The University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center is seeking lizards to participate in a study evaluating orthopedic pain in reptiles. If you have a pet lizard that is experiencing orthopedic disease, orthopedic injury, or other bone-related illness, he or she may be eligible to participate.

Benefits include:
Physical exam by a board-certified reptile veterinarian
Blood work
Initial x-rays to diagnose injury

Requirements:
You must spend a minimum of 30 minutes per day observing your lizard.
There are three study visits to Penn Vet over 30 days.
You will answer questionnaires about your lizard's behavior, activity, and pain.
Certain husbandry requirements must be met to participate.

The goal of this research project is to gather data about the behaviors related to pain and discomfort in lizards. This will be used to develop a questionnaire tool that pet owners and veterinarians can use to improve clinical management of pain in lizards. The cost of treatment, including antibiotics, pain medication, surgery, etc, is not covered by the study.

If you are interested in being part of this exciting new study, contact the VCIC at vcic@vet.upenn.edu or 215-573-0302. For more information visit us at www.pennvcic.org or Google search Penn Vet Exotics.

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