My beardie Meeko was recently diagnosed with early stage MBD, and she has since stopped climbing up to her basking spot due to the pain in her swollen legs. I originally had her reptisun 10 t8 24" tube about 12 inches from the bottom of her tank and 6 inches from her basking log, but since she won't go onto the log now would it be a good idea to lower the light down to 6-8 inches from the bottom of the tank itself? I'm also taking her out into the sun for 30 mins a day since I live in FL.. She's taking her meds like a champ and I want to make sure everything else is perfect for her recovery.
Thank you!
That's the proper distance from the basking area for that light but if she is having trouble moving to the basking spot I'd remove it or flatten it and then move the light 6'' above the floor so it's easier to access.
Which meds is she on now? The swelling from the earlier photos looks a lot more like gout to me than MBD. Try offering some tart cherry extract and see if that helps with the swelling.
Will do, and her vet trip didn’t go exactly as planned, the quote they gave me for blood tests was totally wrong and it was actually about $200 more than they had told me so I opted for the X-ray first which the vet had recommended anyways. X-rays showed the bones in her toes on her front feet and the ankles on her back feet were losing their density which led the vet to the MBD diagnosis. She sent us home with two weeks of calcium, baytril, and anti-inflammatories and if nothing improves she’s going back for more tests.. and I’ll be fully prepared this time since I signed up for a carecredit card. I’ll try the cherry extract though and see if that helps.
Wow that's really expensive. I've had blood panels done for under $90 but I guess the treatment costs vary quite a bit depending where you are. I still advise caution on administering a lot of meds as to not tax her kidneys too much.