Newts leg is falling off

[missvelika]

Ok, i've had a good look, and I don't think I can find the answer, and would like a little conformation before I take action...

Ive had red bellied newts for about 4 years and never had any real problems... untill this year, one escapey... who unfortunatly made a breif aqaintance with my cat, and a rather strange death last week, which I am 99% was due to the poor guy choking, biting off more than he could chew...

So Friday I whent out and bought 2 new newts... the pet store is pretty good, so I wasn't worried about that...

Yesterday I checked on the 'new guys' and one looked like he was missing his leg... I was not too worried as i've heard this can happen, and they have the ability to re-genarate but on closed inspection while he was in the water, the leg is still there, mostly white, and furry, like the sheaded skin can be while it is coming off.

Now I don't know if I should

a) treat with Tamodine (this is what i've seen recomended)
b) take him to the vets (theres no tropical specialists, my newts are the only ones the vet has ever seen) UPDATE: spoken to the vets, they think newts are reptiles, so i dont think i will be taking them there....
c) leave it and see how he gets on

So i'm looking for a second opinion, the legs still attached by maybe 1/3 of it remaning, and although it is now white, there seems to still be blood flow, in the form of a vein which is visable. also even though the flesh left looks like shead skin, I am concerned it could be an infection.

Any help or comments would be greatly aprechiated, also I will get a photo later today.

 

[Critter Mom]

I would isolate the newt from the other ones. Was it the cat that died or the newt? I was a little confused. I have heard of animals and people dying if they tried to eat newts, that is why I am asking. I thought at first you meant the newt died, but then you have a newt now with a limb about to fall off...

Anyway, I would ISOLATE THE NEWT ASAP!! Your newt could have a fungal infection. (Or bacterial or viral if it had been wounded.) You don't want this to spread to all the others in the tank! White color is NOT a normal shedding color, unless red bellied newts are WAY different than fire bellied newts, especially if it is just around a limb that is about to fall off.

Try calling around to all the "exotic" vets in the area and try the internet, and even the universities. You may be surprised that you find some who have experience and that the fees vary. Some may even be reasonable. The only real way to know what you are treating is to have a sample looked at under a microscope and treat it appropriately. Otherwise it is guess and check. Don't use too many products at once or it may be too much on the newt's system, but left untreated, he probably won't make it. Using one product (two at the most) at a time can assure you that you will know what worked and therefore you will be able to figure out what it is.

I would think the most likely culprit is fungus and go from there. I don't know what the medicine is that you suggested and what it works on, but make sure you use something that is a small enough dose it won't kill the little guy.

Good luck! Please keep us posted, and if you can, post some pictures on here to better help people to help you.

There are some wonderful care sheets on here for sick newts and treating various things. People have put the links on my thread, "Help! I can see my newt's skull!!" if you want to check them out. I would HIGHLY recommend it!:happy:

 

[Jennewt]

The one that you think died by choking... more likely this was something called 'mouth rot'. Newts with this have a swollen mouth and cannot fully close their mouth.

Here are some articles with treatments. I would move the newt to a wet paper towel setup (like in a plastic shoebox) and treat with one of the recommendations here:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/sores.shtml
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/illness.shtml

Both of these cases are probably due to infections and stress acquired during import/sale.
http://www.caudata.org/people/JM/firebelly.html

 

[missvelika]

Thanks for the advise He is isolated and in a seperate tank on his own, looks like the infection has spread to a small spot on his tail (im gunna get some pics now)

My newts all go a funny colour when they shead, ive noticed this before so didnt think anything of it, I will have to post pics one they have done this again.

It was the newt which got eaten, and the cat servived, I didnt realise they could cause a problem if eaten!

Thanks for the links as well - i had a good look at loads of bits yesterday and with so much advise it was hard to decide what action to take.

Edit - photos added

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o271/missvelika/newts/DSCF2480.jpg

 

[missvelika]

The one that you think died by choking... more likely this was something called 'mouth rot'. Newts with this have a swollen mouth and cannot fully close their mouth.

If it was mouth rot, would this be something I should be looking out for on my other newts? He got big very quickly, and dwarfed my other guys in comparison, I didn't see he was off his food at all....

 

[Jennewt]

A vet would certainly be recommended, if that is an option at all. The spot on the tail certainly looks like an infection.

All the treatments I can think of are outlined in the articles I linked to. I would certainly recommend treating it, either with some kind of treatment in the water (don't treat the whole tank, please) or dabbing it with something and keeping the newt on wet paper towels or dirt for a while.

If it was mouth rot would this be something i should be looking out for on my other newts? he got big very quickly and dwarfed my other guys in comparison, i didnt see he was off his food at all....

Yes, mouth rot is contagious, but I'm not at all sure that's what it was, I was just taking a guess based on a very limited description. I'm not sure what you mean by "got big" - he grew quickly, or he got bloated? What exactly were his symptoms?

 

[missvelika]

Just an update on his condition, he has developed some swelling in the bottom part of his mouth, it looks like it's the bottom part of his jaw, and the 'chin'.
No luck in finding a exotic vet yet . I really don't think he is going to pull through, but I'm going to try my darn best for him.

Also the newt who died suddenly - he grew fast, he went from about 6cm to a good 20cm in a very short space of time.

 

[missvelika]

Sorry to say my newt has passed away, despite my best efforts - just wanted to thank everyone for there help.