Nidhi Dutt*

Veterinary Associate; Department of Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery, Critter Care Veterinary Clinic, India

*Corresponding Author: Nidhi Dutt, Veterinary Associate; Department of Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery, Critter Care Veterinary Clinic, India.

Received: April 24, 2023; Published: June 08, 2023

Abstract

This case demonstrates the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory disease in a 15-year-old, male red-eared slider (R.E.S.) (Trachemys scripta elegans).

The presenting complaint was anorexia since three days and bubbles from the nose. There was a history of improper husbandry and diet. The initial diagnostic work up was radiographs which demonstrated mild opacity in the lungs, the owner initially denied further diagnostics and so a decision was made to treat the R.E.S. with enrofloxacin @5 mg/kg, q 48h, diluted with Ringer’s lactate, S/C, for five treatments.

After the treatments the radiographs were repeated and demonstrated an increase in the opacity of the lungs which lead to the suspicion of microbial resistance to enrofloxacin, after which the owners agreed to conduct a culture of the swab of the nasal discharge and the collection of a blood sample which demonstrated heterophilia and elevated WBCs with hypocalcaemia. The swab was sent for a culture and demonstrated that it was susceptible to gentamicin, ceftriaxone and amikacin, and resistant to enrofloxacin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid after which it was treated with ceftriaxone @ 50 mg/Kg, q 24, seven days, after which the radiographs and blood tests were repeated, the radiographs revealed no abnormalities and the blood test revealed mild hypocalcaemia and the heterophil and WBC values were within normal range.

Keywords: Respiratory Disease; Ceftriaxone; Diet

References

1. Girling Simon and Raiti Paul. “BSAVA manual of reptiles”. 3^rd edition, Gloucester, UK: British Small Animal Veterinary Association (2019).
2. Doneley Bob., et al. “Reptile medicine and surgery in clinical practice”. Oxford, UK: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. (2018).
3. Schumacher Juergen. “Respiratory diseases of reptiles”. Seminars in Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine4 (1997).
4. Harms Craig A and Carpenter James W. “Carpenter’s exotic animal formulary”. 6^th edition, Elsevier (2022).
5. Alberton Sarah., et al. “Advances in exotic animal clinical pathology”. Veterinary Clinics of North America3 (2019): 367-385.
6. Veterinarian Key, reptile diagnostic imaging, available at: Reptile Diagnostic Imaging | Veterian Key (2023).
7. Reptile history form, available at: Reptile History Form - LafeberVet (2013).
8. Avian exotic vet care, Critical care nutrition and fluid therapy in reptiles, available at: Microsoft Word - CRITICAL CARE NUTRITION AND FLUID THERAPY IN REPTILES (2023).
9. Pees Michael., et al. “Diagnostics of Infectious Respiratory Pathogens in Reptiles”. Veterinary Clinics of North America2 (2021): 369-395.
10. Krautwald-Junghanns., et al. “Diagnostic imaging of exotic pets”. Hannover, Germany, Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH and Co. KG (2011).
11. Basic information sheet: Red eared sliders, available at: Basic Information Sheet: Red-Eared Slider - LafeberVet (2023).
12. Mitchell Mark and Tully Thomas. Manual of exotic pet practice, Elsevier Inc (2009).
13. Stacy Nicole., et al. “Diagnostic haematology of reptiles”. Clinical Laboratory Medicine1 (2011): 87-108.
14. Divers Stephen J and Stahl Scott J. “Mader’s reptile and amphibian medicine and surgery”. 3^rd edition, Elsevier Inc. (2016).
15. Dowling M Patricia. “Inhalation treatment of airway disease in reptiles”. available at: Inhalation Treatment of Airway Disease in Animals - Pharmacology - MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) (2023).
16. Schumacher Juergen. “Reptile respiratory medicine”. Veterinary Clinic: Exotic Animal Practice1 (2011).
17. Mans C. “Clinical update on diagnosis and management of disorders of the digestive system of reptiles”. Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine 22 (2013): 141-162.

Citation

Citation: Nidhi Dutt. “Respiratory Disease in a Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)".Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 5.7 (2023): 38-43.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2023 Nidhi Dutt. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.