A mistake people often make is not taking the time to research how much their beardie needs depending on their age and size. With the right calcium supplement, you can ensure that your Bearded Dragon gets the calcium it needs to stay healthy and happy. In mild cases of hypercalcemia, your healthcare provider may tell you to: If the hypercalcemia is due to an overactive parathyroid gland, your provider will most likely recommend surgery to have the overactive parathyroid gland(s) removed. include protected health information. Avoid any calcium powder that has phosphorus in it. Principal causes include hyperparathyroidism, vitamin D toxicity, and cancer. Many bearded dragons end up with preventable diseases through lack of understanding the basics of calcium and D3 supplementation. Effects of a light-emitting diode on the production of cholecalciferol and associated blood parameters in the bearded dragon (pogona vitticeps). other information we have about you. information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with Dragon bones and soft tissues are weakened and the calcium-phosphorous balance is imbalanced due to a calcium-phosphorous imbalance. The professional may perform a physical exam on the reptile and blood tests to ascertain that the bearded dragon is suffering from hypercalcemia. Calcium is essential for growth in bearded dragons. For bearded dragons kept outdoors or a combination of indoor and outdoor housing, it is likely that lower levels of D3 cholecalciferol will be needed. Hydrochlorothiazide and other thiazide diuretics (prescribed for. Shane E. Clinical manifestations of hypercalcemia. Getting a new diagnosis can be stressful. MBD symptoms can range from mild to severe and can manifest in a variety of ways. It is a rare occurrence that requires the bearded dragon to also have excess Vitamin D3. Your dragons beard should normally be flat. Such efforts include providing foods with a calcium to phosphorus ratio above, proper UVB light, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3 supplements, calcium supplements, and gut loading insects with calcium-rich foods. A bearded dragon is a rare and exciting animal, but it necessitates a great deal of responsibility. In a conversation on calcium, vitamin D cannot be left out. The condition known as metabolic bone disorder (MBD) is potentially fatal to bearded dragons. Stop taking or lower your dose of calcium-rich antacid tablets. Exploring The Facts About A Popular Pet Reptile. In the wild, this aids them in being able to use calcium efficiently. [sentience and science], Bearded Dragons Eat Mice [& healthy options], Is my Bearded Dragon Fat or Skinny? It's usually caused by primary hyperparathyroidism or certain cancers and is treatable with surgery and/or medication. Give them a light dusting and feed them. Additionally, look for a supplement that is made with a form of calcium that is easily absorbed by the body, such as calcium citrate. About 2% of all cancers are associated with hypercalcemia, and cancer-related hypercalcemia cases (also called hypercalcemia of malignancy) often have a rapid onset and are severe. Calcium supplement meant for humans can also be used. We use four-dimensional CT scan, which is an advanced CT scan imaging of the neck and parathyroid glands. Other causes of hypercalcemia include cancer, certain other . They may also indicate other underlying conditions. Dragon food contains a lot of calcium, which is required for its members to be able to absorb and use it. Treatment depends on the cause. You might not have signs or symptoms if your hypercalcemia is mild. memory loss. This is controlled by some hormones such as calcitonin, parathyroid hormone and vitamin D3 (an accessory hormone). As previously discussed, there are two ways to provide UVB exposure to your bearded dragon. Weakness In addition, such an assessment provides room for you further to understand the perfect diet specific to your beardie. Primary hyperparathyroidism and various kinds of cancers account for the greatest percentage of all people with hypercalcemia. Bearded dragons can suffer from calcium deficiency, which is caused by an insufficient diet and/or not enough exposure to ultraviolet light. Quitting smoking, if applicable: Smoking can increase bone loss. (2005). Hypercalcemia will result in your bearded dragon becoming sick and, in some cases, it is fatal. It can make the pet sick and even lead to death in extreme cases. Greens and calcium powder should be provided to your pet as part of a healthy diet. The best way to ensure that your dragons health remains optimal throughout its lifetime is to combine light, diet, and supplements. Avoid taking dietary supplements, vitamins or minerals without first discussing them with your provider. My parents have a cockatiel who is 36 years old this year. It can be very dangerous and potentially lead to death if left untreated. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). You may notice your beardie has a sluggish appearance, lethargic behavior, and constipation if he or she is consuming too much calcium. Hyperkeratosis later affects how your pet eats and breathes. Being able to identify unusual behavior is essential for noticing hypercalcemia. In most cases, the excess calcium in your blood was leached from your bones, which weakens them. You should notice a few physical evidence around the mouth and nares/nostrils. With mild cases of hypercalcemia, the vet will recommend a diet specific to the beardie. Muscle weakness or twitches. Drinking plenty of water: Staying hydrated may lower blood calcium levels, and it can help prevent kidney stones. If theres no obvious cause to your elevated levels, your provider may ask you to see an endocrinologist, a provider who specializes in hormone-related conditions, who will provide further evaluation and testing. Additionally, a lack of calcium in a bearded dragon's diet can cause severe health complications. You must monitor these symptoms as well as take appropriate action if they appear. Hypercalcemia is a total serum calcium concentration > 10.4 mg/dL ( > 2.60 