Name
Temporo-orbital pulse measurement in healthy, unhealthy, and anesthetized bearded dragons
Speakers
Description
Heart rates in reptiles cannot be easily ausculted with a stethoscope and pulses cannot be palpated. In ball pythons, it has been shown that the temporo-orbital artery is an effective location to measure pulse rate. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and ease of obtainment of the temporo-orbital pulse in bearded dragons, regardless of animal size, health status, or if conscious or anesthetized. We planned a prospective, cross-sectional study to evaluate feasibility of temporo-orbital arterial pulse measurement in bearded dragons. Healthy and unhealthy bearded dragons of all sizes, both sexes, and those placed under anesthesia are included in the study. The temporo-orbital pulse is obtained by placing a doppler on the dorso-caudal aspect of the head just lateral to midline. The time to obtain the pulse is measured. The heart rate is obtained in a similar manner. The temporo-orbital pulse is located in under 30 seconds in most cases and found on average in 9 seconds. The pulse rate is comparable to the heart rate within 5 beats per minute on average. The temporo-orbital pulse is feasible to measure in bearded dragons of all sizes and is comparable to the heart rate.
Session Type
Lecture (25 Min)