engleski

Diagnostic imaging of reproductive diseases in reptiles

Reproductive diseases are a common problem in reptiles. Even though this problem can be caused by a variety of factors, improper husbandary and nutrition could be one of the main causes of pathological changes in the female genital tract. Due to the anatomical structure of the reptile urogenital tract, clinical examination is limited, and imaging modalities have a great importance for diagnosis and following treatment of reproductive problems. Preovulatory egg binding (stasis) is commonly seen in lizards and tortoises. The follicle remains on the ovary and there is no formation of an egg, causing the follicle to significantly increase in size. Ultrasonography is the method of choice for the diagnosis of preovulatory dystocia. On the sonogram, the follicles can be clearly differentiated from each other as roundish structures of medium echogenicity. Egg binding (dystocia, egg retention, postovulatory stasis) is classified as the inability of the reptiles to expel the egg, or in viviparous animals, the living progeny, out of the oviduct. This condition can be chronic, lasting for several months until clinical signs become apparent. During radiographic investigation attention should be paid to the number of eggs, their size and position because constipation can adversely affect egg laying. The calcification of the egg is most reliably judged with standard radiography or CT. Radiographically pathological findings in eggs frequently include irregular or generally insufficient calcification, too large or too many eggs, variable egg size, asymmetical eggs, broken egg shells or signs of dissolution of the egg shell. While standard radiography techniques are especially effective when imaging eggs or assessing the egg shell, ultrasonography can provide additional information about egg content and the position of the egg. In addition, ultrasonography is the method of choice for the differentiation of preovulatory and postovulatory changes of egg formation within the genital tract of reptiles.

reproductive diseases; diagnostic imaging; reptiles

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