METABOLIC BONE DISEASES (MBD) & NUTRITIONAL SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM (NSHP) IN REPTILES

The practice of keeping reptiles as pets is becoming increasingly popular on an annual basis. Concurrently, the amount of information available regarding the care and feeding of these animals is also increasing. Nevertheless, secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism in reptiles remains one of the most common issues encountered by veterinarians working with such animals. The aetiology of this pathology can be attributed to chronic irritation of the parathyroid glands which occurs as a result of hypocalcaemia or hypocalcaemia combined with hypophosphataemia caused by improper feeding. In wild reptiles, there are no observable symptoms of NSHP. In captivity, the disease can be entirely prevented through the implementation of optimal nutrition and a reliable source of UVB. In the event that the preventative measures prove ineffective and the patient requires treatment, calcium, vitamin D and calcitonin are advised to be administered at therapeutic doses. The typical treatment period usually lasts for at least three months, during which time appetite and muscle activity are normalised, and the processes of fibrous osteodystrophy are inhibited. Bone mineralisation occurs after a minimum of six months, but skeletal deformities and proliferations may take a year or more to disappear. [1]