Changes

==Swab==

==Swab==

Culture sites should be vigorously sampled. Culture blood if septicaemia is suspected. Swabs for bacteriology should immediately go into transport media if there is any delay in culturing. It is preferable to incubate at 25°C and 37°C. It is advisable to take a second swab and roll this onto a microscope slide for gram staining. Culturing of fluid within the oral cavity usually gives non-diagnostic results. Preferable methods, as appropriate, are biopsy of oral lesions, sampling high within the choanal slit or tracheal sampling (by passing a microswab through the glottis).

Culture sites should be vigorously sampled. Blood should be cultured if septicaemia is suspected. Swabs for bacteriology should immediately go into transport media if there is any delay in culturing. It is preferable to incubate at 25°C and 37°C. It is advisable to take a second swab and roll this onto a microscope slide for gram staining. Culturing of fluid within the oral cavity usually gives non-diagnostic results. Preferable methods, as appropriate, are biopsy of oral lesions, sampling high within the choanal slit or tracheal sampling (by passing a microswab through the glottis).

 

==Transtracheal wash==

==Transtracheal wash==

Respiratory disease is common in reptiles and sample collection from the respiratory tract may be essential for diagnosis and treatment. Transtracheal washes should therefore be a routine procedure for all lizards and snakes with respiratory disease. They may be collected in physically restrained snakes but chemical restraint is usually required.  

Respiratory disease is common in reptiles and sample collection from the respiratory tract may be essential for diagnosis and treatment. Transtracheal washes should therefore be a routine procedure for all lizards and snakes with respiratory disease. They may be collected in physically restrained snakes but chemical restraint is usually required.