marrow biopsy, and immunocytochemistry. Diagnostic imaging procedures included radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. The turtle was treated with chlorambucil, cytosine arabinoside, and prednisone. A treatment effect was achieved 24 d after the chemotherapy was initiated, but the patient died 46 d following the start of chemotherapy. This article chronicles the clinicopathologic features of leukemia in this patient, elaborates on the diagnostic procedures performed as related to a chelonian, outlines the patient's response to the treatment protocol, and includes the postmortem findings, morphologic and staining features of the disease.