Illness/Sickness: My Axie is Hurt!

[Elise]

Salt baths are not an efficacious treatment for bacterial infections and would likely only cause more irritation and discomfort.

You may want to try reaching out to the axolotl community based in China.
Here is a reference to the site: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-beginner-newt-salamander-axolotl-help-topics/f48-axolotls-ambystoma-mexicanum/f57-axolotl-general-discussion/86088-hi-we-china-baidu-bar-axolotl.html

I know that because of the lack of vets available to them they rely a lot on the community for methods of treatment, a lot of which are obscure to westerners by nature.

If you do get in contact with them be sure to update us!

 

[xxlegislationxx]

She is still in the fridge but has gotten a lot skinnier. Is that fine?


Will she starve? I tried feeding her but of course she refused.

 

[keiko]

How is the infection now? Any changes? Have you tried to treat it in anyway but fridging?
Pictures would be great to show how skinny she is getting and how her mouth is now. If she's not willing to eat in the fridge it might be worth trying to take her out for a couple of days and try feeding her at normal temperature if she's getting really skinny. But if the infection is still bad that might be the reason she's not willing to eat.

And if you can't get earthworms in Hong Kong, you can order pellets online (or if you can find those there) that are specially made for axolotls. Those would be a lot better food than crickets, bloodworms etc. I use Axobalance axolotlpellets.

 

[Bellabelloo]

It's unlikely she can eat with such an infection. To be blunt, she will lose weight and will stand even less of a chance to fight the infection.

 

[xxlegislationxx]

She is still in the fridge. I think she is healing...the infection / whitish skin around her mouth is coming off.

I also started tea baths two days ago. She is in tea water in the fridge.

I'll take photos a few days later...she's not so skinny that it's ridiculous...

I'm surprised she's doing OK considering that her infection was quite bad/ had been bleeding. I am hoping that she will heal more, then i take her out a bit and feed her...then put her back in fridge until the tank is sterilized and recycled.

 

[Sweetie]

It's great to hear she may be improving. The tea baths may well be soothing her. Also Indian almond leaves are meant to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, as well as being soothing to the skin, so may be worth trying.
If she is improving, I would not be panicking yet about her not eating. Her metabolism will slow down in the fridge, and she can go a few weeks at least without eating. If she is not eating because her mouth is painful or injured, healing will be the quickest way to get her to eat.
It is a pity you cannot get to a vet who knows about axies, but hang in there. You are doing your best.
Yes, you will need to disinfect the tank to be certain she is not reinfected. This of course will mean recycling your tank. She may be better off in the fridge, or in a basin of cool dechlorinated water, changed 100% daily, while you do this.