Reptiles Flashcards
(215 cards)
1
Q
What Order do turtles, tortoises, and terrapins fall under?
A
Chelonia
2
Q
What Order to snakes and lizard fall under?
A
Squanmata
3
Q
What are some biological similarities among all reptiles?
A
Ectotherms, scales, photoperiod, vertebrae, portal renal and hepatic circulation, uricotelic, nucleated RBCs
4
Q
What is the function of scales?
A
Protection of body, aid in movement, moisture retention, camouflage
5
Q
What is a modified form of scales that crocodiles and chelonians have?
A
Scutes
6
Q
What is special about the renal circulation in the reptiles?
A
The renal portal system allows blood supply from the caudal portion of the body to either enter the kidneys or bypass them entirely
7
Q
What is special about the hepatic circulation in the reptiles?
A
The hepatic portal system goes from the intestine to the liver, and the abdominal vein lies just under the ventral musculature
8
Q
What is the primary nitrogenous waste in reptiles? (Hint: not urea)
A
Uric acid
9
Q
T/F: Reptiles cannot concentrate their urine beyond plasma concentration
A
True
10
Q
What is ecdysis?
A
Regular shedding of the skin
11
Q
What should you do with a newly acquired pet reptile?
A
Quarantine for at least 3 months. Health check
12
Q
What are some environmental considerations when owning a reptile?
A
Sanitation regimen and disinfectants, temperature, lighting, humidity, water, enclosure type, food, furniture,
13
Q
T/F: Do not use phenol solutions as disinfectants of the reptiles cage
A
True
14
Q
What does UVA light important for?
A
Behavior of the reptile
15
Q
What does UVB light important for?
A
Vitamin D3 with the skin
16
Q
How far away does the UV light have to be from the animal?
A
18 inches (also not through glass)
17
Q
What is the humidity of a sub-tropical environment? Temperate? Desert?
A
70-90%
60-80%
30-50%
18
Q
What condition can excess moisture lead to?
A
Dermatitis
19
Q
What can inadequate moisture lead to?
A
Dessication and dysecdysis
20
Q
What are some techniques to increase humidity in the reptile enclosure?
A
Soak pans, spray bottles, live plants
21
Q
T/F: You can use cat litter, cedar shavings, quartz sand, small gravel, or corn cob litter as substrates for reptile enclosues
A
False. DO NOT USE
22
Q
What are some values to monitor with a salt water enclosure?
A
pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity
23
Q
How large must the prey be for the snake to eat?
A
No larger than the girth of the snake
24
Q
How long should you not feed a temperate species before its hibernation?
A
4 weeks
25
How large should the live insects be when feeding a lizard?
No larger than the lizards head
26
What should you do with the insects before feeding them to the reptile?
Need to be nutrient loaded
27
How much do you feed a lizard?
As much as they can eat within an hour
28
What types of food should be avoided when feeding carnivorous lizards?
Commercial primate, canine, or feline diets
29
What do you typically feed carnivorous lizards?
Lean rodents
30
What should you supplement to herbivorous lizards?
Calcium
31
What ratio is needed to be adequate in the food for herbivorous reptiles?
Calcium:phosphorus
32
What is found in some leafy greens and nonleafy vegetables and can bind to calcium and reduce its absorption?
Oxalic acid
33
What do brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and radish have in common?
Glucosinolates
34
What dietary supplement is required for insectivorous tortoises?
Calcium
35
What do you feed to carnivorous tortoises?
Small amounts of lean rabbit/rodent
36
What dietary supplement is required for insectivorous herbivorous turtles and terrapins?
Calcium!
37
How can you tell that a lizard is male?
Lift its tail and see two bulges at the proximal caudal portion
38
How can you identify a tortoises gender?
Claws. Long sharp claws are male, short thick claws are female
39
What do male reptiles have at the sides of their hind limbs?
Femoral pores/plugs
40
Which gender of lizards have larger fat pockets on their head?
Males
41
What methods comprise of an initial diagnostic workup?
