Ectothermic vertebrates are a diverse group of animals that rely on external sources to maintain a preferred body temperature. Amphibians and reptiles have a preferred optimal temperature zone that allows for optimal biological function. Physiologic processes in ectotherms are influenced by temperature; these animals have capabilities in which they make use of behavioral and physiologic mechanisms to thermoregulate. Core body, ambient air, body surface, and surface/water temperatures were obtained from six ectothermic species including one anuran, two snakes, two turtles, and one alligator. Clinically significant differences between core body temperature and ambient temperature were noted in the black rat snake, corn snake, and eastern box turtle. No significant differences were found between core body and ambient temperature for the American alligator, bullfrog, mata mata turtle, dead spotted turtle, or dead mole king snake. This study indicates some ectotherms are able to regulate their body temperatures independent of their environment. Body temperature of ectotherms is an important component that clinicians should consider when selecting and providing therapeutic care. Investigation of basic physiologic parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature) from a diverse population of healthy ectothermic vertebrates may provide baseline data for a systematic health care approach.

A 13-mo-old, captive-born, female African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) was presented with a progressively enlarging, firm mass on the dorsum of the head. Due to rapid tumor growth and the development of neurologic signs, elective euthanasia and a complete postmortem were performed 2 months after initial presentation. Histologic findings were similar in both antemortem biopsy and postmortem samples from the tumor and consisted of nodules of cartilage and/or bone separated by thin interconnected trabeculae that contained spindle-shaped cells, consistent with multilobular tumor of bone. Very few reports of tumors in the endangered African wild dog have been published to date. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an osseous tumor in an African wild dog and the first report of a multilobular tumor of bone in a nondomestic canid.

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