DISEASES-It’s important to remember that lots of diseases share the same symptoms such as loss of appetite, lethargy, excess saliva. It’s important anytime you suspect your dragon is sick that you take it to an exotic vet for a thorough check up.
CANV or YELLOW FUNGUS-
Starts as small patches of bright or pale yellow or brown grey and is an aggressive and eventually fatal virus. The patches spread and become black and crusty and slough away to show raw ulcerated lesions. If left untreated, yellow fungus can spread to the whole body including the internal organs.
There is no real cure for yellow fungus. Sometimes antibiotic and ointment can help.
Causes of the disease are dirty tank conditions, stress, crowding. If you practice proper husbandry it can be avoided.
Yellow fungus is highly contagious, it’s very important with to wash your hands and tools before handling multiple reptiles.
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Disease-Management/CANV-in-Reptiles/
TAIL ROT-
Happens when there is not enough blood flow to the tail. Usually starts at the tip of the tail and if not treated it can spread down the tail and possible to the internal organs.
The number one cause of tail rot is trauma to the tail such as something falling on it or getting pinched in a door. Other causes would be a bite from a feeder insect or stuck shed.
Only a vet can determine the best treatment for tail rot. Usually treatment involves antibiotic an ointment or even amputation of the dead skin. If it is not treated you will be risking the health of your beardie.
INFECTIOUS STOMATITIS (MOUTH ROT)-
Starts with increased amounts of saliva. The gum tissue itself will have little pinpoint hemorrhages called “petechiae”. If left untreated the gums will swell and turn purple or deep red and the gums may crack and bleed. If left untreated It will cause a bone infection called osteomyelitis leading to the loss of teeth.
Signs of mouth rot are similar to other diseases. Lack of appetite, increased saliva and drainage from the mouth or nose.
The underlying cause is stress. Improper tank conditions (humidity and temperature) and injuries can also lead to mouth rot.
Mouth rot needs to be treated by a vet.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2385
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE (MBD)-
Is a softening and weakening of the bones caused by an imbalance of calcium, vitamin D3 and phosphorus.
Signs are twitches, tremors, bumps in the back or tail, bumps on the legs, bones that appear to be soft and bend, swollen or soft lower jaw, jerky movements when walking. Serious signs are constipation, anorexia, unable to use it’s limbs.
Causes are lack of proper UVB lighting and or diet low in calcium big in phosphorus.
MBD can be treated but the damage already done cannot be repaired. A vet diagnosis and treatment is a must.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=3581
GOUT-
A build up of uric acid. Shows up as white plaques inside the mouth and enlarged swollen joins such as toes and feet.
Most common cause is over feeding protein and not providing a balanced diet. It’s also caused by certain medications, dehydration, starvation or chronic disease.
Treatment is change in diet and possibly antibiotics.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2496
FATTY LIVER DISEASE-
Caused by poor diet full of fatty foods. When feed diets high in fat, healthy liver tissue is replaced by fat and prevents the liver from breaking down toxins.
Signs of fatty liver disease are yellow tinge to skin, eyes and mouth, sluggishness. A bearded dragon with fatty liver disease is usually an overweight dragon.
ATADENOVIROUS (STAR GAZING)-
Is a highly contagious disease, spread through direct contact. It’s very important to wash your hands between handling your reptiles, don’t share tools between bearded dragons (especially when you bring a new dragon in). Also, you shouldn’t share feeder bugs, if your bearded dragon doesn’t eat all of the bugs that you give it for the day, either dispose of the excess or store them separate. Never put them back into your main bug collection.
Signs of Atadeno are lethargy, lack of appetite, twitches, seizures, arching of the head and neck (stargazing), rolling.
There is no cure for it but can possibly be kept under control by a vet.
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Habitats-Care/Atadenovirus-This-Disease-Can-Be-Deadly-To-Your-Bearded-Dragon/
VITAMIN A TOXICITY-
Caused by a diet too high in artificial vitamin A. Signs are lack of energy and swollen eyes or throat.
