Successful Treatment of an Acinar Pancreatic Carcinoma in an Inland Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps): A Case Report.

An adult, 362 g, male, intact inland bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) was admitted to a veterinary clinic due to a temporary cloacal prolapse and a two-week history of reduced overall condition and forage intake. Physical examination revealed an approximately 2 × 1 cm round-shaped, rigid intracoelomic tissue mass. Multiple sand deposits were present on the cloacal mucous membranes, though no signs of cloacal prolapse were present. The lizard was otherwise responsive but showed reduced body tension and movement behavior. Initial fecal examination revealed a high-grade oxyuriasis. A 2 × 1.5 cm sized intracoelomic, well-vascularized, round-shaped mass was subsequently visualized by ultrasonography. After a two-day stabilization therapy, the intracoelomic mass was removed by performing a standard ventral coeliotomy under general anesthesia. Histopathological examination of the excised mass revealed an acinar pancreatic adenocarcinoma with infiltration of the peritumorous connective soft tissue. The lizard remained at the clinic for a further seven days. Its postsurgical condition improved slowly. However, the lizard started regular forage intake 10 days after surgery, and general behavior enhanced constantly within the following three weeks. The animal was presented for a follow-up six weeks after surgery, showing bright and alert behavior with no signs of disease or illness. The lizard was re-examined 20 months after the initial presentation due to a reduced overall condition and reduced food intake. Blood chemistry evaluation revealed markedly decreased protein parameters, and moderate ascites was identified ultrasonographically. A distinct association with the preceding neoplastic disease could not be made, and the lizard returned to its regular condition under supportive therapy within three weeks. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of successful treatment of a pancreatic carcinoma in a bearded dragon.

Concurrent Detection of a Papillomatous Lesion and Sequence Reads Corresponding to a Member of the Family Adintoviridae in a Bell's Hinge-Back Tortoise (Kinixys belliana).

An adult male Bell's hinge-back tortoise (Kinixys belliana) was admitted to a veterinary clinic due to a swelling in the oral cavity. Physical examination revealed an approximately 2.5 × 1.5 cm sized, irregularly shaped tissue mass with villiform projections extending from its surface located in the oropharyngeal cavity. An initial biopsy was performed, and the lesion was diagnosed as squamous papilloma. Swabs taken for virological examination tested negative with specific PCRs for papillomavirus and herpesvirus. Further analysis of the oropharyngeal mass via metagenomic sequencing revealed sequence reads corresponding to a member of the family Adintoviridae. The tissue mass was removed one week after the initial examination. The oral cavity remained unsuspicious in follow-up examinations performed after one, five and twenty weeks. However, a regrowth of the tissue was determined 23 months after the initial presentation. The resampled biopsy tested negative for sequence reads of Adintoviridae. Conclusively, this report presents the diagnostic testing and therapy of an oral cavity lesion of unknown origin. The significance of concurrent metagenomic determination of adintovirus sequence reads within the tissue lesion is discussed.

Urothelial carcinoma in a Russian tortoise (Testudohorsfieldii).

An adult female Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) was admitted to a veterinary clinic with a 1-week history of anorexia and lethargy. Physical examination revealed significant dehydration and generalized dysecdysis. Blood parameters were all within species-reported limits. Radiography revealed an increased amount of soft tissue opacity within the coelomic cavity and a distinct loss of serosal detail. A large cavitated mass was detected ultrasonographically in the right coelom and a tentative diagnosis of kidney pathology was made. Using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, a partly mineralized heterogeneous mass was seen in the right coelom. After stabilization, a transplastron coeliotomy was performed. A 7 × 5 cm mass, including associated cysts, was removed. The tortoise died 8 h postoperatively and post-mortem examination revealed a urothelial carcinoma arising from the renal pelvis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report in a tortoise of urothelial carcinoma, which has rarely been reported in reptiles.

Treatment options, complications and long-term outcomes for limb fractures in pet rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Limb fractures represent the most common orthopaedic disease in pet rabbits. However, only a few studies have evaluated therapeutic details of limb fractures. There are no data available for long-term outcomes of limb fracture treatment. METHODS: The medical records of six institutions were reviewed retrospectively to identify cases of traumatic limb bone fractures in pet rabbits between 1999 and 2020. The medical records (n = 387) were analysed for details of fracture prevalence, aetiology, therapy protocols, treatment complications, outcome and long-term effects. In addition to the retrospective data evaluation, 13 rabbits were re-evaluated in person in recent clinical analyses, including orthopaedic examination, radiography and computed-tomographic imaging. Details of long-term effects of fracture treatment were requested over the telephone for a further 232 animals using a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS: Long bone fractures accounted for the majority of all fractures (296/387; 76.5%). Hindlimb fractures (301/387; 77.7%) were more common than forelimb fractures (86/387; 22.2%), and tibial fractures and combined fractures of the tibia and fibula (119/387; 30.8%) were observed most frequently. Most fracture treatments were based on osteosynthesis procedures (243/328; 74.1%). Treatment complications occurred in 130 out of 328 (39.6%) cases. A high bodyweight (p = 0.047) and an older age (p = 0.01) were found to be significant risk factors for the emergence of therapy complications. Overall, 75.4% of animals (175/232) had a satisfactory long-term outcome. Limb posture anomalies were evaluated in 61 cases (26.3%). LIMITATIONS: The multi-centre approach led to the inclusion of various institutions, veterinarians, treatment protocols and rabbit populations that might have influenced the results. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively, so there were some data that were lacking or could not be collected in a standardised manner. Furthermore, rabbit owners' evaluation of long-term outcomes might be prone to error, despite the use of a standardised interview questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Limb fractures are a common orthopaedic issue in pet rabbits. The patient's bodyweight and age are significant risk factors for the emergence of complications during the fracture treatment process. Long-term orthopaedic effects, such as abnormal limb posture and permanent lameness of the affected limb, were observed regularly.

[Limb fractures in pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica) - A case series of orthopedic long-term effects in fracture patients]. / Gliedmaßenfrakturen beim Kaninchen (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica).

OBJECTIVE: Limb fractures account for a large proportion of all orthopedic diseases in pet rabbits and are a common reason for presentation. The fracture etiologies and characteristics vary considerably in comparison to trauma of the extremities in cats and dogs. For this reason, conservative and surgical treatment options need to be adapted. To our knowledge, long-term effects of limb fracture therapies in pet rabbits have not been described scientifically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This article features a case series of 13 pet rabbits with limb fractures. Their medical records were analyzed retrospectively and all patients were presented for a follow-up examination including clinical and orthopedic examination. RESULTS: Orthopedic anomalies (abducted limb postures) were identified in four patients. Arthrotic ossification was found in twelve of thirteen animals - in six cases to a high extent. Measurement of the fractured bones revealed a shortening in ten of thirteen cases. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Orthopedic long-term complications following fracture treatments were commonly detected in the patient population of this study. Permanent issues may result in anomalies of limb posture or postural control which are not noticed by the rabbit owners in every case. Ultimately, the patients should be examined routinely after the conclusion of fracture therapy in order to detect and adequately treat possible orthopedic complications.