Carnivorous and insectivorous reptiles require proteins that are derived from animal and insects, while herbivorous reptiles require proteins derived only from plants. Providing a reptile with the wrong type of protein may have serious long-term results that may eventually lead to gout. This is commonly seen in iguanas that are fed a diet high in animal proteins while they are young to increase their growth rate. As the iguana grows and becomes older they begin to suffer from illnesses that are directly related to a diet of inappropriate proteins early on in life.
Gout is not a condition that typically presents itself overnight; there are exceptions to this rule, as we will see later on. This condition is usually develops slowly over a long period of time. There are three forms of gout that may effect reptiles, visceral, articular and pariarticular. These three forms of gout may be broken down into two basic classifications, primary and secondary. The primary classification occurs when uric acid in the blood is present as monosodium urate. When uric acid and uric salts are present in high amounts in the bloodstream the condition is referred to as hyperuricemia. To put it simply, hyperuricemia is the overproduction of uric acid and uric salts. This overproduction of uric acid and salts may be the result of a genetically inherited defect. When this occurs it is classified as primary gout.
Secondary gout is also caused by hyperuricemia, but it is usually the result of a chronic disease or the side effects of drugs used in treating other illnesses. Chronic diseases that may effect uric acid levels leading to secondary gout in reptiles are renal disease and starvation. Metabolic disorders may also play a role in the development of gout.
Since most reptiles suffer from secondary gout it is usually the result of a poor diet and a lack of a clean and fresh water supply, which helps to flush excess uric acids from the body. Temperature and humidity are also very important in the disease process of reptiles, particularly in species that receive most of their water requirements from the moisture in the air.
As stated earlier, gout may be the result of another illness or drug. For this reason it is important to understand that determining the presence of gout may be difficult. Radiographs of the joints may show lytic lesions, but the best method for determining its presence in reptiles is to obtain a sample of the fluid in the joints in order to look for the presence of monosodium urate crystals.
Anytime a reptile is suffering from an illness involving the renal system, gout should always be considered. The same is true when a reptile is being treated for an illness with a drug that is known to have the potential for effecting the renal system. Remember that it is the secondary classification that is commonly presented in reptiles, which means that the signs and symptoms of this condition will most likely not be presented by themselves. In most cases this illness will be masked by the symptoms of a disease involving the renal system.
Treatment of gout in reptiles is very poorly understood, as is the condition itself. Most treatment methods currently available for reptiles have been based on those of humans that suffer from this condition. Antihyperuricemic and uricouric drugs are used to treat the gout itself, while anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteriods are used to treat the associated arthritis attacks.
Successful diagnosis and treatment of this condition may be very difficult and recovery rates in reptiles are very low. One of the reasons for this is that by the time the condition is diagnosed it has been present for a long period of time and is usually very well progressed. For this reason it is very important to prevent the illness by providing a proper diet with the right type of proteins throughout all life stages and to ensure a fresh, clean water supply is always available.