It’s important when buying a multivitamin for your bearded dragon to look for one that contains natural vitamin A.
There are other vitamins that are important to the health of your bearded dragon. This article was written to discuss some of the important ones.
https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/vitamins/
IMPACTION-
Most common cause is eating substate. Bearded dragons love to lick things to make sure they are safe. This makes it very easy for them to ingest sand, small rocks, and bark. Impaction is also caused by feeding bugs that are too big for them to digest without the proper amount of hydration. Bugs high in chitlin such as mealworms as well as the basking area temperature being too low will also cause impaction.
Treatment would be to get rid of any loose substrate and replace with something like paper towel, Repti-carpet, tile or shelf liner. Make sure feeders are no longer than the space between their eyes. The exception would be worms, those should be no WIDER than the space between their eyes. A warm bath, feeding 100% pure pumpkin or baby food prunes with no additives or even a drop of olive oil can help get things moving.
Remember every bearded dragon is different, what’s normal for one might not be normal for another. Some go once a day like clock work and some just go every 2 weeks.
DIARRHEA-
Caused by stress, parasites or not feeding proper greens. If your bearded dragon has diarrhea, make sure you are feeding healthy veggies (no lettuce), feeding juicy worms such as horn worms helps and schedule a vet visit to rule out any parasites or other issues.
DEHYDRATION-
Signs of dehydration are sunken eyes, loose skin, lack of appetite or energy. Bearded dragons get their water by drinking it or eating greens and veggies. Most bearded dragons don’t drink standing water so the best way to get them to drink would be to drip water on the very tip of their nose to coax them to lick it off.
DROOPY EYES-
Can be a sign of liver disease or parasites, a vet visit is a must.
SWOLLEN/PUFFY EYES-
Shedding, vitamin A toxicity or eye infection such as something being stuck such a sand. A vet visit is a must.
One thing they do do occasionally especially when shedding is “pop” their eyes out. This is perfectly normal it’s just the same as stretching their beard. This only lasts for a short time so there is nothing to worry about. If their eyes don’t go back to normal then a vet visit is needed.
CANV or YELLOW FUNGUS-
Starts as small patches of bright or pale yellow or brown grey and is an aggressive and eventually fatal virus. The patches spread and become black and crusty and slough away to show raw ulcerated lesions. If left untreated, yellow fungus can spread to the whole body including the internal organs.
There is no real cure for yellow fungus. Sometimes antibiotic and ointment can help.
Causes of the disease are dirty tank conditions, stress, crowding. If you practice proper husbandry it can be avoided.
Yellow fungus is highly contagious, it’s very important with to wash your hands and tools before handling multiple reptiles.
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Disease-Management/CANV-in-Reptiles/
TAIL ROT-
Happens when there is not enough blood flow to the tail. Usually starts at the tip of the tail and if not treated it can spread down the tail and possible to the internal organs.
The number one cause of tail rot is trauma to the tail such as something falling on it or getting pinched in a door. Other causes would be a bite from a feeder insect or stuck shed.
Only a vet can determine the best treatment for tail rot. Usually treatment involves antibiotic an ointment or even amputation of the dead skin. If it is not treated you will be risking the health of your beardie.
INFECTIOUS STOMATITIS (MOUTH ROT)-
Starts with increased amounts of saliva. The gum tissue itself will have little pinpoint hemorrhages called “petechiae”. If left untreated the gums will swell and turn purple or deep red and the gums may crack and bleed. If left untreated It will cause a bone infection called osteomyelitis leading to the loss of teeth.
Signs of mouth rot are similar to other diseases. Lack of appetite, increased saliva and drainage from the mouth or nose.
The underlying cause is stress. Improper tank conditions (humidity and temperature) and injuries can also lead to mouth rot.
Mouth rot needs to be treated by a vet.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2385
METABOLIC BONE DISEASE (MBD)-
Is a softening and weakening of the bones caused by an imbalance of calcium, vitamin D3 and phosphorus.
