EXOTICS
Figure 1: Leopard Gecko shedding its skin
Figure 4: The ridged suture line is visible in this Bearded Dragon
post foreign body removal (chunk of carrot)
and protozoal diseases. Mites may easily be visualised
clustered around the eyes and under the scales, especially around the head. Affected snakes will often
seek refuge in water and drowned mites can be found
in the water bowl. Treatment must be focused both
on the reptile and the environment. Protocols using
Pyrethroids, Dichlorvos strips, Ivermectin and Fipronil
have all been effective.
Figure 2: Removing a retained eye cap
meaning that if simple interrupted sutures are
used, one will be left with a scale on scale contact which will obviously not heal. We thus use
a horizontal mattress (everting) suture pattern in
order to allow for tissue contact. This suture pattern causes the skin to lift in a ridge but this will
normalise with time.
Autotomy: Many species of lizards including geckos,
skinks and iguanids have specific fracture planes in
their tails allowing the animal to drop the tail when
threatened by a perceived predator. The wiggling tail
attracts the predator’s attention, allowing the stump
tailed survivor to escape.
Common dermatological conditions of
reptiles:
Mites: Ophionyssus natricis, the snake mite, has a lifecycle that can be completed in as little as 7 days
but the mites may remain alive in the environment for
a considerable period of time. Besides causing skin
irritation and inflammation, severe infestations can
lead to anaemia, dehydration and even death. The
mite is implicated in the transmission of several viral
Figure 5: Autotomy in a Green Iguana - note the exposed muscles. Simply trim these off and disinfect the area
For this reason lizards should never be handled by the
tail. Reptiles that perform autotomy will typically be
able to re-grow the tail (Crested Geckos are an exception), it may however be discoloured or deformed.
Should autolysis occur, no sutures should be placed
in the stump as this will prevent tail re-growth. The
lesion should simply be kept clean.
Figure 3: The snake mite, Ophionyssus natricis.
vet360
Issue 06 | DECEMBER 2016 | 36
Dysecdysis and shedding storms: Dysecdysis is the
term for a failure to shed the skin normally. A healthy
snake will go “into the blue” where the skin and eyes
become a dull grey/blue colour approximately one
week prior to shedding the skin. Reptiles resent being
handled while in the blue.