Title
Chapter Title: Hematology of lizards, crocodilians, and tuatara
Book Title: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology
Author(s)
Hollinger, Charlotte; Paré, Jean A.
Published
2022
Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative hematologic assessment contributes to health screening of lizards, crocodilians, and tuataras in the same manner as in other vertebrate species. Clinically significant findings can include anemia, inflammation, atypical cell populations, and infectious agents. The suborder Sauria (Lacertilia), within the order Squamata, is an assemblage of roughly 5600 lizard species, spanning more than 40 families. Crocodilians and the tuatara will be treated alongside Sauria. Because sick reptiles display a limited array of nonspecific clinical signs, blood collection for hematology and biochemistry is particularly useful and provides valuable clinical information for health assessment of these rather stoic animals. Heterophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, and occasionally eosinophils are typically found in health. Thrombocytes are important in primary hemostasis of lizards and additionally have mild phagocytic activity. Hematologic values may fluctuate, and the sparse sets of “reference interval” values published for lizard species seldom account for factors that would likely impact interpretation of cell counts.
Keywords
anemia; blood collection; crocodilians; health assessment; hematologic assessment; inflammation; lizards; reference interval; thrombocytes; tuataras
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PUB35966