Signs are twitches, tremors, bumps in the back or tail, bumps on the legs, bones that appear to be soft and bend, swollen or soft lower jaw, jerky movements when walking. Serious signs are constipation, anorexia, unable to use it’s limbs.
Causes are lack of proper UVB lighting and or diet low in calcium big in phosphorus.
MBD can be treated but the damage already done cannot be repaired. A vet diagnosis and treatment is a must.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=3581
GOUT-
A build up of uric acid. Shows up as white plaques inside the mouth and enlarged swollen joins such as toes and feet.
Most common cause is over feeding protein and not providing a balanced diet. It’s also caused by certain medications, dehydration, starvation or chronic disease.
Treatment is change in diet and possibly antibiotics.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=17+1796&aid=2496
FATTY LIVER DISEASE-
Caused by poor diet full of fatty foods. When feed diets high in fat, healthy liver tissue is replaced by fat and prevents the liver from breaking down toxins.
Signs of fatty liver disease are yellow tinge to skin, eyes and mouth, sluggishness. A bearded dragon with fatty liver disease is usually an overweight dragon.
ATADENOVIROUS (STAR GAZING)-
Is a highly contagious disease, spread through direct contact. It’s very important to wash your hands between handling your reptiles, don’t share tools between bearded dragons (especially when you bring a new dragon in). Also, you shouldn’t share feeder bugs, if your bearded dragon doesn’t eat all of the bugs that you give it for the day, either dispose of the excess or store them separate. Never put them back into your main bug collection.
Signs of Atadeno are lethargy, lack of appetite, twitches, seizures, arching of the head and neck (stargazing), rolling.
There is no cure for it but can possibly be kept under control by a vet.
http://www.reptilesmagazine.com/Reptile-Health/Habitats-Care/Atadenovirus-This-Disease-Can-Be-Deadly-To-Your-Bearded-Dragon/
VITAMIN A TOXICITY-
Caused by a diet too high in artificial vitamin A. Signs are lack of energy and swollen eyes or throat.
It’s important when buying a multivitamin for your bearded dragon to look for one that contains natural vitamin A.
There are other vitamins that are important to the health of your bearded dragon. This article was written to discuss some of the important ones.
https://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/vitamins/
IMPACTION-
Most common cause is eating substate. Bearded dragons love to lick things to make sure they are safe. This makes it very easy for them to ingest sand, small rocks, and bark. Impaction is also caused by feeding bugs that are too big for them to digest without the proper amount of hydration. Bugs high in chitlin such as mealworms as well as the basking area temperature being too low will also cause impaction.
Treatment would be to get rid of any loose substrate and replace with something like paper towel, Repti-carpet, tile or shelf liner. Make sure feeders are no longer than the space between their eyes. The exception would be worms, those should be no WIDER than the space between their eyes. A warm bath, feeding 100% pure pumpkin or baby food prunes with no additives or even a drop of olive oil can help get things moving.
Remember every bearded dragon is different, what’s normal for one might not be normal for another. Some go once a day like clock work and some just go every 2 weeks.
DIARRHEA-
Caused by stress, parasites or not feeding proper greens. If your bearded dragon has diarrhea, make sure you are feeding healthy veggies (no lettuce), feeding juicy worms such as horn worms helps and schedule a vet visit to rule out any parasites or other issues.
DEHYDRATION-
Signs of dehydration are sunken eyes, loose skin, lack of appetite or energy. Bearded dragons get their water by drinking it or eating greens and veggies. Most bearded dragons don’t drink standing water so the best way to get them to drink would be to drip water on the very tip of their nose to coax them to lick it off.
DROOPY EYES-
Can be a sign of liver disease or parasites, a vet visit is a must.
SWOLLEN/PUFFY EYES-
Shedding, vitamin A toxicity or eye infection such as something being stuck such a sand. A vet visit is a must.
One thing they do do occasionally especially when shedding is “pop” their eyes out. This is perfectly normal it’s just the same as stretching their beard. This only lasts for a short time so there is nothing to worry about. If their eyes don’t go back to normal then a vet visit is needed.
