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The Pets Blog Week in Review for November 19-25

Did you have a nice Thanksgiving weekend? In case you were busy shopping till you dropped at the after Thanksgiving Day sales, stuffing yourself on turkey leftovers, or in general enjoying time with your family and didn’t have time to stay up on the Pets Blog, here’s a recap of what Aimee and I wrote on: Monday, November 19 Murphy’s Fan Club He’s no TV or movie star, but that dog of mine has developed a fan club nonetheless. Green Anole This is one pet Murphy would like to have! Aimee detailed why this type of lizard makes a good … Continue reading →

Symptoms of Metabolic Bone Disease in Reptiles

Metabolic bone disease is an unfortunately common disease in reptiles. Though it is most often seen in iguanas, it can arise in any pet reptile. The disease is most often caused by poor care and diet, and can be easily corrected in the early stages. The symptoms of metabolic bone disease can vary depending on the severity of the case and the length of time over which the disease developed. Most of the symptoms are related to bone and muscle effects, as calcium is key for bone formation and muscle function. You may see a reptile with metabolic bone disease … Continue reading →

Metabolic Bone Disease in Reptiles

Metabolic bone disease is a common but preventable disease seen in pet reptiles. There is no one cause for this disease — the primary problem is a disruption of calcium metabolism that leads to many related problems. Most often, metabolic bone disease is caused by poor diet and care. Iguanas are very susceptible to metabolic bone disease thanks to their specific light, diet, and environmental needs, but the disease can appear in any reptile. Without getting too technical, metabolic bone disease results from an improper ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the body. In a normal, healthy reptile, the ratio … Continue reading →

Vitamin A Deficiency in Reptiles

A vitamin A deficiency can be a serious illness for reptiles. In severe cases, a vitamin A deficiency can be fatal. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is essential to the functioning of the skin, mucous membranes, muscles, immune system, reproductive systems, eyes, and more! A reptile with a vitamin A deficiency may demonstrate symptoms like: Swelling around the eyes and mouth, especially the eyelids. The swelling may be so pronounced that the reptile cannot open its eyes! Nasal discharge. Inflammation of the lining of the mouth, known as stomatitis. Weakness. Loss of appetite and weight loss. Decreased … Continue reading →

Why Does My Body Need Phosphorus?

Phosphorus is a mineral that has many useful roles for the body. It is used in energy metabolism, to help the body use some B-complex vitamins, for muscle and nerve function, and for kidney function. But one of the most important roles of phosphorus is to help the body maintain its calcium balance. This mineral is essential to the formation of bones and teeth, and bone and tooth health throughout all stages of life. Cool phosphorus fact: approximately one percent of an adult’s total body weight is phosphorus. However, most of that phosphorus (about 85%) lives in your bones and … Continue reading →

Why Does My Body Need Calcium?

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Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body — more than 99 percent of all calcium in your body is stored in the bones and teeth. Where is the rest of the calcium? It can be found throughout the body in your blood, muscles, and more. What does calcium do? The number one thing calcium does is support bone and tooth structure. Your bones are constantly breaking down and being rebuilt — the pace at which this happens changes throughout life. During childhood, your body does much more building and much less breaking down. In early and middle adulthood, … Continue reading →

Iguana Care: Light, Heat, and More

In the wild, reptiles tend to spend a lot of time basking in the sun. Iguanas (and other reptiles) are cold-blooded or ectothermic, meaning they depend on an outside source of heat to regulate body temperature. Why is light important? Sunlight and/or UV lights allow your iguana’s body to create vitamin D — just like sunlight helps a human body produce vitamin D. Natural sun exposure and a basking light will help ensure good health for your green iguana. Not enough D puts your green iguana at higher risk for certain types of metabolic bone disease. Natural sunlight is great, … Continue reading →