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Illness/Sickness: Odd Marks near newts shrunken eye

tbage

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Hello, I've posted here twice before with no response. Third times the charm i hope.

I started with 3 Chinese firebelly newts. They are efts it seems as they will not touch water apart from the weird first few days where they wouldn't leave water.

One died early early on, from a sickness or just starvation it had acquired from where it came from, nothing could be done.

My second died not too long ago, with no warning or any visual issues. He lived nearly a year before dying suddenly in his place (wasnt rolled over, shrivelled or limp)

My current, last newt has been around for over a year and a half now and still prefers the land, this is normal I've come to believe.

However early on it had an issue with its eye. Occasionally, every couple weeks it would swell up and then just get covered in a wet substance and shrink inside its head.

It would last one or two weeks before it completely vanished and his eye returned to normal on the outside. He can clearly see out of it when it's like this but when its covered and shrunken down he cant see anything. It's only the one eye.

It has kept coming back. I asked the place where I got it and they said try tamodine on its eye so thats what I did. Nothing has changed since, I didnt use it too frequently, I was worried I would hurt him further.

If anyone knows what this is or how to help him please let me know.

Extra detail: a white patch forms behind his eye, as if it's something you can "scoop out". He moves his eye in and out and still sheds now and then with no issues. The white patch goes away after some time and his sight returns.

Can provide pictures if needed.
 

khalfrogo

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Hey tbage! I'm sorry you've struggled to receive a response for your issue and for what happened with your other newts.

Without seeing any pictures and from what you've said, I would maybe believe that the newt has damaged its eye (perhaps against a rock, log, etc) in the past and has been struggling to heal since or has healed in an odd way. I wouldn't rule out an infection and I recommend reading this and seeing if you can find an amphibian savvy vet: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/sores.shtml

I'd just recommend trying to keep the enclosure sparser and clean to prevent further damage, but it may be a permanent quirk of his if it is still eating/shedding/pooping/moving about as it should.

Hopefully, there'll be some other users who know more about the situation!
 

tbage

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Hey tbage! I'm sorry you've struggled to receive a response for your issue and for what happened with your other newts.

Without seeing any pictures and from what you've said, I would maybe believe that the newt has damaged its eye (perhaps against a rock, log, etc) in the past and has been struggling to heal since or has healed in an odd way. I wouldn't rule out an infection and I recommend reading this and seeing if you can find an amphibian savvy vet: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/sores.shtml

I'd just recommend trying to keep the enclosure sparser and clean to prevent further damage, but it may be a permanent quirk of his if it is still eating/shedding/pooping/moving about as it should.

Hopefully, there'll be some other users who know more about the situation!



Hi, thank you for your response. I have a picture now if this helps you or anyone else reading.
 

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tbage

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I dont think hes going to be alive much longer. His condition is getting worse,spreading further up the head. it has never done this before.

If you're reading this and know anything, please respond.
 

tbage

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My newt has passed away. Thank you for anyone who considered helping. Due to location and financial reasons I couldn't get him to a vet.

R.I.P
 

Otterwoman

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He probably needed treatment only a vet could have given and without a vet, there was nothing you could do. :(
 
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