Prognosis for serious gravel impaction

[Lady Rassilon]

I have just adopted two axolotls, who's previous owner could not look after them.
The previous owner did everything very well, but they won't eat, and it looks like they have been ill from treatment at the aquarium shop. Deeply frustrating.

One has a fungal infection, that I will start treating with salt baths and possibly fridging. Is fridging right for helping with fungus?

The other has - well, I suspect - a major case of gravel impaction. I can see a bulge in his side that is about 0.5 cm long (along the axies length) and a few mm wide (i.e. distance sticking out). The previous owner did not have large gravel in the tank, but tells me that the aquarium store had the axies on purple gravel.
Thus I suspect the axie has swallowed a fairly large piece of possibly plastic 'gravel'. I can't imagine how an axie could pass such a thing through its system.

I am wondering if anyone has experience with such a situation? Is there really any chance the axie can get rid of it, or is the axie just going to be ill until he dies? Is there any real chance a vet can help?

I am determined to look after these two as best I can, but I honestly don't have much hope for the gravel impacted one.

 

[Bdyoung]

I don't have personal experience, but I have read up that placing them in a fridge will help them pass the gravel.

 

[Minniechild]

First thing with gravel impaction is to get them into the fridge- the cold slows down their metabolism and speeds up healing so the stones shouldn't move any further into the gastrointestinal tract and/or should be passed much more easily (Depending where they are in the body)

If you can find a vet, then they can definitely do more than you can on your own. The problem is there are very very few known practicing axolotl/exotic herp vets in Australia- One is up at Currumbin in Queensland, one at Newcastle in NSW, and one in Adelade. Also possible is the University of Sydney Vet school and Taronga Zoo (or the vet attached to any major zoo, for that matter), however I haven't heard of anyone going there recently, so no guarantee of a caudate-knowledgeable vet, and sadly the vet list over on caudata culture has become extremely out of date as far as Australia's concerned. If you're not close to one of the known ones, try your local-they may have a friend who's able to help.
Will have my fingers crossed with you!

 

[Lady Rassilon]

Thanks everyone.
I have previously taken my baby turtles to the Lort Smith Animal hospital in Melbourne, and seen one of their exotics vets - he was great.
I am considering doing the same for the axolotls.

If anyone can name an experienced vet for axies in Melbourne, I'd appreciate it!

 

[Minniechild]

I'd be calling that vet- if you know them, and they've got a reptile vet, then it's a good starting point. A post I was reading in my research last week seemed to say Melb. was a black hole for axie vets, so it'd be fantastic if your vet could do it, and if he wants references, there are a wide variety on here that can assist.
How's the fridging going so far? (I know it's only been a bit )

 

[Sam77]

Not going to be much help, I'm afraid, other than to say that my first axiie came from a pet shop where she was kept on large pieces of blue gravel, and over the course of several weeks passed 13 pieces. I have no idea how she had so many inside her, and each time she passed one she looked as if she was on her last legs, then was fine again after passing. Some of the pieces were several cm in length and pointy, poor thing. Hope your 2 are ok, it certainly sounds as if you know what you are doing. I had no clue back then!

 

[Lady Rassilon]

Thanks Sam. Maybe there is more hope than I thought!

Minniechild - both have been in the fridge for only one day. I'll be planning salt baths for the infected one every day too.

I am not sure how long I should plan to do this for - a week? Two weeks? Longer?
I will contact a vet soon for advice.