Anemia En Reptiles

Topics in Medicine and Surgery

Clinical Approach to the Anemic Reptile
Miguel D. Saggese, DVM, MS, PhD

Abstract Anemia is a relatively common blood disorder but a seemingly underreported and investigated condition in reptiles. Better characterization of anemia in the sick reptile could help determine which available diagnostic tools could be best utilized to determine the cause of low redblood cell counts in these animals. There are, however, a number of limitations that exist when trying to interpret hematologic data for the large number of reptilian species presented to the exotic animal practitioner, including interspecific and intraspecific variation in hematological reference values, limited availability to specific reagents, and a lack of scientificbased studies that focus onanemic conditions in reptiles. Therefore, better documentation and consistency in the scientific-based studies of reptile anemia and rapid dissemination of this information are considered necessary to increase our knowledge in this area of reptile medicine. Collaborative research efforts between practitioners, owners, reptile collection curators, pathologists, immunologists, microbiologists,toxicologists, and laboratory scientists are urgently needed to augment our understanding of anemia and other hematological disorders in reptiles. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Key words: anemia; blood; erythrocytes; hemoglobin; reptiles; treatment

ematology is the medical science that studies blood in health and disease. As such, the study of hematology has a deep impact on ourunderstanding of multiple diseases. Without a doubt, one of the most useful interpretations of hematology in human and veterinary medicine is the change in the number and morphology of erythrocytes that occur because of pathological conditions. Among these, one of the most commonly observed pathological conditions is anemia. The word anemia is derived from the Greek word anaemia, which means “without(an) blood (aemia).” It can be defined as a reduction in the number of red blood cells (RBC) or erythrocytes per volume of blood, with the subsequent reduction in oxygen delivery to the tissues by hemoglobin (Hb). Ultimately, anemia should be defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency in circulating Hb. Anemia can be caused by a primary blood disorder (e.g., aplasia, hypoplasia) or, morefrequently, a secondary com-

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plication to other diseases. In the latter case, anemia rarely constitutes a diagnosis but is rather a clinical sign of some other pathological condition or illness. Hb concentration and hematological indexes are invaluable tools to investigate and diagnose reptile hematologic maladies;1-8 however, thorough investigation of the anemic patient appears to be rarelyconducted in reptile medicine. Identification of anemia in a lizard, snake, crocodile, or chelonian should challenge the veterinary practitioner to perform a comprehensive investigation with the aim to deterFrom the College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA USA. Address correspondence to: Miguel D. Saggese, DVM, MS, PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine,Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766. E-mail: msaggese@westernu.edu. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1557-5063/09/1802-$30.00 doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2009.04.003

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Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, Vol 18, No 2 (April), 2009: pp 98 –111

Anemia in Reptiles

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mine the underlying cause of the condition even in the absence of other clinical signs. Furthermore, earlyrecognition of anemia in a reptile patient during annual or biannual examination helps to identify diseases before they progress into life-threatening disorders and allows the practitioner to implement a specific treatment regimen, thereby helping one establish a prognosis and monitor response to therapy.1-8 More than 400 causes of anemia have been reported in humans, with a smaller, although...