Gout and Uremia Syndrome in Captive Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis): A Case Report

Abstract

Visceral gout is an important consequence of chronic renal disease in reptiles but has rarely been documented in the endangered Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). This report describes the gross and histopathological findings of generalized visceral gout in a 10-year-old captive female Komodo dragon that died following progressive anorexia and weakness. Complete necropsy revealed extensive white chalky deposits on the kidneys, pericardium, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and ovaries. Representative tissue samples from the heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, spleen, and ovaries were examined histologically using hematoxylin and eosin, Periodic acid-Schiff, and methenamine silver stains. Microscopic examination demonstrated severe chronic granulomatous urate nephropathy characterized by diffuse interstitial fibrosis, glomerular atrophy, tubular degeneration and necrosis, and extensive intratubular urate deposition. Additional lesions included granulomatous urate pericarditis with myocardial degeneration and necrosis, pulmonary congestion, hemorrhage, emphysema, metastatic mineralization, ulcerative hemorrhagic gastritis with intralesional candidiasis, granulomatous splenitis, and hemorrhagic oophoritis. The distribution and severity of lesions indicate that chronic renal failure resulted in persistent hyperuricemia, systemic urate crystal deposition, and multisystemic uremic syndrome. This case expands the limited pathological literature on naturally occurring visceral gout in V. komodoensis and emphasizes the importance of early recognition of renal disease and husbandry-related risk factors in the health management of captive Komodo dragons.