Physical exam, CBC, chem panel, radiographs, fecal
42
Define the hands off physical exam
When you observe the animal before removing it from its enclosure
43
How would you restrain a snake?
Place index finger and thumb around the mandible, support the body. Snakes over 6 ft need more than 1 handler
44
How would you restrain a small lizard?
Grasp head with index finger and thumb, hold front and back legs against the body, cup body into hand
45
What should you NOT grab for lizards?
Their tail
46
How would you restrain a medium sized lizard?
Let its body lie on your forearm with neck/head rested in hand and feet dangling
47
How do you restrain a crocodile?
Tape the mouth shut, hold tail at the base
48
How would you hold a chelonian?
Grasp lateral margins of carapace, just caudal to head and beneath the rear flippers
49
What do you watch out for with adult chelonians when restraining?
Head and flippers
50
What can you do to indicate a reptile's hydration status?
Serial weight measurements
51
What can be used to identify nutritional problems?
Morphometric measurements
52
What is the only Order of reptiles that has a pseudo-diaphragm?
Crocodilians
53
How do reptiles pump oxygen through its body without a diaphragm?
Limp movement pumps the viscera
54
Which Order of reptilia have complete tracheal rings?
Crocodilians and chelonians
55
Which Order of Reptila have incomplete tracheal rings?
Snakes and lizards
56
What species only has one single lung?
Snake
57
What is the function of the cranial lungs in reptiles? Caudal lungs?
Cranial - gas exchange
| Caudal - storage
58
What are some tools to measure heart rate and rhythm?
Stethoscope, pulse oximeter, doppler
59
Where do you place the doppler on a chelonian?
Thoracic inlet between the distal cervical region and proximal front leg
60
Which is the only reptile that has four chambers in their heart?
Crocodilians
61
What do you call the nostrils of a reptile?
Nares
62
Which reptiles have external ears?
Lizards and crocodilians
63
What reptiles have external tympanum?
Chelonians and lizards
64
What is the only species that has an inner ear?
Snakes. It's connected to the jaw to hear vibrations
65
What type of muscle, smooth or skeletal, do reptiles have in their eyes?
Skeletal
66
T/F: Lizards and snakes (Squamates) have lots of taste buds
False
67
Which species of reptile uses its tongue for chemosensory?
Snakes
68
What vomeronasal organ opens directly into the mouth and has the tongue inserted into it when the mouth is closed?
Jacbonson's organ (innervated by olfactory nerve)
69
Which order or reptiles have a fleshy but tightly attached tongue?
Chelonians
70
What are the types of teeth seen with reptiles?
Thecodont, pleurodont, acrodont
71
Which type of teeth are replaced continuously?
Pleurodont
72
What type of teeth do crocodilians have?
Thecodont
73
What type of teeth Chelonians have?
They don't have teeth. They have a sharp tomia
74
Which species of reptile has a well developed oral mucous gland?
Snakes
75
Venom glands are just modified _________ glands.
Modified labial glands
76
What Order has esophageal papillae?
Chelonians
77
What part of the integument nourishes the epidermis?
Dermis
78
What part of the integument prevents fluid loss?
Epidermis
79
What part of the integument do osteoderms originate?
Dermis
80
What are osteoderms?
Boney plates that support epidermal scales and form plates for carapace and plastron
81
What reptiles have continuous ecdysis?
Crocodilians and chelonians
82
What is ecdysis dependent on?
Age and season
83
What reptiles periodically shed?
Squamates
84
What organ is responsible for ecdysis?
Thyroid
85
What abnormalities would you look for with an integument examination?
Sloughing, swelling, edema, abscess, ulcers, exudate, malodor, parasites
86
What issues may you see with the carapace?
Hemorrhage, abnormal keratinization, hardness, fractures, ulcers, malodor, parasites
87
What reptiles (2) do not have a sternum?
Chelonians and snakes
88
What is considered the thoracic ribs for a chelonian? Abdominal?
Carapace, plastron
89
What may you find in the caudal coelomic cavity?
