Lecture 11: Lizards

Neutrophile toxic changes

• Degranulation

• Cytoplasmic basophilia

• In distinct vaaculation

• Abnormal granules

Erytrhocytes toxic changes

• Basophilic inclusions

• Cytoplasmic basophilia

• Abnormal nuclei

What should you ask lizard owners about?

Specific diet and their terrarium set-up

What does lizard cornea lack?

Descemet’s membrane

What controls movement of the eye?

Striated muscles

What should the nostrils look like?

Should be clear, nasal salt glands may be present in tropical lizards

What is the pineal “eye” used for at the top of the head?

Thermoregulation

• Short root firm attachment

• Do not regenerate

Acrodont

• Longer roots, weak attachments

• Regenerate throughout life

Pleurodont

What lizard may require vet attention for their tongue?

Chameleon

What is seen with hypovitaminosis A?

Squamous metaplasia

What is seen with vit. A toxicity

Skin shedding/erythemaW

What is seen with vit. D toxicity?

Organ mineralization

What is hepatic lipidosis secondary to?

Acute starvation

What is metabolic bone disease caucused by?

Bad light, low/high temperatures, low calcium/high phosphorus diet

What can metabolic bone disease cause?

Poorly mineralized eggs, dystocia, and cloacal prolapse, osteopenia, and fibrous osteodystrophy

What bladder stones are associated with iguanas on a protein rich diet?

Uric acid salts

• Accumlation of uric acid salts in multiple tissues

• Most commonly affects joints causing a painful swelling

• Associated w/ animal protein-rich diet

Gout

What is egg binding associated with?

Disease (pelvic lesions), malnutrition, sedentarism (lack of exercise), husbandry (temp or humidity)

What is hind limb paralysis associated with?

• Malnutrtion and dehydration

• Metabolic bone disease

• Gout

• Trauma

• Constipation and egg binding

Systemic bacterial disease

Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease (SCUD)

Common localized bacterial infections

• Abscesses

• Infectious stomatitis

• Pneumonia

• Cloacitis

What commonly causes SCUD in turtles?

Citrobacter w/Serratia or Vibrio

What causes SCUD in snakes/lizards?

• Unhygeinic husbandry/heater burns

• Aermonas and psuedomonas w/ fungal organisms

Common locations of abscesses

Subcutaneous or visceral

Causes of abscesses in lizards

• Trauma

• Poor husbandry

• Vit. A deficiency

Treatment of abscesses in lizards

• Surgical extirpation

• Marsupialize large abscesses

What lesions are seen with mouth rot?

• Oral cavity petechiation

• Caseous inflammation of dental arcades

• Infection spreads to mandibular/maxillary osteomyelitis

• Respiratory or intestinal infection in poorly managed cases

Common causes of mouth rot

Aeromonas and Psuedomonas

Treatment of mouth rot

• Surgical debridement and antiseptic irrigation

• Systemic antibiotics

• Supportive therapy

• Vitamin supplementation

Causes of pneumonia

• Secondary to parasitism

• Inappropriate temps or humidity

• Insuffient ventilation

• Unsanitary husbandry

• Malnutrition (Vitamin A deficiency)

CS w/pneumonia

Open mouth breathing, dyspnea, nasal or glottal discharge

Common organisms that cause pneumonia

Aeromonas and psuedomonas

Treatment of pneumonia

• Improve husbandry

• Systemic and/or nebulization antibiotic therapy

• Mid to high optimal temperature

• Vitamin A supplementation

Causes of cloacitis

Traumatic

Lesions seen with cloacitis

Edema and hemopurulent discharge, cloacal calculi, pericloacal abscesses

CS of cloacitis

Tenemus

Sequela of cloacitis

Ascending infections and prolapses

Therapy of cloacitis

Surgical debridement and wound treatment, systemic antibiotics

Diagnostics of cloacitist

Fecal exam and rads

causes rhinitis and URI in chelonians, polyserositis in crocadilians

Mycoplasmosis

Diagnosis for mycoplasmosis

Bacterial isolation, PCR, serologic diagnostic

Treatment of mycoplasmosis

Tetracycline and macrolides

Causes chronic wasting and granulomas in the visera of lizards and snakes

Mycobacteriosis

Treatment of mycobacteriosis

None (Rifampin and isoniazid are hepatotoxic)

3 sites of blood draw from lizards

• Ventral coccygeal v.

• Ventral abdominal/colemic v.

• Jugular (most difficult)

Can pull up to __% of body weight

0.5%

When can you draw blood from crocodyliana?

Supravertebral vessel

Where can you draw blood from Sauria?

• Ventral coccygeal v.

• Orbital sinus

• Ventral abdominal v.

Which type of fluid therapy is least effective?

PO

What is the best method but the most difficult?

IV

What kind of fluid should you use for SQ?

Hypotonic fluid

How long should you wait if you draw the max amount of blood?

10 days

A client brings in their pet iguana. During the physical exam, you note the presence of a spectacle covering the cornea. This indicates which of the following? a) The iguana has an eye infection. b) The iguana has eyelids that are fused together. c) The iguana is nocturnal. d) The cornea has a Descemet's membrane.

b) The iguana has eyelids that are fused together.

You are examining a lizard and notice that its teeth have short roots with firm attachments and appear not to be regenerating. This type of dentition is known as: a) Pleurodont b) Acrodont c) Thecodont (not mentioned in sources) d) Heterodont (not mentioned in sources)

b) Acrodont

A lizard endemic to a tropical area presents with excessive clear discharge from its nostrils. This is most likely due to: a) A respiratory infection. b) Nasal salt glands involved in osmoregulation. c) Poor husbandry and unsanitary conditions. d) An allergic reaction to its substrate.

b) Nasal salt glands involved in osmoregulation.

