Illness/Sickness: Cynops ensicauda popei with sore

sde

sde

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Hi all,

So one of my juvenile C. e. popei has gotten a sore, I am not sure why. It is CB and is kept in fine conditions. I brought it in from its usual enclosure because of winter temps, and so he is on a moist paper towel enclosure. I have separated him, and I have Neosporin ( without painkillers ) for treating him as I read that that is one possible way to cure sores. I am asking what the most effective or reliable cure to sores is? He is terrestrial right now, so I am not sure how well salt baths and the like would work. Also, what is the odds that he will make it? I really don't want to lose him, he is my most colorful C. e. popei...:(
 
That is actually the thread I used to find out that Neosporin can be used. I remembered you had posted something to the effect of a sore a while back, and searched your threads.

I can see if I can get a picture of it, but it is quite small. It was almost transparent when I first noticed it, now it is getting less transparent, I am not sure why. The newt is still eating, hopefully that is a good sign.
 
Here is a picture.

I noticed last night that the skin where the sore is isn't as tight as it used to be, I am not sure if this is a good thing or not. Should I be doing salt baths in addition to the Neosporin?
In the picture you can see a red spot ( I am assuming blood ) at one part, the sore goes over the cloaca so it almost just looks like a swollen cloaca but it isn't. The sore extends onto one side of the tail as well. It isn't as noticeable as it was before.
 

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That doesn't look good at all, is the whole yellowish patch of skin the sore?
It almost looks like a burn, or a rash, it might be worth changing his substrate in case there's a Ph issue or a build up of ammonia?
 
Chinadog said:
That doesn't look good at all, is the whole yellowish patch of skin the sore?
It almost looks like a burn, or a rash, it might be worth changing his substrate in case there's a Ph issue or a build up of ammonia?
Click to expand...

His entire cloaca is effected, as well as part of his tail. So yes, I think that is the whole yellow area. In real life it isn't really yellow, just kind of cloudy.
The problem is that I don't know when he first got it. He was in a semi aquatic setup but stayed on the driftwood island or rock island the whole time. Then I moved him to a moistened paper towel substrate and that is when I first noticed it. So even if it was the substrate I am not sure which. But I will switch him to a sand substrate in the morning.
I wouldn't think that either of these substrates would cause a burn or rash. I have been changing the paper towels every second day, as well as the water. Maybe he got a small cut that got infected? I don't know. I just hope he makes it :(
Thank you for the help, Chinadog.
 
Me too. I would stick with the paper towel substrate for the moment, you need his skin to be as dry as possible for the neosporin to stick.
Over here there's a product called Cerpofor BACTYFEC. Maybe it's available where you live? It's specifically sold for treating external bacterial infections and has been recommended to me by several very experienced amphibian keepers. I haven't had to use it yet, but I bought some to keep in stock just in case it's ever needed.
It might be worth a try if you can get it?
 
Thanks for the suggestion! But unfortunately it doesn't appear to be sold in the states anywhere.
 
It seems to be getting better. I am still applying the Neosporin but am not doing salt baths. It is getting less noticeable and isn't as inflated. The newt itself is still eating so that's good. How long did it take your guy to heal?
EDIT: Answered my own question.
 
He died. He was doing good, was eating, and the sore seemed to be getting smaller. Then all of a sudden he stopped eating, was less active, the sore got worse, and his skin got a weird texture...like sticky almost.
Anyway, it would seem the Neosporin alone doesn't quite do it...or I just caught the sore too late, lesson learned.

Thanks for all your help Chinadog.
 
That's really sad, I'm sorry to hear that.

Stuart
 
What a shame. Sometimes there's not much you can do, though. In nature very few larvae survive to adulthood as you know, so losing the odd one is to be expected. It sure doesn't make it any easier, but I guess it's just natural selection happening right before your eyes. Metamorphosis must take so much out of baby newts, especially tiny Cynops larvae, there's no wonder some of them don't make it, or die from complications like this before maturity.
 
Chinadog said:
What a shame. Sometimes there's not much you can do, though. In nature very few larvae survive to adulthood as you know, so losing the odd one is to be expected. It sure doesn't make it any easier, but I guess it's just natural selection happening right before your eyes. Metamorphosis must take so much out of baby newts, especially tiny Cynops larvae, there's no wonder some of them don't make it, or die from complications like this before maturity.
Click to expand...

Good point. Only the strongest survive, and that is best for nature ( and in this case, the hobby ). Heh, that made me realize something...and the fact hat I haven't realized it before is actually kind of embarrassing. One of the reasons captive populations aren't as strong as wild ones is because the weak can survive as well as the strong. Thus making weaker offspring etc. How did I not think I that before....?

Anyway, he was a fun one while he lasted.
 
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