Eggs, cystic calculi, organ enlargement, mass, fluid
90
What are the coprodeum, urodeum, and proctodeum?
fecal materal from colon, ureter from bladder, and mix of urine and feces, respectively
91
Where do the oviducts of the reptile empty directly into?
Cloaca, via genital papillae
92
Which Order has a single median penis?
Chelonians
93
What species (2) have a pair of hemipenes located laterally in the cloava?
Lizards and snakes
94
Where do the ureters flow to? (Hint: not bladder)
Cloaca
95
What is the rule of thumb for amount of blood to draw from a reptile?
0.5 mL/100g body weight
96
T/F: Use EDTA as an anticoagulant for reptiles
False. You want to use lithium and sodium heparin
97
Where can you draw blood from a chelonian?
Jugular, coccygeal, brachial, subcarapacial, interdigital vein, dorsal cervical sinus
98
Where can you draw blood from a snake?
Caudal (ventral) tail vein at 45-60 degrees from ventral midline, or heart at 45 degrees craniodorsally
99
Where can you draw blood from a lizard?
Caudal tail vein, ventral abdominal vein, jugular
100
Where can you draw blood from a crocodilian?
Caudal ventral tail vein - small
| Supravertebral vein - med/large
101
What is a normal blood glucose range for reptiles?
70-100 g/dl
102
If the BG reading is 40-50 g/dl, how do you treat it?
5% dextrose in LRS intracoelomic
103
BG 20-40 g/dl. Treatment?
10% dextrose in LRS IV
104
BG <20 g/dl. Treatment?
50% dextrose in LRS. 0.5-1 mL/kg
105
What is considered a normal calcium:phosphorus ratio?
2:1
106
What calcium phosphorus ratio will you see with renal disease?
1:2
107
What electrolyte is increased with renal disease?
Potassium
108
What may cause hyperalbuminemia?
dehydration, reproduction
109
What may cause hyperglobulinemia?
Infection
110
What do you test for liver disease?
Bile acids
111
What is the most common method of fecal examination?
Flotation
112
What test will find trematode eggs?
Sedimentation
113
What are routine views for radiographs on chelonians?
Dorsoventral, lateral, craniocaudal
114
What can you use as a contrast for radiographs?
Barium sulfate or
| Double contrast - air
115
How can you keep a snake stationary for a radiograph?
In a plastic tube, taped to a board, and/or anesthesized
116
What do you do to keep a lizard stationary for a radiograph?
Anesthetize
117
What frequency can you use for all reptiles (besides large turtles) in ultrasound?
7.5 MHz
118
What frequency can you use for large turtles in ultrasound?
3-5 MHz
119
With ultrasound on chelonians, what viscera does the mediastinal window examine? Axillary? Inguinal?
Mediastinal - heart
Axial - liver, pecs, heart
Inguinal - Kidney, bladder, stomach, intestines, liver, repro, gallbladder
120
What species do you want to be careful with when using a flexible endoscope and why?
Chelonians. Scope can damage their esophageal papillae and can difficult to place down the esophagus
121
How would you position the turtle when using a rigid endoscope?
On its back with the cranial part of the shell tipped down so the intestines can fall away from the site of entry
122
What is the "reptile ringers solution"?
One part LRS + two parts 2.5% dextrose and 0.45% NaCl
123
What can you give to chelonians with severe hypovolemic shock?
Hetastarch diluted 1:2 with 0.9% saline
124
What are the sites of fluid administration for severely compromised chelonians?
IV or IO
125
What vein is used for bolus IV therapy, what is used for maintenance therapy?
Jugular and intracoelomic respectively
126
What are some disadvantages of IC administration?
Slow absorption, compromising lungs, bladder, or ovarian follicles, will further complicate ascites, if present
127
How can you rehydrate a reptile without using a needle?
Orally or soak it!
128
What is the limit of fluids to give a reptile per day?
2-3% body weight/day
15/ml/kg/day maintenance
129
What are the indications for blood transfusions?
Life threatening anemia, acute hemorrhage
130
T/F: Blood transfusions with reptiles do not require the same species to share blood
False
131
What solution do you use to collect blood for transfusions?
