MANAGEMENT OF A PATENT URACHUS AND YOLK COELOMITIS IN A PREHENSILE-TAILED SKINK (CORUCIA ZEBRATA)

Abstract

An 11-day-old, captive-born, male prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata) was evaluated for a chronically swollen umbilicus. On presentation, the skink appeared dehydrated and weak. The umbilical stump was sensitive, edematous, and erythematous. Yellow fluid was readily expressed during palpation of the surrounding area, suggestive of urine. Following several days of supportive care, a positive contrast cloacagram supported the diagnosis of a patent urachus. An exploratory celiotomy was performed, confirming yolk coelomitis and a patent urachus. Both were corrected surgically, and the skink improved steadily thereafter. This report confirms the presence of a urinary bladder in C. zebrata and is the first report of a patent urachus in a reptile. Surgical intervention and medical management of concurrent infectious coelomitis were curative in this case.

Keywords: Coelomitis; Corucia zebrata; neonate; omphalitis; prehensile-tailed skink; urachus.