Herps Flashcards
Many reptile and amphibian emergencies are the end result of improper _____ and/or _____.
husbandry, nutrition
What are the general signs of a sick reptile?
- decrease appetite
- lethargy
- change in colour (paler or darker)
- constipation
- diarrhea
- regurgitation
- oral or nasal discharge
- difficulty breathing (audible sounds)
- lameness
- change in body or limb shape
- swellings, nodules on head, trunk or limbs
- swollen coelom
- neuro signs (weakness, ataxia, paresis, paralysis)
What are the general signs of a sick amphibian?
- decrease appetite
- tacky skin = dehydration
- terrestrial amphibians hanging in or near water’s edge
- splayed legs, head down, eyes closed, reduced righting reflexes
- anurans: eyes wide open with dilated pupils that don’t respond well to PLR
- skin changes (colour, mucous production)
- bloating, esp in aquatic spp.
- swollen limbs + eyes
What is the first rule of a herp PE?
safety first!
what is one of the most common clinical findings in reptiles and amphibians on PE?
obesity
When should you collect diagnostic specimens from a herp?
while doing PE
When metabolic bone disease (MBD) is suspected in a herp, what do you need to be especially careful of during PE?
manipulating the jaw
care should be taken when manipulating the jaw in normal herps too!
reptiles and amphibians have ____ control over their pupils.
voluntary
when compared to mammals, herp oral cavities and mucus membranes are ______.
paler
____ temperatures are useful, especially in larger reptile species which can maintain their body temperature for up to ____ ____.
cloacal, 24 hours
How can you determine heart rate in a herp other than using a stethoscope?
- direct visualization of the apical heartbeat via transillumination at the xiphoid
- Doppler or B-mode ultrasound
what is extremely important to know when handling amphibians?
keep them wet!!!
amphibian POTZ’s are ____ than reptiles
lower
when dealing with amphibians, beware of ____ shock, especially from ____ and _____.
thermal
transport, handling
When handling amphibians, like during the PE, what should you do with your hands?
put on gloves (powder free nitrile or vinyl) and keep hands/gloves moist
why should you wear gloves when examining amphibians?
- decreases epithelial damage
- decreases danger of transdermal absorption of lotions/creams
- protects against toxic or noxious excretions
_____ movements can be used for resp rate monitoring in amphibians.
gular (throat)
Before administering drugs to herps, what is really important to do?
warm herp slowly to POTZ
tell me the prognosis for herps with the following mentations/processes:
1. semi-comatose to comatose
2. normal to dull reactions to environment and stimuli
3. acute processes
4. chronic processes
- guarded to grave
- better prognosis
- better prognosis
- poorer prognosis
What are the C/S of shock in a herp?
- weakness/depressed mentation
- tachycardia
- pale/discolored mm
- vasoconstriction of intramural vessels & ventral abdominal vein
- prolonged CRT
- dilated pupils
How do you asses a herp’s hydration status?
- mm moisture
- skin gliding over underlying tissue
- ocular globe position
- PCV/TP if values known
how do you correct a fluid deficit in a herp?
slowly!
acute losses: 12-36 h
chronic losses/dehydration: 48-96 h
when deciding which fluid to choose for a reptile, what should you look at?
plasma osmolality
what is the maintenance dosage of fluids for reptiles? what sort of fluids are appropriate for most lizards and snakes? what fluids are appropriate for chelonians?
10-15 mL/kg/day
balanced electrolyte solutions (plasmalyet, normosol, LRS) - lizards/snakes
BES, LRS, 50:50 LRS & 0.45% saline - chelonians