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13 June 2019 HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE AND ENCEPHALOPATHY IN A CENTRAL BEARDED DRAGON (POGONA VITTICEPS) WITH SEVERE ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND FIRST-DEGREE ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK
Lionel Schilliger, Clément Paillusseau, Frédéric Gandar, Isabelle Desprez, William Claude, Peggy Passavin, Vittorio Saponaro, Marine Roche-Catholy, Alexandra Nicolier, Jean-Louis Pouchelon, Valérie Chetboul
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Abstract

A 0.5 kg, 5-yr-old male bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) presented with a 2-mo history of lethargy, anorexia, and impaired locomotion. Upon physical examination, bradyarrhythmia (heart rate: 20 beats/min) and balance disorders were noted. Electrocardiography revealed a first-degree atrioventricular block (P-R interval: 360 ms). On echocardiography, all cardiac chambers were slightly above normal ranges. Complete blood count, blood biochemistry, and T4 were unremarkable except for mildly elevated aspartate aminotransferase. Adenovirus testing was negative by polymerase chain reaction. Following euthanasia, necropsy revealed marked thickening of the arterial trunks and histopathology confirmed multifocal atherosclerosis of efferent heart vessels, arteriosclerosis of cerebral arterioles, and multifocal spongiosis of brain tissue, more pronounced in the optic chiasma. Owing to its severity, atherosclerosis may have contributed to chronic arterial hypertension with damages to the heart, brain vessels, and brain tissue-optic chiasma.

Copyright 2019 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Lionel Schilliger, Clément Paillusseau, Frédéric Gandar, Isabelle Desprez, William Claude, Peggy Passavin, Vittorio Saponaro, Marine Roche-Catholy, Alexandra Nicolier, Jean-Louis Pouchelon, and Valérie Chetboul "HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE AND ENCEPHALOPATHY IN A CENTRAL BEARDED DRAGON (POGONA VITTICEPS) WITH SEVERE ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND FIRST-DEGREE ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 50(2), 482-486, (13 June 2019). https://doi.org/10.1638/2018-0178
Accepted: 17 January 2019; Published: 13 June 2019
KEYWORDS
atherosclerosis
bearded dragon
bradycardia
first-degree atrioventricular block
hypertensive encephalopathy
Pogona vitticeps
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