Zoonotic Gastroenteric Diseases of Exotic Animals.

Exotic pet ownership has steadily increased over the last decade, and with increased numbers of these species in close contact with humans, the risk of gastrointestinal zoonoses has also increased. Non-typhoidal serovars of Salmonella enterica are one of the most prevalent and important zoonoses of exotic pets, and reptile and backyard poultry are common asymptomatic carriers of these bacteria. Outbreaks of reptile-associated salmonellosis have occurred yearly in the United States since 2019 but contact with backyard poultry has actually been associated with more Salmonella outbreaks in the United States than any other animal species to date.

HYPERKALEMIA IN FOUR ANESTHETIZED RED WOLVES ().

Four clinically healthy red wolves () developed hyperkalemia during routine anesthetic procedures. All cases were anesthetized using a combination of dexmedetomidine (10-24 mcg/kg), ketamine (2-3 mg/kg), and either midazolam (0.25-0.

Myxobolus lentisuturalis infection in a farmed population of goldfish Carassius auratus from the USA.

Myxobolus lentisuturalis is a myxozoan parasite of piscine muscle that has been described in goldfish Carassius auratus and Prussian carp Carassius gibelio. This report documents a naturally occurring infection of M. lentisuturalis in a population of farmed goldfish in the USA.

NALTREXONE AS A PROMISING TREATMENT FOR CLINICAL SIGNS OF LATERAL LINE DEPIGMENTATION IN PALETTE SURGEONFISH ().

Lateral line depigmentation (LLD) is a common condition in managed tropical saltwater fish, and treatment is somewhat elusive. Naltrexone, an opioid receptor antagonist, enhances epithelial cell replication, cytokine production, and angiogenesis to stimulate wound healing in mice. A treatment trial with 11 palette surgeonfish with LLD was performed.

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF COELOMIC FLUID IN HEALTHY CORN SNAKES ().

Free coelomic fluid can be a physiologic or pathologic finding in snakes. In this study, ultrasonography was used to assess the presence, volume, and type of coelomic fluid in 18 (16 females, 2 males) clinically healthy corn snakes () using a semiquantitative scoring system. Each snake was divided into five equal regions (R1-R5) by length (from rostrum to vent) and fluid volume was scored on a scale of 0 to 4.

Use of computed tomography to determine a species-specific formula for body surface area in bearded dragons ().

Objective: To use CT-derived measurements to calculate a shape constant (K constant) and create a formula to calculate body surface area (BSA) on the basis of body weight in bearded dragons ().

Animals: 12 adult client-owned bearded dragons that underwent CT between December 4, 2019, and April 2, 2020.

Procedures: Each bearded dragon in this prospective cohort study underwent physical examination, body weight measurement, and CT.

SPINAL NEMATODIASIS IN A LINED FLAT-TAIL GECKO ().

A 5-y-old female lined flat-tail gecko () presented for acute onset of lethargy and paraplegia and was subsequently euthanized. Histologic examination of the spinal cord revealed a verminous myelitis comprising moderate, multifocal, necrotizing myelitis with intramedullary adult and larval nematodes. Molecular data and morphology indicate a cosmocercid nematode, most likely of the genus , a diverse taxon reported to parasitize reptiles, amphibians, and teleost fish.

Lymphoid leukemia in five bearded dragons ().

Case Description: 2 male and 3 female adult bearded dragons () were evaluated at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Exotic Animal Medicine Service between September 2018 and October 2019 because of severe lymphocytosis.

Clinical Findings: All 5 bearded dragons had nonspecific clinical signs, including lethargy, poor appetite, ocular discharge, and weight loss. Clinicopathologic testing revealed extremely high lymphocyte counts with morphological findings consistent with lymphocytic leukemia.