MBD- Jaw swelling

Question
My Ig (Duke) developed MBD at about 8 months of age. (now at 18 months seems to be recovered) but the disease seems to have left the very tip of his tail slightly kinked and has a slight overbite. will this be an issue? what would you suggest. ill give you his current living situation to help you. he lives in a 260 mesh reptile enclosure, with 2 night lamps one day lamp and one basking lamp. he regularly eats collard greens (his favorite), squash, and green beans. his 18 months, and 25.5" STL and 8" SVL. im still not even sure if he's a he. im trying as best as i can to care for him and now going through his sickness i've learned a lot. i hope your input may help Duke continue to live a great life.

Answer
Sean,

All deformations and disfigurements caused by MBD are usually permanent. The disease itself can be reversed and the iguana can recover to healthy calcium levels and get strong bones again, but the effects of the disease on the skeletal system are not going to go away. Iguanas are perhaps the most susceptible reptile to developing MBD. MBD is essentially a severe calcium deficiency. As you know from researching it, it is caused by captivity and usually either a lack of UVB radiation, poor diet, low temperatures or a combination of the three. It is important to keep the iguana on a diverse and rich diet consisting of such things as collard, mustard, turnip greens, orange-fleshed squash, green beans, sweet peas, fruits, escarole, parsnips, dandelions, etc. Staying away from lettuce, carrots, broccoli, spinach, pet store pellets, and of course, meats/cheeses will help form a good defense against MBD. Also, a good UVB source needs to be available to the animal 10-12 hours a day. Finally, temperatures need to be warm enough to aid in proper food digestion (usually needs to be at least 87 degrees internal temperature for digestion to start). So, if you continue to care for the animal properly, his quality of life will be wonderful and he will not and should not suffer from his overbite and kinked tail. He will probably not ever know that exists unless he still suffers from MBD and he doesn't feel good. A lot of the iguanas I have here have some noticeable signs of MBD and they go on to live rewarding and enjoyable lives once they are cured. He may not grow as big as he otherwise would have, but he should be a happy camper if he is getting his proper lighting, food and heat.

Sara J Gwerder
President
Raptor Rescue Iguana Sanctuary
Shreveport, LA
www.RaptorRescue.org