Surgical removal of an atypical histiocytic cell proliferation in a bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

Abstract

A 4-year-old female bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) was referred to the Clinic for Small Mammals, Reptiles and Birds of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany for diagnostics and treatment of a growing mass in the right cervical region. The owner reported that the mass had grown over the past 4 weeks with only little alteration in the lizard´s behavior when the animal started rubbing its neck against the cage equipment. Physical examination as well as ultrasonographic and computed tomographic diagnostics revealed a highly vascularized mass, which allowed for the hypothesis of an aneurysm or a neoplasia. Complete surgical resection of the mass could be performed uneventfully. The bearded dragon recovered well from anesthesia and the surgical procedure. The microbiological sample of the excised mass revealed Group F-67 Salmonella. Histopathological examination of the excised mass revealed a histiocytic cell proliferation with centrally located blood filled cavities, hemorrhages and granulation tissue resembling features of a pseudoaneurysm. This report describes the diagnosis of an atypical growing mass in a bearded dragon and its successful removal.

Zusammenfassung

Eine 4 Jahre alte Bartagame (Pogona vitticeps) wurde in der Klinik für Heimtiere, Reptilien und Vögel der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover zur weiterführenden Diagnostik und Behandlung einer Umfangsvermehrung im Bereich des Nackens vorgestellt. Nach Angaben des Patientenbesitzers konnte das Wachstum der Umfangsvermehrung innerhalb von 4 Wochen beobachtet werden, wobei das Tier nur geringgradige Verhaltensänderungen in Form von mechanischer Manipulation (Reiben des Halses an der Terrarieneinrichtung) zeigte. Im Zuge der Allgemeinuntersuchung sowie der ultrasonografischen und computertomografischen Untersuchungen konnte eine stark vaskularisierte Umfangsvermehrung dargestellt werden, woraufhin der Verdacht eines Aneurysmas oder einer Neoplasie gestellt wurde. Es erfolgte eine komplette und erfolgreiche chirurgische Entfernung der betroffenen Umfangsvermehrung in Allgemeinanästhesie. In der mikrobiologischen Untersuchung der entnommenen Umfangsvermehrung wurden Salmonellen der Gruppe F-67 festgestellt. Bei der histopathologischen Untersuchung zeigte sich eine histiozytäre Zellproliferation mit zentral gelegenen, blutgefüllten Kavernen, Blutungen und Granulationsgewebe, was in seiner Gesamtheit den Merkmalen eines Pseudoaneurysmas ähnelt. Weitere Untersuchungen sind notwendig, um den Zusammenhang zwischen Salmonelleninfektionen, histiozytären Zellproliferationen und der Entwicklung von Pseudoaneurysmen aufzuklären. In diesem Bericht werden Diagnostik und erfolgreiche chirurgische Entfernung einer atypischen Umfangsvermehrung bei einer Bartagame beschrieben.

Key words

Histiocytic proliferation - pseudo-aneurysm - agamid lizard - surgery

Schlüsselwörter

Histiozytäre Proliferation - Pseudoaneurysma - Agame - Chirurgie

• References

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