Diagnosis and surgical management of idiopathic bile duct cysts in a bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

The case presented shows the clinical signs, diagnosis and surgical management of idiopathic bile duct cysts in a bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). A 12-year-old female bearded dragon presented with constipation resulting from the consumption of sand. A soft mass about 4 cm wide could be palpated in the mid-coelom after the substrate passed. The animal started eating, but soon started showing signs of kyphosis. Ultrasound, radiography and computed tomography examinations revealed that the mass was a cyst 4 cm in diameter. Diagnostic laparotomy was performed and the large cyst and affected liver tissue were removed with a partial hepatectomy. Cytology of the cyst was unremarkable, but histopathological examination showed the lesions to be bile duct cysts. No sign of malignancy or inflammation could be seen.

Neuraxial administration of morphine combined with lidocaine induces regional antinociception in inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

OBJECTIVE To assess the antinociceptive efficacy and safety of neuraxial morphine in inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). ANIMALS 10 healthy adult bearded dragons. PROCEDURES Animals were sedated with alfaxalone (15 mg/kg) SC prior to neuraxial injections. In a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover design, animals received preservative-free morphine (0.5 mg/kg) combined with lidocaine (2 mg/kg) or lidocaine (2 mg/kg) only (control treatment). For both treatments, saline (0.9% NaCl) solution was used for dilution to a total volume of 0.3 mL/kg. If the initial injection did not result in motor block of the pelvic limbs or cloaca relaxation within 10 minutes, a second injection was performed. Measurements consisted of bilateral mechanical stimulation of the limbs and at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the trunk’s length as well as cloacal tone to assess spread and duration of motor block. Pelvic limb withdrawal latencies in response to a thermal noxious stimulus were measured over a 48-hour period to assess antinociception. RESULTS Success rate following the first injection was 90% (18/20 injections) and increased to 100% following a second injection. Motor block occurred within 5 minutes with both treatments. Pelvic limb withdrawal latencies were significantly prolonged following neuraxial morphine versus control treatment for at least 12 hours after injection. By 24 hours, no effect of morphine on pelvic limb latencies was detectable. CLINICAL RELEVANCE These results demonstrated that neuraxial administration of morphine results in regional antinociceptive effects for at least 12 hours and has no clinically relevant adverse effects in healthy bearded dragons. This technique has potential for providing regional analgesia in this species.

Single-dose pharmacokinetics of orally administered terbinafine in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) and the antifungal susceptibility patterns of Nannizziopsis guarroi

OBJECTIVE To identify the antifungal susceptibility of Nanniziopsis guarroi isolates and to evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetics of orally administered terbinafine in bearded dragons. ANIMALS 8 healthy adult bearded dragons. PROCEDURES 4 isolates of N guarroi were tested for antifungal susceptibility. A compounded oral solution of terbinafine (25 mg/mL [20 mg/kg]) was given before blood (0.2 mL) was drawn from the ventral tail vein at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after administration. Plasma terbinafine concentrations were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS The antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations against N guarroi isolates ranged from 4,000 to > 64,000 ng/mL for fluconazole, 125 to 2,000 ng/mL for itraconazole, 125 to 2,000 ng/mL for ketoconazole, 125 to 1,000 ng/mL for posaconazole, 60 to 250 ng/mL for voriconazole, and 15 to 30 ng/mL for terbinafine. The mean ± SD peak plasma terbinafine concentration in bearded dragons was 435 ± 338 ng/mL at 13 ± 4.66 hours after administration. Plasma concentrations remained > 30 ng/mL for > 24 hours in all bearded dragons and for > 48 hours in 6 of 8 bearded dragons. Mean ± SD terminal half-life following oral administration was 21.2 ± 12.40 hours. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Antifungal susceptibility data are available for use in clinical decision making. Results indicated that administration of terbinafine (20 mg/kg, PO, q 24 to 48 h) in bearded dragons may be appropriate for the treatment of dermatomycoses caused by N guarroi. Clinical studies are needed to determine the efficacy of such treatment.

