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LisaAnnie
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Post subject: WHAT IS MBD?
 Posted: Mar 04, 2008 - 05:16 PM
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Joined: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 6611
Location: INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
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WHAT EVERY HERPER NEEDS TO KNOW
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE or MBD is an umbrella term for a serious set of medical problems not limited to the following:
Organ damage
Brittle or rubbery bones
Deformed body parts
Neurological symptoms like trembling, stumbling
Paralysis
Seizures
Death
What makes MBD a truly terrible condition is that is it so easily avoided. Proper lighting and vitamin supplementation is ALL that is required to spare bearded dragons, and other reptiles from the suffering brought on by MBD.
Another name for this medical condition is Nutritional Secondary HyperParathyroidism or NSHP. This is the result of HYPOCALCEMIA....low blood calcium.
Reptiles that eat a herbivorous diet do get a type of calcium called, ergocalciferol. but that is not readily absored by the animal's digestive system. This is why they need a different kind of calcium, cholecalciferol, AKA Vitamin D3, which allows calcium to be metabolized, which in turn, ensures that organs and bones form normally, and neurological functions are unimpaired.
BE ALERT FOR SYMPTOMS!!
Most herpers know about MBD/NSHP and take steps to ensure that their reptiles get the care they need to be healthy and happy. BUT WAIT....what about that dragon (or other reptile) you rescued last week?You have no way of knowing if it's at risk for MBD-NSHP. Watch for symptoms, some of which are:
Swollen or mishapen jaw
Soft rubbery jaw
Deformed body parts
Trembling
Stumbling
Twitching
Paralysis
Seizures
Weight loss
Dragging the body instead of walking
Staring at the ceiling (star gazing)
If you see any of these symptoms, it's time to get your trusted herp vet involved.  The vet can do a "blood panel", which checks out the reptile's blood chemistry. The test will tell the vet what the calcium level is in the reptile's blood. If the test results are cause for concern, your vet can give the reptile an injection of calcium and send an liquid form of it home for you to administer until the reptile is out of danger.
WHAT CAN WE DO???
We can help our reptilian friends live long, healthy lives by making sure that they get proper diets that include Calcium and Vitamin D3, and by providing them with good lighting that emits usuable amounts of UVB.It's also vitally important to provide temperature zones so that the animal can thermoregulate. And don't forget, a bearded dragon must heat up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.33 Celsius) in order to digest its food.
Back to the subject of lights and UVB. Reptiles MUST get UVB, because that light spectrum allows their systems to make Vitamin D3. Without Vitmain D3, we herpers could feed our reptiles ten pounds of calcium, and they wouldn't get any benefit from it at all. Reptiles that live outdoors can bask in sunlight, getting all the UVB they need. Reptiles kept inside depend on tank lights to provide the UVB they require. Sitting a tank in front of a window won't help, because UVB is blocked by the glass.
LET THERE BE LIGHT!! 
Let there be GOOD light! Be SURE that you are providing enough UVA, and the all-important UVB. The best way to do this is to outfit the enclosure with a really good source of UVB. Fluorescent bulbs, both the "compact" and the strips, do NOT emit enough UVB to keep your reptile healthy. Herpers with expensive uvmeters have measured the output of bulbs fresh out of the box and they NEVER emit anywhere near what the manufacturer claims.  Keep in mind that fluorescent bulbs need to be replaced about every three to four months. Mercury Vapor bulbs, on the other hand, DO emit the amount of UVB claimed. Not only that, these bulbs continue to emit usuable UVB for at least a YEAR. 
HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!
Not sure what wattage Mercury Vapor bulb to use? No problem! The folks at http://reptileuv.com/ can help. Once they know what kind of reptile you have, and the dimensions of the enclosure, they'll do the math for you, and calculate exactly what watt bulb will give your reptile the optimum amount of UVB while still allowing for temp zones.
If you'd like more information about vitamin supplements, lighting, heat, properly setting up an enclosure, how to find a herp vet in your area, (and much more) you'll find these topics in your DragonTank KCS files!  |
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