Lizardfolk biology

[Foolster41]

E: Here's https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nEZ ... sp=sharing

(x-post) I may have posted about this before, but I can't find the topic and figure it's better to just start new.

I was thinking about more stuff to add to my world of lizard-Folk "Salthans", and one thing I was considered was lizard-folk biology and physiology.

Specifically, I was thinking what this would mean in terms of treating sick/injured Salthans (both in general treatment practices and in surgery) that would be different from humans, and what maybe a manual would look like for doctors in a non-sathan country (e.g. humans) for treating Salthans.

I was looking at images of insides of lizards and they seem to have basically the same parts, besides the cloaca. Are there major differences in systems between humans and lizards that I'm missing?

How would being cold-blooded potentially be different for a doctor if at all? (I guess it would be easier to anaesthetize a Salthan, just get it really cold and it'd go to sleep)

Other things that might throw off a doctor (lack of nipples, navel, do doctors use those as "landmarks" for determining inscission area?)? Other things that would need to be considered for a lizard-person patient?

Here are some the notes I have so far:

Determining Gender (For example if the patient is unconscious, and this is for any reason needed for lower-body surgery)
A clear indicator of being of the biological male sex is that males starting near puberty (around age 8) grow a row of spines across the center of the skull. These grow very slowly. They are generally around an inch or so tall by the time the child has reached puberty, and grow to be about 2-3 inches at adulthood, around age 20.

Females, both at childhood and adulthood tend to have slightly shorter beaks than males, though because this is only an average rule of thumb and there is much variance this is not a hard and fast rule.

Injection

Only inject into arm muscles. because of 3-chambered heart, injecting into the lower half may cause filtration of the drug through the kidneys. For this reason the thigh and buttocks are not viable injection points for Salthans. [1]

To inject, one has to carefully insert the needle between the scale layer of the skin, to pierce the muscle. One needs to be careful not to break the needle, or damage the scales which can cause painful damage.[2]

Feeding Tubes

Because of the lack of a secondary Palate, procedures that require inserting objects into the esophogus such as feeding tubes are not safe and will cause the Salthan patient to suffocate.

[elemtilas]

(x-post) I may have posted about this before, but I can't find the topic and figure it's better to just start new.

Fair enough -- but take a look here. I've found several links to Salthan culture.

[Foolster41]

Fair enough -- but take a look here. I've found several links to Salthan culture.

Yeah. I mean, there's no topic I can see (even on that list) specifically focusing on Salthan biology (beyond a basic description). Do you mean, I should have put this inside one of those topics instead of making a new one? Perhaps I should have.

[elemtilas]

Specifically, I was thinking what this would mean in terms of treating sick/injured Salthans (both in general treatment practices and in surgery) that would be different from humans, and what maybe a manual would look like for doctors in a non-sathan country (e.g. humans) for treating Salthans.

I don't recall what level of technology the humans are at in this world, to say nothing of their medicine!; but I'll just assume for the sake of response that it is comparable to what we have *here*.

I was looking at images of insides of lizards and they seem to have basically the same parts, besides the cloaca. Are there major differences in systems between humans and lizards that I'm missing?

Yeah. At least in crocodiles, the heart and circulatory systems are quite different. There are some funky things that go on, for example, when a croc dives, it diverts deoxygenated blood to the gut. This presumably reserves the good stuff for what little brain they have as well as the limbs and head.

How would being cold-blooded potentially be different for a doctor if at all? (I guess it would be easier to anaesthetize a Salthan, just get it really cold and it'd go to sleep)

Probably not much effect here. Obviously thermoregulation would be an issue, but unlike with a human patient, there are not really any horrible side effects for the Salthan patient when the temperature drops. If Salthans are whatever the ambient temperature is, it might be wise to keep the operating theatre on the warm side, or at least use warming equipment. This would help speed awakening from anaesthesia as well as recovery afterward.

Other things that might throw off a doctor (lack of nipples, navel, do doctors use those as "landmarks" for determining inscission area?)? Other things that would need to be considered for a lizard-person patient?

Well, veterinarians seem to have no trouble navigating the wonderful worlds of snakes and lizards and amphibians and birds!

And, yes, surgeons do use these as convenient landmarks. But there are plenty of others. I would suppose that any manual that gets written would make note of such landmarks as Salthan doctors would normally use. Bony prominences, number of ribs, etc.

Crocs do have an umbilical scar. If Salthans have such a thing, then that might be used as a landmark.

