1st Beardie

Question
QUESTION: This is my first bearded dragon, and he's only a few months old.  Well what happened was I came home to find my buddy on his back between his tank glass and favorite log.  It looked as if he had been bleeding from either his mouth, eye, or nose.  His right eye was caked over with dried blood.  Also, he was having issues moving his back legs, like he really didn't want to move them, it looked to me like he had broke his back because there was a bump in the middle of his spinal column.  He would also breath really slowly and at times seemed like he wasn't breathing.

I looked up online and found what looked to be like dehydration and malnutrition caused by impaction, so I bought him some first aid and have seen a lot of improvement.  He's much more aware and moves around a bit more, but he's still having difficulty moving his legs, and the bumps still looks like it's at his spine.  He pooped a little bit, but it doesn't look like it was the amount to have been causing an impaction.  Also, his right eye looks sunken with his eyelid drooping, which I can't find anything on about it.  I thought that maybe it was just a part of the dehydration, but would that have done it to only one eye, and wouldn't it have gotten better by now?

I way out in the middle of the countryside so there are few and far between on reptile vets.  The closest one probably being 2 hours or more away.

Thanks for all the help.

ANSWER: Sarah,          It sounds like he has metabolic bone disease.... I am so sorry , he probably won't get over the break in his back , but will adjust to it. If you soak him in water they retain thru their skin... do you have uva lighting on him .......he needs that to create calcium that he would create in sunlight.I would get him to a vet immediately... He is not impacted..... he is deficient in vitamin d3 ... I am sure....he is not creating calcium to sustain him which probably happened before you got him .....Good Luck, Tina

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QUESTION: Thanks for the advice.  Yes, ever since I've got him he has always had a source of good UVA and UVB lighting on him.  Once I can find a vet closest to here I'll make sure to take him to be seen.  Will He ever walk properly again, or will that always be affected?  Also, I'm guessing, I should probably get some of that white dust stuff that you put on crickets right before you feed them, or will that not help?  Thanks again.

Answer
Sarah ,          He may or may not to get over it. You definitely have to have him seen by a good reptile vet. Defiantly use reptical on his crickets and herptivite 2 times a week...... They are great supplements for him. They are omnivores... so make sure you are offering him romaine and collard greens...cut them small and hydrate them. They also love meal worms and wax worms. They are both high in fat  and very nutritious too them. Make sure any of the greens or any other veggies you offer him are cut very small to make sure they don't cause impaction. I hope that is not what he is suffering from... it does have similar effects though. Get to the vet  Good Luck, tina