A 4-yr-old, captive-bred, male veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) presented with anorexia, weight loss, and stomatitis. Complete blood count revealed pancytopenia and a marked leukocytosis (197 × 10³/µL) composed of blast cells (195 × 10³/µL) that had oval to irregular nuclei with finely stippled chromatin and occasional nucleoli. The diagnosis was acute leukemia of presumptive myeloid origin. Treatment with prednisone (1.5 mg/kg once daily orally) and cytosine arabinoside (300 mg/m² subcutaneously) was initiated. Post treatment hematologic analysis revealed decreased blast count (88.5 × 10³/µL) and improved mentation. Additional doses of cytosine arabinoside were given 2 and 3 wk after the initial diagnosis with marked improvement in circulating blast concentration (15.3 × 10³/µL). During the course of treatment, which included the chemotherapeutics, fluid therapy, and oral supportive care, the chameleon's weight increased 32.5% (199–295 g). Unfortunately, the animal died 33 days after presentation. Histopathologic evaluation revealed hypocellular bone marrow with rare, blast-like cells within vessels and mycotic granulomatous hepatitis with intralesional hyphae and fructiferous bodies. The blast cells expressed Iba1 but not CD3, CD79a, or lysozyme, suggesting a myeloid origin. Cell morphology further reinforced an acute myeloid leukemia. The authors surmised that the chameleon was responding to treatment, but ultimately succumbed to the mycotic hepatitis. This report describes the first case of acute myeloid leukemia with response to chemotherapeutic intervention in a veiled chameleon.

A 3-yr-old female panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) was presented with a history of long-term inactivity, anorexia, and difficulty defecating. Using sonographic examination, we diagnosed preovulatory follicular stasis with suspected ovarian cysts. Surgical management was elected, and the ovaries were intertwined and showed severe torsion and morphologic changes. The colon was caught within the entanglement, resulting in obstipation and urate retention. After ovariectomy, the animal was able to pass feces 17 h postsurgery and regained appetite. Preovulatory follicular stasis, as well as constipation, are commonly seen conditions in reptiles; however, torsions are rarely described.

Buoyancy disorders in sea turtles are common contributors to morbidity and mortality in the wild and are often encountered in rehabilitation facilities. The pathological gas accumulation that is the hallmark of this condition creates challenges for treatment, especially when concurrent systemic disease is present. These challenges increase with patient size, because anatomy and location of disease make gas evacuation more difficult using conventional methods when medical therapy alone is unsuccessful. This report discusses a novel technique using ultrasound-guided transplastron enterocentesis of the proximal gastrointestinal tract in an adult loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) with suspected partial intestinal obstruction. The sea turtle presented with positive buoyancy, and diagnostic imaging revealed gas accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as pneumonia. Medical therapy alone did not diminish the positive buoyancy or gastrointestinal distension. Ultrasound-guided transplastron enterocentesis was performed via the connective tissue lateral to the third inframarginal scute while the turtle was positioned with its left side raised, allowing any gas-filled intestine to be positioned laterally. Approximately 10.3 L of gas was evacuated from the proximal gastrointestinal lumen. Within 15 min of completing the procedure, the turtle was neutrally buoyant at the surface; it was resting comfortably on the bottom of the tank within 12 h. Thereafter, it continued to exhibit normal surfacing, diving, and resting behaviors. The turtle was released 111 days after enterocentesis to allow treatment of the concurrent pneumonia. Transplastron enterocentesis should be considered as a treatment option for buoyancy disorders in large adult sea turtles and for increasing the likelihood of release.

A 97-yr-old, male, captive desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) had a 2-month history of lethargy. Imaging with ultrasound, radiographs, and computed tomography revealed a 10-cm-diameter mass in the caudal coelom. Fine-needle aspiration revealed spindle and epithelial cell proliferations with formation of rosettes. Exploratory surgery was performed and the mass was removed and submitted for pathology. There was no evidence of metastasis on imaging or at surgery. Histology revealed a mass arising from and compressing the kidney. The mass was composed of primitive glomeruli, tubules, blastemal cells, and mesenchymal cells, features that are diagnostic for nephroblastoma. Tubules were reactive to cytokeratin and mesenchymal cells were reactive to desmin via immunohistochemistry; other immunohistochemical markers were either negative (e.g., S-100) or noncontributory (e.g., epithelial membrane antigen, myogenin, vimentin, and Wilms' Tumor 1). This is the first report of nephroblastoma in a chelonian.

Ophidiomycosis (also referred to as snake fungal disease) is an emerging infectious disease caused by Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo). PCR was used to detect Oo in a Burmese python (Python bivittatus) with skin lesions submitted to a rescue center in Hong Kong. This is the first report of this disease in this species. More research is needed in Asia to determine the prevalence of this fungus, its relationship with other species, and its ecological importance. These findings also highlight the significant role wildlife rescue centers play in monitoring wildlife diseases and ecosystem health.

A wild-caught mature female marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) was presented for a left-sided dorsal swelling. No other abnormalities were detected during the examination. Fine-needle aspiration was non-diagnostic. Baseline hematological and biochemical analyses were within normal reference ranges, and medical imaging did not provide further useful information. Surgical exploration under general anesthesia was performed. The swelling was confirmed to be a digestive tract hernia protruding through a breach of the dorsal muscles and coelomic membrane. Reduction of the hernia was made difficult by the presence of multiple adhesions between the herniated tissue and the coelomic membrane, suggesting a relatively chronic lesion. A traumatic cause was hypothesized. One month later, the animal was considered healed and released back into the wild. Hernias in amphibians are poorly reported in the literature and historically are only found ventrally. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a dorsal hernia in a captive or a wild amphibian.

