Treatment of cartilaginous hyperplasia in ball pythons

Citation
Cb. Greenacre et al., Treatment of cartilaginous hyperplasia in ball pythons, COMP CONT E, 21(7), 1999, pp. 633
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Veterinary Medicine/Animal Health
Journal title
COMPENDIUM ON CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR THE PRACTICING VETERINARIAN
ISSN journal
01931903 → ACNP
Volume
21
Issue
7
Year of publication
1999
Database
ISI
SICI code
0193-1903(199907)21:7<633:TOCHIB>2.0.ZU;2-U
Abstract
During a 3-year period (1992 to 1995), seven ball pythons (Python regius) w ere evaluated at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine T eaching Hospital with a presenting complaint of respiratory distress. Three of these patients were mature males with a history of intermittent dyspnea characterized by periods of open-mouth breathing. Radiodense space-occupyi ng masses were visible in the trachea of all three male pythons. In two of these pythons, cytologic evaluation of samples collected from the mucosal s urface of the trachea failed to demonstrate pathogenic organisms or abnorma l cells. Surgical removal of the affected area of trachea resulted in a ret urn to normal breathing with no postsurgical difficulty in swallowing prey. Histologically, the masses in the trachea were suggestive of cartilaginous hyperplasia.