Benign ovarian teratoma in a central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

A six-year-old female central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) was examined for a six-month history of increasing coelomic distention, dyspnea, dysorexia, and tenesmus. Complementary examinations revealed hyperuricemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased creatine kinase, and a heterogeneous polycystic mass with peripheral coelomic effusion. An exploratory coeliotomy revealed a mass at the anatomical location of the right ovary and follicular stasis of the left ovary; bilateral ovariectomy was performed. After anatomopathological and bacterial examination, the bearded dragon was diagnosed with benign ovarian teratoma and secondary bacterial infection. Either no evidence of reoccurrence was visible by radiography or ultrasonography after 10 weeks and the owner was advised to regularly return for follow-up ultrasound examinations. To the best authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of a benign ovarian teratoma in this species and ovarian teratoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of coelomic distention in saurian females