My turtle has a lump on its back leg. Is it a tumor or abscess?

It appears as if Gobo has developed an abscess. An abscess forms as a result of some minor infection. Ideally, he should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. The abscess should be cleaned and flushed. Antibiotics will likely be indicated after. Maintain adequate water quality and increased temperature by about 5 degrees F to aid in recovery.

It is possible it is an abscess from a prior injury or infection. It could also be a tumor of some sort. Have Mac examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect a sample for pathology. This may provide a diagnosis.

This is most likely an abscess that has formed. Fudge will need to be seen by a vet to have it treated. If it is diagnosed as an abscess the vet will flush it out and place Fudge on antibiotics. I would recommend seeking treatment right away so the swelling does not get any bigger because it may affect Fudge's ability to eat.

Nice looking turtle! Barry could have a small wound that is trying to heal, like an abscess. I would at this point just monitor the bump and make sure it isn't getting bigger or that more appear. I think there is a good chance it's going to disappear on it own.

The most likely diagnosis is going to be an abscess. Abscesses appear as hard tumor-like swellings. An abscess is an infected swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus. The other option would be that this is a tumor. I suggest you get Pancake to your vet for an exam. Whether it is an abscess or a tumor, treatment from your vet will be needed. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Hi, you’re right, the lumps are difficult to see in the photos. Lumps on or in a turtle shell can be from a number of things. There can be an underlying metabolic issue like metabolic bone disease (lack of UVB light and imbalance of calcium/phosphorus), or pyramiding, which can be from high protein and low humidity. Infections (bacteria, fungus, some parasites) can also cause shell lumps. Because these issues are all so different, it’s important to have Cookie examined by a veterinarian so they can do some tests and get her on the best treatment, if indicated. Good luck!

Thank you for the photos. Sorry Jade is having this issue. It looks like a either an abscess (infection), a cyst or a tumor. It does not appear to be an injury. I cannot tell you much on how to treat it without knowing what it is. I strongly suggest you take her to a reptile veterinarian for an exam. They will likely do an aspirate of that lump to collect some cells and get a diagnosis. It if is an abscess she will need antibiotics. If it is cyst or tumor it will likely need to be removed with surgery or it will never go away. Hope this helps. Best wishes.