Conservative treatment of lumbar vertebral injury in green iguana

Abstract

In reptile practice, alterations in the spine are usually re-lated to osteometabolic disease. Although polytrauma in reptiles is common, publications about traumatic vertebral lesions in saurians and their clinical resolution are scarce. The objective of this case report was to describe the conservative treatment used on a young, female, free-living green iguana (Iguana iguana) that was attended by the Wild and Exotic Animals Sector of the Veterinary Medicine Hospital Renato Rodemberg de Medeiros Neto (Universidade Federal da Bahia), with diagnose, through physical and radiographic exami-nation, of luxation of the spine at the lumbar level, which resulted in compression of the spinal cord. Conserva-tive therapy was performed with the use of external immobilization, pain control and anti-inflammatory, in addition to support and acupuncture sessions. In this case, the therapy used proved to be successful, with the patient being discharged after four weeks.