Researchers have developed a new way to track reptiles, including snakes, lizards and turtles: pin a small bandage to their bodies. This is groundbreaking discovery moves us one step beyond basic cardiovascular exams and enables better care for these fascinating beasties in our veterinary clinics.
Overcoming the Challenges
For many years measuring the heart rate of a reptile has been one of the most difficult tasks for reptile veterinarians. On this particular animal, the classic tool for listening to heartbeats — stethoscopes — doesn’t work too well. They are covered with scales; this significantly inhibits the propagation of sounds and it is hard to detect their pulse correctly.
A further problem is that certain types of reptiles, such as tortoises and turtles, will pull into their legs when they are frightened which not only brings the thrina closer to them but also covers their hearts. This has been a common frustration for veterinarians wanting to deliver high-quality reptile care.
A Breakthrough Discovery
Now, researchers in K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine have remedied this troublesome situation. The researchers have found a consistent and accessible region on the back of a reptile’s head where they can take their pulse, which is easy to reach.
What the researchers found was by a stroke of luck, when they noticed that a blood vessel in the head of one ill bearded dragon appeared to be swelling. In another part of the body, they found the pulse with great clarity using a standard veterinary ultrasonic Doppler flow detector. Continued investigations in multiple reptiles, such as leopard geckos, turtles, tortoises and even snakes has shown that this technique can be used broadly across reptilian subjects.
Most importantly, the researchers discovered that this temporoorbital artery pulse rate functions as a reliable proxy for heart rate in normal animals. This means the veterinarians can now have a non-invasive tool to obtain detailed images of reptile cardivascular health without being overly invasive or stressful for the animal.
Conclusion
This could be described as a groundbreaking discovery, and the researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine have set reptile healthcare on an altogether new path. Veterinarians can now gather more detailed assessment data and monitor cardiovascular status in their reptilian patients, even when the animal is anesthetized or stressed without additional invasive testing to determine pulse rate. This revolutionary innovation will change the way we look after these amazing animals, with more successes and quality overall of life in our pet reptiles and wild reptiles.
