A 605 g, mature, male tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) was presented with periorbital swelling, exophthalmos, and hyphema of the right eye. Ultrasound examination showed distortion of the globe, an altered lens contour, heterogeneous vitreous content, and a loss of ocular and retrobulbar tissue planes. Computed tomography demonstrated displacement of the scleral ossicles but an absence of orbital bone lesions. A decision was made to enucleate the right eye. The tuatara was premedicated with medetomidine (0.06 mg/kg) and morphine (1 mg/kg). Intravenous alfaxalone (5 mg/kg) was administered to facilitate intubation. Maintenance anesthesia was achieved using 1–2% sevoflurane. Perioperative support included intraosseous 0.45% saline with 2% dextrose (combined 50% each) at 10 ml/kg/h and thermal support via a forced-air blanket. Transpalpebral enucleation of the right eye was performed and the excised tissue submitted for histopathologic evaluation. Postoperative analgesia was provided using morphine (1 mg/kg). Histologic sections of the excised tissue showed disruption of the anterior, posterior, and vitreous chambers attributable to the presence of abundant hemorrhage, proteinaceous fluid, and fibrin admixed with macrophages and aggregates of heterophils. This material extended between the scleral ossicles and into the extraocular skeletal muscle and surrounding glandular tissues. The lens capsule was almost completely replaced and bordered by several layers of multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid macrophages. There was extensive disruption of lens fibers. A Young's fungal stain showed large numbers of fungal hyphae in the peripheral lens fibers and in the cytoplasms of surrounding multinucleated giant cells. The histologic diagnosis was fungal panophthalmitis with phacolysis.

An 11-year-old female tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) was presented for bilateral asymmetric swellings of the cervical region. Baseline hematologic and plasma biochemical analyses demonstrated anemia, hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and hypoalbuminemia. Whole-body radiographs revealed a mass effect and irregular mineralization in the region of the left endolymphatic sac. Fine needle aspiration of this region revealed many elongated calcium-based crystals with pointed ends, histiocytic inflammation, and clusters of epithelial cells, consistent with hyperplasia or neoplasia of the epithelium of the endolymphatic sac. The crystals were shown to be calcium carbonate by infrared crystallography. Given the advanced state of disease and inability to completely excise the mass due to the intimate association between the meninges and endolymphatic sac, the gecko was euthanized. Gross necropsy and histopathologic evaluation revealed carcinoma in situ of the left endolymphatic sac. To our knowledge, this is the first report of neoplasia of the endolymphatic sac in a reptile.

An eight-year-old, female intact, boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) was presented for a 1.5- month history of wheezing, open-mouth breathing, and hyperextension of the neck. Radiographs, ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and tracheal endoscopy revealed an intra- and extraluminal tracheal mass occluding approximately 95% of the tracheal lumen. Complete blood count and biochemistry panel were unremarkable, except for a moderate elevation of the hematocrit. A caudal saccular lung cannulation was placed as an emergency procedure because of worsening respiratory distress. Resection of 22 tracheal rings, inclusive of the mass, followed by anastomosis of the trachea was performed. Histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and electronic microscopy (EM) were consistent with a tracheal round cell neoplasia. Eleven months after the initial surgery, the snake presented for a caudal coelomic mass associated with constipation. Radiographs, US and CT findings were consistent with an infiltrating circumferential colonic mass, which was surgically resected. Histopathology and EM confirmed a round cell tumor that was morphologically identical to the previous tracheal tumor. In addition, cytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions, consistent with subclinical Inclusion Body Disease (IBD), were noticed in the colonic mass. Eleven weeks after the second surgery, recurrence of the mass was observed in the colonic surgical area. A single L-asparaginase injection was attempted as a palliative treatment, and was unsuccessful. As the snake's condition declined, euthanasia was elected. Necropsy confirmed multiple malignant T-cell lymphoma in the esophagus, stomach, and colon. This is the first report of a tracheal and digestive tract malignant T-cell lymphoma in a boa. Surgical management of this case provided a palliative treatment for a life-threatening disease and a survival time of 14 months from initial presentation. Also, this is the third case report of a lymphoma in a boa with a concurrent IBD.

Since European settlement, Australia has a worse extinction record than any other nation on Earth. In addition, Australia has the highest number of threatened reptile and amphibian species in the world. In response to the serious threats posed to indigenous herpetofauna, Zoos Victoria (ZV) has embarked on a series of conservation campaigns to preserve some of the country's most endangered species. These include the Baw Baw frog (Philoria frosti), southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree), northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi), spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri), stuttering frog (Mixophyes balbus), grassland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla), alpine she-oak skink (Cylodomorphus praealtus), and Guthega skink (Liopholis guthega). The aims of this article are to outline the main threats that have resulted in the decline of these species and the measures that ZV is undertaking in order to fight their extinction.

