HELP!! Dragon diseases!!

[MrPunk]

Hi there,

I think my bearded dragon have a indigestion, they can move her leg!!! And look paralyse. What can I do for my dragon!!


Thanks!!!!!

[alex_33]

TAKE HER TO THE VET!

[eyespy]

Yes, that's a veterinary emergency and I hope you've already gone. It's probably an impaction that's pressing on her spinal cord. It could cause permanent damage or even death if not treated quickly.

Another possibility is severely low calcium in the blood which can also cause death.

[sheldon]

I had that happen and it was the beginning of a calcium problem. If that's what it is the vet will give you a liquid calcium to administer daily. Depending on the vet it wouldn't cost much.
Definatley get that checked.

[eyespy]

The beginning of a calcium problem wouldn't cause paralysis, that's fairly end-stage. In such cases even intra-muscular calcium injections don't always work because there isn't enough calcium in the bloodstream to properly process the injection, let alone to digest an oral source. Intravenous is the best route when paralysis sets in, and that can be expensive.

Liquid forms of oral calcium is usually the treatment for tremors which is an early stage of MBD.

[Mason]

sounds like it is time to get another dragon and this time give a calcium suppliment regularly.

[depressor86]

theyre not just something to give up on once sick Mason, take the lizard to a vet and see what happens from there MrPunk, good luck :)

[drewlowe]

Hey eyespy will you tell me a little more about the tremors. Are there other things that can cause them other than MBD cause i have talked to several people and nobody has given me a complete answer i have 2 beardies both have been given calcium since day one and i have had them for over 2 years and about 4 months ago my male was having tremors (mini seziors). He only had 3 of these in 2 days and i have never seen him do it again. I asked around and nobody could tell me why sept are you giving him calcium cause if you don't he could have mbd.(which i already know about) he gets calcium (at least 3-4 times a week) suplemented on his crickets and sometimes the beardie pellets (if i don't feed them crix.) They also have a uvb bulb across 3/4 of their enclosure and i change the bulb every 6 months. and in the summer time they are taken out several times during the week to soak up some sun. They also both eat a huge varied diet. In short i have no clue why he was having them and the vet said he appeared very healthy so any info you could lead me too would be very much appreciated.

P.S. i also supplement them with herptivitamin. Is it a possiblity i could be giving them too much supplement. Or maybe i'm just paranoid. I also know what head bobbing is and i know it wasn't that. But like i said i haven't seen him do it since then.

[eyespy]

Well said, depressor86. Anyhow, the odds are far more likely that it's an impaction and they can often be treated with warm soaks and massage, mineral oil and/or an enema for reasonably low vet fees. Occasionally surgery is necessary but most times less invasive methods are all that's needed.

Calcium depletion severe enough to cause paralysis almost always causes significant bone damage first as the body tends to rob the bones of calcium rather than let muscle tissue get damaged. It's a survival thing as the vital organs are all muscles.

[eyespy]

drewlowe, that's a puzzlement!! Tremors come from 2 main causes that I know about, MBD or neurological damage, which is usually from either a virus, a B vitamin deficiency or injury. It sounds like your vet ruled out both of them. My thoughts are really just WAGs here:

1. a short-term dehydration led to low blood calcium or potassium, but went away when hydration status improved.

2. He had a virus that caused some temporary nerve damage, but fought it off and the symptoms resolved.

3. Temporary low vitamin B, causing muscles not to function properly.

Just guesses, though.

[drewlowe]

Thanks for the info eyespy maybe it was just a little virus ya never know. Thanks for the info and if it ever happens again i'll talk to the vet again and see what he says about the virus thing.

Or maybe it could have been dehydration cause i did take him out and used an eyedropper to feed him water. He drank lots of it. It's strange though cause every 3 days i put a fresh clean water dish in there in the morning and take it out in the night. And they usually go right to it and drink.

I don't know it just had me and other people stumped but like i said it hasn't happend since then. So like you i was very puzzled about it.

[drewlowe]

Mr. Punk how is your beardie feeling??? Have you taken him to the vet? If so what did your vet say? I hope everything went well, and your beardie is doing better now. Please let us know how he is.