discoloration on shell of re-eared slider

Question
QUESTION: I have a 4-year old red-eared slider whose shell increasingly shows shiny, bare golden patches. The turtle has been growing at a fast rate so I am unsure whether this is something connected to growth or a disease, or maybe too much artifical light(he gets both a full-spectrum flourescent and a reptile bulb.) There seems to be no fungus infection, that is, no white growths or anything of that sort.  Otherwise apparently very healthy.

ANSWER: Unfortunately, this does not sound like anything I have heard of or read about.

The 'golden' part is throwing me. If the turtle was shedding scutes or if they were wearing away, I would call it shell rot. This would expose a fairly colorless underlayer that is generally off-white/tan. I suppose it could be considered 'golden' under some conditions.

If it is a shell rot, it could be caused by many conditions, so our first job is to review daily cares, housing, and diet. A good site to use for the review is http://www.austinsturtlepage.com

Next, we take general care measures:
- boost water temps about 5 degrees
- reduce stress, vibrations, handling, etc.
- make sure everything is very clean
- use either a 'Turtle Sulfa Dip' product or a fish 'Stress Coat' product to deal with secondary issues

Now- shell rot takes a LONG time to reverse, but you should start seeing results in a couple weeks.

As for the lighting- unless your lights are brighter than the sun, and as long as they can find some shade, this is not a problem!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: many thanks.  Considering your information, in light of Austin's Turtle Page (which you suggested), I would guess my turtle is suffering from "dry scud" which Austin suggests might to some extent be normal.  austin mentions "white patches" and at a certain angle, the patches do look white.  I think I should try the most conservative (least disruptive) treatment, i.e. what you suggested and using a "stress coat" product.  Which brand names do you recommend?  Can the turtle be treated without being removed from the tank? Austin's method seems to require removal from the tank and I suspect is intended for more seriously ill turtles.  

Answer
Stress Coat as far as I know will be whichever brand your local store carries, but they should all be about the same.

Now, if it IS Dry Scud, you may want to skip the minimal effort and move straight to the aggressive version- this stuff is tough to fight! Use the earlier measures, but also swab the infected area with straight Betadine Solution and let it dry for a couple hours before returning the turtle to the water.