What does metabolic bone disease do to lizards?
What are the signs of metabolic bone disease? Affected reptiles frequently exhibit signs of weakness or lethargy such as reluctance to move, decreased appetite, and weight loss. A host of additional signs can be seen in lizards and chelonians (Table 1).
How is metabolic bone disease diagnosed?
The diagnosis of MBD is usually made based upon a careful history, physical examination, radiographic (X-rays) examinations, appropriate lab tests, and bone biopsy if indicated.
What kind of doctor treats bone diseases?
Orthopaedic surgeons are doctors trained in the care of patients with musculoskeletal conditions, such as congenital skeletal malformations, bone fractures and infections, and metabolic problems. Physiatrists are doctors who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Why does my Iguana have a lump in its jaw?
Lumpy jaw occurs when the body brings fibrous tissue to the area to stabilize the weak bones. A lump at the jaw can also be caused by an abscess. This Iguana has such a low calcium level that the muscles are twitching.
What do you need to know about iguana bone disease?
Iguana Bone Disease (NSHP, MBD) 1 Cause. This disease has many factors that work together in causing this condition. 2 Symptoms. Iguanas with this disease have many problems. 3 Diagnosis. A diagnosis of NSHP is made based on history, physical exam findings, and radiography. 4 Treatment. 5 Prevention. 6 Prognosis. …
Can a wild iguana be infected with MBD?
Have in mind that wild iguanas do not suffer from MBD – this disease is only hits iguanas in captivity. If it’s your first time keeping an iguana, it’s recommended to get advice from the seller about the foods suitable for iguanas (or check out our iguana diet guide ).
What can cause respiratory problems in an iguana?
So in this section I’m going to talk about respiratory diseases that can cause health issues in your iguana. There are a number of different respiratory diseases that can be inflicted on your lizard. Respiratory diseases are anything that affects its lungs and airways, basically the respiratory system in your lizard.
What causes swelling in the mouth of an iguana?
Mouth rot can also cause swelling of the jaw just like MBD. Parasites, especially pinworms, are common in pet iguanas. They often cause no clinical signs and are detected on an annual fecal examination.
Why is my Iguana walking around with its jaw open?
This is commonly caused by lack of UVB lighting or lack of calcium in the lizards diet. This can also be caused by a lack of natural lighting as well. There is a number of symptoms that are associated with this disease. Such as swelling of the jaw, your lizard walking around with its jaw open, which is not expected behaviour for a healthy lizard.
How to treat metabolic bone disease in iguanas?
Metabolic bone disease usually requires immediate treatment with injectable or oral calcium, a multi-vitamin or mineral supplement, or calcitonin, a drug that promotes calcium uptake into your iguana’s bones. Long term management of MBD requires dietary modification and balancing, and provision of UV-B lighting.
How to tell if an iguana has a disease?
Symptoms of this disease include: 1 the face and lower jaw that appear soft, 2 swollen in the lower jaw, 3 lethargy, 4 leg swelling 5 difficulty to eat.
