My bearded dragon's arm is puffy, she's limping, and not eating.

Thanks for reaching out about Anastasia and including photos. By the pictures she appears very thin and pliable. Metabolic bone disease (calcium deficiency) would be a primary concern. This could be due to inappropriate diet, lack of UVB radiation, too low temperature or metabolic disorders to prevent intestinal absorption. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. The open mouth breathing could be due to muscle weakness, pneumonia, as well as other problems. Good luck.

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

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

Hello, sorry to hear about Spice. It sounds like she may be having metabolic bine disease from some dietary deficiencies. Other causes may be due to rough flooring or substrate in its cage. Your veterinarian may have recommended some changes in her diet, however metabolic bone disease may carry a poor prognosis as it is challenging to correct this disease if it is too advanced. It will take quite some time also, to see improvement. Best of luck!

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Jasper and including a photo. This limb is necrotic tissue and non-viable. A veterinary visit is needed as this limb needs to be amputated before infection spreads further. Systemic antibiotics might slow spread but will not cure the limb. Sorry. Please call your veterinarian. Good luck.

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.