A male red-eyed frog (Agalychnis callidryas) with a unilateral ocular abnormality affecting its left eye was collected from the Tenorio Volcano region in Costa Rica. Approximately 70% of the cornea was replaced by a well-demarcated, 5.0-mm-diameter, opaque, bright green and roughened tissue compatible with skin. The affected eye was enucleated under established ophthalmic surgical procedures. A dermoid was confirmed by histopathology based on the finding of amphibian cutaneous (epidermal and dermal) tissue replacing the cornea and characterized by the presence of keratinized epidermis, spongy dermis, and integumentary glands. After a successful postoperative recovery period, the frog was released back to the wild, demonstrating the viability of medical intervention and surgery in wild amphibians. Dermoids are congenital lesions that result from a failure in the differentiation of the superficial ectoderm to generate normal corneal epithelium and the subsequent development of epidermis and dermal tissues in the area. Corneal dermoids have been reported in horses, cattle, sheep, wildebeest, pigs, rats, dogs, cats, birds, and humans, with this being the first case reported in amphibians. In the locality where the frog was found, several other ophthalmic abnormalities have been documented in other amphibians. Active monitoring of wild amphibians is ongoing, and possible causes of ophthalmic abnormalities in the area are being investigated.

A 9-yr-old, 6.5-kg male green iguana (Iguana iguana) presented with immobility and inflammation of the left pelvic limb with progression over 1 wk. Dorsoventral radiograph of the hip showed a left coxofemoral joint luxation in craniodorsal direction. Nonsurgical reduction maneuvers for a closed reduction of the coxofemoral joint luxation were performed under moderate sedation, using delicate movements of dorsal limb retraction at 20–30° to the body. The left thumb of the left-handed handler was placed on the femoral head, applying gentle pressure caudally. The leg was flexed so that the femur and the tibia formed a 90-degree angle with respect to the lateral aspect of the body, and the plantar surface of the foot was attached to the lateral aspect of the tail using a figure-of-eight modified bandage. The patient left the bandage intact for 21 days without any adverse effects. Two months after the bandage was removed normal movement was regained.

A 3-yr-old male Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) presented acutely in early October 2021 with an abnormal posture and asymmetric tetraparesis. The subadult lizard had spent the previous 4 months either in an outdoor space or in an indoor space with open windows. Physical examination, radio-graphs, and complete blood count and chemistry panel failed to reveal the cause of the neurologic signs. West Nile virus (WNV) plaque reduction serum neutralization on presentation was negative (1:20), as was WNV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and viral isolation on whole blood. Empirical treatment with a daily corticosteroid, course of antibiotics, and encouragement of mild exercise was initiated. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spinal cord was unremarkable, and a lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tap revealed a mononuclear pleocytosis and protein elevation. Follow-up WNV serology revealed a rising titer and seroconversion 13 days after presentation (1:80) and 32 days after presentation (1:640); however, WNV PCR testing of CSF was negative. This Komodo dragon gradually improved over 6 wk before being put back on public display 74 days after presentation. The WNV titer remained high (1:640) through the winter of 2021–22, and an anamnestic response was observed following a vaccination series with a killed equine vaccine in the spring of 2022. There is a previous brief report of WNV infection in a captive crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii) and an unpublished case in the same species at the first author's institution. This is the first report of neurologic disease from presumptive WNV infection in a Komodo dragon. We recommend that WNV infection be a differential diagnosis if a varanid lizard presents with acute neurologic signs with a history of arthropod vector exposure, particularly in the summer or fall.

A 48-yr-old female red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) presented for a chronically swollen neck and tongue with variable severity of about 6–8 months duration, and tongue swelling for approximately 20 yr. Physical examination revealed an ulcerated, erythematous tongue and an irregular mass in the caudal oropharyngeal region. The hyoid region was markedly enlarged. Initial diagnostics included complete blood count (CBC), plasma chemistry, cytology, and serial computed tomography (CT) scans. The CBC showed signs of basophilia and a regenerative response suggestive of prior anemia. The CT revealed an ill-defined thickening of the tongue base and pulmonary changes consistent with pneumonia. Chelonian herpesvirus PCR was negative. The patient was started on antibiotics and other medications without resolution of signs. Endoscopic evaluation revealed a prolapsed esophagus. A biopsy was taken with subsequent histologic analysis that revealed an ulcerative esophagitis with a fibrovascular polyp. Chronic trauma from the prolapse was the likely cause of these changes. The patient initially did well, but eventually declined and was euthanized after several months.

Phallic malformations directly affect crocodilian copulatory function and thus could influence reproductive success in individual animals. This case series characterizes malformations observed and the implied reproductive consequences. A range of phallic malformations observed in saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus), broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris), and Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) were assessed during veterinary examinations or postmortem studies; the observations were characterized into the following categories: amputation, phallic glans malformations, sulcus spermaticus obstruction, and prolapse. Through detailed descriptions of these anomalies, potential reproductive health effects based on current knowledge across crocodilian species is discussed. When considering captive management of breeding stock, it is vital to examine individual effectiveness at achieving proper intromission and insemination. Therefore, full reproductive examination in males should be part of routine examination to best care for individuals with such anomalies.