Liver disease is prevalent in reptiles, but the understanding of the secondary consequences of liver disease in reptile patients is far from understood. This case series details three lizards that developed coagulopathy secondary to hepatopathies. Two green iguanas (Iguana iguana), both diagnosed with severe hepatic fibrosis, experienced coagulopathies—one with fatal exsanguination from a broken toenail and the second with acute pulmonary hemorrhage. A Mali uromastyx (Uromastyx maliensis) diagnosed with severe hepatic lipidosis experienced acute severe respiratory distress secondary to acute tracheal hemorrhage. The occurrence of pulmonary or tracheal hemorrhage in two patients appears notable; however, more cases are needed to determine the significance of this finding. All three cases had hepatopathies diagnosed by computed tomography, prior to the coagulation-related complications. Based upon the cases presented here, it is recommended that coagulopathic sequelae of liver disease be considered in lizards with hepatopathies.

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are one of the most common feeder insects fed to exotic animals due to their high acceptance rate, larval longevity, and ease of care. Unfortunately, in their natural commercial state, they are severely deficient in calcium and can predispose exotic animals to hypocalcemia and related metabolic disorders. Gut loading insects with calcium-rich diets is recommended to improve the insects' nutrient content and to achieve a calcium to phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio of at least 1:1; however, there are few commercial gut loading diets specifically made for mealworms. In this study, mealworms were gut loaded with a newly developed high calcium mealworm diet for 0, 24, or 48 h. All mealworms were analyzed for dry matter (DM), moisture, calcium, and phosphorus at each time point. Due to the dry nature of the diet, moisture content decreased over time (mean moisture content = 75, 70, and 66% at time 0, 24, and 48 h, respectively). Calcium content was significantly increased by 24 h (P = 0.011) and remained elevated at 48 h for both the as-fed and DM measurements (median calcium DM: 0.07, 3.5, and 3.7% at 0, 24, and 48 h, respectively). Ca:P ratios were also significantly increased for both the 24 h (P = 0.028) and 48 h (P = 0.028) periods (median Ca:P DM:1:20, 3.2:1, and 3.6:1 at 0, 24, and 48 h, respectively). These data support the diet's claim to provide a positive Ca:P ratio in mealworms fed the diet for 48 h.

Thirty-four eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi) naturally infected with Cryptosporidium serpentis were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received 360 mg/kg paromomycin twice weekly in a food item for 6 wk, and the second group received the food item with no treatment. Cloacal swabs were collected every 2 months for 6 months to measure C. serpentis shedding by probe hybridization quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing (qPCR). Snakes that were qPCR negative after 6 months were immunosuppressed with a single dose of 4 mg/kg dexamethasone sodium-phosphate SC. These snakes were then screened by qPCR for an additional 6 months as described above. Snakes that were qPCR negative after 1 yr of serial sampling were then re-evaluated for C. serpentis via gastric biopsy for histological and qPCR analyses. The paromomycin-treated group were significantly (P = 0.008) more likely to test qPCR negative (8/17; 47%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.2–70.7) than the control snakes (1/17; 5.8%, 95% CI: 0.01–16.9) prior to immunosuppression. However, there was no significant difference (P = 0.5) in C. serpentis status following immunosuppression, as only 2/17 (11.7%, 95% CI: 0.01–26.9) paromomycin-treated snakes were qPCR negative 6 months after immunosuppression compared to 1/17 (5.8%, 95% CI: 95% CI: 0.01–16.9) control snakes. These findings suggest that 360 mg/kg paromomycin twice weekly for 6 wk in a food item is ineffective in eliminating C. serpentis in naturally infected D. couperi.

Cross-matching of the giant tortoise of San Cristóbal (Chelonoidis chathamensis) was employed to determine if erythrocyte agglutination occurs in individuals with no transfusion history after exposure to plasma from a conspecific individual. The main islands in the Galápagos archipelago are inhabited by unique species of tortoises. On the largest island, Isabela, there are multiple species isolated by volcanic formations creating unique separate ecosystems. With plans to begin the reintroduction of C. chathamensis into the wild, as well as the recent rediscovery of the Fernandina giant tortoise (Chelonoidis phantasticus), appropriate veterinary care is paramount, and having every medical contingency, especially vehicular/tortoise interaction, under consideration is important. Cross-matching the San Cristóbal giant tortoise was a first step in exploring the compatibility of blood transfusions between conspecifics. Blood was drawn from the jugular vein of 20 juvenile tortoises with the use of a heparinized syringe and each sample was coded. The blood was centrifuged, the erythrocytes washed (five times), and then the erythrocyte pellet and plasma were used for the major cross-match procedure. The erythrocytes represented the “donor” tortoise and the plasma represented the “recipient” tortoise. Each tortoise was cross-matched against itself as an auto control and then 1–5 times against another randomly assigned individual at two incubation temperatures, 23°C (73.4°F) and 34°C (93.2°F). No agglutination was found in any of the trials. As predicted, fibrin and thrombocyte clumps occurred in all trials. Additional research that includes different species of tortoises is the next important step to enhance our knowledge of antigen compatibilities.