Acid citrate dextrose (ACD)
132
What part of the body is used for antimicrobial injection therapy?
Front half
133
What aerobic antibiotics work with reptiles?
Amikacin, ceftazidime, baytril
134
What anaerobic antibiotics work with reptiles?
Metronidazole, clindamycin, penicillin
135
What antibiotic works for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in reptiles?
Chloramphenicol
136
What antifungal drugs can you use with reptiles?
Itraconazole, fluconazole
137
What antiparasitics can you use for reptiles?
Praziquantel, pyrantel, fendendazole (careful for bone marrow suppression)
138
T/F: Never use ivermectin with snakes
FALSE. CHELONIANS
139
What can be used to maintain/give nutritional content for a sick reptile?
Esophagostomy tube
140
When should you typically remove suture for reptiles?
4-6 weeks
141
With squamates, when should you remove sutures?
until the next ecdysis
142
What incision works well to have access to the caudal half of the coelem?
Inguinal incision
143
What should you do with a sick patient before anesthetizing it?
STABILIZE
144
What drugs can you use for induction of anesthesia?
Medetomidine and ketamine, or propofol
145
What inhalants are indicated for reptiles under anesthesia?
Isoflurane, sevoflurane
146
What must be functioning normally in order to give NSAIDs to a reptile?
Kidneys
147
How long should you give NSAIDs maximum?
3 days
148
What NSAIDs can you use for reptiles?
Meloxicam, carprofen, flunixin meglimine
149
What pain meds should you not use with head trauma?
Opioids
150
How do you euthanize sea turtles?
Anesthetize and then decapitate, then DISPOSE!
151
What are some things to check for when you see a reptile with a wound?
if it needs treatment, neurological state, stability, contamination level
152
How do you stop hemorrhage with first response wound care?
Digital pressure, packing wound, electrocautery, ligation
153
T/F: It is okay to close a contaminated wound
False!
154
T/F: You want to do a blood culture and sensitivity before choosing your antibacterial or antifungal medication
True
155
What are some topical products you can use after debridement of the wound?
Diluted betadine, chlorhexidine, sliver products (SSD), tegaderm, duoderm
156
How does the hyperosmolarity of honey work to fight against infection?
It draws water from the cells of the bacteria and fungi - killing them
157
How does the low pH of honey fight against infection?
Low pH of 4 inhibits bacterial growth
158
How does honey lead to the production to hydrogen peroxide and thus the killing of bacteria?
Honey contains both glucose and glucose oxidase which turns glucose into H2O2. In order for it to activate the pH goes to 6.1 via help from the skin and body
159
What are some mechanisms of vacuum assisted care?
Removes bacteria and edema, increases blood perfusion, and promotes granulation tissue formation
160
What are some benefits that vacuum assisted care provides?
Less bandage changes, fast resolves of infection, faster healing
161
What are some nutritional disorders that are common in the lizard?
Hyperparathyroidism, gout, thiamine deficiency
162
What are some nutritional disorders that are common in chelonians?
Hyperparathyroidism, gout, hypovitaminosis A, hypervitaminosis A, humidity and energy intake
163
What are some clinical signs seen with hyperparathyroidism in reptiles?
Muscle tremors, fasiculations, tetany, skeletal disorders
164
What would you see on radiographs with a patient with hyperparathyroidism?
Loss of cortical density, fractures of bones
165
How do you treat hyperparathyroidism in reptiles?
Correct the diet and environment, and provide fluids, calcium/vit D supplements
166
What happens with gout?
There are deposits of uric acid and urate salts into the visceral tissues
167
What might cause gout?
Age, water deprivation, high protein diet
168
How would you diagnose gout with bloodwork?
Plasma chem - hyperuricemia
169
What do you see on radiographs with gout?
Lytic lesion around the joints
170
What is the definitive diagnosis for gout?
Monosodium urate crystals in the joints
171
How do you treat gout for reptiles?
