How do you treat metabolic bone disease in turtles?

Treatment of MBD depends on the severity of the disease. For very mild cases, a switch to a balanced diet and proper husbandry may be enough. Severe cases require intensive calcium and vitamin supplementation as well as an increase in high-intensity UVB rays under an exotics veterinarian’s care.

Can turtles recover from metabolic bone disease?

Reptiles affected generally respond well to treatment, and a large proportion of patients see a reversal of many of the less severe symptoms and are able to make a solid recovery. For more extreme cases, complete reversal of symptoms is unlikely, but recovery may still be possible with veterinary intervention.

How is metabolic bone disease treated?

A balanced diet with adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium and an adequate amount of physical activity are needed for normal bone metabolism. Your doctor may prescribe osteoporosis medications to help slow the rate of bone loss, and in some cases, to replace the lost bone structure.

What is an example of a metabolic bone disease?

The common metabolic bone diseases (MBD) include osteoporosis, rickets/ osteomalacia, flurosis and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), while the rare MBDs include Paget’s disease, tumor induced osteomalacia, fibrous dysplasia, osteogenesis imperfecta and so on.

What are symptoms of metabolic bone disease?

Typical symptoms of metabolic bone disease include:

Limping.
Bowed legs.
Hard lumps along the legs, spinal column, or jaw.
Softening and unusual flexibility of the lower jaw.
Difficulty raising the body off the ground.
Decreased appetite.

How long does it take to reverse metabolic bone disease?

Some people may go as short as four months, so we say every four to six months,” says Sadar. “We typically tell people that it [UVB] doesn’t penetrate glass and plastic so don’t put those between the light and the reptile.”

Is metabolic bone disease curable?

Treatment and Prognosis Fortunately, if detected early enough, MBD can often be corrected and reversed through making changes and improvements to the husbandry of the animal by providing the needed or adequate levels of UV-A and UV-B lighting and heating, proper supplementation, and other nutrients.

What is the most common metabolic bone disease?

Metabolic bone diseases are disorders of bone strength usually caused by abnormalities of minerals (such as calcium or phosphorus), vitamin D, bone mass or bone structure, with osteoporosis being the most common.

Do turtles need calcium supplements?

Like most reptiles, turtles require more dietary calcium than phosphorus. Most veterinarians recommend lightly sprinkling the vegetable matter offered to the box turtle with a calcium powder (calcium gluconate, lactate, or carbonate) 2-3 times per week.

Is metabolic bone disease fatal?

Overall, without treatment or intervention, MBD typically advances and becomes progressively worse over time. Ultimately, MBD is usually fatal for your reptile or amphibian if action is not taken, as their bones, organs and organ systems continue to be affected further to the point of ceasing function.

What are the clinical signs of metabolic bone disease?

Bowed,or swollen legs,or bumps on the long bones of the legs

Arched spine or bumps along the bones of the spine

Softening and swelling of the jaw (sometimes called “rubber jaw”)

Receded lower jaw

In turtles,such as yellow-bodied sliders,softening of the carapace or plastron (the shell)

What is the treatment for metabolic bone disease?

The following are important in both prevention and treatment of metabolic bone disease: A diet balanced in calcium and phosphorus, protein, energy and other nutrients. Exposure to UVA/UVB invisible light rays. Proper heat gradients (day and night) Proper light/dark cycles. Adequate enclosure and/or room to exercise.

What diseases are carried by Turtles?

Turtles commonly carry the Salmonella bacteria on their outer skin and shell surfaces. Geckos can also infect people with Salmonella. The little glassy-eyed creatures may look cute and harmless, but small turtles can make people very ill.

What are the symptoms of turtle disease?

Symptoms include a lack of appetite, lethargy, swelling of the eyelids (often with a pus-like discharge), swelling of the ear (actually an ear abscess) and respiratory infections. In turtles, most respiratory infections are caused by bacteria and are often secondary to Vitamin A deficiency.