my very old beardie

Question
hi pam, my beardie is 11 years old. he's always been in excellent health,
we've talken great care of him his whole like. lately, as he gets older, he's not
walking as well as he used to - his limbs flail about (arms and legs) when he
walks, it looks like he's doing the crawlstroke but on land - almost like a
swimming motion. he has a little trouble supporting his chest and lays on his
tummy most of the time. his appetite is still good, but i've had to switch to
blending his food in the blender and feeding it to him in an eyedropper - he
still eats it, and if i put some on a spoon he eats it from there. he's still very
alert, responds to noise and touch, and still tries to climb from my lap to
shoulder when i take him out (tho he's having a bit of trouble since its harder
for him to walk). not losing any weight, coloring is still good, no gaping or
drooling going on - is it just because he's so old? i know 11 years is a long
time for a dragon to live. this just started about 2 weeks ago but has become
much more noticeable in the past weekend... thank you in advance for any
info you may have!

Answer
Hi Dawn,
  It's time to have your lil' ole man to the reptile vet for a good geriatric work up.  As with all creatures, including humans, when you reach a certain age, some things have to change, including diet, supplement, heat, lights, even furniture in the cage. The vet will check for neurological changes, perhaps an x-ray for possible bone loss. Also, we going into winter. Does he brumate?  Could his slowing down be the signs of his wanting to brumate?  All these factors might be causes for part or all of his condition and behavior.