Hypercalcemia and Hyperphosphatemia in Indigo Snakes (Drymarchon corais) and Serum

Biochemical Reference Values

Author(s): Mark L. Drew
Source: Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 1, Reptile and Amphibian Issue (Mar.,
1994), pp. 48-52
Published by: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20095333
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 Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 25(1): 48-52, 1994
Copyright 1994 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians

HYPERCALCEMIA AND HYPERPHOSPHATEMIA IN INDIGO

SNAKES (DRYMARCHON COR?IS) AND SERUM
BIOCHEMICAL REFERENCE VALUES
Mark L. Drew, D.V.M., M.Sc.

Abstract: Two captive adult male indigo snakes (Drymarchon cor?is) housed at the Sacramento
Zoo had hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, which persisted over a 6-mo period in one of the
snakes. Mild metastatic calcification was noted on whole body radiographs of one snake. Both snakes
had chronic, ulcerative dermatitis. Serum collected from 15 captive indigo snakes from six different
sources demonstrated hypercalcemia = 158.9
and hyperphosphatemia (x mg/dl and 35.3 mg/dl,
respectively) in nearly all individuals. Elevated serum calcium and phosphorus levels may be a
normal clinical finding in indigo snakes in captivity.
Key words: Indigo snake, Drymarchon cor?is, hypercalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, serum bio

chemistry values.

INTRODUCTION tions in serum calcium and phosphorus in

in snakes. The data suggest that hypercalcemia

Although is increased
there interest
and hyperphosphatemia may be normal
the medical management of captive and
clinical findings in captive indigo snakes.
free-ranging reptiles, there is a paucity of
information on hematology and serum bio CASE REPORT
chemistry reference ranges for most species.
Two captive adult male Eastern indigo
Because reptile hematology and blood
snakes (Drymarchon cor?is) were housed at
chemistry values can be affected by season,
the Sacramento Zoo, Sacramento, Califor
motor activity, reproduction, temperature,
3 nia. The snakes were housed in individual
and photoperiod,2 the evaluation of these
animals in clinical situations is difficult. fiberglass cages with clear plastic covers and
fed four or five freshly killed whole adult
Reference ranges for hematology and se
rum biochemistry are not available for most mice every 2 weeks. Room temperature was
maintained at 80-85?F with a 12 hr:12 hr
species of reptiles. Reference ranges have
been published for some species of tor (light :dark) photoperiod supplied by stan
and snakes.179111315
dard fluorescent and incandescent light fix
toises,81214 lizards,6
tures.
Basic hematology and blood chemistry val
Snake no. 1 had a chronic ulcerative le
ues are available for several reptile spe
sion located on the left body wall located
cies.245
approximately lh of the distance from the
The purpose of this report is to document
nose to the tail. The lesion was approxi
persistent hypercalcemia and hyperphos
mately 5 cm in diameter and was first re
phatemia in two captive indigo snakes (Dry
ported in 1988. The snake was anesthetized
marchon cor?is) and to present serum bio
with isoflurane (AErrane, Anaquest, Mad
chemistry reference values for indigo snakes.
This is the first report of persistent eleva ison, Wisconsin 53713, USA) repeatedly
over a 14-mo period for full-thickness skin
biopsies. Biopsy results indicated focal der
From the Zoological Medicine Service, Veterinary matitis withlymphocytic and neutrophilic
Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California,
accumulations, but no etiologic agent was
California95616, USA. Present address: Zoo
Davis, identified. Despite multiple attempts at top
logical Medicine Service, Department of Large Animal
ical medical therapy and parenteral anti
Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine,
biotics, the lesion progressed after each shed
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843,
USA. cycle. Parenteral dexamethasone (Dexa

48

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 DREW-INDIGO SNAKE BIOCHEMISTRY VALUES 49

Table 1. Serum calcium and phosphorus levels in four snakes from the Sacramento Zoo, 1989-1990.

