Why are my bearded dragon's legs still swollen after seeing a vet?

This may be due to trauma, infection or a nutritional deficiency. Corona should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose the underlying cause. Treatment, if any, will depend on the diagnosis. In the meantime, provide a balanced diet, hydration, vitamin/mineral supplementation, heat support and adequate UVB lighting until she sees the doctor.

A big concern regarding the swelling and lameness would be metabolic bone disease (MBD). Ideally, Beans should be examined by your herp veterinarian to diagnose injury or illness. In the meantime, review the diet, vitamin/mineral supplementation and UVB lighting. Confirm the bulb is not obstructed by glass or plexiglass and replace if older than 6 months old. Gut load all prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize3 nutritional value. Use quality supplements such as Rep-Cal HerptiVite and Calcium w/Vit D3.

The swollen leg may be due to injury, infection or nutritional deficiency. Ideally, Rainn should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. This may require x-rays and lab work. Review his diet and environment with your veterinarian. The basics required include a 10 gallon tank (at minimum), UVB lighting, a heat lamp focused on a basking spot, 2 hides (one on the coolside, one on the warm side and a shallow water bowl. The heat lamp should provide a temperature gradient across the enclosure. Substrate can be reptile carpet, slate, paper towels or wood chips. A balanced diet of appropriately sized prey (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, Phoenix worms, etc) and fresh greens and vegetables should be offered daily. Vitamin supplements and calcium supplementation should also be provided. You can review dragon care at the link below. http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html

This may be due to nutritional deficiency or digestive issue (impaction impinging on nerves). If Medusa is defecating normally, it likely is not a digestion issue. If she is having difficulty defecating, soak her in a warm 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte for 15-20 minutes. Gently massage her abdomen during the soak to encourage defecation. Feed appropriately sized prey to prevent impaction/constipation. Prey should be no bigger than the space between her eyes. Gut load prey for 24 hours prior to offering to maximize nutritional value. Check temperatures since low temps can affect appetite and digestion. A calcium deficiency is another possible cause. Juvenile beardies need more calcium and vitamin supplementation than adult beardies. Rep-Cal's Herptivite multivitamin powder and Calcium with D3 powder are the gold standards for supplements. Dust prey twice weekly with the multivitamin and 5 days per week with the calcium powder. As your beardies mature, they will require less frequent supplementation. An adequate UVB light source is also required to allow proper utilization of the D3. Change the bulb every 6 months. Make sure it is not blocked by glass or plexiglass and confirm it is not too far from Medusa to be effective. Trauma from a fall may be another cause. Arrange cage furniture to prevent falls from heights. Monitor for other signs of injury (swelling, scrapes, bleeding,etc). If husbandry changes do not improve Medusa's condition, have her examined by your veterinarian or by a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

I am concerned about Squid (cute name BTW). The fact that he can't use his back legs could indicate a spinal issue or metabolic problem or even a broken bone. The bump on the tail could also be an injury or an infection. I would have your vet take a look at him. Your vet will be able to give you more insight into what could be causing these issues by doing an exam and possible blood work or x-rays if needed. They will also be able to discuss with you in detail about his habitat and diet to ensure everything is correct there. A lot of their problems can be caused due to husbandry issues but may need more extensive treatment than just a change in husbandry. Unfortunately, Squid sounds like he needs more treatment than just a change in lighting, temperature, etc. I hope this helps and he starts to feel better soon.

Thanks for reaching out about Pablosita and including a photo. A veterinary visit is recommended in an attempt to determine spinal trauma vs. soft tissue trauma. Both conditions have a better prognosis is treated early. Calcium deficiencies can lead to weaker both more sensitive to trauma. Besides anti-inflammtories, acupuncture and other alternative medicine modalities could be beneficial. Good luck.

It could be a fracture complicated by MBD but an exam and xrays is what Reptar needs to get a definitive diagnosis. It shouldn't cost "thousands". With proper care and some environmental and diet changes, he can recover from MBD. Left untreated, he may suffer permanent damage or even loss of the limb. An experienced herp vet will have the knowledge and experience to give Reptar the best chance at a full recovery. Follow the links to search for a local herp vet. http://www.herpvetconnection.com/calif.shtml http://www.anapsid.org/vets/findingvet.html