Alimentary Tract Neoplasia in Captive Bearded Dragons (Pogona spp)

Abstract

There are multiple reports of gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma in bearded dragons (Pogona spp), but other types of alimentary neoplasia are rarely reported. In a retrospective study, we identified 51 cases of neoplasia, including gastric (n=26), oral (n=18), intestinal (n=13), oesophageal (n=3) and cloacal (n=2) neoplasms. Round cell neoplasia was diagnosed in the alimentary tract in 14 cases, all of which had extra-alimentary involvement, most commonly in the liver, lung, spleen and kidney, and was considered to be the cause of death or euthanasia in all cases. Oral neoplasms included sarcoma, adenomatous polyp, round cell neoplasia, fibromatous epulis of periodontal ligament origin and myxoma. Apart from disseminated round cell neoplasia, all the oral neoplasms, including sarcomas, were not associated with death or euthanasia and had a good to excellent prognosis. Oesophageal neoplasms included round cell neoplasia. Gastric neoplasms included neuroendocrine carcinoma, round cell neoplasia, adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. Intestinal neoplasms included round cell neoplasia, sarcoma, adenocarcinoma and metastatic sarcoma. All oesophageal, gastric and intestinal neoplasms were associated with death or euthanasia and had a poor to grave prognosis. Cloacal neoplasms included round cell tumours and squamous cell carcinoma, and all were primary alimentary tumours except for the round cell tumours and one metastatic sarcoma. Round cell neoplasia and gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma were the most common diagnoses. Sarcomas and polyps were common in the oral cavity and rare to absent elsewhere. Adenocarcinoma was rare and only identified in the stomach and intestines.