Survey of the urate gravel disease and the metabolic bone disorder on Iguana in Viet Nam

Abstract

Metabolic bone disorder (MBD) and urate gravel are two diseases commonly occure in the
reptiles, specially species having sun-heating behavior to absorb vitamin D for metabolizing calcium
into the bones. The result of X-ray and surgery methods for diagnosis of these diseases showed that
from a total of 126 tested Iguana, there were 11 individuals suffered with the MBD and 16 individuals
suffered with urate gravel. The green Iguana infected with MBD accounted for 45.5% (5/11) and
27.27% with the red Iguana (3/11). The rate of urate gravel disease accounted for 43.75% in the both
green Iguana (7/16) and in red Iguana (7/16), with common symptoms such as: not eating, lethargy,
weakness, weight loss, depression. The studied results showed that after recovery from treatment,
100% of the Iguana were return estrus and reached the higher insemination efficacy compared to
that in the disease time. Therefore, the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases are very essential
for the health care of the Iguana in the stage of preparation for the reproduction.