Coagulopathy secondary to chronic hepatopathy in three lizards

Liver disease is prevalent in reptiles, but the understanding of the secondary consequences of liver disease in reptile patients is far from understood. This case series details three lizards that developed coagulopathy secondary to hepatopathies. Two green iguanas (Iguana iguana) both diagnosed with severe hepatic fibrosis experienced coagulopathies—one with fatal exsanguination from a broken toenail and the second case with acute pulmonary hemorrhage. A Mali uromastyx (Uromastyx maliensis) diagnosed with severe hepatic lipidosis experienced acute severe respiratory distress secondary to acute tracheal hemorrhage. The occurrence of pulmonary or tracheal hemorrhage in two patients appears notable, however, more cases are needed to determine significance. All three cases had hepatopathies diagnosed by computed tomography, prior to the coagulation related complications. Based upon the cases presented here, it is recommended that coagulopathic sequelae of liver disease be considered in lizards with hepatopathies.

Eventration in Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

Background: The reptile class could be considered one of the biggest vertebrate groups and are divided in orders and suborders according to their characteristics. These animals’ maintenance in captivity, either at home, captive bred or at zoos, can generate risk to their health, if the required cares are not given for each respective species. The lack of individual cares could lead to bone and muscular diseases and to traumatic lesions in soft tissues, mainly in the coelomic cavity. The report that is being presented aims to describe the case of a green iguana (Iguana iguana) that presented an increase of volume in the coelomic cavity. The animal belongs to the squad of the Zoo “Dr. Fábio de Sá Barreto”.Case: A green iguana arrived at the Zoo in February 2019 coming from another Zoo, with already an increase of volume in the coelomic cavity. The animal was put in quarantine and later on, it was put in display at a terrarium in the Zoo considered adequate to reptiles, with another seven green iguanas along with an argentine tegu (Salvator rufescens). Their feed was offered in the morning and was composed of fruits, vegetables and flowers like hibiscus. In the end of July 2019, it was reported by the attendant that the animal was presented with anorexia and prostration, and these symptoms progressed to neurologic signs, as it walked in circles. So, the animal was evaluated by the Zoo veterinarians and on exam they noticed lethargy, dehydration, absence of reflexes (pupillary, eyelid and painful), locomotion difficulty and when the iguana moves, it walks in circles. The increase in volume had the same size as reported in February and a soft consistency. After that, the animal was interned and treated according to the symptoms and the clinical evolution. Ten days after the hospitalization, the animal was still not eating, and locomotion stopped completely. It was performed in an ultrasonographic exam evaluating all the coelomic cavity, in which a great anechoic area was visualized, and a true hernia was diagnosed. However, the content of the hernia was not identified. In the next day, the animal died, and, in the necropsy, it was possible to verify that the increase in volume was actually a bladder eventration. The eventration occurred due to a laceration in the coelomic cavity musculature that allows the passage of the bladder to the subcutaneous space and its incarceration. So, the elimination of the urine and of nitrogen compounds was difficult and a large accumulation of uric acid from the bladder to the urodeo.Discussion: Iguana iguana is a uricotelic animal, which means that the main nitrogenous waste product is uric acid. Nevertheless, ammonia is also eliminated in less quantity, because of the excess of protein in the diet. These animals eliminate around 98 to 99% of the nitrogen compounds as uric acid and less than 1% as ammonia, which prove that it is possible for the accumulation of ammonia in reptiles, if any obstacle in its elimination exists. The excess of ammonia is extremely toxic to the organism, leading to emesis, irritability, lethargy, anorexia, ataxia, motor difficulties, behavioral and neurological changes, and could progress to coma or even death. The bladder incarceration reported in this case, made it impossible for the excretion of urine, uric acid and ammonia, and these compounds remained accumulated. So, the clinical signs, along with the necropsy findings, were suggestive of intoxication by ammonia accumulation which could be responsible for the signs presented by the animal and the evolution to neurologic symptoms, coma and death.

Using Google Trends to Determine Current, Past, and Future Trends in the Reptile Pet Trade

Reptiles are one of the most popular exotic pets in the world, with over a third of all described species currently being traded. However, the most commonly available reptiles are typically non-threatened, captive-bred, and/or domestically obtained, which means they are also largely unregulated and unmonitored, resulting in a large portion of the reptile pet trade remaining unknown. In this study, the past, current, and future trends of the most popular reptiles in the pet trade were examined. Google Trends was used to determine the global popularity of the most popular pets from 2004 to 2020 and compared to the results from an online survey sent to individuals involved in the reptile trade. The most popular pets from the previous five years were also compared globally across regions and countries. The results determined that the most popular reptile species during the last decade is by far bearded dragons, followed by ball pythons and leopard geckos. Although the survey results were similar when asked what the top reptiles were, most respondents named ball pythons as the most popular reptile. However, when asked what reptiles had lost the most popularity during the previous decade, the survey respondents named green iguanas, Burmese pythons, chameleons, red-eared sliders, and green anoles, concurring with what was found with Google Trends. The reptiles thought to be more popular in the upcoming decade by the survey participants were blue-tongued skinks, tegus, uromastyx, crested geckos, and ball pythons—most of which did indeed show an increase in popularity during the last decade, as indicated with Google Trends. The results from Google Trends demonstrated that ball pythons and crested geckos have increased their popularity more than any other reptile in the last two decades. Reptile popularity also differed between countries, with bearded dragons the most popular reptile in Australia, Western Europe, the U.S., and Canada. Leopard geckos were the most popular reptile in Italy and Turkey, and ball pythons were the reptile of choice in Mexico, Indonesia, and India. The general finding of this study is that the reptiles declining in popularity were mostly wild-caught or restricted due to regulations, while current and future species were captive-bred and available in many varieties or morphs. The most popular species were also docile, medium-sized, and easy to handle, with relatively simple care requirements. This study demonstrates that Google Trends can be a useful tool for determining relative popularity among reptiles, or any other pet group, with results closely mirroring those obtained through direct surveying of people involved in the pet trade. However, unlike surveys, this analysis is quick, quantifiable, and can show what is popular and in-demand not only at the global level but at much finer scales. Thus, Google Trends can be a valuable tool in many research applications, especially in topics that may otherwise be difficult to monitor and quantify.