Hematology and biochemistry parameters were evaluated in a zoological population of Krefft's river turtles (Emydura macquarii krefftii) to determine the effect of sex and venipuncture site. Blood samples were collected from 17 (9 male, 8 female) healthy adult Krefft's river turtles. Females were reproductively active during the study period. Three venipuncture sites were sampled in each individual, including jugular vein, subcarapacial sinus, and dorsal coccygeal vein. Statistically significant differences were found between venipuncture sites and between sexes. Packed cell volume percentage was significantly lower in samples from the subcarapacial sinus compared to the other sites. Basophil concentration was significantly lower in samples from the subcarapacial sinus compared to the jugular vein. Azurophil, cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium concentrations were significantly higher in females compared to males. Based on the results of this study, the jugular vein is the recommended venipuncture site in Krefft's river turtles. Sex and reproductive status should be assessed at the time of venipuncture when possible and considered in interpretation of hematology and biochemistry results.

The objective of this study was to describe the intraocular pressure (IOP) findings in a population of Chinese edible frogs (Hoplobatrachus rugulosus) sold in wet markets across Hong Kong and to characterize the influence of sex and anesthesia. One hundred animals were evaluated, and 96 were included in this study. All frogs included appeared ophthalmologically normal upon gross examination. Intraocular pressure was evaluated with rebound tonometry (TonoVet Plus^® setting “d”) on conscious frogs and under anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced with MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate) 2 g/L by immersion. After IOP measurements, the frogs were euthanized with intravenous pentobarbital (200 mg/ml) and sex was confirmed on postmortem examination. Mean (± SD) IOP values were significantly decreased under MS-222 anesthesia in males (14.7 ± 2.8 mmHg; P < 0.0001) and females (14.7 ± 2.4 mmHg; P < 0.0001) compared to conscious readings (16.3 ± 2.1 mmHg and 16.3 ± 2.1 mmHg, respectively). There was no significant difference in IOP found between males and females before or after anesthesia. There was no significant difference between the right and left eye in males and females before or after anesthesia. The results of this study establish a normal range of IOP for this species and are comparable to previous published reports of IOP in anurans.

The genus Brucella is a group of intracellular bacterial pathogens documented to cause brucellosis, a zoonotic disease of worldwide concern. In the past decade, reported cases of atypical Brucella species in amphibians have increased. These species are considered atypical based on their tropism, phenotypic characteristics, and phylogeny differences. Atypical Brucella species can be misdiagnosed because of their similarity to classical Brucella species and closely related genera. Recent literature has provided evidence for the zoonotic potential of atypical Brucella linked to amphibians. Therefore, understanding the prevalence of these atypical Brucella species in captive amphibian populations is significant for amphibian health, conservation, and public health. This pilot study evaluated the prevalence of atypical Brucella species in a population of marine toads (Rhinella marina) using a validated pan-Brucella qualitative PCR. Skin swab samples from 56 asymptomatic wild-caught marine toads from Miami, FL, were analyzed. Brucella DNA was not detected in any of the skin swab samples analyzed. This pilot study presents a viable non-invasive sampling technique and PCR assay for rapidly screening populations of amphibians for the presence of atypical Brucella species.

Adenoviruses (AdVs) and the microsporidium Encephalitozoon pogonae have been repeatedly detected in bearded dragons (Pogona spp.). The majority of adenoviruses found in these animals have been characterized as agamid atadenovirus 1 (AgAdV1) in the species Lizard atadenovirus B, although other AdVs have also been described sporadically. Infection with AgAdV1 has been hypothesized to increase susceptibility to other pathogens, and coinfections with microsporidia and AdVs have been described in individual cases. In a retrospective study, samples from bearded dragons submitted to a commercial laboratory (Laboklin GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Kissingen, Germany) for the detection of AdVs by PCR were also screened for the presence of E. pogonae. Samples from 144 animals, mostly cloacal swabs as well as feces and tissue samples, were included in the study. The AdV PCR was positive for 35 (24.3%) samples and the E. pogonae PCR was positive for 28 (19.4%) samples. Sequencing of the products from the AdV PCRs showed that 30 (85.7%) of the viruses detected were identifiable as AgAdV1 and 3 (8.6%) belonged to the species Lizard atadenovirus A; the remaining 2 (5.7%) AdV PCR products were not sequenced. Evaluation of coinfections showed no correlation between infection with an AdV and E. pogonae when all AdV PCR-positive samples were included in the analysis (P = 0.1168), and the correlation remained insignificant when only AgAdV1-like viruses were included (P = 0.0557). AdVs and microsporidia are commonly found in swabs and feces of captive bearded dragons in Europe. Understanding their clinical significance for these animals requires further study.