Illness/Sickness: Bloated Japanese fire bellied newt

Hello all, I am sad to say I have a bloated Japanese fire bellied newt. I have read the sheet on bloating and because of the sudden size increase and stretched skin i have diagnosed it as bloating. I have removed the newt from its original tank in case my other newt may catch it. I have suspected this newt to be bloated for sometime but it has gotten bad all of the sudden. I dont know what I can do to help him any more he wont eat and I dont know any treatment possibilities for this. I really dont want to put my newt down (I would have to do this myself and I really doubt I could) but if he is in any kind of pain I may have to think about it. what do you all think I should do? my newts are getting old I have had them for 9 years and who knows how old they were when caught so I believe a kidney disease is the reason for the bloating if that helps at all.

If the bloat developed slowly (weeks or months) then it is probably organ failure, not infection. It's really a difficult decision whether or not to euthanize. It's just a decision you have to make, I'm sorry.

thank you for your reply. This is what I feared yet expected. now if I do decide to put down my newt how would I do this in the most pain free way possible?

This thread provided further insight:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1-gen...s-members/79833-euthanasia-ethyl-alcohol.html

Sorry to hear about your newt. Given the age and the fact that it took some time to develop, i too agree it seems that organ failure is the most plausible cause. Just in case, make sure to check that every parametre in the tank is as it should be.

thank you for your replies This ethyl alcohol thing sounds sort of painful for my newt. Is it? do you think it would be less painful just to let nature run its course with my newt?

If you can't procure ethyl alchohol, using a high alcohol content liquor such as Jaegermeister may work. I have a small vial of Clove Oil that I bought just in case I need to euthanize. The Clove Oil or Alcohol works as an anesthesia, which reduces the amount of stress and pain the animal goes through when you pith them (the use of a sharp, broad instrument to crush/cut the base of the skull and brainstem/cerebrum and kill it). It's not a pleasant thing to do, but it's the most effective.

Dying from a severe case of bloat probably is a painful way to go.

oh god I dont think I could crush my newt

I'm afraid that heavy anesthesia and pithing is the best method for an at-home euthanasia. If the animal needs to be put down, it either needs to be done humanely at home or you should have a vet do it. Sometimes we have to put our own feelings aside to do what is best for the quality of life for our animals.

your right.. this sounds so horrible to ask but do I basically put him in a container of clove oil or alcohol until he is sedated than decapitate him?

eminem said:

your right.. this sounds so horrible to ask but do I basically put him in a container of clove oil or alcohol until he is sedated than decapitate him?

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Hello,

Just to point out - pithing (brain destruction) is required. Decapitation alone is NOT adequate - the brain is believed to remain functional for hours. And he needs to be fully anaesthetised! If he is fully anaesthetised (not just sedated) then freezing is acceptable.

As a guideline for euthanasia in this situation, he should be completely unresponsive to stimuli with no detectable respiration or circulation, in a solution 10 times the recommended anaesthesia dose, for at least 10 minutes (after anaesthesia is complete). At this point he should be "dead". The problem with amphibians and reptiles is their resistance to hypoxia - if a mammal or bird has had no blood flow to the brain for a few minutes, it is almost certainly brain dead (leaving aside the odd specialised situation), and isn't going to recover (to any consciousness/awareness of pain etc) whatever you do. No circulation for hours in an amphibian or reptile, start the heart - it could theoretically recover (probably with no apparent neurological deficit). Which is why following up chemical euthanasia with a physically certain method (pithing, freezing etc) is necessary. Freezing may not be adequate in some freeze-tolerant amphibians, but will be acceptable for most.

Although I should add that if possible you should get him to a vet - treatment may be worth trying (although I agree the signs don't sound encouraging, you can get the odd case that responds to simple treatments), and if not the vet should be able to euthanase him most humanely.

Hope this helps,

Bruce.