An 11-yr-old captive-born male Everglades ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta rosalleni) presented with dysecdysis, hyperkeratosis, and inappetance. Two skin biopsies demonstrated a diffuse hyperkeratosis with both a bacterial and fungal epidermitis. Fusarium oxysporum was cultured from both biopsies and considered an opportunistic infection rather than a primary pathogen. Medical management was unsuccessful, and the snake was euthanized. Histologic findings included a pituitary cystadenoma arising from the pars intermedia, severe intestinal lipidosis, generalized epidermal hyperkeratosis, and lesions consistent with sepsis. It is hypothesized that endocrine derangements from the pituitary tumor may have caused the skin and intestinal lesions.
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1 September 2010
Pituitary Cystadenoma, Enterolipidosis, and Cutaneous Mycosis in an Everglades Ratsnake (Elaphe obsoleta rossalleni)
Liza I. Dadone,
Eric Klaphake,
Michael M. Garner,
Denise Schwahn,
Lynne Sigler,
John G. Trupkiewicz,
Gwen Myers,
Michael T. Barrie
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Cutaneous mycosis
Everglades ratsnake (Elaphe obsolete rossalleni)
Fusarium oxysporum
intestinal lipidosis
pituitary cystadenoma