Inductively coupled plasma

DACOS chemistry analysis emission spectrometry
Calcium Phosphorus Calcium Phosphorus
Snake Date (mg/dl) (mg/dl) (mg/dl) (mg/dl)

Indigo snake no. 1 12-7-89 162.2 31.4 nda nd

12-8-89 176.4 31.2 nd nd
12-13-89 134.0 31.1 136.0 21.9
Indigo snake no. 2 12-7-89 335.9 56.3 nd nd
12-8-89 289.9 55.6 nd nd
12-13-89 303.1 58.6 285.0 42.6
6-26-90 154.4 27.6 nd nd
Pine snake 12-13-89 30.6 6.4 17.6 3.8
Gopher snake 12-13-89 29.0 4.9 14.7 4.9

a = not
nd determined.

meth-A-Vet, Anpro Pharmaceuticals, Ar analyses were done using a DACOS Auto

cadia, California 91006, USA; 0.5 mg/kg mated Chemistry Analyzer (DACOS, Coul
i.m. q 48 hr) was given, and the lesion began ter Electronics, Hialeah, Florida 33010,
to regress dramatically. After 12 wk of ste USA) at 37?C. All values were within es
roid therapy, the snake became anorectic, tablished laboratory ranges (Hematology
and it eventually died of a gram-negative and Chemistry Laboratories, Veterinary
septicemia. Medical Teaching Hospital, University of
Snake no. 2 had a 2-x 1-cm-diameter California-Davis, unpubl. data) except for
area of necrotic dermatitis in the area of the calcium and phosphorus (Table 1).
right hemipene that was first reported in Blood was redrawn the next day to elim
1989. After minimal resolution with topical inate laboratory error as an explanation for
therapy, the right hemipene was amputated the elevated calcium and phosphorus levels;
and the pericloacal dermatitis resolved over results were similar to those of the previous
3-4 wk. Approximately 1mo later, the le day (Table 1). Blood samples taken 5 days
sion recurred but to a lesser extent. The snake later (13 December 1989) produced similar
died of a gram-negative septicemia 7 mo results. Blood samples taken from snake no.
after surgery. 2 about 6mo later (26 June 1990) indicated
Blood was drawn for a complete blood that hypercalcemia and hyperphosphate
count and serum chemistry from the two mia were still present (Table 1).
indigo snakes on 7 December 1989. Snakes Whole body radiographs of each snake
were restrained by hand, and blood was were taken on 13 December 1989. No ev
taken from either the ventral tail vein or the idence of metastatic calcification was found
heart using a 22- or 25-ga needle and sy in snake no. 1, but multiple small areas of
ringe. Blood was placed in sterile tubes with metastatic calcification and a soft tissue mass
and without anticoagulant. Blood for serum in the area of the right hemipene were found
chemistry analysis was allowed to clot and in snake no. 2.
was centrifuged, and the serum was col Because of the persistent hypercalcemia
lected. and hyperphosphatemia in the indigo
All samples were submitted to the He snakes, blood samples were obtained from
matology and Chemistry Laboratories, Vet a pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus mel
erinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Uni anoleucus) and a gopher snake (Pituophis
versity of California-Davis. Chemical melanoleucus catenifer), housed under the

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50 JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE

Table 2. Serum chemistry values for captive adult indigo snakes (Drymarchon cor?is) from six sources.

Standard
Analyte No. males No. females Mean deviation Range

Calcium (mg/dl) 11 158.9 102.3 30-337

Phosphorus (mg/dl) 11 35.3 18.8 8.3-68.6

Glucose (mg/dl) 11 45.6 15.3 28-89
AST (IU/L) 11 45.5 47.4 6-163
Alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) 9 122.6 28.7 80-161
Total protein (g/dl) 11 8.9 2.1 5.9-12.3
Creatine kinase (IU/L) 9 644.3 481.3 68-1,923
Uric acid (mg/dl) 11 8.6 4.4 2.2-17.1
LDH (IU/L) 11 313.4 288.8 13-1,055
Sodium (mmol/L) 157.2 7.9 143-170
Potassium 8.1 3.6 4.3-14.3
(mmol/L)
Chloride (mmol/L) 118.7 9.9 100-129
Total C02 (mmol/L) 20.1 3.2 15-24
Albumin (g/dl) 2.5 0.8 1.7-4.6