During a physical exam of a lizard, you attempt to auscultate the heart. What is the likely outcome? a) You will clearly hear distinct heart sounds. b) Auscultation is generally unhelpful in lizards. c) You can only hear the heart sounds if the lizard is sedated. d) Specialized equipment is required to auscultate a lizard's heart.

b) Auscultation is generally unhelpful in lizards

A reptile keeper reports that their lizard's skin is shedding in multiple small pieces rather than one large piece. According to the sources, this could be a sign of: a) Normal shedding in some lizard species. b) Vitamin A toxicity. c) Hypovitaminosis A (Squamous metaplasia). d) Parasitic skin infection. (not directly supported in this context)

c) Hypovitaminosis A (Squamous metaplasia)

A client’s iguana is exhibiting lethargy and has developed soft swellings in its limbs. Radiographs reveal decreased bone density. The owner reports feeding it primarily fruits and vegetables with infrequent dusting of calcium. This presentation is most consistent with: a) Gout b) Hypovitaminosis A c) Metabolic bone disease (Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism) d) Septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease (SCUD)

c) Metabolic bone disease (Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism)

An iguana is presented with a painful swelling in its joints. The owner mentions feeding it a diet high in animal protein. This is a common finding in: a) Bladder stones b) Egg binding c) Gout d) Mouth rot

c) Gout

A female bearded dragon is brought in because she is straining and appears unable to lay her eggs. Potential causes for this egg binding (dystocia) mentioned in the sources include: a) A diet excessively high in calcium. (not directly supported) b) Lack of a suitable nesting site. c) Increased exercise and strong muscle tone. (contradictory to weak muscles causing dystocia) d) Consistently low environmental humidity.

b) Lack of a suitable nesting site. c) Increased exercise and strong muscle tone. (contradictory to weak muscles causing dystocia)

Hind leg paralysis in a lizard can be associated with which of the following conditions mentioned in the sources? a) Excessive shedding (dysecdysis) b) Vitamin C deficiency (not explicitly mentioned) c) Metabolic bone disease d) Normal musculoskeletal development. (contradictory)

c) Metabolic bone disease

A lizard presents with subcutaneous swellings. The most likely cause from the options below is: a) Pneumonia b) Abscesses c) Bladder stones d) Salmonellosis

b) Abscesses

Which of the following bacterial organisms is commonly associated with mouth rot (infectious stomatitis) in lizards? a) Mycobacterium spp. b) Salmonella spp. c) Aeromonas spp. d) Chlamydia spp.

c) Aeromonas spp.

A lizard is showing signs of open-mouth breathing and has a nasal discharge. These clinical signs are most consistent with: a) Cloacitis b) Pneumonia c) Mouth rot d) Skin disease

b) Pneumonia

Poor husbandry, particularly inappropriate temperature or humidity, is a common predisposing factor for which of the following lizard ailments? a) Bladder stones b) Egg binding c) Pneumonia d) Hind leg paralysis due to trauma

c) Pneumonia

Salmonellosis in reptiles is important to consider because: a) It always causes severe disease in lizards. (not stated as always severe) b) It is a normal part of their gastrointestinal flora and has zoonotic potential. c) It is easily treated with over-the-counter medications. (antibiotics are usually required) d) It only affects young or immunocompromised lizards. (not specified)

b) It is a normal part of their gastrointestinal flora and has zoonotic potential.

A lizard is diagnosed with mycobacteriosis. According to the lecture, what is the typical treatment outcome? a) It is usually successfully treated with tetracyclines. (tetracyclines are for mycoplasmosis) b) It can be cured with long-term administration of rifampin and isoniazid. (these are hepatotoxic) c) Treatment is generally not safe or effective, and the prognosis is poor. d) Surgical removal of granulomas is often curative. (only addresses lesions, not systemic infection)

c) Treatment is generally not safe or effective, and the prognosis is poor.

When performing a blood draw on a lizard weighing over 200g, which of the following sites is recommended and can be used with a syringe? a) Orbital sinus (used for lizards under 200g and can be painful) b) Jugular vein (most difficult) c) Ventral coccygeal vein d) Ventral abdominal/coelomic vein (primarily for Iguanas and large lizards)

c) Ventral coccygeal vein

For fluid therapy in a dehydrated lizard with an active gut, which route of administration is considered the least effective? a) Intravenous (IV) b) Intraosseous (IO) c) Subcutaneous (SQ) d) Per os (PO)

d) Per os (PO)

When handling a green iguana for an examination, what precaution is specifically mentioned in the "Pearls" section of the lecture? a) Always use heavy gloves to prevent bites. (not specifically mentioned) b) Be prepared for pinching. (mentioned for chameleons) c) Recommend a second person for handling. d) Avoid restraining them too tightly around the abdomen

c) Recommend a second person for handling.

A client mentions they feed their insectivorous lizard a diet solely of "pinkies" (newborn mice). Based on the lecture, this diet could lead to: a) Excessive calcium intake. (pinkies are low in calcium) b) Metabolic bone disease due to low calcium. c) Vitamin D toxicity. (unlikely as sole consequence of low calcium) d) Adequate nutrition and proper bone mineralization. (contradictory)

b) Metabolic bone disease due to low calcium

You observe nucleated and ovoid red blood cells in a blood smear from an iguana. This is considered: a) A toxic change indicating a bacterial infection. b) A key feature of normal iguana hematology. c) A sign of anemia. (not directly stated) d) An indication of dehydration. (not directly stated)

b) A key feature of normal iguana hematology.