It is popular to keep Reptiles as pets in Swedish households. The number of households reporting Reptile ownership is more than 15 000 (SCB, 2006). This means that a veterinary practice should consider how to take care of Reptiles as patients. The aim of this study was to examine literature and studies concerning safe handling and restraint of Reptiles as well as the effects of acute and long term stress response and to suggest a simplified plan for handling Reptiles in a veterinary practice. The result of literary studies is that common recommendations for safe handling and restraint of Reptiles is based on old techniques and experiences from safe handling of wild animals. The main concern is safety for the veterinary nurse and for the Reptile. Stress studies indicate that acute stress response is not harmful for the animal i long term. On the other hand studies of the effect of prolonged stress are not conclusive.

Reptiles and birds are animals that many people don?t have much experience of, so it can be difficult to do a proper animal protection assessment of these animals. It?s hard to determine if these animals is skinny, fat or in good shape, to do that it demands handling of the animal and not many inspectors that works with animal protection have experience of handling Reptiles and birds. To see if a Reptile or a bird is ill is difficult, when the bird or Reptile looking sick it?s often too late to do something. www.blocket.se is a sell and buy page on the internet there many animals switch owner.

The anatomy and physiology of Reptiles and mammals are in many ways different, and will therefore possibly complicate anesthetic administration. Lizards are ectothermic and one should keep in mind that a decrease in the lizard?s environmental temperature may result in reductions in anesthetic metabolism. Respiratory depression is a profound problem because lizards lack a diaphragm, making inhalation and expiration completely active processes. This, in combination with cardiac shunting and breath holding makes the effects of anesthesia unpredictable.

Hudinfektioner är ett mycket vanligt problem hos Reptiler som hålls i fångenskap. 29 % till 64 % av alla dermatologiska problem hos Reptiler är orsakade av felaktig skötsel. I det här arbetet sammanställs orsaker till såruppkomst och några specifika sår samt några av de sårinfektioner som kan drabba Reptiler. Reptilens hud beskrivs med fokus på vad som skiljer sig från däggdjurshud, även ömsning berörs. Några av infektionernas förekomst i Sverige kommenteras. Sår kan uppkomma t.ex.