Management of a Soft Tissue Sarcoma in a Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii)
A focal, necrotic soft tissue mass was diagnosed on the left forelimb of an adult, wild, intact female bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii). Excisional biopsy revealed a soft tissue sarcoma, and a full limb amputation was performed. Because mesenchymal tumors are rarely reported in chelonians, this case demonstrates that neoplasia should be considered as a differential for subcutaneous masses even in wild turtles. This is the first report of a soft tissue sarcoma in the genus Glyptemys. To the authors' knowledge, this is only the second case report of a soft tissue sarcoma reported in the Order Testudines.Abstract
Necrotic, soft tissue mass on the left manus of a wild-caught bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii).
Bog turtle, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. Dorsoventral radiograph of the left thoracic limb. There is severe circumferential soft-tissue swelling and subcutaneous emphysema along the entire thoracic limb; it is most severe at the level of the carpus. The soft-tissues along the dorsal aspect of the manus are irregular and interrupted, consistent with the open necrotic wound. There is a smooth periosteal reaction along the cranial and caudal aspects of the distal ulnar metaphysis. The carpal bones are difficult to evaluate because of their small size and superimposition of the subcutaneous emphysema. There are no definitive regions of carpal bone lysis.
Bog turtle, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. Low magnification (40X) photomicrograph of the soft tissue sarcoma demonstrating infiltration and effacement of the dermis by a densely cellular population of neoplastic spindle cells with regional necrosis and heterophilic inflammation. H&E stain.
Bog turtle, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. High magnification photomicrograph (400X) of the soft tissue sarcoma demonstrating spindle shaped cells with indistinct cellular margins and mild nuclear and cellular atypia that are arranged into streams and bundles embedded in a fine fibrovascular stroma. H&E stain.
Bog turtle, Glyptemys muhlenbergii. Dorsoventral radiograph of left midhumeral surgery site one year after amputation. There is no evidence of humeral osteomyelitis or soft tissue swelling of the amputation site.
