Metabolic Bone Disease
The Saddest Dragon Illness
Metabolic Bone Disease is caused by lack of UVB and Vitamin D. In the wild dragons spend all day outside in natural sunlight, absorbing UV and Vitamin D from the sun. MBD occurs only in dragons in captivity as they are forced to live indoors in enclosures without proper UVB lighting. MBD softens the bones and deforms them as the dragon grows. It also causes rubbery jaws, tremors and seizures. Dragons with MBD suffer greatly as they can be in pain with every movement. Sadly this is the most common aliment in bearded dragons and it is 100% preventable. It is important to do your research when you purchase a bearded dragon, and terrible diseases like MBD can be the result if you do not. There is no way to cure MBD once the deformations start they are permanent. If you start to see a problem with your dragon that concerns you seek out a reptile vet specialist and request a calcium injection, as this can help a dragon in the early stages of MBD.
Preventable Pain
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Photos on this page are from google images
The best way to treat MBD is to prevent it from ever happening, and the good news is you CAN! Click to read about proper UVB lighting. Along with a UVB light a dragon also needs a Calcium Vitamin D supplement. I cannot express the importance of proper UVB lighting, you do not want your dragon to end up like these poor dragons.
