Most Common Bearded Dragon Diseases Revealed

There are several common diseases that can affect your bearded dragon pet.Some are very preventable, where others can be easily treated. If the symptoms are recognized by the owner in the early stages.I will go in depth on one of the most common and preventable diseases. We will also touch on some of the others.lets get started.

Metabolic Bone Disease

we will spend a little bit more time on Metabolic bone disease, or MBD as it is the most common in captive reptiles. Dragons that live in the wild don't suffer from this condition. It is primarily caused by improper care. So, what exactly can cause metabolic bone disease in bearded dragons?

Causes

Many different things can lead to MBD. The most common cause is a lack of calcium in your dragon's diet. Calcium is very important to proper functioning and formation of muscles and bones. This is why you need to give your bearded dragon calcium supplements regularly.

It's also important that you provide proper UV lighting. Without it, reptiles like bearded dragons can't digest calcium properly. Other common causes of metabolic bone disease in bearded dragons is improper temperatures in the enclosure and various other diseases.

Signs

Dragons with MDB develop very thin bones. This allows them to break easily. The weakened bones will also make it more difficult for your dragon to climb, walk, or jump.

It's also common for these reptiles to develop twisted toes, limbs, and backs. Eating can become painful once the jaw bones become soft and spongy. As the disease progresses, your dragon may even experience paralysis of the front or rear legs.

Treatment

Treatment of this disease involves correcting the underlying problem. If a lack of calcium in the diet is to blame, you may need to give calcium and vitamin D injections. If you haven't provided your bearded dragon with a UV light, you will need to do so. If other diseases or conditions are to blame, they will need to be dealt with before MDB will go away.

Stomatitis

One of the next common bearded dragon diseases is stomatitis, commonly referred to as mouth rot. Although it isn't really a disease, it is a sign of an underlying infection. Bearded dragons with mouth rot will develop a grayish or whitish substance on the soft tissues in their mouth. If the condition is allowed to progress, the teeth will become loose and the gums may start to bleed. The underlying infection needs to be treated, or this condition will keep giving your beardie problems.

Egg Binding

Male dragon owners can relax, as egg binding only affects female. This condition occurs whenever she is unable to pass one or more eggs through the reproductive tract. Various illnesses, improper diet, obesity, and malformed eggs can all cause egg binding in bearded dragons. Since it can be fatal within days, a veterinarian needs to be consulted immediately. If drugs to induce egg laying don't correct the problem, your dragon will need to undergo surgery.

Adenovirus

An infection by an adenovirus is relatively rare in bearded dragons. This is a very good thing as most don't survive. Young dragons or those with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible. This disease is made more troublesome because it doesn't produce many noticeable symptoms. Fluids, forced feeding, and antibiotics are used to try to treat an adenovirus infection.