It hurts me to write this. My bearded dragon about 3 months ago caught MBD. My first visit to the vet they told me a calcium shot and just further care for my dragon would be the only option. Regrettably her condition got worse and now all four arms are swollen and her front left arm the bone in her hand is eaten away. The vet told me her arms will never heal the same and she will never be able to move right. He told me my best option is euthanizing her. I got her pain meds for a week so I can sit on the decision for a week. I love her that’s why it is not an easy decision to make. I wanted to come on here to see if there was any other options people knew about where she could be saved or if you guys reading this also think that euthanizing her is the best option. I just need your advice. Thank you.
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Sick Bearded Dragon
- Thread starter Arao
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- sick bearded dragon
Ok first let get her off the pellets - please line her tank w/ some textured NON adhesive shelf liner- then roll up some dish towels for her t
I’ve seen people advise against these kinds of only reason I have her on the pellets is because a reptile store near me raises their own bearded dragons and they use pellets. Their dragons are super healthy even the older age ones. Regardless i order the liner to see if that would help. What do I do with the dish towels?
Roll them up so she can get under her uvb and basking light- make sure your using digital probe thermometer to get actual surface basking temps - what kind of uvb please coil or long tube fixture?
Ok please give me the brand and the bulb is it a T 5 or a T 8? Look on the bulb if you need to it will tell you - these bulbs have certain placement and distance they need to be plus expiration dates as well - the screen on the tank also determines where it needs to go
It’s a zoo med 10.0 uvb
I put it on her hot side because that’s the side she stays on the most. As for the x rays they haven’t emailed me pictures and they closed for the day so I will try to get them Monday.
Ok and is it on top of the screen or inside the tank - screens of fine mesh need to be in the tank and approx 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor piece --- w/ this being said I advise to get the UVB completely unobstructed and directly over her basking area 12" -- how old is the bulb? It needs to be no older than 10-11 months old --
Ok any blood work done? If so get that as well -- Tracie is good at reading X rays and blood work -
It’s above the tank. Do I need to find a way to hang it inside her tank? It’s only 2-3 months old
You can pull the screen back so a portion of the tank is open and place width wise across the basking area - is she climbing at all? I am thinking not that is why I suggested the rolled up dish towels it would be easier for her to climb on those I am thinking - but you want her to be w/ in 12 inches of that bulb - and then the basking light can sit on the screen in the same area - just make sure your getting surface basking temps off that dish towel 95-100 -- the digital probes are the most accurate
I can get the blood work done hopefully Monday. Should I still keep her head propped up when her uvb light goes off? Or do i let her go to sleep?
She can’t move her arms at all.. that’s why the concern is so huge. One her arms the bone is mostly eaten the doctor said.
What do you mean keep her head propped up? And what has eaten the bone? I am not following that one - so shes not scooting around w/ her back legs?
Like should I leave the towels under her head when the uvb light goes off. And the doctor said it’s the MBD that ate at her bone. And no all her arms are swollen and and she can’t move them much. So a little back story on how this happened if it helps. I had to recently do a job for work that required me to leave 4 days a week. And in those days I was gone my Beardy would not eat from my brother and my mom even though she knew they well and they always interacted with her. She would only eat when I got back home and I had no problem feeding her at all. Till this day she eats perfectly fine from me.
the lack of eating would of be been caused by not enough UVB rays - screens block 30% of the rays and they will quit eating - her eating from you is weird but w/ the UVB being on top of the screen it was blocking those rays - I would let her head rest on the dish towels - did you give her any supplements or are you giving any calcium at all? The UVB helps the dragon absorb and synthesize the calcium they are getting especially when they are babies -- it is imperative to have all this on par when the dragon is a baby -- I am hoping Tracie responds tonight - she is usually on late at night
Yes calcium with every single thing she eats. And can you explain more on how to get the uvb lighting inside the screen? Do i have to buy new special hanging hardware and a whole new fixture?
