Bearded Dragon Swollen Limb

Question
QUESTION: I noticed my bearded dragon had a limp so I took him to the vet.  They said he might have a strained muscle or a small fracture but they didn't xray.  They gave me medicine to give him for the swelling and the pain. I upped his calcium and got a new UVB (Reptisun 10 linear).  His temps are good, but he still has a low appetite and his arm is still swollen and it's been two weeks.  He uses it and it doesn't seem to hurt him.  Will this get better on its own, or should I take him back in?

ANSWER: Hello Val,

How old is he?
Well, they should have done an x-ray so you would know what you were dealing with.
What did they give you for the swelling & pain, metcam or meloxicam?

How old was your Reptisun 10 tube bulb before you replaced it?  Can he get within 6-8 inches from it?  
What type of calcium do you use & how often do you use it?  He might have been slightly hypocalemic if the UVB was old & not putting much emissions out.  They can't absorb calcium properly without good UVB exposure.  

The pain killers may affect his appetite though.  Try getting some probiotics to give to him for a little while.  I recommend some non dairy soy yogurt or non dairy acidophiliz either one is good.  Meds tend to disturb their GI normal flora & can upset their tummies.

However, I would try to rearrange things in his tank to where he doesn't have to climb too much so he doesn't continue to aggravate it since it is still swollen.  He is not letting it heal properly by using it too much.

Another good natural remedy is Serrapeptase which is dried silkworm enzyme.  It helps with swelling & pain as well without the side effects of the pain meds.

If he does not improve soon, you may need to take him back.  Make those few changes first to allow his arm to start healing & let me know if he starts to improve.  

Tracie


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He is about 2 years old.  He had a coil bulb before (I started researching and saw that those were bad so I got a linear).  He's got Zilla liquid calcium supplement and I have been putting it on his food everyday since he was hurt in case it was a fracture, although he hasn't been eating much so it probably isn't doing much good.  It says on the bottle you can give them three drops if they are calcium defficient.  Should I be doing that too?  I will try the non dairy soy yogurt.  How long should I give it to him, and how much should I give him.  Also, where can I get Serrapeptase and how much of that should i give him?  I will try to restrict his movement.  He's been running around and frolicking like nothing was wrong and I thought he was fine until I noticed the swelling was back. Thanks for your prompt reply and your suggestions.

ANSWER: Hello Val,

Yes, ALL compact/coil lights are just basically junk.  I really wish that they would stop making them.  
I know what the mg's are per ml, so if you will send me his weight, I will properly dose him.  Three drops probably wont be enough for him, if he has metabolic bone disease.
Yeah, poor guy, if he would just stay still, he would heal.  I know it is no fun to restrict his movement but if it is going to heal you will need to for awhile.  You could make him a little splint out of toothpicks or a popsicle stick.  
The Serrapeptase, you can get from here:
www.serrapeptase.org

Just give a small pinch as you would with a pinch of salt.  It is safe & there is no known toxicity.  It is roughly 25mg's daily.  If you get a 250mg capsule or tablet, basically that will last you for around 10 or so days.  
Maybe give the soy yogurt for a couple of weeks, & see if that helps him out any.  I hope he starts doing better soon!

Keep me posted on him.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: He weighs about about .6lbs (he might be a girl i really don't know).  How much Calcium should I be giving him?  Do you have any links to instructions as to how I should splint his leg to make him hold still?  I read that you can tape their leg to their body and that works too.  What do you think of that option?  It is his bicep area on his right arm, and he doesn't limp now, but it's about 1.5-2 times fatter than the other arm.  The rest of his arm looks okay.  He seems to be doing fine though, especially if you can judge by his activity level.  He will not hold still.  Thanks for all your suggestions and help.

Answer
Hello Val,

Ok, so he weighs about 275grams then.  He is not real heavy then.  How long is he?
Can you post a picture of that for me?
You may need to mobilize the arm by splinting it & taping or securing it to the body for awhile.  He absolutely will not like it but it is getting worse right now & he is going to hurt it worse if it doesn't heal. Is it his arm or his leg?  
At least he doesn't seem to be too bothered by it though.  
Since he is 2 he only needs calcium, technically, 3 times per week.  Though if he is calcium deficient, he should get it 5 times per week for a month or so to help boost his system up a little bit & help him heal.
Here is a link to show you a little bit on how to splint, etc better than I can explain it:

http://www.lbah.com/reptile/nshp.htm

Be creative that helps.  He is just going to be inconvenienced for awhile that's all.
Let me know how he is doing & best of all, send me pictures once you get him splinted up.  Can you send me a picture of the swollen arm/leg first?

Tracie