mmol/L) or ionized serum calcium > 5.2 mg/dL ( > 1.30 mmol/L). Your dragon's beard should normally be flat. Forgetfulness, depression or irritability. van., Hendriks, W. H., Poel, A. F. B. van der. It may also be drooping down, and their beards may be black due to stress and discomfort. @Elise, yes I'm pretty sure that's normal I'm no professional and have not had one yet but I just have, My friend is considering adopting a unique pet he could showcase to his guests when they visit. (5 weight loss tips), My Bearded Dragon died, emotional moments. privacy practices. Hatchlings, baby bearded dragons, and the aged ones are at a higher risk of hypercalcemia than the other moderately aged and adult bearded dragons. Calcium is essential for bearded dragons but must only be used in moderation. The diet aims to regularize the calcium levels in the bearded dragons blood. Symptoms of a gravid bearded dragon are following: Pregnant bearded dragon's weight will increase, and her belly will look plump or swollen. Shoback D, Sellmeyer D, Bilke D. Metabolic Bone Disease. Remember, nothing beats natural exposure to sunlight even if only for a few hours a week. In most cases, this is due to an overactive parathyroid gland. Lamps below 290 nm are of no use for bearded dragons. This could give an explanation as to how bearded dragons get calcium in the wild, at least for these specimens. Avoid foods such as spinach, beetroot and rhubarb leaves. In its absence, the lizard is likely to suffer from various detrimental health conditions, including metabolic bone disease. They may even walk strangely and significantly less. Check your lighting and heating setup against the post on setting up lighting and heating. Abstract. The exact content of the bone meal tablets varies with manufacturer. Foods high in phosphorus should generally be avoided. It is often coupled with a loss of appetite and is one of the initial signs of calcium overdose in bearded dragons. For bearded dragons kept indoors, buy calcium powders with cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3. In addition, it affects the absorption of other essential nutrients and minerals such as zinc, iron, and phosphorus into the bearded dragons bloodstream. Calcium is not going to be metabolized if there is no extra vitamin D3, so just make sure your calcium has no D3 and supplement D3 occasionally with multivitamins and provide UVB. In addition, learn your dragons eating behaviors so that you can notice any changes that could lead to an underlying problem such as hypercalcemia. Switch to a non-thiazide diuretic or blood pressure medication. Oonincx, D.G.A.B., Stevens, Y., Borne J.J.G.C. A very light dusting of vitamin supplements every other day or 2-3x a week is the recommended dosage. Welcome to Reptiles Time, your perfect world to learn more about your reptile pet. But sometimes a parathyroid gland becomes overactive, resulting in excess parathyroid hormone release and elevated blood calcium levels. Your parathyroid glands are located behind your thyroid gland in your neck. There are eight species of Bearded Dragons, but the most popular one is the Inland or Central Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps), from the arid to semi-arid southeastern parts of Australia, and we will be discussing the Inland Bearded Dragon in this handout. More severe and/or long-term cases of hypercalcemia may cause the following symptoms: More frequent urination and thirst. Environmental factors like UVB lighting and heat including amount of exposure to direct sunlight versus artificial UVB. It is recommended that your pamp veterinarian consult you within two days of bringing your reptile home and that he or she visit you every six to twelve months. B. More severe and/or long-term cases of hypercalcemia may cause the following symptoms: More than 25 separate diseases, several medications and even dehydration can cause hypercalcemia. And so with this type of scan, we can find parathyroid glands that are otherwise missed by traditional imaging techniques. Hypercalcemia occurs when the bearded dragons body has too much calcium, which can cause a variety of symptoms. Gut loading insects for bearded dragons is another useful method to feed a highly nutritious diet with calcium supplements. Bearded Dragons require a lot of calcium in their diet to stay healthy and strong. Applied Nutritional Studies with Zoological Reptiles. (2016). They may also tire easily and need to rest more often than usual. Add vitamin D3 for bearded dragons into the mix and it might start to sound a little confusing. So PET choline is one of the newest imaging modalities that's out there. Depending on the age of a beardie, they may require more or less for growth purposes. It can lead to many health problems and, in severe cases, death. They should have enough space in the enclosure to move around and also something to climb onto to bask. Therefore even if you must drive a long distance for a proper vet, itll be worth it in the end. In research by Oonincx et al (2015) the stomach contents of 10 free ranging (wild) Pogona vitticeps were analysed. Calcium is vital to the growth, development, and overall health of a bearded dragon. The taste of the water is unpalatable and it will increase bacteria (Stahl and Donoghue 2010). Youll also want to make sure theyre getting enough protein in addition to the right amount of calcium. