Common Bearded Dragon Diseases

Bearded dragons are pretty durable lizards. They will usually remain healthy if you provide them with proper lighting, temperature, and housing. However, they may still develop a variety of bearded dragon diseases. Some of these include stomatitis, metabolic bone disease, and egg binding.
Stomatitis

Stomatitis is also known as mouth rot. This condition usually occurs because of stress resulting from improper diet, parasites, or injury.. The soft tissues in the mouth will be covered in a whitish or gray substance. As the disease progresses, the gums may start to bleed and the teeth may become loose. Beardies with this condition usually have a reduced appetite or may stop eating altogether.

The underlying cause of stomatitis needs to be treated before the condition can effectively be treated. If not, the mouth rot will likely recur sometime in the future. Antibiotics are the main method of treatment.
Metabolic Bone Disease

Metabolic bone disease is very common in captive bearded dragons. This condition occurs because of an imbalance in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D3. Not providing your dragon with enough UVB light and proper foods is commonly to blame. The bones will become severely weakened and leave your bearded highly susceptible to fractures.
Egg Binding

Egg binding results when a female is unable to pass one or more eggs. This can happen because of obesity, low weight, improper diet, and various health problems. Egg binding is an emergency situation as it can kill your dragon within a few days. The veterinarian may provide drugs to prompt the lizard to lay the eggs. If this doesn’t work, then surgery will be required.
Coccidiosis

One of the next bearded dragon diseases is coccidiosis. It is caused by an infection of protozoan parasites. Although protozoa are found in virtually all dragons, they are kept in check by the immune system. Stressed lizards will have a weakened system which allows them to grow out of control.

A heavy infestation of protozoan parasites causes a variety of symptoms in your dragon. They include diarrhea, stomach pain, and malnutrition. The veterinarian can determine if your dragon is infected with these parasites by analyzing a sample of feces. Sulfa drugs will need to be prescribed to get rid of the problem.
Adenovirus

Fortunately, adenovirus isn’t one of the most common bearded dragon diseases. It is almost always fatal, although some lizards have successfully recovered. Weak and young beardies are usually affected. One of the biggest problems with this disease is that it doesn’t cause any specific signs.

Affected dragons may show symptoms such as poor appetite, diarrhea, and relative inactivity. The only way to diagnose adenovirus definitively if via an autopsy. Treatment includes providing plenty of fluids and forced feeding. Since secondary bacterial infections can become a problem, antibiotics are usually necessary.

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