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

Successful Treatment of Nannizziopsis guarroi Infection using Systemic Terbinafine in a Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

Nannizziopsis guarroi infection in lizards presents therapeutic challenges as reports of poor clinical outcomes, including antifungal toxicity, incomplete clearance of infection and recrudescence of infection are common. The case presented here describes the successful treatment of a N. guarroi infection using systemic terbinafine and environmental disinfection in a captive-bred central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). The lizard presented with darkly colored cutaneous lesions and mycologic culture samples were identified as N. guarroi using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization – Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF). Based upon the lack of clinical resolution of cutaneous lesions, weight loss, and reduced appetite, initial treatment with voriconazole was discontinued. Terbinafine was prescribed and weekly environmental disinfection with sodium hypochlorite was initiated until cutaneous clearance of the fungus was confirmed by negative culture, histopathology, and N. guarroi qPCR from cutaneous swab. Terbinafine treatment was discontinued after 80 days. There were no clinical signs of toxicity associated with the prolonged treatment and the lizard has not developed any cutaneous lesions or illness in more than two years of clinical follow up. While the most ideal treatment of N. guarroi is still being investigated, this case demonstrates a promising and safe treatment option for an increasingly common and devastating disease.

Molekularna detekcija i filoegenijska analiza adenovirusa povezanog s fatalnom bolesti juvenilnih bradatih agama (Pogona vitticeps) u Hrvatskoj

Australski su gušteri, bradate agame (Pogona vitticeps), vrlo popularni kućni ljubimci koji se uzgajaju u zatočeništvu u brojnim zemljama, a međunarodna trgovina ove vrste guštera nije zanemariva. Bradate agame su osjetljive na infekciju adenovirusom agamida tipa 1 (BDAdv-1) čiji je uzročnik usko povezan s raznim kliničkim znacima poput: iznenadne smrti, letargije, slabosti, proljeva, dehidracije, anoreksije, zaostajanja u rastu i neuroloških simptoma koji nastaju zbog oštećenja jetara. Opisana je fatalna bolest dviju juvenilnih bradatih agama u Hrvatskoj tijekom koje je detektirana infekcija adenovirusom. Osim slabosti, anoreksije, kaheksije i dehidracije, u jedne agame je bio naglašen opistotonus. U fecesu agama je postupkom lančane reakcije polimerazom dokazan adenovirus, dok je nukleotidnim sekvenciranjem i filogenijskom analizom nađena visoka podudarnost s BDAdv-1 izolatima iz bradatih agama u SAD-u, Austriji i Njemačkoj (>99,6 %-100 %), ali i s BDAdv-1 iz slobodnoživućih bradatih agama u Australiji (>99,2 %). Pokušaj izdvajanja virusa kroz dvije pasaže u pačjim embrijima ili deset pasaža u kokošjim embrijima nije dao pozitivan rezultat.

Dynamics of epigenetic modifiers and environmentally sensitive proteins in a reptile with temperature induced sex reversal

The mechanisms by which sex is determined, and how a sexual phenotype is stably maintained during adulthood, has been the focus of vigorous scientific inquiry. Resources common to the biomedical field (automated staining and imaging platforms) were leveraged to provide the first immunofluorescent data for a reptile species with temperature induced sex reversal. Two four-plex immunofluorescent panels were explored across three sex classes (sex reversed ZZf females, normal ZWf females, and normal ZZm males). One panel was stained for chromatin remodelling genes JARID2 and KDM6B, and methylation marks H3K27me3, and H3K4me3 (Jumonji Panel). The other CaRe panel stained for environmental response genes CIRBP and RelA, and H3K27me3 and H3K4me3. Our study characterised tissue specific expression and cellular localisation patterns of these proteins and histone marks, providing new insights to the molecular characteristics of adult gonads in a dragon lizard Pogona vitticeps. The confirmation that mammalian antibodies cross react in P. vitticeps paves the way for experiments that can take advantage of this new immunohistochemical resource to gain a new understanding of the role of these proteins during embryonic development, and most importantly for P. vitticeps, the molecular underpinnings of sex reversal.