Hyperparathyroidism

[LesleyCC]

I am a CVT who recently began work at a wild animal park. We have a Red Tegu. I am concerned he may have nutritional secondary hyperparthyroidism and was wondering if any lizard people know anything about this. I want to look up a little more before I present him to the vet.

 

[M_surinamensis]

We have a Red Tegu. I am concerned he may have nutritional secondary hyperparthyroidism

Before responding in any detail; especially since the bulk of the response would be a mass of caveats about how nobody who's qualified to diagnose the animal would do so without at least seeing the animal in person and a number of test results...

Why do you think it has hyperparathyroidism? I ask simply because there are more common reasons for some of the symptoms associated with that condition (which doesn't rule it out, but it speaks to probability), dietary mismanagement is a more common cause for a calcium deficiency than a parathyroid dysfunction... and given the species in question, there's also a chance that what you are perceiving to be a symptom may not be.

Ultimately the answer would be to bring most* problems to the attention of the veterinarian regardless. If it's not being caused by one condition, it's going to be caused by another and having a staff veterinarian available it's best to get a clear diagnosis. Reptile endocrinology is a subject about which information is somewhat scarce to begin with, and finding reliable species specific information to use as a diagnostic baseline is a bit hit or miss. Consequentially there is no substitute for firsthand analysis by a qualified DVM with herpetological experience.


*unless it's one of the things which is not a symptom, but is being mistaken for one. Like the enlarged jowls of adult males being mistaken for swelling of glands.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Reptile endocrinology is a subject about which information is somewhat scarce to begin with, and finding reliable species specific information to use as a diagnostic baseline is a bit hit or miss. Consequentially there is no substitute for firsthand analysis by a qualified DVM with herpetological experience.

Even with thorough examination and blood tests, hyperparathyroidism is difficult to diagnose. Blood analysis can show and excess or deficiency in blood calcium, but could be ambiguous since this may also indicate over/under calcium metabolism from supplementation. Since the parathyroid gland is responsible for calcium metabolism (and shedding to some extent), without detailed endocrinological lab work to determine if there is a problem with thyroid function, I'm not confident that there are any established range standards for various reptile species.

My only experience with hyperparathyroidism was several years ago when a temperature controller failed in a rack of 39 young leopard geckos causing the temperature to rise over 125 degrees in the back of the tubs. I thought I caught it early enough since all the geckos were at the front of their tubs and/or in their water bowls otherwise acting normally. It wasn't until the next morning that nearly half of them exhibited MBD symptoms, some extreme, that I made a trip to my vet (Dr. Ken Harkewicvz, 20 years working with exotics, President of the ARAV, and Advisor with Herp Vet Connection). He was skeptical that it was MBD since this is typically not an overnight occurrence, and felt that it was a neurological issue due to overexposure to excessive heat.

Several of these poor geckos died, and I had to euthanize several more. I sacrificed the ones with the worst case symptoms for Dr. Harkewicz and UC Davis to analyze. The pathological reports showed that the blood and bone calcium was leached from their bodies secondary to the parathyroid gland going in to 'overdrive', tertiary to exposure to high temperatures. Fortunately, all this analysis was done without charge so they could perform a study. I have not seen the written presentation, but if you are a Vet Tech you may be able to find it on the Herp Vet Connection or the ARAV.

I was able to rehabilitate the rest of my geckos with liquid calcium administered 3X daily for about 10 days.