Question: Marilyn's trip to the vet.... what would you do??

I will try and keep this as short as possible.
Marilyn my beautiful albino with pink gills got in the way of her tank mate (abraham) during dinner time resulting in him munching her leg, no blood, just swelling. She seemed to be recovering ok, then she went off her food and tending not to use her sore leg when swimming. After a spell in the fridge and re introduction to the tank she showed some small improvement in appetite but this soon diminshed to her either eating next to nothing or half heartedly taking food and spitting it back out. (i tried all forms of food) So I figured it was time for specialist intervention, I've taken her to an axie friendly vet this afternoon,(all tests re: water parameters etc where done) where it's revealed she still doesn't have full range of movement in the damaged leg and they are concerned she may have developed a bone infection (some long name I can not pronounce!) at the time of injury which would explain her going off her food (sickly feeling) and still favouring the leg.

Ive been told if she has contracted this infection she "may" require amputation (she's in for a sleepover with the vet and more conclusive tests tomorrow). My concern is that amputation seems a very harsh thing to put her through after all she has been through ( my poor little baby ) Im beginging to wonder (and I HATE myself for thinking this) would it be more humane to have her euthanised??

I think definitely amputation is less critical than euthanasia, they regenerate legs so even when it's hard on her and all, it may be giving her a chance to live.

For how long has she been off food? and how big is she?

In salamanders, amputation isn't terribly serious. Like Daremo said, they do regenerate lost limbs. It's better to remove the diseased limb than risk having her get a serious illness.

Hi guys, thanks for your input. I was really worried the stress of it all might tip her over the edge, so to speak. She has been off her food coming up 2 months now and when she does eat its certainly not enough to sustain her. She is about 13cm, not sure of her weight (it wouldn't be much) they weighed her at the vet but I didn't catch a glimpse.
Hoping for some good news from the vet today which hopefully won't result in surgery.

You never know once the leg has been amputated (if it comes to that) she might be more willing to eat as she won't feel as unwell with a sore and poorly leg.

Hoping for the best =]

Thanks again everyone,
Unfortunately I've had to put my Mazzi Moo to sleep

Xrays of my little angel revealed that her leg was fractured but had completely healed but they also showed she was suffering severe chronic low calcium to the point it was just starting to affect her liver (beyond treatment)

I had her for nearly six months, and was told by the vet she was around 6 years old, concerned it was something i had caused, I was reassured it would have been from poor diet over a very long period of time.

Now my big concern is Abraham (I got them at the same time from what I understand the same breeder) could he have an underlying deficiency?? Ive been told by my vet to vary his diet between earthworms/pellets/bloodworms and feeder fish if I can find small enough ones that won't nibble at his gills (he's a big of a go getter so I don't think he'll allow that!) Is there anything anyone knows of that can help with calcium levels????

Also, when the time comes, I would love to get another companion for him, ideally I would like a baby I can raise myself so I know its history, hoping for tips on introducing my new addition when the time comes....

R.I.P - Marilyn (Mazzi Moo) i'll miss you.

shells..im so sorry for the loss of mazzi moo. You did everything you could, you are a good axie parent. When the time is right you will have a play mate for Abraham.

Shells, you can gutload your earthworms with baked eggshells. Just mix them in with your worms substrate.

Thanks Leanne and Kaysie, we definitely go though enough eggs so will be adding that to my compost heap... question though, why do they have to be baked?

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss, Shells. =[

With regards to your new addition (when the time comes) just follow the general guidelines of quarantining for 30 days and also of course not putting axolotls of a great difference in size together, keep them roughly the same.

Apart from that if when you do put them together there is anything you're concerned about (since they all have individual little personalities!) just post up on here again. =]

You bake them to sterilize them and reduce the transfer of salmonella from the eggs to your worms, and subsequently to your salamanders and to yourself!

Thanks Erzs.
Have found a breeder locally so hoping to get a real young one and raise myself, I have a divider for the tank so keeping them separated won't be an issue, although Im not sure how Abraham will feel giving up half his tank when I do :happy:

Thanks again Kaysie, you have been an abundance of knowledge as usual (which I am totally grateful for) :happy: