In some cases, vets are able to diagnose MBD based on the symptoms alone. If your bearded dragon is displaying obvious symptoms of MBD or the disease is quite advanced then a diagnosis will be very straightforward. There are some instances when it is not as clear, and in those circumstances the vet will order blood tests to check if your bearded dragon has MBD before they make their diagnosis. The blood test will check to see if there is an imbalance between the amount of phosphorus and the amount of calcium in the lizard’s system. The vet can also use an X-ray to have a look at the bone structure of the bearded dragon.