What is MBD?

This problem is seen in opossum's who are insufficient in calcium or the calcium uptake from the small intestine to the bones. If lacking the correct "exchange" the opossum will use the calcium from it's bone to supply it's need for calcium in the blood (leaching). Sounds simplistic, but it's not. Of course this is not a complete description and I am not a vet, the outcome for the opossum with MBD is being in captivity the rest of his or her life.

The internet discribes the exchange much better (type in MBD): In fact really all I know is the bones are used to keep the calcium level in the blood and therefore they suffer from the exchange in their ability to be mobil. MBD is a crippling desease, and if caught early the opossum can recover some of its mobility.

Link to the exchange in humans (not the same but as close as I could find for the purpose of description).

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/thyroid/calcium.html