Sterile Amphibian Ringers????

[yager]

Hi again I looked for info before I posted about runny eyes in fire salamanders and read a thread about sterile amphibian ringers. I would like to know what this is, and can it help my female fire salamander I just purchased without noticing she had this problem (no wonder they were so cheap) All joking aside this could be a serious problem and I want to help her the best I can. Just wanted some info from you guys before I visit the vet.

 

[felizycontento]

I supose you are talking about ringer's solution.

I better rinse that infected eye with an echinacea solution. It has been proved as a great antiseptic as well as a inmunne system booster.

 

[yager]

Where can I get echinacea solution? Please help.

 

[felizycontento]

You can get it from a herbalist's.

You can get liquid extract or get the plant and make and infusion yourself (and use it when it gets cold, of course).

 

[yager]

What do you mean use it when it gets cold? Do you mean administer it to the animal when the solution has been in the refrigerator? At what temperature do I administer it at?

 

[Jennewt]

You can buy Ringer's solution from biological supply houses, for example:
http://www.carolina.com/product/ringer+solution%2C+amphibian%2C+laboratory+grade%2C+1+l.do?keyword=ringers&sortby=bestMatches
Ringer's solution is just a solution of weak salts, matching the salt concentration in the blood of amphibians. It's the equivalent of intravenous (i.v.) fluid in human medicine. I don't think this is going to help.

Felizy is recommending a product that is available in Spain. I have no idea if you can buy an equivalent product in the US. I wouldn't even know where to find an herbalist.

If you have access to a helpful vet, I would suggest silvadene cream. If not, then Neosporin (WITHOUT pain killer). Additional ideas:
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/illness.shtml

 

[felizycontento]

I mean, if you make an infusion you have to boil the water, so you have to wait untill the infusion gets the same temperature there is in the salamandra's room.

Echinacea is an american product, you can find information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinacea

I have many articles that show the benefits of using echinacea on amphibians and reptiles, it is widely used with turtles. Unfortunately I haven't find any in english. I have use it myself with a group of young taricha granulosa with very good results.

Maybe herbalist's is not a good translation. I mean the kind of pharmacy where you can find products that don't need medical prescription such as diet product, natural medicine, etc. In almost all of them you can buy echinacea as it is a very popular remedy against infections. May be you know it for something like American cone flower, black Susan, black Sampson, comb flower, hedgehog, Indian head, Kansas snakeroot, narrow-leaved purple coneflower, scurvy root, or snakeroot.

I am talking about a natural product, as I don,t see your salamander seriously ill. They show a good apetite and the infection doesn't affect a large area. Obviously a sulfa cream is a powerfull and faster remedy. Anyway I would use the echinacea even if you use the cream, to boost the inmune system.

 

[Azhael]

But the salamander IS seriously ill. Flesh eating infections are hard to fight back...
Are the animals WC? Because that would explain the fact that they are adult and also the fact that one has a flesh eating infection....since this kind of illness is commonly present in WC animals.
My advice is, keep the animal cool...the cooler the better, to give it´s inmune system a chance....and follow Jen´s advice.

 

[yager]

I have separated her from the male. They are both being kept cool around 69 degrees. Would you guys recommend the fridge for her? Its about 45 degrees. I applied some non pain killing neosporine last night and her eyes do look alittle better this afternoon. I will keep you posted with pics. Also will try to find the snake root plant at an herb shop.

 

[yager]

Hey guys thanks for the help she seems to be improving by the day now. I only give her applications of the neosporine every other day now but both eyes are looking alot better. The male has no signs of this eye infection.

 

[felizycontento]

THANKS GOD

May be you should think about comunicate it to The Vatican.

I think they consider the cure of a flesh eating infection as a Miracle.

 

[yager]

HA HA HA!!! Thats pretty funny felizycontento, yeah she looks alot better above that one eye for sure, i thought it was gonna eat her whole head. I replace the paper towels daily and try to keep her below 70 degrees. We are not out of the woods yet though until all that white stuff is gone around the eyes, i will keep y'all posted.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

In the US, you can get echinacea solutions in any health food store, most grocery "organic" departments, and any of those "nutrition" type stores that sell all that weight loss/ bodybuilding snake oil...

I would caution the use of any holistic medicine, like herbal remedies with animals with out consulting a veterinarian. Many, many of the remedies that are beneficial to humans can have dangerous, even fatal effects on animals.

 

[yager]

Well just posting some more pics of the females progress...Without the flash you can't even really tell the eye is that bad because of her dark pigment, you have to really get her in the light. She is eating full size gut loaded crickets and defacating, so far so good!