Hydrate the food, fluid therapy, treat inflammtion, probenecid secretion, allopurinol reduction
172
What do you see with hypovitaminosis A?
bilateral blepharoedema, nasal/ocular discharge, lethargy, weight loss, pneumonia, diarrhea, abscess
173
How do you diagnose hypovitaminosis A?
Vitamin A assay of liver, blood, rads of pneumonia,and culture the infection
174
How do you treat hypovitaminosis A?
oral supplementation, SQ, fluids
175
What happens if you overdose on vitamin A?
epidermal sloughing
176
How would a reptile get hypervitaminosis A?
iatrogenic
177
What signs do you see with hypervitaminosis A?
Tissue sloughing, blisters
178
How long does treating hypervitaminosis A usually take?
4-6 months
179
What causes pyramiding of the chelonians carapace?
changes in humidity and energy consumption
180
What is typically the cause of thiamin deficiency in reptiles?
Eating frozen fish for piscivorous reptiles does not give them adequate levels of thiamine, must supplement
181
What are the characteristics of abscesses formed by husbandry problems?
Swollen, but with no fever
182
How do you treat husbandry associated abscesses?
completely remove it and heal by second intention with granulation
183
What is the pathogenesis of aural abscesses?
Immunosuppression -> dity water bowl -> secondary infection -> tympanic cavity
184
T/F: The bacteria in aural abscesses tend to be gram positive aerobes
False. Gram negative anaerobic
185
How do you treat aural abscesses?
surgical excision with lavage (diluted chlorohexidine), gentamicin ointment, pack, heal by secondary intention
186
What are the common parasitic diseases seen with reptiles?
Crytosporidiosis, coccidiosis, mites
187
How is cryptosporidium transmitted?
fecal-oral
188
What are the clinical sins of cryptosporidiosis?
dehydration, body swelling
189
How do you treat cryptosporidiosis?
No effective treatment
190
How do you treat coccidiosis?
Ponazuril (30 mg/kg PO) once and then 48 hours later
191
What do you treat when dealing with ectoparasites?
The host (snake) and environment
192
What reptiles are affected by iridovirus?
Chelonians and lizards
193
How do you diagnose iridovirus?
Basophilic inclusion bodies on impression smears, histo, electron microscopy
194
How do you tret iridovirus?
supportive care
195
What signs do you see with herpesvirus in reptiles?
Rhinitis, conjunctivitis, stomatitis, enteritis, pneumonia, hepato and neuro disease
196
How do you treat herpesvirus?
Acyclovir and fluid therapy
197
How is mycoplasma transmitted?
direct contact
198
How do you treat mycoplasmosis?
tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones
199
How is adenovirus transmitted?
Direct and vertical
200
What are some clinical signs with adenovirus?
acute depression, anorexia, diarrhea, ophistotonus, limb paresis, hepatitis, GI
201
How do you diagnose adenovirus?
Alive: PCR
Dead: necropsy and histo
202
What species do you find paramyxovirus in?
Lizards and snakes
203
What is the big clinical sign seen with paramyxovirus?
Nasal discharge
204
How would you diagnose paramyxovirus?
Hemaglutination inhibition assay
205
What is the treatment for paramyxovirus?
None specific. Supportive cae
206
What might be the cause of inclusion body disease?
A retrovirus
207
What clinical sign do you see in snakes with inclusion body disease?
CND dysfunction (more severe in pythons)
208
How do you diagnose inclusion body disease?
Antemortem examination of abdominal viscera, blood slide
209
What virus causes proliferation of cutaneous and visceral fibropapilomas?
Herpesvirus
210
How can you treat fibropapillomatosis?
surgical removal, laser
211
T/F: Most species has samonella
True
212
How do you tackle the issue of salmonellosis?
Sanitation, disinfection
213
What is intestinal dysbiosis?
When the indigenous intestinal flora are done or changed
214
What clinical signs are seen with intestinal dysbiosis?
anorexia, diarrhea, lethargy
215
How do you repopulate the gut when diagnosed with intestinal dysbiosis?
probiotic, antibiotics, fecal transplant of healthy same-species
