Tegu's Arm Twitching with Movement (*VIDEO INCLUDED*)

[HorseCaak]

So I need some help. I've read all about MBD and Calcium and UVB through this site, now I'm hoping my Tegu isn't having an issue with it.

She is about 9 or so months old, hibernated for 5 months, eating everyday with a goood variety of raw meats, organ meats, fuzzies/pinkies, eggs, and cod liver oil mixed in occasionally. I also use calcium powder a few days a week and vitamin powder some days as well.

So I fed her yesterday some raw chicken and a fuzzie with calcium. She wasn't twitching earlier before eating but started to after eating (about 30min-1hr after). I don't know if I overdid it this time with calcium powder, or if possibly her bulbs are both out of UVB (which would be crazy because neither are a year old yet.)

She has 2 UVB sources, a powersun, and a reptiglo tube. Watch the video and tell me what you think...

http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/HorseCaak/DoubleDip/?action=view&current=Tremors.flv

Thanks,
-BLAIR
...
*(Any other questions, please ask. I didn't go through every little detail because this would've been a very large posting. Humidity and temps are perfect and fresh water daily.)

 

[reptastic]

i didnt see any twitching in her hind legs, have you checked her front toes to make sure there is no stuck shed or something poking it? my very first tegu( a columbian) had tremors and his muscles in his back legs would twitch alot but after being under the uvb lamp for a few days they went away!

 

[HorseCaak]

i didnt see any twitching in her hind legs, have you checked her front toes to make sure there is no stuck shed or something poking it?

Yes, i checked. Nothing there. I gave her a warm soak today for about 30 minutes too. The twitching is only in that front right leg and only when she moves it to crawl or change positions. Does MBD display tremors in all limbs equally?

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

I see the twitching and shaking but it looks to me more like it maybe a possible injury. Yeah,..I just watched again and there's definitely something going on with her front right leg. The rest looks fine, when was the last time if at all (with the weather lately) has she gotten any real unfiltered sunlight? When I say unfiltered I mean outside with a harness and leash or in a bin thats too high for her to get out of. But still able to bask directly in the sun. No windows, no screens or anything between her and the sun.

I say this because you can only depend on calcium supplements and lights so much. She's also big enough to be eating mice or better yet small rats.
I would let her soak in a warm bath for a while, if she doesn't like it up the temps. After the bath look her over and remove any loose or stuck shed if you see any.

After the bath and depending on your weather take her outside and let her soak in the sun for a while. If weather permits take her outside everyday for a few days and see how she does. If no improvement I would get her to a vet for xrays to make sure she didn't fracture something.

You maybe surprised how much natual sun really helps but even that can only do so much when there are other things going on.

 

[HorseCaak]

I see the twitching and shaking but it looks to me more like it maybe a possible injury. Yeah,..I just watched again and there's definitely something going on with her front right leg. The rest looks fine, when was the last time if at all (with the weather lately) has she gotten any real unfiltered sunlight? When I say unfiltered I mean outside with a harness and leash or in a bin thats too high for her to get out of. But still able to bask directly in the sun. No windows, no screens or anything between her and the sun.

I say this because you can only depend on calcium supplements and lights so much. She's also big enough to be eating mice or better yet small rats.
I would let her soak in a warm bath for a while, if she doesn't like it up the temps. After the bath look her over and remove any loose or stuck shed if you see any.

After the bath and depending on your weather take her outside and let her soak in the sun for a while. If weather permits take her outside everyday for a few days and see how she does. If no improvement I would get her to a vet for xrays to make sure she didn't fracture something.

You maybe surprised how much natual sun really helps but even that can only do so much when there are other things going on.

Good advice, I was thinking injury too. She did fall almost a week ago but she has been fine since and never had any symptoms. This tremor started yesterday just after eating calcium rich food. She isn't big enough for mice yet. She is only about 17-18 inches. She is a late bloomer. She doesn't freak out at all if i feel around on her arm or paw. I gave her a 30 minute warm soak today. She hasn't been in the sun yet this season after hibernating. I was going to take her out for for some rays today but actually it's really crappy outside...

 

[BOOZER]

yeah not necessarily twitching. more of a injury. maybe break/fracture??

