Suspect acute, bilateral spontaneous ovarian hemorrhage in an adult female leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)

Abstract An adult female leopard gecko ( Eublepharis macularius ) was found dead in its cage with no previous signs of illness. Necropsy findings, characterized by the presence of moderate to abundant clotted blood enclosed within the connective tissue surrounding left and right ovaries, were compatible with an acute, bilateral spontaneous ovarian hemorrhage. This unusual condition has been rarely observed in captive reptiles and is characterized by the sudden rupture of the ovarian arteries with subsequent hemorrhage into the ovary and periovarian connective tissues. Based on scientific literature, this is the first suspect case of this disorder in a leopard gecko.