Beardie with MBD

Question
Hi,
My Beardie has been diagnosed with MBD for about 5-6 months. He had been treated with calcium injections and anti-biotics by the vets for 2 months with limited success if at all. Since then I nursed him with calcium glubionate, probiotics, with diet consisting crickets and fruit+vegie puree for 4 months. It seemed he was on the mend with much better mobility and good apetite, but suddenly he stopped eating again voluntarily for about 6 weeks now. Since then I have decreased his calcium and other supplements to just twice a week. Now, I have stopped calcium and all the other supplements for 2 weeks. He is on vegie puree mixed with ground up commercial beardie food with plenty of hydration. He has been on daily dose of serrapeptase for 4 weeks but now I have increased the dosage to a few pinches instead of half a pinch. All along his slight bump on his tail bone has been growing more pronounced. Now, he is developing swellings in his joints more often than before. Naturally he is very sore and his front legs are in reversed position facing backwards due to pain and swelling. Previously, a gentle massage helped to clear up the swelling but now it does not seem to work. The serrapeptase should have helped to bring down the inflammation but it does not seemed to have had any effect. Can I administer steroid? Why are his joints getting worse? I feel daily calcium is not a good idea, and that twice a week is a better option. He has had very good UVB lighting for now over 5 months ever since he became sick. Why is he getting worse? I am so terrified of the vets administering anti-biotics whenever I take him to see them. I don't think his kidneys can take it anymore. Please help!

Answer
Hello Kelvin,

How old is your dragon?  
I think that the antibiotics have been causing the problems.  A dragon with metabolic bone disease does not need antibiotics & they can interfere with calcium absorption sometimes, too.
Which UVB are you using?  
How much calcium glubionate were you or are you giving?  
Something is causing him not to absorb his calcium because everything sounds correct in your setup.
Just let me know the type & brand of UVB light that you are using, as that could be a problem if it is not the correct one or strong enough.  
You can use prednisone for swelling which is a steroid.  That is an option.  The serrapeptase should have helped with pain & swelling yes.  Which antibiotics have they been giving him?
You are right, discontinue all of the antibiotics immediately as they will cause renal failure.
If you need to contact me further, you can write me at my home email at:
Drache613@cfl.rr.com

Tracie