Reptiles with dermatological lesions: a retrospective study of 301 cases at two university veterinary teaching hospitals (1992-2008).
This retrospective study reviews the medical records of 301 reptiles with dermatological lesions that were examined at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California at Davis (VMTH-UCD) and the Unité de Dermatologie-Parasitologie-Mycologie, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Nantes (UDPM-ENVN) from 1 January 1992 to 1 July 2008. The most common reptile groups differed between the two hospitals, with lizards being the most common at the VMTH-UCD and chelonians at the UDPM-ENVN. At the VMTH-UCD, boa constrictors (Boa constrictor), ball pythons (Python regius) and other Python species were over-represented, and box turtles (Terrapene carolina) were under-represented in the dermatological lesion caseload. When institutional data were combined, 47% of all reptiles at both institutions with confirmed or suspected cases of sepsis had petechiae, with the highest association seen in chelonians at 82%. Dependent on institution and reptile group, from 29% to 64% of the cases had underlying husbandry issues. Sixty-two per cent of all cases were alive at final status. Veterinarians treating reptiles with skin disease should be aware of the following: (i) that boa constrictors and Python species may be predisposed to dermatological lesions; (ii) that client education is important for proper husbandry; and (iii) that there is a possible association between petechiae and sepsis, especially in chelonians. The conjectural association between certain skin lesions and sepsis remains to be confirmed by systematically derived data that demonstrate a causal relationship between the two.
White
Stephen D
SD
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8737, USA. sdwhite@ucdavis.edu
Bourdeau
Patrick
P
Bruet
Vincent
V
Kass
Philip H
PH
Tell
Lisa
L
Hawkins
Michelle G
MG
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011693:Purpura / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012104:Reptiles; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome