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Shell Anatomy
Sea turtles' shells are designed to protect their bodies from the elements. Unlike other animals that live in shells, however, some parts of a turtle's shell are in direct contact with its organs and blood. The underside of a turtle's shell is typically more sensitive than the top of its shell, and deep shell injuries and injuries to the shell's underside are more dangerous to the turtle than superficial scratches.
Types of Injuries
Sea turtles are prone to a variety of shell injuries. They may scratch their shells while digging or swimming through enclosed areas, for example. Bites from larger animals can cause more serious and traumatic shell injuries. As with other turtle species, nutritional deficiencies affect a sea turtle's shell before they affect other areas of the body. Metabolic bone disease, a calcium deficiency, can cause shell softening. This condition makes the shell more likely to break and also makes it less effective at protecting a sea turtle's body.
Shell Repair
Sea turtle shells do not regenerate the way, for example, starfish arms do. Turtle shells do, however, frequently recover from injuries. Even severe injuries may heal if the turtle is otherwise healthy. The broken areas of the shell may fuse together over the course of several months, creating a slightly malformed shell. When a turtle is severely injured, this shell fusion can actually harm the turtle because it may squeeze organs or cut off circulation. Minor injuries heal on their own, typically leaving behind a faint scar that resembles a scratch.
Infection
Sea turtles that suffer from severe shell injuries are more likely to die from infection than any other cause. Because these turtles live in the water, their injuries do not have the opportunity to dry out and are prone to invasion by a number of infectious microbes. Veterinarians who treat sea turtles frequently place a drain in severe injuries to help drain shell infections. They also frequently try to keep the wound dry.