same and environmental con indigo snakes provided serum from 13 ap

husbandry
ditions as the indigo snakes, on 13 Decem parently healthy snakes. Procedures for
ber 1989 for comparison with the blood of sampling and processing serum were similar
the indigo snakes. Sampling techniques and to those for snake nos. 1 and 2. Serum sam
submission were identical to those for the ples from these other snakes were either fro
snakes. All values for the pine and zen or
stored under refrigeration during
indigo
snakes, including calcium and phos shipment to the University of California.
gopher
phorus, were within established laboratory Serum chemistry values for the 15 indigo
ranges and Chemistry Labo snakes are summarized in Table 2. Hyper
(Hematology
calcemia and hyperphosphatemia were
ratories, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hos
pital, University of California-Davis, un present in 11 of the 13 snakes from the other
sources. Two of these snakes had elevated
publ. data) (Table 1).
Serum from the two indigo snakes, the aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine ki
pine snake, and the gopher snake was sub nase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) lev
mitted to the Toxicology Division, Califor els. Creatine kinase levels were elevated in
nia Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Uni seven individuals.
versity of California-Davis, for analysis of
DISCUSSION
calcium and
phosphorus by inductively
coupled plasma emission (ICP) spectrom The results of this study indicate that hy
etry.10 The results of the ICP analysis (Table percalcemia and hyperphosphatemia may
the hypercalcemia and hyper be "normal" for Eastern snakes in
1) confirmed indigo
in the two indigo snakes. captivity. The hypercalcemia and hyper
phosphatemia
Because of the marked elevations in se phosphatemia were persistent in the two
rum calcium and phosphorus in these two snakes from the Sacramento Zoo and were
snakes, several other institutions consistent with values seen in snakes from
indigo
were contacted and the other institutions. than hypercal
Other
housing indigo snakes
asked to provide serum samples to evaluate cemia and hyperphosphatemia, chemistry
the prevalence of hypercalcemia and hy values from the 15 indigo snakes were con
and to create biochemical sidered within normal limits when com
perphosphatemia
reference ranges for this species in captivity. pared with other species of snakes.18913 Se
Four institutions and one private breeder of rum calcium and phosphorus levels inmost

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 DREW-INDIGO SNAKE BIOCHEMISTRY VALUES 5 1

species are usually ca. 3.5 and 2.0

of reptiles All of the snakes used in this study were
mmol/L (14.0 mg/dl and 6.2 mg/dl), re long-term captives, but ages were not known
spectively.45 for the majority of individuals. However,
No lesion that would cause elevated cal the serum biochemistry values found in
cium and phosphorus levels was identified these snakes were relatively consistent and
on necropsy or histologie examination of can be used as initial reference values for
the two indigo snakes from the Sacramento indigo snakes in captivity. Further studies
Zoo. In the absence of underlying pathol are needed to determine if the hypercalce
ogy, the significance of the hypercalcemia mia and hyperphosphatemia reported here
and hyperphosphatemia is unknown. The are present in wild populations of Eastern
mechanism that would allow for persistent indigo snakes.
hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia of
the magnitude reported here is unknown. Acknowledgments: The cooperation of Drs.
Transient hypercalcemia has been reported D. DeNardo (Laboratory Animal Services, Uni
in female snakes during ovulation and egg versity of California, Berkeley), T. Campbell (Sea
development.2 Vitamin D is an important World of Florida), R. McManamon (Zoo Atlan
regulator of calcium and phosphorus ho ta), C. D. Page (Jacksonville Zoo), andW. Amand
meostasis. It is not known to what extent (Philadelphia Zoo) in obtaining blood samples
the vitamin D status of these snakes influ and medical records is gratefully acknowledged.
B. Thompson (Clinical Chemistry Laboratory,
enced the results.
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital) and F.
The elevated calcium and phosphorus
Galey (Toxicology Division, California Veteri
found using ICP spectrometry confirmed the
nary Diagnostic Laboratory) provided expertise
hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia in for serum and
chemistry inductively coupled
the two indigo snakes from the Sacramento plasma emission spectrometry analyses. Drs. S.
Zoo. However, serum calcium values for the Griffey and L. Lowenstine (Pathology Depart
pine and
gopher snakes and serum phos ment, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital,
phorus values for the pine snake were about University of California-Davis) provided nec
twice as high when determined on the DA ropsy and histologie interpretation.
COS analyzer as the values determined by
ICP spectrometry. There are no known sub LITERATURE CITED
stances that would interfere with analyses
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