Illness/Sickness: Help me help my very sick newt!

Hi. I really need some help. My newt is very ill. I haven't posted in a very long time so I'm starting this one.

A while back my newt came down with what I thought was bloat. I separated him, and did not feed him for a while. He finally became less swollen, so I started to slowly feed him, and I thought he was okay...I don't think so anymore. Last time I posted I describe what seemed to be a neurological problem, where by he curls backward (it seems different than the defensive position I've seen described) is very stiff and uncoordinated, and spazzes out, he also cannot swim well at all. When I had him in the big tank with the others, he would swim, again, spaztically and upside down. I have separated him again, and feed him in his own bowl, he does eat about 2/3 of the frozen bloodworm cube, but is still losing weight, and not really improving. By the way, his spine seems to always be in an ess curve, kinda twisted looking.

Any other suggestions of what I can do besides separating him until he eats and gains weight? I don't want to seem calous, but I do not believe in prolonged suffering, and do not know when the time to consider euthanasia is. I am of the belief (after dealing with my own sick pets, and working at veterinary clinics) that it is better in a terminal situation to put tham to sleep a little early rather than a little late. Is it time to consider that???

I will attach pictures to show his spine. (I hope it works)

By the way, I forgot to add that another symptom is frequent shedding. Although he is getting extrememly scrawny, he is shedding almost once a week.

Thanks in advance for the help.

~Rachel

Hi Rachel,

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with your newt Deciding on the right time for euthanasia is difficult for pets like dogs and cats, so it must be many times more difficult making that decision for a newt.

I think you really need to find a vet experienced in exotics for this type of situation. I've euthanized salamanders in a laboratory setting before, but I'd be reluctant to try it at home because I don't have access to the same chemicals.

waxmoth larvae and chopped earthworms , if he wont eat those , live bloodworms, dont give any more frozen food for a while , the movement of live food will be far more enticing, also with an ill newt , give it places to hide and feed it in its home, every time you move him he needs time to settle again and constant harrasment will certainly stop him eating, i have a feeling he may be a very old newt if his spine is twisting, this has happened to every single one of my newts when they have reached 17 years or so
sorry your newt is ill , its never easy to watch and not over interfere with them, but amphibians just dont like being handled at all

Thank you both very much!
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Yes Slowfoot, it is very difficult to make a decision about any life, but these guys are harder, since they dont show emotion, or really change behaviour that much. Aside from the shedding, swimming and eating, he just sits around like the others. There is a vet not too, too far that I can call and see if they could help, but I don't think they do newts. I used to work at a Vet clinic near them, and think they do exotic mammals and birds, not sure about reps. and aphibs. Wish I was in San Francisco, they have a huge Herpitological socitey/scene there.
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Spoons, I will definitely try the live food. It's just strange that eh does eat, but continues to grow smaller. Also since moving him back to the sick tank, I have seen no bowel movements...I don't knwo how that could be. I agree as well that I should feed him in the sick tank, but I have to remove him to clean it... Any advice on the most stress free way to do this. His sick tank is only about 8 inches in length by 4-5 inches wide, by 6 or so high (it's one of those plastic travel ones). I dont really have room for hiding spaces unfortunately, but will work on getting something better. As for his age, what you said is interesting, however I got all 5 (lost one at the beginning ) at the same time, and they have grown in lenght by about half inch or so since last October, thus leading me to believe they are or were juveniles, and are still fairly young. Who knows though, as I rescued them from some lady I worked with and I think they were stolen from the wild.
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Again thank you both. I will post updates every so often. ~Rachel

newtons13 said:

By the way, his spine seems to always be in an ess curve, kinda twisted looking.

Click to expand...

I think it's possible that the bone could be broken. I would definitely get veterinary assistance.

Oh my gosh! I never even considered a break, since I don't really see how that could happen. I guess just a sharp sideways fall off the glass to a rock could do it. I really hope that's NOT the case, or I will feel extremely horrible. It would explain a lot of the symptoms though. Dang! I hope I can find a vet who deals with these guys.

Thanks Will for a new possibility.

I will continue wqith all the advice given so far, and contact a Vet on Monday. I was hoping to avoid that as I am terribly broke, but a life is a life.

~Rachel

Preface: So... I don't have a Vet in the area that can see my newt, not that I can afford. (I know you shouldn't have a pet you can't afford to take care of, but a year ago I got these guys with small expectations of care. I know...I should have done my homework. And I'm very sorry now.)

