Reptiles 2 Flashcards
What causes metabolic bone disease?
Abnormally low levels of calcium in the body
What is metabolic bone disease?
A disease characterized by weakening of skeletal bones
What are three things that can cause low levels of calcium?
Dietary calcium deficiency
Dietary vitamin D3 deficiency
Lack of UV light
Explain the process of metabolic bone disease 5
Decreased calcium causes
Secretion of parathyroid hormone that
Causes reabsorption of bone releasing CA
Then death
What are 8 symptoms of MBD in growing lizards?
Decreased appetite, weight loss, lameness, lack of trunkal lifting, reluctance to move, swelling of long bones and mandible, deformed bones, bone fractures
What are four symptoms of MBD in chelonians?
Malformed soft shell in young, anorexia small shell in adults
What are three ways to diagnose MBD?
Clinical signs
Radio graphs
Dietary history
What diet can lead to MBD in carnivores?
Organ meat or meat without the bone
What diet can lead to MBD in insectivores?
Calcium deficient insects
What diet can lead to MBD in herbivores?
Fruits and veggies low on calcium
What are six ways to treat MBD?
Cage rest Correct diet Splints Calcium supp Vit D3 supp UVB loghting
What species does hypovitaminosis A normally affect?
Turtles
What can cause hypo A? 2
Poor quality veggies and boneless meat
What does HypoA lead to?
Abnormal epithelial cells that thicken and dry lining the ocular, respiratory, GI, and urinary tracts
What are five signs of HypoA?
Lethargy Anorexia Weightloss Swollen eyelids Nasal/ocular discharge
What are three ways to doagnose HypoA?
Signs
Diet history
Response to treatment
What are 2 ways to treat HypoA?
SQ injection
Foods rich in carotene
What is shell rot?
Infection of a turtles ahell
What does shell rot look like? 2
Characterized by loss of keratinization epithelium and formation of necrotic tissue pockets
What are scutes
Keratinized epithelium
What can the progression of shell rot lead to?
Septicemia (septicemic cutaneous ulcerative disease )
What is also known as mouth rot?
Infectious stomatitis
What is infectious stomatitis ?
Opportunistic bacterial infection of the oral cavity
What is infectious stomatitis usually associated with? 3
Stress of over crowding
Low ambient temp
Poor nutrition
What are 5 signs of infectious stomatitis?
reddening of gingiva, salivation, greeting if oral mucosa, bleeding, purulent discharge
How do you treat mild infectious stomatitis? 2
Increased temp and topical antibiotic
How do you treat severe infectious stomatitis?
Systemic abo
How do you treat abscesses infectious stomatitis? 3
Drain flush systemic abos
What are usually the causes for vomiting and constipation?
Husbandry
What are 3 reasons for vomiting?
Low temp
Quick drop in temp
Handling after eating
What are 4 reasons for constipation?
Lack of exercise
Ingestion of bedding
To large of meats frequent meals
When do abscesses form?
Secondary to skin trauma
What are three ways of treatment for abscess formation
Surgical removal, topical treatment, systemic abo
What is dysecdysis?
Abnormal shedding of epidermis
How long does it take for lizards and turtles to shed their skin?
1-2 weeks
What are five causes of dysecdysis?
Handling snake during shedding, low temp, low humidity, poor nutrition, insufficient cage furniture
How do you treat dysecdysis
Soak in tepid water
What is blister disease?
Formation of fluid filled vesicles in skin
What causes blister disease?
Result from high humidity in the cage
What kind of reptiles have problems with parasites?
Captive
What are four types of parasites that reptiles can harbor?
Nematodes, cestodes, Trematoda, protozoa
What are two ways to diagnose endoparasites?
Fecal float, direct fecal smear
How do you treat endoparasites?
Oral or injectable dewormers
What are two types of ectoparasites?
Ticks and mites
What is the snake mite?
Ophionyssus natricis
How do you diagnose external parasites?
Visual inspection
What are three ways to treat ectoparasites?
Topical, systemic anti parasitic, ivermectin
What is salmonellosis?
Bacterial infection with salmonella spp
Do reptiles with salmonellosis show signs?
No
Why is there a risk of salmonellosis being zoonotic?
Shed in feces