PROTOCOLO DE TRATAMENTO DE IMPACTAÇÂO INTESTINAL POR CORPO ESTRANHO EM EUBLEPHARIS MACULARIUS

Devido à popularização de Geckos como pets e a falta de informação dos tutores, a incidência de problemas relacionados ao manejo sanitário e alimentar tem aumentado. Poucos relatos foram descritos sobre a ingestão de corpos estranhos e os seus devidos tratamentos em Geckos, o que torna relevante a descrição deste caso para um maior conhecimento acerca do manejo e das técnicas terapêuticas nessa espécie. Um Gecko Leopardo, sem sexo definido, com 7 meses de idade, pesando 29 gramas, vivia em um terrário, com papel toalha como substrato, condições de temperatura (25-30ºC), sem fonte de luz e umidade (50%), alimentado com presas vivas suplementadas com cálcio e vitamina D3. Segundo a tutora, o animal encontrava-se sem comer e com ausência de fezes a 2 dias. No exame físico apresentava-se apático e cavidade celómica encontrava-se dilatada com presença de conteúdo nodular firme palpável na região caudolateral. O paciente foi internado e submetido a tratamento médico com dose inicial de Lactulona de 0,5 ml/kg SID, Metroclopramida oral 0,7ml/kg SID, banho morno por 15 minutos TID. No quarto dia de internação foi adicionado a massagem com vibrador TID, aumentado para 230 ml/kg a dose da Lactulona e realizado fluidoterapia com Ringer Lactato na dose de 10% do peso do paciente. Em menos de 24 horas, após as mudanças no tratamento, o paciente defecou. No dia seguinte foi realizado exame radiográfico e foi adicionado cálcio oral na dose de 37ml/kg. No sétimo dia foi realizado a lactulona BID. No oitavo dia o paciente defecou, foi identificado papel toalha como corpo estranho. O paciente alimentou-se sozinho e recebeu alta no décimo dia após a realização de outro exame radiográfico. Os exames radiograficos foram realizados para diagnóstico e acompanhamento clínico do paciente no qual o primeiro havia conteúdo heterogênio em região de estômago e intestino. Nos dias seguintes houve diminuição significativa do conteúdo intraluminal de alças intestinais. A impactação por corpo estranho é um problema comum na clínica de répteis por estar diretamente relacionada ao manejo ambiental inadequado e deficiência nutricional destes animais. A ingestão de substrato utilizado no terrário é considerada uma das principais causas de estase no trato gastrointestinal, e consequentemente ocasionar problemas mais graves de quadros de obstrução (1). O tratamento medicamentoso juntamente com banho de água morna e a realização de massagem com vibrador foram eficazes para a eliminação do corpo estranho sem intervenção cirúrgica. Utilização de parelho vibratório em relato de constipação de Dragão-Barbudo também se mostrou eficaz no tratamento (2). Referências bibliográficas: 1. Mader DR. Reptile Medicine and Surgery. 2nd Ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2006. 2. Bastos AJB. Protocolo de tratamento de constipação em DragãoBarbudo (Pogona vitticeps) – Relato de caso. I Mostra Científica Dorothy Stang; 2019. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: constipação, répteis, estase

Evaluation of euthanasia methods using injectable agents in leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius)

Reptile euthanasia techniques are poorly described. This non-blinded randomized study compared pentobarbital, lidocaine, and potassium chloride (KCl) for leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) euthanasia at 20° Celsius and evaluated for post-mortem artifacts. Fifty-three non-clinical adult leopard gecko were scheduled for euthanasia due to Cryptosporidium varanii exposure. Based on pilot study results, geckos randomly received one of six treatments: intracoelomic (ICo) pentobarbital 400mg/kg (ICo-P4, n = 9) or 800mg/kg (ICo-P8, n = 9), intramuscular (IM) alfaxalone 20mg/kg followed by intracardiac (ICa) pentobarbital 800mg/kg (ICa-P, n = 9), KCl 10mEq/kg (ICa-K, n = 9), or lidocaine 100mg/kg (ICa-L, n = 9) or IM alfaxalone 20mg/kg (IM-A, n = 8, control). Serial Doppler heart rate assessments were performed until cardiac arrest, 30 minutes (ICa groups), or 60 minutes (ICo groups). Cardiac arrest occurred in 7/9, 9/9, 9/9, 8/9, and 8/9 geckos in ICo-P4, ICo-P8, ICa-P, ICa-K, and ICa-L, respectively, with median (range) times of 35 (25 - 45), 30 (15-60), 0 (0 - 6.33), 0 (0 - 0.05), and 0 (0 - 0.03) minutes. Side effects were noted in a subset of ICo-P (arched posture) and ICa-K (muscle spasms) geckos. Six geckos in ICa-L had Doppler sound resumption several hours following cessation, with three displaying spontaneous movement. All geckos in IM-A recovered. Intracardiac pentobarbital following IM alfaxalone caused rapid, permanent loss of heartbeat in all tested geckos. Intracoelomic pentobarbital was also effective but had a prolonged time to cardiac arrest. Intracardiac lidocaine is not recommended for leopard gecko euthanasia.