 

[HorseCaak]

What is treatment for a fracture in a Tegu's arm if any? Keep in mind, she is still under a year old and only 17-18inches long being a late bloomer.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Don't get me wrong,..mice, baby rats or rat pups all come in different sizes. Its the bone factor that matters. Hoppers and pinkies are more meat and organs than bone or calcium. For that purpose she has to be on something older than pinkies and hoppers with a developed skeletal system. Doesn't matter if its mouse, rat, gerbil, guinea pig or what ever. Just like natural sun, real bones are better and will require less supplements. Whole foods are an all in one meal that they get things from that we don't even know about. I give my boys more whole foods than anything else. When they do have a meat mix sometimes I skip the calcium powder because of that.

As for the possible fracture, since she's young and still growing it may be something that will fix itself with out surgery or a splint. It'll just take a little time to work itself out. Maybe some liquid calcium and up the temps for a while but a Vet will determine that after an x ray.

 

[cornking4]

If she isn't on a solid diet of whole prey and has had too much ground meat, she has hypocalcemia and needs some oral calcium gluconate. The twitching seems like it's either due to true nerve misfiring (because of the absence of calcium in the nervous system) or due to weakened bone (MBD). You should definitely get her to the vet for some pictures and hopefully the issue should show up.

As for fracture treatment, it depends on the condition of the animal. For example, a metabolic reptile's bone density is too low, so a rod inserted surgically would be harder than the bone and would crumble it. A normally calcified bone fracture can be opened up, the calculus can be peeled off, and the bone can be realigned. In a fracture of a metabolic lizard, we just hit it hard with calcium gluconate and allow the swelling to align the bone (they never heal completely correctly and the length is compromised, but the permanent effects are entirely cosmetic).

 

[VARNYARD]

It looks to me like it is a shoulder injury, my guess is a dislocated shoulder, or maybe a broken upper leg. I do not see MBD when I watch this video.
As for the effects of MBD, they are not just cosmetic, a tegu that had MBD can also have internal problems as well as weak bones. Organs can be compromised as well as bone, and in some cases it can not be turned around.
This tegu does not look to me to have any of the classic signs that are normally seen when looking at MBD cases. IMO, your tegu injured himself in the fall, and I would take him to a vet and see if it can be repaired. He might just have a dislocated shoulder, if this is the case it can be relocated and taped to his side until it heals. However, this is not something you can fix, it needs to have ex-rays and be set by a vet. And that is what I would say by looking at the video.

 

[HorseCaak]

Link to Video of DoubleDip Manifesting Injury Symptoms of Right Shoulder...
http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o83/HorseCaak/DoubleDip/?action=view&current=Tremors.flv

It looks to me like it is a shoulder injury...I do not see MBD when I watch this video.

So I just got back from the Vet and everything went well. DoubleDip (My Tegu) had some X-rays taken and the Vet said it was a sprain or strain of the shoulder. Should heal on it's own. She also said that Tegus don't have as good of anti-inflammatory receptors as we do so it wouldn't do much good to give her those medications. She also found that her bone density is less than she would like it to be so I'm switching my Calcium supplement and getting changing my UVB lights out (They aren't quite due to be changed yet but wouldn't hurt). And once the weather isn't stormy up here, I'll get her out for some good ol sunshine. 8)

The Vet also let me take the X-Ray slides home so if I find a good way to scan them, I'll upload them so you all can see. Also, FYI, the Vet bill was $149 (Live in Seattle, WA). $50 for visit and $99 for x-rays. I am not upset with that at all. Just glad she is okay and didn't require any procedures or surgeries!
:woot

Cheers,
-BLAIR

On our way down to the Vet... (She didn't ride on the dash, we were parked waiting for my fiance to get off work to come with...)

Happy as can be...

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

Great news :-D in time she'll be back to herself. That last pic is one of the cutest ever :mrgreen: .

 

[Utahraptor]

good to hear that she'll recover. kudos to you as well for being so responsible. :mrgreen: Did the vet give you an estimated time for recovery?

 

[mis jaksin]

glad to hear she's ok!

 

[HorseCaak]

good to hear that she'll recover. kudos to you as well for being so responsible. :mrgreen: Did the vet give you an estimated time for recovery?

The Vet Doctor might have said an ETR but I forgot if she did. I'd say a few weeks. It's hard to allow it to heal when she acts like she isn't injured. I just changed her tank around to make everything flat for the most part, so no climbing on her toys (her toys aren't that high but still). She recommended her to relax in the bath tub with warm water to take weight off it, which I've already been doing. I'll keep you guys updated on her recovery. She's still eating like a champ and crawling around like it's nobody's business. I've been keeping my eye on her extra close.
:morn