Axolotl Unable to Eat

[EasternRomioi3]

Hello everyone, I haven't been on the forum in a few years, my 7ish-8 year old female axolotl is having a really hard time eating. She's not eaten successfully since last week. I will post 3 photos of the goiter like thing she has obstructing her throat. It prevents her from swallowing. She can't even get a single pellet down. She fought with a worm on Monday for about a half hour and kept sucking it in, spitting it out, sucking it in, eventually she gave up. I made a slurry with her pellets today to try and feed her, she wouldn't even try. I am really not sure what to do.

Also, starting yesterday, she's "coughed" up some white stuff, small...white stuff, honestly, looks like moss, but white. She's coughed up I'd say about the combined size of a dime, she's coughed up like 3 times, altogether, about the size of a dime. I do not know what to do. Before anyone asks, her water parameters are perfect, she has a...Holtfreter solution, homemade, got the receipt from this site in 2020, and she had a tank cleaning today. She still swims, she still comes up to the surface for air every now and then. After I tried to feed her, I just held my hand out in the water and she climbed up on me for a minute or so before swimming away. This is keeping me up at night, I am very upset. If anyone has ANY advice, please, I am all ears.

The first 3 photos of photos of the lump that is giving her issues, the last photo is 2 years ago, before this thing even showed up, for comparison.

 

[wolfen]

sounds like she could have a possible infection, ideally she would need to see a vet.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

sounds like she could have a possible infection, ideally she would need to see a vet.

I actually just got her scheduled for a vet appointment. It's 2 weeks away though, I am very worried. She wouldn't take any of her Repashy grub pie today.

You say an infection, so not like a tumor?

 

[wolfen]

due to the time it has taken for the swelling to appear it seems to be more likely an infection rather a tumor.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

due to the time it has taken for the swelling to appear it seems to be more likely an infection rather a tumor.

Do you mean the speed at which it popped up? Would a tumor take longer?

 

[wolfen]

tumors tend to grow slowly (although they can have a growth spurt) and can take weeks months or longer where as infections can occur over night.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

Well, this has taken a long time. She's always had weird growths, and usually they blimp up but then go away after a while, well, never fully go away. She has like "scars" of them. I assumed this would be the same issue but it's clearly irritating her enough to not eat, which is a problem, obviously.

If she does have a tumor, what can be done? I am entirely unsure. I do hope she makes it to her vet appointment. I'm very scared about transporting her.

 

[wolfen]

if it is tumorous it would depend on whether it is malignant or benign as to how harmful it will become.
malignant is the harmful type of cancerous tumor which spread harming organs etc.. with the outcome being death.
benign tend to grow but don't spread or otherwise cause harm.
due to her size species etc.. if it is cancer (benign or malignant) it would normally be advised to euthanize as any investigation or treatment will be very costly with no guarantee of success.

 

[EasternRomioi3]

I just hope she makes it to her vet appointment. They want me to bring her in her tub and I am terrified of having to pick her up in her current state. I wish they could come to the house. Wouldn't matter though, they'd probably want to do an x-ray and I sure don't have that at home lol.

I am very upset. I've had her a long time and like, I am very afraid of leaving the house and coming home to, you know.