Suggested treatments for MBD, Please Read!

[BoidKeeper]

I recently received 4 young Beardies, 2 of which are showing signs of MBD. 1 had seizure and the other has tremors in all 4 legs. They are eating mealworms and crickets, which I dust with a zoo-med vitamin supplement. The have a UVB 5.0 bulb. Temps are good and everyone is backing and eating. I’m thinking about using the new exo-tera 8.0 bulb but I’m not sure if it will help or not. Basically I’m wondering what else I can do. I know tow things that will be brought up, the first is ** separate them and I will very soon. The second is ** take them ** a vet. The only treatment I seem ** be able ** find is diet and UVB, what if anything can a vet do for them?
Thanks,
Trevor

[BoidKeeper]

I have been offering vegies with no luck. What do they usually take first?
Thanks,
Trevor

[Uffern]

I would give them as much natural sunlight as possible, as 30 mins in natural sunlight is as good as 8 hrs under the best UV lights. Next, I would contact a vet and ask for Calcium Glubionate, aka Neo-Calglucon. It is concentrated liquid calcium, dispensed with an eyedropper. If you can get your hands on that and give them the recommended dose (probably a drop a day for two or three days) and give them plenty of natural sunlight for at least four days then that should turn them around. Seperating is good as it prevents bullying and ensures that each one gets as much as it will eat. I would stay away from the meal worms for the time being, as they are not a nutritionally sound and a little harder to digest. I also wouldn't worry too much about the vegetation. Do not at any time feed them spinach though, as it binds to the calcium in their bodies and can cause or exacerbate a calium deficiency. Also be sure to give them plenty of water to keep them hydrated. You will want their basking areas to be at the upper end of the temp range.

Feel free to ask any other questions. Hope this helps.

[BoidKeeper]

It is getting cold in my neck of the woods, how should I keep them warm while they are outside?
Thanks again,
Trevor

[eyespy]

A vet will also give calcium injections, which can get into the bloodstream and start working faster than calcium by mouth. If the calcium deficiency is severe enough, the muscles in the digestive system will not be working properly and they may have a hard time absorbing nutrients, including calcium.

I've seen one injection really start to turn MBD around, although you still need to give oral calcium supplements to keep things on track.

[Uffern]

Just how big are your dragons? If they are still hatchlings, I don't think the vet would give injections. (I assumed they were) If they are large enough for injections, then that is definitely the way to start. As far as keeping them warm outside, you could run a heat light out to whatever it is that you are keeping them in. A heat pad would also work. That's about all I can think of. If it is simply too cold to give them natural sunlight, make sure you have a good UV light, like Reptisun 5.0 or Lumichrome 1XX.

Good luck.

[BoidKeeper]

I would say that they are between 6" and 8". I'm going to weigh them and measure them all tomorow. Right now I'm using repti sun 5.0 but tomorow I'm switching to exo-tera 8.0. They are all only two have ever shown signs of MBD but now all look fine. Do the symptoms come and go or could I be through this? I dust there food and they are getting about 12hrs of UV a day right now.
Thanks again,
Trevor

[Jaylyn]

Trevor,

The ReptiSun 5.0 does have a higher UVB output than the Exoterra 8.0 ....

Jaylyn

[Uffern]

Bump that up to about 14 hours a day. I haven't known the symptoms to come and go. They usually stick around until the problem is solved. It may be that you are through this, but I wouldn't slack any on the supplementation, just to be sure.

Good luck

[BoidKeeper]

Well I have not seen any signs of MBD for two weeks now. They are all eating like pigs and they all just finished shedding. I moved them into a 40g and added an 18" iguana light 5.0 UVB to go along with the 18" repti sun bulb. I was using exo-terra 8.0 for a while but switched back. Thanks to all thoese that posted.
Cheers,
Trevorhttp://us.f1.yahoofs.com/groups/g_3816803/tfurlott/Beardie+Cage.jpg?bcjgzw9AMfWmINvg