This report describes a neoplasm involving the adrenal cortex of an aged female African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis). The animal was found to be in poor body condition and was subsequently euthanized. At necropsy, a 31.1 × 26.0–mm firm abdominal mass was identified near the left ovary. Concurrent hemoabdomen was present, as well as multiple adhesions to the small intestine. Histologic examination revealed a well-circumscribed, pseudoencapsulated, densely cellular, polygonal cell neoplasm arranged in either large solid swaths separated by dense fibrous connective tissue, or in looser nests, islands, and infrequent trabeculae. In the former arrangement, cells occasionally form small tubular structures or rosettes, within which is often an amorphous to granular eosinophilic material. In the latter, the cells palisade along the external limit of the islands, which are separated by wide channels of loose collagen, fibrin, and edema. Ultrastructurally, neoplastic cells were noted to have a centrally placed nucleus with peripheralized heterochromatin, a single nucleolus, numerous fusiform mitochondria with tubular cristae, and mildly osmiophilic lipid droplets, which is consistent with, although not diagnostic of, adrenal adenoma. Spontaneous tumors in amphibians are rare, and this is the first report of an adrenal adenoma in X. laevis.

This study evaluated the physiologic status of 155 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) that stranded on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, between 2008 and 2016 after exposure to naturally cold temperatures. One hundred thirty-five turtles (87%) survived to be released into the wild, whereas 20 turtles (13%) died during the first week of hospitalization. Comparisons of the initial data for turtles that died vs. those that survived indicated that turtles that died had significantly higher blood glucose, potassium, lactate, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide as well as significantly lower pH, partial pressure of oxygen (pO₂), heart rate, and respiratory rate. Convalescent data for 80 turtles were acquired 10.5 days (median) after admission (interquartile range: 6–17 days; range: 5–66 days). Convalescent turtles had significantly higher body temperature, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), sodium, chloride, pH, pO₂, and ionized calcium (iCa), as well as significantly lower glucose, lactate, and bicarbonate. BUN, pH, and iCa were positively correlated with the number of days in the hospital, whereas glucose and lactate were negatively correlated. Results of this study indicate that the majority of cold-stunned loggerhead sea turtles had a favorable prognosis with medical management. More severely affected turtles showed a variety of physiologic derangements and had a worse prognosis.

The metabolism of tortoises is influenced by many factors, which in turn also influences the clinical chemistry parameters in these animals. There are currently limited data available on species, sex, and season-specific reference intervals. The goal of this study was to establish new reference intervals for adult Hermann's tortoises (Testudo hermanni), which include variations according to season and sex. Lithium heparinized blood samples from 256 Hermann's tortoises were collected and biochemistry parameters (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], glutamate-dehydrogenase [GLDH], alanine–aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate–aminotransferase [AST], bile acids [BA], creatine kinase [CK], total protein [TP], albumin [Alb], urea, uric acid [UA], inorganic phosphorus [P], total calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], and potassium [K]) were measured from May 2016 to October 2017. The results showed many variations depending on sex and season. Male Hermann's tortoises had higher ALT, BA, CK, and UA concentrations, and females had higher Ca concentrations. The concentrations of BA, UA, GLDH, TP, and Alb decreased during the course of the year, and ALT increased over time in males. The present study demonstrates that it is important to establish specific reference intervals for each species that include seasonal and sex specific variations in order to facilitate correct interpretation of blood results.

Cryptosporidium is a genus of unicellular parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa, which includes well-known genera such as Eimeria and Toxoplasma. Cryptosporidium can persist in the environment for prolonged periods as oocysts. Cryptosporidium serpentis can cause severe, life-threatening gastric disease in snakes known as gastric cryptosporidiosis. This review will provide an overview on the existing knowledge of the biology of the parasite, explain the current treatment and management options for gastric cryptosporidiosis, and describe a synopsis of current and next-generation approaches that could spearhead further research in combating C. serpentis in snakes.

An adult male elongate tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) was presented to the Animal Medical Center of Taipei Zoo with an abscess on the tip of its nose. After 43 days of daily debridement and systemic antibiotic administration, we sought an alternative treatment modality due to poor wound management. We developed a novel treatment using platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). There are few studies documenting the benefits of PRF for the management of wounds in reptiles. Most published protocols require the use of specific anticoagulants and methods to prepare PRF; however, we found that a modified Choukroun's PRF was relatively easy to prepare and use for wound treatment of an elongate tortoise. Here, we describe a successful outcome of a chronic, nonresolving facial wound after treatment with modified Choukroun's PRF. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a Choukroun's PRF preparation derived from reptilian blood. We recommend further studies and detailed trials to evaluate the efficacy of this protocol in reptiles.

A 17-yr-old, 22.2-kg, intact female sulcata tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) was presented for evaluation of a suspected intestinal obstruction and a 2-month history of hind-limb weakness, anorexia, lack of defecation, and decreased urine production. Clinical signs included generalized subcutaneous edema, pelvic limb paresis, decreased vent tone, and ataxia. Computed tomography (CT) identified findings consistent with a chronic compression fracture of the eighth cervical vertebrae with severe extradural compression of the spinal cord and near-complete obliteration of the vertebral canal. The tortoise was medically managed in the hospital for 13 days and discharged with analgesic and antibiotic medications. Over the following weeks, the tortoise regained an ability to defecate and urinate, and the tortoise's motor deficits mildly improved. A recheck contrast CT at 39 wk postdischarge was consistent with remodeling of the chronic compression fracture and mildly improved extradural compression of the spinal cord. Approximately 2 yr after the initial presentation, the motor limb deficits were still present. Thirty-three months after initial presentation, the tortoise presented obtunded and with anasarca. The tortoise was euthanized, and the necropsy revealed bilateral demyelination with moderate axonal loss, astrocyte reactivity, and moderate dural fibrosis in the spinal cord, consistent with chronic compression at the level of C8. This report illustrates an unusual presentation of a chronic cervical vertebral fracture and spinal cord compression that was diagnosed and monitored via CT, the treatment and recovery of most of the initial clinical signs and persistent motor limb deficits, as well as the postmortem spinal cord histologic findings.