Illness/Sickness: T. verrucosus oedemic and lethargic

[froggy]

I returned from uni today to find that one of my 8 year old T. verrucosus females is unwell. She is lethargic and weak, seemingly having trouble walking, and unwilling to enter the water. She has a swollen, but loose rather than tight, abdomen. The skin has lost some of its granulation and appears tight or sstretched, even though there is not actual tension in it. This is particularly apparent around the swollen area of the abdomen. Despite being oedemic, parts of the skeleton (particularly spine and ribs) are more prominent than they should be.
i have isolated the animal in a kitchen roll based setup with a hide. The tank is sloped to provide a water gradient. The animal has managed to climb on top of the hide, and is still able to move round with difficulty.

The faeces is pale (cream-brown), diffuse (smeared on the towelling instead of a solid lump) but granular in texture, and foul smelling. I have noticed this type of stool occasionally in the tank (on cork islands) but without any other symptom. I am reliably nformed that the animal was eating as late as the last feed (Wednesday), but it now shows little begging behaviour. I haven't tried to feed it yet, but will try tomorrow. The animals have been fed on shop-bought earthworms (Lumbricus sp) since they were large enough to eat them, with very occasional crickets (haven't eaten them in a long time) and bloodworm (again, not for a while now).

Does anyone have any idea as to what could cause these symptoms, or how to proceed with treatment?

Many thanks

Chris

 

[Otterwoman]

Can you take her to a vet? Maybe they can draw some of that fluid off and culture it?

 

[froggy]

There aren't any amphibian vets around my way.... Last time I took a systemically ill and anorexic animal to a vet, it ended up with the newt untreated apart from a broken jaw. Needless to say, it died.

And update: the animal is looking brighter after a night in quarantine and seems to have more strength. The bloat is also less huge and muscle tone looks a little better (although that may be wishful thinking). However, she was not interested in food and, most worrying, last night's stool was like before, but containing a light staining that spread out quite a lot in the kitchen paper, and a blob of congealed blood.

I have access to enrofloxin (Baytril), but having read the CC site page on it, I don't think its worth the risk of using it. Kidney failure will not be a positive step.

Thanks

Chris