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which If you take good care of your dragon and visit the vet on a regular basis, it will remain healthy and happy. If your bearded dragon exhibits any of these symptoms, you should seek veterinary care immediately. Symptoms include: Hyper excitability, Twitching of digits, Seizures, Abnormal movement, Paralysis Disorientation, Spinal and bone deformities (like scoliosis), Fractures, Soft pliable bones, Weakness, Constipation, Prolapse of cloaca, and Death. None of the information on this website is intended as a replacement or substitute for professional medical advice and treatment. Calcium is pretty useless without D3. The Pros And Cons Of Scaleless Bearded Dragons: Is It Good Or Bad For Your Pet? How to Tell the Age of a Cockatiel (Age Chart Included! https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Most of the cases about 90% are due to primary hyperparathyroidism and cancer-related hypercalcemia (hypercalcemia of malignancy). In addition to performing blood tests, the vet may also ask you questions to gather a detailed history of the bearded dragons diet and husbandry. Phosphorus-deprived young animals grow slowly, develop rickets , and tend to have a rough hair coat, whereas adult animals in early stages may become lethargic, anorectic, and lose weight. Decide what foods and times you want to feed your dragon supplements. I like your, I found it interesting when you explained how you'd bond with your pet snake and improve recognition. Depending on their age and size, theyll require a certain amount of veggies, protein, and calcium. Bearded Dragon Accessories and Enriching Life, 7 Tips to get Bearded Dragon to Eat Vegetables [& Refusal]. Further, the vet might recommend giving fewer or no supplements to the beardie for a specific time. What we strive for is really to have a very efficient and effective itinerary for patients and know they're going to be operated on by very high-volume, experienced parathyroid surgeons. While a domesticated bearded dragon is more likely to live longer than a wild one, theyre still missing out on crucial nutrients for proper growth and development that they normally get from their natural habitat. 2-3 times a week is the number of times you should sprinkle calcium powder on their food. Hypercalcemia is a condition in which the calcium level in the blood is above normal. Setting up the lighting and heating well provides a solid foundation to build a healthy bearded dragon from. Bear in mind that these conditions vary primarily depending on their age. Shane E, et al. When hypercalcemia happens due to a benign condition or temporary situation, it generally has a good prognosis. To avoid the severe effects of calcium deficiency in bearded dragons, most pet beardie owners put extra measures to ensure that the lizard gets enough calcium. And so this is not widely available. Bearded dragons that are provided with time outdoors in direct sunlight will need lower supplementation, unlike those kept indoor. Hypercalcemia happens when there is too much calcium in the blood. Disastrous Things Happens when Bearded Dragons Dont Get Enough Calcium, Be aware that you can overdose on vitamin D, Effect of UV exposure in calcium absorption, Get These Things Right for a Healthy Bearded Dragon, nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSHP) or metabolic bone disease in bearded dragons, 6 ways to get your bearded dragon to eat vegetables, Bearded Dragons Drink Water (5 rehydration techniques), Do Bearded Dragons Feel? Mesh screens reduce the amount of UVB that transmits through it. Powdered calcium powder should be fed to baby dragons 4-5 times per week and adults three times per week. Hypercalcemia can occur from well-meaning intentions by the bearded dragon owner. A regular vet isnt going to be as knowledgeable. information submitted for this request. Cleveland Clinics Endocrinology & Metabolism Institute is committed to providing the highest quality healthcare for patients with diabetes, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and obesity. Maintaining your dragons health and wellbeing is critical, just as it is for any other pet. Common reproductive conditions of the reptile include prolapse of the cloaca, oviduct or copulatory organ, yolk coelomitis, dystocia or egg binding, as well as follicular stasis. for video Treatment of parathyroid disease at Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW Mayo Clinic on High Blood Pressure - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic Press, FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition, Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter Digital Edition. In many of these cases, we're able to treat hyperparathyroidism and watch these symptoms literally go away. Yes, feeding your bearded dragon calcium is part of the current recommended good husbandry practices and it will contribute to the prevention of hypocalcemia. A very small portion of indigestible material (2.3% of stomach content) was found in the stomach, some of which included degraded bone as was attributed to potentially aiding the intake of dietary calcium. Symptoms include: Calcium deficiency also leads to nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (aka NSHP, metabolic bone disease). Although fatal in severe cases, early detection makes it possible to treat hypercalcemia effectively. Below, we will explore more on hypercalcemia in bearded dragons, its causes, signs, and more to help you as the pet owner know how to avoid it or detect it early enough and thus provide your pet with ultimate living conditions. Bones and muscles. While leopard geckos in the wild have been shedding their skin without any problem, the same can't be said about leos in captivity. Healthcare providers often catch it early from routine blood tests. If your bearded dragon has stopped eating greens or perhaps never started then there are a few tricks you can put in place. Calcium is the most abundant cation found in the human body and plays an integral role in neural transmission, enzyme activity, myocardial function, coagulation and other cellular functions. And that ranges from the simplest primary hyperparathyroidism to the most complex cases. Other less common causes of hypercalcemia include: Hypercalcemia is a fairly common finding on routine blood tests such as a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) or basic metabolic panel (BMP), which include a calcium blood test. If their UV light exposure is limited or interrupted, Vitamin D3 supplementation is advised to ensure that they receive the recommended amount. If youre unsure about the amounts you should be feeding them, consult with your vet, and they will help with a meal plan. 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