Comparative Sonographic Studies of the Urogenital Tract in Lizards.

Abstract

The assessment of the urogenital tract is of great importance in the diagnosis of diseases in lizards, and sonographic examination is the most suitable imaging method for this purpose. However, reference data are not available for most of the commonly kept species. The objective of this prospective anatomical analytical study was to sonographically examine the urogenital tract of four of the most commonly kept lizard species and compare their kidneys, testes, and ovaries. A total of 41 lizards, 14 bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps), 15 leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius), seven veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus), and five panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) were included. An 8-18 MHz field hockey stick transducer and a 6-15 MHz linear transducer were used. Sagittal and transverse images of the organs were recorded. The kidneys could be visualized and assessed in full length in all lizards, the testes in 18 of 19, and the ovaries in 13 of 22 lizards. The results of the current study could serve as reference values for future studies on the species mentioned.