Systemic Helicobacter infection and associated mortalities in endangered Grand Cayman blue iguanas (Cyclura lewisi) and introduced green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

The Blue Iguana Recovery Programme maintains a captive breeding and head-starting program for endangered Grand Cayman blue iguanas (Cyclura lewisi) on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. In May 2015, program staff encountered two lethargic wild Grand Cayman blue iguanas within the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park (QEIIBP). Spiral-shaped bacteria were identified on peripheral blood smears from both animals, which molecular diagnostics identified as a novel Helicobacter species (provisionary name Helicobacter sp. GCBI1). Between March 2015 and February 2017, 11 Grand Cayman blue iguanas were identified with the infection. Two of these were found dead and nine were treated; five of the nine treated animals survived the initial infection. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene suggests Helicobacter sp. GCBI1 is most closely related to Helicobacter spp. in chelonians. We developed a Taqman qPCR assay specific for Helicobacter sp. GCBI1 to screen tissue and/or blood samples from clinical cases, fecal and cloacal samples from clinically healthy Grand Cayman blue iguanas, including previously infected and recovered iguanas, and iguanas housed adjacent to clinical cases. Fecal and/or cloacal swab samples were all negative, suggesting that Grand Cayman blue iguanas do not asymptomatically carry this organism nor shed this pathogen per cloaca post infection. Retrospective analysis of a 2014 mortality event affecting green iguanas (Iguana iguana) from a separate Grand Cayman location identified Helicobacter sp. GCBI1 in two of three cases. The source of infection and mode of transmission are yet to be confirmed. Analysis of rainfall data reveal that all infections occurred during a multi-year dry period, and most occurred shortly after the first rains at the end of seasonal drought. Additionally, further screening has identified Helicobacter sp. GCBI1 from choanal swabs of clinically normal green iguanas in the QEIIBP, suggesting they could be asymptomatic carriers and a potential source of the pathogen.

Comparison of three ECG machines for electrocardiography in green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

The aim of the study was to compare the heart rate, QRS interval, and R wave amplitude across three electrocardiogram models, and assess the ability of each of them to provide electrocardiograms (ECG) for clinical interpretation. The three electrocardiogram models included ECG Seiva Praktik Veterinary, CardioStore ECG and AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor. The data were collected from twelve healthy adult captive green iguanas (Iguana iguana) monitored under a manual restraint at a room temperature of 22.6–28.0 °C. The ECGs using the Seiva Praktik and CardioStore ECG veterinary electrocardiography were performed with standard 4 lead ECG recordings. The AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor was placed (with the use of gel) directly on the lateral body wall. The mean heart rate was 42 ± 8 beats/min (CardioStore), 50 ± 11 beats/min (Seiva Praktik Veterinary), and 51 ± 9 beats/min (AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor). No significant difference in the heart rate was observed. A significant difference (P < 0.05) in the QRS duration was observed between the CardioStore and AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor. Significant differences (P < 0.01) in the R wave amplitude were detected between the CardioStore and AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor and between the Seiva Praktik Veterinary and AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor. The ECGs produced by the Seiva Praktik VVeeterinary and CardioStore machines were interpretable at 100%, while those produced by the AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor were interpretable at 66%. Seiva Praktik Veterinary is most appropriately used as an anaesthesia monitoring tool. AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor could be used as an additional diagnostic tool, but the results should be ideally confirmed with a standard ECG machine. Seiva Praktik Veterinary is the most appropriate tool for monitoring the ECG within the anaesthesia, while CardioStore might be most appropriately used as an advanced diagnostic tool by virtue of its software assistance. The ECGs obtained with AliveCor Veterinary Heart Monitor should be confirmed using a standard ECG machine.

Influence of light/dark cycle and orexins on breathing control in green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

Light/dark cycle affects the physiology of vertebrates and hypothalamic orexin neurons (ORX) are involved in this function. The breathing pattern of the green iguana changes from continuous to episodic across the light/dark phases. Since the stimulatory actions of ORX on breathing are most important during arousal, we hypothesized that ORX regulates changes of breathing pattern in iguanas. Thus, we: (1) Localized ORX neurons with immunohistochemistry; (2) Quantified cyclic changes in plasma orexin-A levels by ELISA; (3) Compared breathing pattern at rest and during hypoxia and hypercarbia; (4) Evaluated the participation of the ORX receptors in ventilation with intracerebroventricular microinjections of ORX antagonists during light and dark phases. We show that the ORX neurons of I. iguana are located in the periventricular hypothalamic nucleus. Orexin-A peaks during the light/active phase and breathing parallels these cyclic changes: ventilation is higher during the light phase than during the dark phase. However, inactivation of ORX-receptors does not affect the breathing pattern. Iguanas increase ventilation during hypoxia only during the light phase. Conversely, CO2 promotes post-hypercarbic hyperpnea during both phases. We conclude that ORXs potentiate the post-hypercarbic (but not the hypoxic)-drive to breathe and are not involved in light/dark changes in the breathing pattern.