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Help - metabolic bone disease

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:05 am
by vann_s
Hi everyone ! First of all i wanna thanks for all the tips that i got from this amazing website, but i got this blue tongue lizard and i wonder if he got metabolic bone disease ! I took him to the vet and the vet said that he was ok, but i'm still worried about him so i tought it would be a good idea to show you guys how he looks and maybe one of you guys could help me out ! http://bluetongueskinks.net/forum/album ... ic_id=3920 , here is the pictures of the baby blue tongue !

anyway.. thanks for the amazing tips so far ! vannessa

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:49 am
by Zbiz
Unfortunately it looks to be MBD to me. Its the big dent in the spine that steers me in that direction. If you could get a better pic of the skink from a direct side that'd be great. Thats odd that the veternarian told you it was fine. Hm...

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:48 am
by mom22wins
Maybe he meant that he suffered from MBD but that NOW he's looking fine as far as recovering (as much as is possible) from it? I don't know...Makes me wonder if you need a second opinion.

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:35 am
by JWSR
Can he move his rear legs? Did you receive him in this condition, or did he develop this while you already had him?

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:19 am
by SailleSkinklover
My guy has a spinal delt that at first I thought was MBD, because the situation I got him from was bad and he was soooo very thin and flat. Plus, his tail has like 4 kinks in it which I thought was part of the MBD as well.
When I took him to the vet for health check up, my vet took xrays, and said that my Bluey has had ribs broken, his tail had been broken in like four places, and his spine had been crushed. He thought that maybe a dog or some other creature had gotten an hold of him and given a violent shake before he somehow got away. His front leg also has abnormal bone growth due to some type of bone infection Chuff had in the distant past. Chuff's fine now, except for the permanent dent in his spine and his think Popeye fore-arm. My vet said his bones looked healthy and solid now.
Did your vet take x-rays?
Is your vet familiar/trained in exotics/Herps?
How young is your new Skink?
Was he captive bred or wild caught?
(wild caught will give many problems, like Chuffer's had)

Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:53 pm
by LittleFoot
Also, make sure your vet is comfortable and knowledgable about reptiles. Not all vets are familiar with them, even though they still might see them.

Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:57 pm
by NomadOfTheHills
Looks like what happens when they climb over their enclosures and bend their backs frequently.

Could be an old case of MBD, but MBD is pretty rare in BTS.

Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:02 am
by Leigh
If not MBD,it could be kyphosis, the after effect of spending long periods of time bend up against the tank side

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:33 am
by vann_s
Thanks everyone for the help !! I got this bluey from a friend of mine that had a couple that just had babys ! Paris ( my BTL ) is 10 months old.. and i have her for 3 months already.. so i reckon that her back was already like that as far i can remember.. but ever since i'm pretty much a beginner i tought it was ok ! And i reckon that her back is like that because she always climb up her enclosure.. is there any way that i can avoid her getting there? I tried to put some logs next to the glass but she always find a way to the glass... she is such a naughty :)! And i'm thinking about checking another vet, i'm not reallu sure if this one is the best and i also want one that can take x rays of Paris ! Anyway thaaaaannnkkks so much everyone for the help, and i'll let everyone knows how Paris is doing ! xoxo Vannessa !

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:41 am
by Fatal_S
If your skink is in an all glass tank, put some type of backing on the sides and back. Taking your skink out a lot is a great way to work out that extra energy.