Eighteen green iguanas (Iguana iguana) were randomly assigned to three groups: control group (sham orchidectomy); group I (orchidectomy before the breeding season); and group II (orchidectomy during the breeding season). Circulating testosterone concentrations were determined using a radioimmunoassay and correlated with aggressive behavior scores. Monthly mean (± SD) testosterone concentrations and aggression scores varied with group and season. The highest testosterone concentrations were present in the control group (mean ± SD: 11.6 ± 2.8) during the breeding season (November through January). Likewise, the highest aggression scores were present in the control group (11.6 ± 9.6) and group II animals (4.7 ± 2.2) during the breeding season (November through January). Elevations in testosterone concentration preceded initial increases in aggressive behavior by approximately 1 month. Orchidectomy significantly decreased plasma testosterone concentrations between groups, with significant differences seen between the control group and group I animals and between the control group and group II animals. During the breeding season, significant differences in aggressive behavior were found between all three groups. The control group was the most aggressive, and group II animals were more aggressive than group I animals. Linear regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between plasma testosterone concentrations and aggressive behavior in the control group (P = 0.008).

Corneal sensitivity and the duration of action of a topical anesthetic drop, proparacaine, were evaluated prospectively. Baseline corneal touch threshold (CTT) was determined using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer in 25 healthy, rehabilitated Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). Corneal touch threshold was defined as the filament length required to elicit a blink in at least three out of five applications. The onset and duration of action of proparacaine was determined in nine of the Kemp's ridley sea turtles. One drop of proparacaine was applied to each eye and the CTT was subsequently measured at 1, 5, 15, 30, and 45 min. Results demonstrated that the mean CTT for the Kemp's ridley sea turtles was 5.7 cm, with a median of 6 cm. Additionally, proparacaine had an onset of action within 1 min after application (17/18 eyes). The duration of action of proparacaine exceeded the 45 min time limit in all eyes. This study shows that Kemp's ridley sea turtles have an exceptionally sensitive cornea. This study also establishes that proparacaine, a topical anesthetic, is effective in Kemp's ridley sea turtles, with an onset of action within 1 min and a duration of action greater than 45 min following application.

Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) are endangered throughout their range. To protect these animals, research is needed to develop conservation programs that protect the turtles during all of their life activities, including foraging, breeding, nesting, and hatching. The purpose of this study was to focus on issues related to nesting by determining whether environmental and climatic factors influence nesting for female leatherback sea turtles. A variety of climatic and environmental samples were collected during the nesting season from May to July 2008. Data were collected during nesting events and nonnesting events for comparison. Leatherback sea turtles were found to be significantly more likely to nest during the later lunar phases (P = 0.001) and when cloud cover was low (<50%) over the natal beaches (P = 0.02). Sand conductivity was significantly lower (P = 0.008) at the nesting level (0.01 μS/cm) of the sand compared with the surface sand (0.09 μS/cm). There were also significant differences in the pH (P = 0.001) of the sand taken at control surfaces and nesting surfaces, along with significant differences between the control samples taken from nest depth compared to turtle nests in pH (P = 0.020), temperature (P = 0.037), and sand grain size (P = 0.001). These findings suggest that select climatic and environment factors do vary between nesting and nonnesting sites in the leatherback sea turtle, and it is possible that these differences could ultimately influence when and where the females deposit their eggs. This information should be considered when developing conservation plans for the leatherback sea turtle, including habitat management and personnel use during the nesting season.

Four long-term captive adult rhinoceros iguanas (Cyclura cornuta) on display at the Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX) were maintained for several years in an outdoor enclosure in the summer and in a smaller indoor enclosure in the winter. While fully exposed to sunlight and given the opportunity to supplement their diet with live vegetation each summer, they were deprived of the benefits of full sun exposure, including ultraviolet B (UVB) exposure, and they received no dietary vitamin D for several months each winter. Maintained with this protocol, the animals seemed healthy and they reproduced. However, increasing awareness of the important role of UVB in vitamin D–mediated calcium metabolism and the potential health risk of UVB and vitamin D deprivation stimulated us to focus more on seasonal changes in vitamin D status and possible subtle changes in health status throughout winter. From September 2008 to October 2010, an 85% decline in the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (calcidiol) concentrations was measured over each of two winters, and a half-life of 69 days was estimated for the second winter. A higher vitamin D status (calcidiol) was restored and maintained when the iguanas were outdoors and exposed themselves to 1–2 J of UVB per day, although they may have enhanced their dietary calcium and vitamin D activity by eating cactus fruit, too. Serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations remained higher than published reference values for Cyclura spp. A negative relationship between vitamin D status and voluntary UVB exposure during the summers was discovered, suggesting that the iguanas were regulating, rather than continually maximizing, their vitamin D status at levels lower than those recorded for Cyclura in the tropics. Although the iguanas seemed robust physically, had acceptable calcium and phosphorus blood concentrations, and successfully reproduced throughout the 2 yr monitoring period, we do not recommend extended periods of deprivation of UVB and vitamin D supplementation in winter for rock iguanas until minimally sufficient vitamin D status is more rigorously established.