Newts Tail Hanging Off

[mark]

I've just come home from school this very minute to find my newts tail hanging off, it looks very painfull.
I'm going to setup a quarentine tank right now.
Could anyone give me suggestions on what to do?
Any opinions welcome.

 

[TJ]

Very sorry to hear that Mark. I guess you could try a salt bath or dirt quarantine and some other treatments...

BUT, I've had great success in recent months using "Nifurstyreneate Monosodiumsalt" (C13H8NO5�ENa Mw 281.20), which is contained in a treatment sold here in the form of a yellow powder for use in treating ailments of Japanese "koi" carp and goldfish (I was originally introduced to this for treatment of an ill Oscar I kept). Instead of diluting the powder in water, as per the instructions on the package, it is applied by moist Q-tip directly to the wound, be it a tail or a limb. It really works wonders. See if this ingredient isn't in medicine sold at your pet/pond shops there.

Better yet, inquire with a vet, though he or she might not be familiar with chemical or this treatment in particular.

Also, depending on the wound, 3% solution hydrogen peroxide can be used, if used very, very carefully, using a slightly moistened Q-tip an applying it only to the area of the wound and then only for 10 seconds or so before giving it a good rinsing with water. This should deal with any fungus growth on the wound and help sterilize the area. It should also hasten the dropping off of the tail if it's hanging on only ever so slightly. Remember though, this stuff is VERY caustic when used with amphibians.

I've snipped off "dead" tail before in extreme cases with a very sharp pair of sterilized scissors...but mentioning that course of action in this forum before generated howls of protest and lectures from sensitive souls here who otherwise hardly post at all.

My Triturus, in particular, are notorious tail biters. I recently successfully mended the tail of a Cynops injured by a Triturus and also a Paramesotriton chinensis whose limb was savaged by another. In both cases, the injured body part fell off, without my having to resort to amputation (never, by the way, consider amputating any area of the half of the tail nearest the body!). In both cases I relied mainly on the powder, used hydrogen peroxide only sparingly in the initial stage, and treated the newts on live moss, not in the water.

Hope others here with more experience than me can provide information on treatment strategies that have worked for them.

Good luck

 

[mark]

Thanks Tim,
Don't really like the sound of amputation but the tail has almost fully come off by its self.
I'm going to try and get some moss and soil to keep him on in quarentine.
The good news is he is still eating, but he does seem alot thiner than he used to be.

 

[TJ]

Hopefully it will come off "naturally" then. More likely to do so on land than in the water. Is the stub wound clean or does it look infected? If so, you might also consider a dab of diluted iodine. Any fungus showing up? (that may be easier to see if you dip it in water). For a fairly clean wound, I apply an antiobiotic ointment (Terramycin made by Pfizer, containing oxytetracycline). After having done a Yahoo search, it seems you're unlikely to readily find Nifurstyreneate Monosodiumsalt. But your local chemist should carry Terramycin or the same under another name. Having said all that, maybe just soil quarantine will do the job!

Good luck!

(Message edited by TJ on November 12, 2003)

 

[samuel]

Ouch... Mark, i hope it gets well soon, thiough i have nthing to contribute.

 

[mark]

Thanks Tim+Samuel, i also hope it gets well soon.
Tim-the wound is clear no signs of infection or fungus.

 

[TJ]

Sounds good Mark. My Paramesotriton is also healing well after having had it's foot bitten almost off, and then the foot falling off later naturally. Here it is now after a fresh treatment with the powder I mentioned before:

You can see a bit of bone protruding out there.

 

[mark]

Thats a nasty injury Tim, glad to see it healing up.
Thanks for all your info you have been a big help.

 

[mark]

*update*
I'm sad to say my newt(kenny)died yesterday

But i think he has gone to a better place

 

[chris]

very sorry Mark

one of my fuzhongensis has an ulcer on his back - any ideas?
Chris

 

[samuel]

Mark, i'm sorry abt ur lost. Chris, how does the ulcer look like? Maybe it was caused by any sharp objects in ur tank?

 

[jesper]

You have my sympathy Mark.
Ulcers are usually caused by bacterial diseases, I just had a nasty experience of ulcers. I'd go for an antibiotic pretty fast....
I'd avoid fish medicine....Get a real antibiotic instead, broad spectrum - I know I will try to find some for my newts.
Nate had some luck with kanacyn...I havent found it here though.

/Jesper

 

[chris]

Where do I get that from? Do you mean human anti-biotics. BTW, the ulcer began as a fungal infected wound, but once I killed off the fungus it developed into a ulcer. It is not very deep.
If I put Herp vitamin drops into the water, will this give him any nutrition through his skin? He did a poo yesterday which is odd as he has not eaten anything I have put in the tank.
Chris