Bearded Dragon emergency

Question
QUESTION: Hi Tracie it's me again and i have a big problem with Spike. I'm not sure but i think he had a seizure or something. Yesterday morning when i turned on all his lights, about a few seconds after i turned them on, he went crazy! He had his back leg up over his head, scratching at his head and then started shaking his head wildly, and took off running through the enclosure with his eyes closed hitting everything in his path. Every time i tried to touch him it was like he was terrified and wouldn't let me touch him for about 10 min. Then he went under the heat lamp and was fine for the rest of the day back to his normal self[EXCEPT STILL NOT EATING}. This morning same thing, i turned on the lights, and it was a repeat of yesterday morning.Now i am terrified! I love him dearly and i feel so helpless because i don't know what to do for him. Do you think he is having seizures? The thing is it only happens first thing in the morning when the lights go on, then he's fine for the rest of the day. Thanks, Nancy.




ANSWER: Hello Nancy,

OMG, how strange!  Do you startle him when you turn his lights on perhaps?
I highly doubt that he is calcium deficient or has MBD due to your great lighting.  How often do you supplement calcium?  I cannot remember your schedule.  
Is he maybe going to shed?  Would that be why he was scratching his head like that?
I think that a seizure would be more intermittent, & not just specifically at the same time, daily.  His whole body would freeze up, or his head would be a litle shakey.  
Let me know how he is doing & if this continues we will need to take some action, a bloodtest, or something to see if something on his blood profile is off.
I am confident is it not your lighting.  The T-rex is 12 inches away, right?  

Tracie

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

QUESTION: Hi Tracie i know he doesn't get startled when i turn on the lights i have been doing the same thing every day since the day i got him and i always move my hand in real slow so i don't scare him.Well i think we can rule out seizures then {thank god!}and no he is so skinny that he hasn't shed since befor shutdown back in Oct.Back then he was getting calcium 3 times a week but he has not had any for months because he won't eat. I went everywhere yesterday looking for bee pollen and theres none to be found but i will keep trying and the lights are aroung 12 inches away but i will be checking that right away. I had him in a tub of warm water yesterday like always and he was swimming around and having fun but every few seconds he was scratching at his head again i will give it a few days befor i think about another long drive to the vet again but i'm not convinced that vet knows her stuff i may take him somewhere else.She took x-rays of them spike and charlie both} and consulted with another vet who said it looks like the start of MBD but i told her that was impossible because they are so active and healthy. Oh and also she put them on some Meds because i live so far away it's soppose to be a D-wormer and something to boost his appitite tell me what you think it's called Metronidazole. I am sopposed to give them this every 3 days for 4 treatments and they have 1 treatment to go. The other is called Safeguard and they get 4 treatments every 2 weeks and so far they have had 1 treatment. I just remembered i still have a copy of the x-ray results and the vets advice in my mail box and i would like to get your opinion if thats ok. So please send send me your email address and i will forward it to you. Thanks, Nancy.


Answer
Hello Nancy,

The calcium could be a problem though, if he has not eaten in awhile so he has not gotten any calcium.  The only true way to determine his calcium levels would be to get a blood test, & an ionized blood test to see how much his bones are absorbing. The ionized calcium tests determines the 25 hydroxy levels.  
The dewormer, what is that called, Metronidazole?  That is not a dewormer though, it is more for amoebas & flagellates.  Really, I do not recommend the use of that for appetite stimulation.  There is no research that determines it is an appetite booster.  What is does is help to clean out the GI tract & or balance it, but it is harsh on the system.  
Safeguard is ok, as it is basically Panacur.  Did she accurately dose BOTH drugs according to their bodyweight?  If not, she may have given too much.
Meds will greatly affect the appetites!!
Did she even do a fecal to determine anything before medicating??
I would love to get a copy of the x-ray results, no problem.  Just send them to my home email.  Thanks.

Tracie