Illness/Sickness: Sick A. opacum

[evut]

A couple of days ago a female A. opacum had a strange shape (see photo), then it seemed to go back to normal so I assumed it was just a digestive problem. But afterwards, I noticed half her skin still attached on the lower part of her body after a bad shed. Today I noticed her walking around the vivarium in a strange uncoordinated way.When I picked her up she felt half dead. I placed her in a hospital tank with moist paper towels and a hide. She is in a cool unheated room.

Is there anything I can do? I fear she'll be dead in the morning.

A bit more details: she has refused food recently, there are no obvious injuries or sores. The other two I have seem ok.

 

[evut]

I've just checked her and she seems almost dead, not even standing anymore.

 

[Kaysie]

The swelling in the chest area seems a bit like bloat.

 

[evut]

Her shape is actually still strange. She feels very limp, when I picked her up she only moved the very tip of her tail. But she was in a different place than where I left her last night.
Should I refrigerate her? Is there any chance it might help?

 

[Bellabelloo]

I think I would do exactly what you are doing, keep her dark and cool and hope for the best. Is the shed still in place?

 

[evut]

The shed is gone, her skin looks ok, maybe a bit dull.

 

[Azhael]

Bugger! It sucks, Eva...sorry.
I too think keeping it in an esterile, cool, dark environment is your best bet. I wish i could give you better advice, but we are all pretty much stumped when things like this happen...

 

[slowfoot]

She looks quite bloated to me, based on that 'stretched out' look to her skin. I'm hoping for the best for her

 

[evut]

Sadly the salamander has died.

Whatever it was, it progressed very fast. She looked a bit bloated but nothing like some of the photos I've seen. Her tongue was very enlarged so that her mouth was a bit open in the end. There was some yellowish discharge on the tissue where her head was.

I have cleaned the vivarium for the other two, boiled the wood and stones and gave them fresh substrate and moss. They both look good and show a healthy appetite when a cricket is near. I hope they will be ok.

I am very upset about the animal dying...it's a horrible thing to watch, knowing that you can't do anything. I was always joking that she would win any caudate beauty contest, she had such perfect markings.
I have to admit I was even thinking it would be better to not have any pets...it's so sad when they die :sad:

 

[Azhael]

I´m so sorry, Eva....
We all know how hard it can be to loose one of our animals, it´s always a tough moment. I´ve been there...i thought about giving up too, but i sure am glad i didn´t. You are doing and excellent job with the rest of your animals, and that poor female was very likely already compromissed by the importation process. The effects can become obvious months after the original cause of stress.
With such situations as this one, there is very little, if anything, the hobbyist can do. No sense in beating yourself up about it.

Your description of the corpse i think is consistent with what you´d expect in an animal that has died of bloat, and i´m inclined to think that it must be a type of bloat caused by internal bacteria as there´s usually very rapid decomposition. The obvious parts of the problem usually progress very fast, and in the cases i´ve seen there are always a lot of fluids which suggests cell destruction from within. That to me sounds like bacteria.
I´m only saying this because i think it´s relevant to the fact that our possibilities are extremely limited against such infections. You did what you could.

 

[zoezakella]

So sorry to hear about your opacum Eva she was gorgeous Really hope your ok and I have seen your animals first hand and you do an amazing job, try not to take it too much to heart however I know how hard it is and sadly it never gets an easier xx

 

[evut]

Thank you for your kind words. I really hope the other two will be ok.

 

[zoezakella]

keeping everything crossed for you xx