Reptiles Flashcards
Clade of turtles, crocodiles and birds
Archosauria
Family of turtles
Chelonians
Family of caimans, crocodiles, alligators
Crocodylidae
Clade of lizards, snakes and amphibians
Lepidosauria
Family of tuataras
Sphenodontidae
What are red eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) used to study?
Anoxia tolerance and neuroglobin
What are whiptails (Aspidoscelis) used to study?
Parthenogenesis
What are Anoles (Anolis carolinensis) used to study?
Reproductive morphology, behavior, locomotion, hemoglobin biology
What are Tokay geckos used to study?
Adhesive properties of their toes
Some reptiles require UVB light for endogenous production of Vitamin ___.
D3 (290-300 nm wavelength)
Distance between a reptile’s cage and UVB source
24 inches above the animal
Relative humidity for reptiles
30-70%
Type of disinfectants that are toxic to reptiles
Phenolic compounds
Chambers of a reptile’s heart - are any groups different?
3 chambers for most; crocodilians have 4 chambers
Waste secreted in urine in aquatic, semiaquatic and terrestrial reptiles
Aquatic - Ammonia
Semiaquatic - Urea
Terrestrial - Uric acid
What does a pit organ do and who has them?
Sense infrared heat (Prey targeting)
Some snakes have them (pit vipers)
What is a parietal eye and who has them?
A “third eye” with photoreceptors for low light detection
Some lizards
What are azurophils?
Snake monocytes
Mycoplasmosis
-No CS in healthy iguanas, resp dz in snakes, tortoises and turtles and severe lethal dz in crocodilians
-CS = Chronic resp dysfunction, swollen eyelids
-ZOONOTIC
-DX = ELISA, PCR, culture
Mycobacteriosis
-TM = Ingestion, direct contact
-Chelonians most susceptible
-CS = Systemic, wasting, cloacal d/c, open mouth breathing
-DX = PCR, acid fast or Ziehl-Neelsen stains
-Tx = Euth
Herpesvirus
-Alphaherpesvirinae
-Marine turtles very susceptible
-Lifelong latent infxns
-CS = Resp signs, fibropapillomatosis (young sea turtles), stomatitis/papillomas (lizards)
Adenovirus
-TM = Fecal/oral, aerosol
-CS = Acute death or weight loss, diarrhea, anorexia, CNS signs (if secondary bacterial infxn)
-Path = Hepatic necrosis
-DX =PCR, ISH
-Disinfect with 10% bleach
Poxvirus
-Enveloped, DNA (but replicates in cytoplasm)
-TM = Direct contact, fomites, bugs
-CS = Young; White to brown foci on skin, pruritic, weight loss, edema
-DX = ICIBs, ballooning epidermal cells, PCR
-Tx = Debride skin lesions, abx, low stress
-CX = 1% KOH, steam or 2% NaOH
Paramyxovirus
-Enveloped, RNA, genus ferlavirus
-Viperid snakes w/ high M/M
-TM = Fecal/oral
-CS = Open mouth breathing, caseous material in oral cavity, anorexia, sudden death, CNS signs
-DX = IHC, ISH, PCR
-Grave prognosis
Arenavirus
-Enveloped, RNA
-Inclusion body disease; boas and pythons
-TM = Ophiomysus natricis mites
-CS = CNS signs, regurgitation*, secondary infxns
-Path = ICIBs in brain, kidneys, pancreas, liver
-DX = PCR
-CX = Euth, keep non-boid species separate from boas
Reovirus
-Non-enveloped, RNA, genus orthoreovirus
-CS = Incoordination, convulsions, pneumonia, stomatitis, GI signs
-Path = Proliferative tracheitis, interstitial pneumonia
-DX = PCR, EM
-Tx = None
-CX = Paracetic acid
Ranavirus
-DNA, enveloped or not, family iridoviridae
-TM = Crickets, ingestion
-Chelonians, high M/M
-CS = UD with hyperkeratosis, oculonasal d/c, conjunctivitis, stomatitis, SC cervical edema, lethargy, anorexia
-Path = Necrotizing inflammation of pharyngeal submucosa
-DX = PCR
-CX = Euth, disinfect
Papillomavirus
-Family papillomaviridae, DNA, enveloped
-CS = Small, raised lesions on turtles and black, papillated, exophytic proliferations on snakes
-Path = IC vacuoles and INIB in epithelial cells
-TX = Regress, leave alone if no issues
Entamoeba invadens
-Single nucleus and lobose pseudopod
-Most clinically significant amoeba –> High mortality in snakes and lizards
-Direct life cycle (fecal/oral)
-CS = Immobile, anorexia, regurgitation, bloody diarrhea
-Path = Intestinal hemorrhage, ulceration, enteritis, dipdots on liver
-DX = Trophozoites on fecal smear
-CX = Metronidazole, disinfect with chlorine dioxide
Metabolic bone disease
-Ca deficiency, negative Ca:P or lack of UVB light
-Common in young and reproductively active females
-CS = Pliable mandible, rounded skull, fractures, reluctance to move, osteodystrophy, paresis
-DX = Rads
-TX = Diet fix, UVB exposure, supplementation
Hypovitaminosis A
-Chelonians
-CS = Hyperkeratosis or squamous metaplasia of resp, ocular, GIT
-TX = Debridement of ocular lesions, vit A supplementation
Gout
-Overproduction of uric acid (end product of purine metabolism) or conditions that affect normal balance
-CS = Urate crystals in multiple organs
-TX = Allopurinol, probenecid, NSAIDs
