Illness/Sickness: My Salamander's Leg Is Deteriorating Help!!

[Ames]

My newt's leg is disintegrating. I checked on him one day and one of his legs was missing 2 fingers and one of the remaining finger was showing his little bone and there is only one left with his skin still on. Before this happened, about maybe a week or two ago I noticed his two back legs didn't function anymore, so my poor newt was dragging them around when he tried to walk . The legs were like curled up, and I suspected his legs were deteriorating. They were not pale though, the legs are normal color, so I think his legs aren't dead. Hes molting too.

He is a fire bellied newt, and I am his second owner after adopting him 3 years ago, so I don't know his accurate age. I'm guessing hes pretty old because the owner said she's had him forever. He hasn't been eating. His eyes look a little dull, so I think hes sick.

I did a lot of research, and I was thinking, is he losing his back legs, only to regenerate them? But I found out that it the older he is, the less ability he has to grow back his legs. So I really want to know if hes curably sick, or terminally ill. Can someone tell me please? I don't want to lose Sammy painfully when he still has a chance and I don't want him to suffer either.

[Julia]

From what you say, I would personally take it to a vet to be looked at. Would you be able to put a picture up for us to see?

[Ames]

I tried to put up some pictures, but something came up and it said some security thing was missing. I'll try it again.

[Ames]

Your submission could not be processed because a security token was missing.

If this occurred unexpectedly, please inform the administrator and describe the action you performed before you received this error.

This is what I get.

[Cassie]

If it doesn't work, you can always upload them to a Photobucket account or something similar.

[Ames]

Okay here are some photos.
The one showing his legs, look carefully at the toes.

Thank you for your time Julia and thanks for the advice Cassie!

[Cassie]

The deterioration of the tissue from halfway down the back and to the legs almost looks like some sort of spinal injury. I am not familiar with how well a newt or salamander can handle such an injury, so wait for some input. Taking it to a vet would be a good option.

[Julia]

Thanks for posting your pictures
How do you keep your little newt?
Is it possible that the skin has not shed properly?

[Ames]

He lives in a normal sized tank. I clean it when it starts to grow algae because I don't have a filter. I don't know how the skin is staying on, but Cassie said that his deterioration may be caused by some spinal injury. I never thought that! The thought of my poor newt having that kind of burden! But I really don't know if hes in pain or not because he still walks a little, as a newt would with his front arms only. He still looks like he has a lot of energy, but he simply can't function his back legs. I will take consideration of bringing him to a vet. I don't really know any vet around here, except for my dogs vet, which is only for cats and dogs. I'll find one. I appreciate your time on helping me. But is it bad if his toes and legs disintegrate completely? Could they grow back? Or should I stop it as soon as I can?

[Julia]

I feel, that as this may be an old newt, that if the legs and toes deteriorate there is little chance of them re-growing. Also my concern is that the infection may well be too much for him to cope with.
Is he still in his current tank? If so, I would be tempted to place him in a smaller, shallower container with plenty of plants to rest on.

[Ames]

I may be able to put him in a smaller tank, but his tank has been his home for a very long time, actually from the day his owners got him. He's very comfortable in his little home, and he has a favorite rock that has a plant that goes over him so he feels safe and he goes under it a lot. I will add more plants if its good, but he doesn't walk too much, and I'm afraid he might get stuck. Before, his tank had some little knick-knacks but when he got ill, I removed them all, except his favorite resting rock.

[Ames]

I am pleased to report that Sammy is doing better! I opened his cage to find him in the water. He didn't seem to be in a lot of pain, as he was exercising. It was easy for him to maneuver himself in the water that goes up enough to reach his body and his front arms could move better. I offered him food and he ate it! I think his deteriorating legs are a cause of his old age, like when sometimes certain body parts don't work anymore if we are really old. Oh, by the way, his molting skin is coming off now! Thank you very much for your time and advice to help me and my newt. I appreciate it!

[Julia]

What good news, if you have time, could you update us on how he is doing...maybe another photo?

[Ames]

I think my newt is back to normal (except for his legs) but anyway, his skin is shedding and doesn't look bad anymore. I checked his eyes and they are not dull anymore!! He maintains a healthy weight, and he is energetic, and he eats his food now. I guess the problem earlier was just that he was shedding, and during molting process they don't eat food (according to my research) but while he was molting, his legs were deteriorating, and together it may have affected him negatively.

Now I noticed his legs aren't as curled up as they were before. I also noticed that when I was picking him up he rolled onto his back belly up, he squirmed and wriggled in a matter that made it clear that he doesn't have a spinal injury. I know that especially because when I was taking pictures of him, he was moving his tail. It is reasonable that the shedding skin could be mistaken for some kind of infection or injury, but I don't know [I]officially[I] that he doesn't have an infection or injury (excuse my repititon). But I am pretty sure he is not sick anymore, and his deteriorating legs are just the toll of old age.

So basically he acts just the same as he did before, and he has a schedule throughout the day. In the day, he naps and rests under his little plant, and around 7 o' clock, he gets up and chills out in the water and walks around. I am happy to say, Sammy is better now.

I am going to say Thank You for seeing my plea and taking the time to help me and my newt. If something happens, I'll come back here. Have a great day!!