Determining the Effects of Serial Injections of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin on Plasma Testosterone Concentrations, Testicular Dynamics, and Semen Production in Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius)

Reptiles are highly susceptible to anthropogenic activities as a result of their narrow geographical ranges and habitat specialization, making them a conservation concern. Geckos represent one of the mega-diverse reptile lineages under pressure; however, limited assisted reproductive technologies currently exist for these animals. Exogenous pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) has been found to exhibit follicle stimulating hormone-like action and has been routinely used to alter reproductive hormones of vertebrates in assisted reproductive protocols. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of serial injections of 20 IU and 50 IU PMSG on circulating testosterone concentrations, testicular dynamics, and semen production in a model species of gecko. Twenty-four captive-bred, adult, male leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) were divided into three treatment groups and administered a once-weekly injection of either PMSG or saline for a total of nine weeks. Ultrasonographic testicular measurements, electrostimulation for semen collection, and venipuncture were performed on days 0, 21, 42, and 63. Right unilateral orchidectomies and epididymectomies were performed in all animals on day 63; tissues were submitted for histopathology. PMSG treated geckos had significantly higher testicular volumes and weights, spermatozoa motility, and spermatozoa concentrations compared with controls. However, there were no significant differences in testosterone concentrations by treatment or time. Under the conditions outlined, PMSG is effective at stimulating spermatogenesis and increasing testicular size, but not effective at increasing testosterone concentrations in the leopard gecko between October–December in the Northern hemisphere.

Genetics of white color and iridophoroma in “Lemon Frost” leopard geckos

The squamates (lizards and snakes) are close relatives of birds and mammals, with more than 10,000 described species that display extensive variation in a number of important biological traits, including coloration, venom production, and regeneration. Due to a lack of genomic tools, few genetic studies in squamates have been carried out. The leopard gecko, Eublepharis macularius, is a popular companion animal, and displays a variety of coloration patterns. We took advantage of a large breeding colony and used linkage analysis, synteny, and homozygosity mapping to investigate a spontaneous semi-dominant mutation, “Lemon Frost”, that produces white coloration and causes skin tumors (iridophoroma). We localized the mutation to a single locus which contains a strong candidate gene, SPINT1, a tumor suppressor implicated in human skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) and over-proliferation of epithelial cells in mice and zebrafish. Our work establishes the leopard gecko as a tractable genetic system and suggests that a tumor suppressor in melanocytes in humans can also suppress tumor development in iridophores in lizards.

Tooth Removal in the Leopard Gecko and the de novo Formation of Replacement Teeth

Many reptiles are able to continuously replace their teeth through life, an ability attributed to the existence of epithelial stem cells. Tooth replacement occurs in a spatially and temporally regulated manner, suggesting the involvement of diffusible factors, potentially over long distances. Here, we locally disrupted tooth replacement in the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) and followed the recovery of the dentition. We looked at the effects on local patterning and functionally tested whether putative epithelial stem cells can give rise to multiple cell types in the enamel organs of new teeth. Second generation teeth with enamel and dentine were removed from adult geckos. The dental lamina was either left intact or disrupted in order to interfere with local patterning cues. The dentition began to reform by 1 month and was nearly recovered by 2–3 months as shown in μCT scans and eruption of teeth labeled with fluorescent markers. Microscopic analysis showed that the dental lamina was fully healed by 1 month. The deepest parts of the dental lamina retained odontogenic identity as shown by PITX2 staining. A pulse-chase was carried out to label cells that were stimulated to enter the cell cycle and then would carry BrdU forward into subsequent tooth generations. Initially we labeled 70–78% of PCNA cells with BrdU. After a 1-month chase, the percentage of BrdU + PCNA labeled cells in the dental lamina had dropped to 10%, consistent with the dilution of the label. There was also a population of single, BrdU-labeled cells present up to 2 months post surgery. These BrdU-labeled cells were almost entirely located in the dental lamina and were the likely progenitor/stem cells because they had not entered the cell cycle. In contrast fragmented BrdU was seen in the PCNA-positive, proliferating enamel organs. Homeostasis and recovery of the gecko dentition was therefore mediated by a stable population of epithelial stem cells in the dental lamina.