Injection

To inject, one has to carefully insert the needle between the scale layer of the skin, to pierce the muscle. One needs to be careful not to break the needle, or damage the scales which can cause painful damage.[2]

Right. They might require larger gauge (stronger) needles than might be used on a human patient. Especially if the scales are at all tough.

Feeding Tubes

Because of the lack of a secondary Palate, procedures that require inserting objects into the esophogus such as feeding tubes are not safe and will cause the Salthan patient to suffocate.

That wouldn't be good. Potential alternatives might then include something like TPN (nutrition given intravenously); or a G-tube, which is simply a feeding tube placed into the stomach through the abdominal wall.

If they have thickish claws rather than nails, one thing to consider, when administering an IV or any kind of tubing into an active young patient will be the use of thick mittens. These will help prevent the child from clawing out his feeding tube or IV.

You'll also want to look at this, for when it comes to catheterising the Salthan patient. Since crocs don't appear to have separate facilities for poo and pee (yes, those are bona fide medical terms!) it might be suggested that indwelling catheters be avoided as much as possible.

[elemtilas]

Fair enough -- but take a look here. I've found several links to Salthan culture.

Yeah. I mean, there's no topic I can see (even on that list) specifically focusing on Salthan biology (beyond a basic description). Do you mean, I should have put this inside one of those topics instead of making a new one? Perhaps I should have.

Not at all! Was just pointing out where some of your previous information was posted, on the off chance you might locate some earlier posts on their biology!

[Foolster41]

Specifically, I was thinking what this would mean in terms of treating sick/injured Salthans (both in general treatment practices and in surgery) that would be different from humans, and what maybe a manual would look like for doctors in a non-sathan country (e.g. humans) for treating Salthans.

I don't recall what level of technology the humans are at in this world, to say nothing of their medicine!; but I'll just assume for the sake of response that it is comparable to what we have *here*.

Well, really mainly they are medieval, though I guess for this I'm also imagining in the modern-era timeskip as well, because more advanced medicine would be avaliable.

Yeah. At least in crocodiles, the heart and circulatory systems are quite different. There are some funky things that go on, for example, when a croc dives, it diverts deoxygenated blood to the gut. This presumably reserves the good stuff for what little brain they have as well as the limbs and head.

Well, they're more evolved from viviparous lizards thqan crocodiles. Still, interesting.

How would being cold-blooded potentially be different for a doctor if at all? (I guess it would be easier to anaesthetize a Salthan, just get it really cold and it'd go to sleep)

Probably not much effect here. Obviously thermoregulation would be an issue, but unlike with a human patient, there are not really any horrible side effects for the Salthan patient when the temperature drops. If Salthans are whatever the ambient temperature is, it might be wise to keep the operating theatre on the warm side, or at least use warming equipment. This would help speed awakening from anaesthesia as well as recovery afterward.

Wouldn't they want it fairly cold (above freezing would be ideal, but on the colder side) to keep them sedated, and then warm it up to wake them when they were done?

Well, veterinarians seem to have no trouble navigating the wonderful worlds of snakes and lizards and amphibians and birds!

This is true. And also makes me think of the reverse maybe though: Would a Sathan doctor have no so much problems because there would exist vets who care for monkeys? :P

And, yes, surgeons do use these as convenient landmarks. But there are plenty of others. I would suppose that any manual that gets written would make note of such landmarks as Salthan doctors would normally use. Bony prominences, number of ribs, etc.

Crocs do have an umbilical scar. If Salthans have such a thing, then that might be used as a landmark.

As above, I don't think viviparous lizards have imbilical chords, so it's not likely,they'd have one. Still, good point on stuff like # of ribs etc.

If they have thickish claws rather than nails, one thing to consider, when administering an IV or any kind of tubing into an active young patient will be the use of thick mittens. These will help prevent the child from clawing out his feeding tube or IV.

Hmm. I didn't think about that. I guess I'm not picturing them with "claws", but I suppose they could have them.

You'll also want to look at this, for when it comes to catheterising the Salthan patient. Since crocs don't appear to have separate facilities for poo and pee (yes, those are bona fide medical terms!) it might be suggested that indwelling catheters be avoided as much as possible.

I think this would apply to viviparous lizards too, right, since they also have Cloacas? Good research info!

Thanks!

Not at all! Was just pointing out where some of your previous information was posted, on the off chance you might locate some earlier posts on their biology!

Ah, ok. If you want, you could add this topic to the list.

E: here's a documentwith a description of their physilogy, and covers some of the topics discussed here with things doctors would have to consider