Lecture 13

Question 1

What is the average lifespan of a snake?

Answer 1

20 to 30 years

Question 2

What are the two most common types of pet snakes?

Answer 2

-boidae; boas
-colubridae; corn snakes

Question 3

Which structures are found in the proximal 1/3 of the snake?

Answer 3

-heart
-trachea
-thyroid

Question 4

Which structures are found in the middle 1/3 of the snake?

Answer 4

-liver
-stomach
-gall bladder
-spleen
-small intestine

Question 5

Which structures are found in the caudal 1/3 of the snake?

Answer 5

-gonads
-kidneys
-cecum
-large intestine

Question 6

What are the 4 types of locomotion seen in snakes?

Answer 6

*lateral undulation/wriggles
-lateral movement
-struggle on smooth surfaces
-seen in racers

*rectilinear
-move forward on ribs with a wave effect
-boas

*concertina
-form an S shape before straightening
-burrowing snakes

*sidewinding
-seen in desert species

Question 7

What are the important aspects of snake husbandry?

Answer 7

-carnivores
-feed appropriate sized food
-POTZ is species dependent
-provide humidity
-provide substrate
-provide a hide box
-UV will not do harm

Question 8

What are the possible methods for rehydrating a snake?

Answer 8

-bathing
-oral
-subcutaneous

Question 9

What are the possible sites for blood sampling in snakes?

Answer 9

-ventral tail vein/coccygeal vein
-cardiac
-dorsal palatine vein
-jugular vein; requires anesthesia and cut down

Question 10

Why is it important that snakes do not have an effective cough reflex?

Answer 10

-they can be intubated while conscious and anesthesia can be induced via gas alone
-they cannot cough up exudates and are susceptible to pneumonia

Question 11

What are the characteristics of hemipenal probing?

Answer 11

-probe is inserted into the hemipenes distal to the cloaca
-a depth of over 6 subcaudal scales indicates a male snake
-a depth of less than 2 to 3 subcaudal scales indicates a female snake

Question 12

Why is it important to perform an oral exam in snakes?

Answer 12

they are prone to developing stomatitis and/or pharyngitis

Question 13

How can snake owners best be involved in determining if their snakes are shedding appropriately?

Answer 13

checking sheds for spectacles/ensuring their snakes do not have retained spectacles

Question 14

What is the most common infectious agent seen in a snake with mild body swelling, regurgitation, weight loss, and eventual death?

Answer 14

Cryptosporidium (parasitic infection)

Question 15

What are the characteristics of inclusion body disease?

Answer 15

-mostly seen in boid snakes
-causes regurgitation in boas
-causes neuro. signs in pythons (star-gazing, non-righting)
-due to an arenavirus
-mites indicated in transmission
-diagnosed via blood smear, kidney biopsy, and/or PCR

Question 16

What are the two classifications of turtles?

Answer 16

-pleurodira/sideneck turtles
-cryptodira/hidden neck turtles

Question 17

How do chelonia keep themselves cool?

Answer 17

-burrowing in vegetation
-salivating/urinating on legs and plastron for evaporative cooling (desert species)

Question 18

What is important regarding the pelvic and pectoral girdles of turtles?

Answer 18

they are located inside of the ribs

Question 19

What are the characteristics of the chelonian shell?

Answer 19

-carapace is the dorsal component
-plastron is the ventral component
-made up of bone scutes/dermal bone plates
-can see the plastron hinge on radiographs as a radiolucent line

Question 20

What are the important aspects of chelonian husbandry?

Answer 20

-feed appropriate food
-POTZ is species dependent
-provide humidity
-provide substrate
-provide a hide box
-ensure adequate UV provision

Question 21

What are the possible blood sampling sites in chelonia?

Answer 21

-jugular vein
-dorsal coccygeal vein
-subcarapacial sinus (possible lymph contamination)

Question 22

What are the rehydration methods that are possible in chelonia?

Answer 22

-subcutaneous
-epicoelomic
-intracoelomic
-intravenous
-intraosseous

Question 23

What is important regarding a plastronotomy?

Answer 23

the cuts should be made at an angle so that the removed piece is wedge-shaped; allows piece to fit back in appropriately once finished

Question 24

What are the most important aspects of road traffic accident/shell trauma treatment?

Answer 24

-want to perform shell repair with any available materials
-need good apposition of shell
-want to provide pain medication and antibiotics

Question 25

What are the characteristics of reproductive prolapse in chelonia?

Answer 25

-occurs with dystocia, mating, sex-probing trauma, or hypocalcemia -salpinx has a lumen and longitudinal striations -phallus will appear mushroom-shaped

Question 26

What are the characteristics of urinary prolapse in chelonia?

Answer 26

-occurs with cystitis or urolithiasis -bladder will appear as a fluid-filled sac if intact

Question 27

What are the characteristics of GI prolapse in chelonia?

Answer 27

-occurs with tenesmus due to parasites, constipation, hypocalcemia, or obstruction -colon has a lumen

Question 28

What are the three main causes of upper respiratory tract infection in chelonia?

Answer 28

-herpesvirus -mycoplasma -ranavirus

Question 29

Why are chelonia at risk for pneumonia?

Answer 29

lack of diaphragm prevents effective coughing

Question 30

What are the 5 different families of lizards, with examples?

Answer 30

-iguanidae; green iguana -agamidae; bearded dragon -chameleonidae; chameleon -gekkonidae; gecko -varanidae; monitor lizard

Question 31

Where is the heart located in lizards?

Answer 31

-heart found at pectoral inlet -may be located more caudally in more advanced lizard species

Question 32

What are the characteristics of lizard foot anatomy?

Answer 32

-pendactylids -digit 1 has 2 phalanges -digit 2 has 3 phalanges -digit 3 has 4 phalanges -digit 4 has 5 phalanges -digit 5 has 3 phalanges

Question 33

What are the characteristics of tail autonomy?

Answer 33

-"self-amputation" -tail breaks off and moves for a few minutes -occurs in iguanas, skinks, and geckos -vertical fracture plane seen through vertebral body -grows back, but is not as robust as original

Question 34

What are the important aspects of lizard husbandry?

Answer 34

-feed appropriate food -POTZ is species dependent -provide humidity -provide substrate -provide a hide box -ensure adequate UV provision

Question 35

How are male lizards differentiated from females?

Answer 35

males have femoral pores on the back of their thighs

Question 36

What are the methods for rehydration in lizards?

Answer 36

-oral -soaking -subcutaneous

Question 37

What are the available blood sampling locations in lizards?

Answer 37

-ventral tail -ventral abdominal vein

Question 38

What is the surgical importance of the ventral abdominal vein?

Answer 38

should not cut on midline during abdominal surgery; risk cutting the vein

Question 39

Which intervention can be done in lizards requiring assistance with feeding?

Answer 39

esophagostomy tube placed while sedated or under general anesthesia

Question 40

How can constipation be diagnosed in lizards?

Answer 40

radiographs; determine normal vs abnormal amount of grit within GI tract

Question 41

What are the characteristics of GI foreign body in lizards?

Answer 41

-relatively common -can develop sand impactions -first line of treatment is laxatives and rehydration -can do surgery if non-responsive to medical therapy or for complete obstructions -diagnosed via imaging

Question 42

What are the characteristics of follicular stasis?

Answer 42

-easily diagnosed on rads in females -supportive care done prior to intervention -obstructive causes are of maternal or egg origin -non-obstructive causes are due to low calcium, lack of nesting space, or poor condition -can spay the animal to correct underlying pathology

Question 43

What are the two main types of neoplasia seen in lizards?

Answer 43

-gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma -squamous cell carcinoma