Re: calciton: I wondered before why your vet hadn't mentioned

trying this with Luna's broken leg problems....but I thought

maybe it was because she's female and it might

cause problems with the eggs/calcium balance. Several years

ago, to draw the calcium back into the bones of a beardie that

had MBD my vet used a series of calcium shots given over several

weeks followed by a shot of calcitonin (a hormone) once the

calcium levels in the blood were high enough. You HAVE to have

the series of calcium shots first to build up the

calcium levels in the blood because the calcitonin pulls

the calcium from the blood and puts it into the bones.

From what I have read, using the calcitonin without first giving

the calcium shots will almost certainly kill the chameleon

because too much calcium would be pulled from the blood,

leaving the chameleon's blood calcium deficient.

Once the calcitonin shot is given the calcium is put back into

the bones quite quickly. I've never had it done to one of my

chameleons. The beardie was so "flat" that all he could do was

scurry around on his belly on the ground before the treatment...

and after his legs and bones were strong again. You'd never know

he had anything wrong with him...except for the bend in his tail

that must have been a fracture.



Since you found out today that Luna's blood calcium was

high....to me it makes perfect sense to have had the calcitonin.

Her high blood calcium level today may be a blessing in disguise.

I hope that you will be pleasantly surprised with the

results....that it will work for Luna like it did for my

beardie.



Here are some links that talk about calcitonin...

http://www.chameleonjournals.com/vet/index.php?show=6.Vitamin.D3.and.Calcium.html

" Calcitonin DECREASES blood calcium ion concentration. It works very

quickly, within minutes. Consider it the opposite of Parathyroid

Hormone".



http://www.exoticpetvet.net/dvms/mbd.html

"Calcitonin salmon, a synthetic hormone derived from fish, is an

excellent addition to therapy for juvenile MBD herps. This is an

injectable medication. I will usually treat the herp with calcium, by

injection or orally, for three days prior to commencing treatment with

calcitonin salmon. Inquestionable cases, it may be safest to run a blood

calcium level prior to instituting calcitonin therapy. This drug is

extremely beneficial in speeding the recovery of juvenile MBD herps. The

action of calcitonin is to pull calcium out of the bloodstream, and

putting it into bones and other tissues needing it. Its use will greatly

facilitate healing of fractured bones and the strengthening of

weak, calcium-deficient bones. Calcitonin injections may be given every

7 days, for at least two treatments, or longer, if required."



"Many publications have issued strong warnings about the possible

dangers of using calcitonin in the treatment of juvenile MBD because if

it is given without first pre-treating with calcium for several days (or

until the blood calcium level has normalized), it can result in

seizures, collapse or death. However I have used calcitonin in many,

many herps (and other species, such as marmosets, tamarins, cougars and

bobcats) with no adverse effects. The key is to make sure that

the animal has received adequate calcium supplementation for an adequate

length of time, so that once the calcitonin is given and it begins

drawing calcium out of the bloodstream and into bone, this will not

precipitate a hypocalcemic crisis."



http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:Xth2KsovIBQJ:www.veterinaria.uchile.cl/publicacion/congresoxi/prafesional/exo/19.doc calcitonin AND lizard&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

" Pathologic fractures from metabolic bone disease seem to heal much

more quickly following correction of the hypocalcemia (6-8 wk) and

treatment with synthetic salmon calcitonin. "



http://www.adcham.com/html/veterinary/mbd-fractures-kramer.html



I hope with all the problems you've been having with MBD with Luna that

you will have better "luck" with your beardie! They are quite prone to

it too!



It doesn't surprise me that they see follicles.



I'm glad that they didn't see any enlarged or noticeably

unhealthy organs!



I don't know what to say about her back leg problem...except

that IMHO the calcitonin might surprise you and help.



You said that Luna's legs were always hefty...I believe that is

another sign of MBD. I know that with iguanas and water dragons

it is.



More later...

[ Hide Replies ]

• Lele, What is in your girl! - Anson, Thu Apr 21 15:38:33 2005
• RE: Yes, we are all waiting to hear if Luna's okay - PHEve, Thu Apr 21 16:31:05 2005
• update... - lele, Thu Apr 21 17:54:09 2005
• RE: update... - kinyonga, Fri Apr 22 00:28:25 2005
• as always, you are wealth of info! (more) - lele, Fri Apr 22 10:12:24 2005