I put my sick guy in the refrigerator last night, just to help him de-stress, and hopefully lower the possible pain he is in. My questions are as follow:

1) How long should/can I keep him there, and how long should I let him warm up before trying to feed him?

2) IF his back is broken, is it possible it will heal and he might have a fairly normal/pain free life?

3) When the time comes to euthanize him, from what I've read, Orajel would probably be the best at home way to do it. Is this correct? Or can anybody recommend any other humane ways? I'm not sure if I have access to Ethyl Alcohol?

I am going to (depending on the answers to above) give him probably about 1 more week (it's been over a month now) and if there is no improvement, I'm going to have to put him to sleep for his sake, and mine. I feel horrible, and have never had to do it myself. I'm scared and sad. Please help. Any help and advice is very much appreciated.

Rachel

I think that what I'm seeing is a lump or protrusion of the spine. I have seen similar things, and it is something that develops, it's unlikely to be a broken back. A more likely scenario is MBD (metabolic bone disease). Among the cases I've seen, some have been wild-caught newts that arrived already having this problem, others were captive-bred or developed it later. There isn't anything you can do to correct it, but newts can live a long time with this problem, as long as they are able to eat and avoid drowning.

In reply to the questions,
1. I wouldn't refrigerate him, unless you are unable to keep his temp below 70F. I think he'll do just as well at a cool room temp.
2. Hard to say. I doubt that it's broken, but the newt is clearly not doing well if he has coordination problems.
3. Orajel is the way to go. Not an easy decision as to when.

Hey, let me know how ur newt is going, i'm sorry i can't help much, but there is a chance that there is a break. Hope u don't have to put the big guy down but if it's wat is right ...

I hope ur axie survives, we're all on your side mate.

thanks to all!

I will pull him out of the refrigerator right away. I have no idea exactly what the temp it is, but since I/we don't seem to be dealing with infection or something like that it seems pointless. I just felt out of options.

I don't think I can deal with this much longer. He seems extremely uncomfortable, barely moves, when he does it's spazzy. He can't swim right, and as I've said he doesn't seem to deficate. I don't think I can offer him the kind of care he may need, and I have no way of knowing what kind of pain, or not, he is in...

I think I'll check the other section, and see if anyone more experienced might like to try, but it looks like I'm out of options.

I hope nobody thinks I'm too quick to kill him. It's not that, but due to things in my past I am an avid believer in euthanasia, and HATE suffering.

I've never done this on my own and that's what's really hard.

How much Orajel do I use? I'm thinking in this case you can't really "overdose" since that's the point. So I guess I'll just slather it thickly on his belly. Does anyone know what the effect is? Is it something I should run from, or stay and feel like I'm comforting him?? No one should die alone. Arghh...now I'm tearing up.


Rachel
Thank you again for all the help and advice. It is very much appreciated in this situation, and adds a little comfort that people care. I will post back in a few days after I've made my final decision.

goodluck, with what ever your choice may be

This article should help you out, http://caudata.org/cc/articles/euthanasia.shtml

I am sorry you have to make this decision.

Later,
Justin

He's totally asleep (not dead) now from being in the refrigerator (whic I realized has to be less that 70 deg. since my house is about 67 and it's colder than that in there), so I've decided to keep him in there until I get the Orajel. I was about to ask if this is bad, but with the decision I've just made it certainly can't hurt. I think actually it will keep him calmer when I do the deed. Yes?

Dunno why I posted this. I think I'm just preparing myself for the grieving.

i guess keeping him cool with stop him stressing too much....

do what you beleive is right, then you know you did the right thing in your mind

Yes, if you are opting to euthanize, keep him in the fridge until then.

I did it. I euthed him. It was awful. I've fed mice/rats to snakes, and I've been there when I had to have my cats put to sleep, but this was different. Actually having to use my own hands to do it, and know nothing else was living from it...But knowing it was helping him, and the right thing made it slightly easier.

I used Kanka+A, 20% Benzocaine. The article said in lab it took about 1 minute for the patient to be anesthisized and euthanized. It took him more like 8 min. I timed 1 min. on my microwave... it kept going. He seemed in pain, though I don't think it was from the application. I think it was from being handled and moved. Anyway it took a while, and I ended up pouring the whole bottle on him. Then stuck him back in the fridge, where he will stay until I can arrange burial.

I'd recommend if you can afford it to leave it to a professional. If I had it to do over, I'd leave him with a note and $20 (all I can afford) at an emergency pet hospital. Unethical I know, but so much easier on the soul.

Thanks again for all the advice. I hope I can talk to you all more under happier circumstances.

~Rachel