Worried sick about Axelina - please help

[sherri]

Axelina is ill again. As some of you may remember, she had problems with walking some weeks ago,as she was walking totally lopsided to her left side and kept falling. Then she got fungus. We managed to get fungus sorted about 2 weeks ago, and her walking has been better, however definately not perfect.
But now she has one of her eye covered in what I think is fungus again, and she keeps going totally mental.She keeps trashing and swimming like a cork screw rocket and crashing into things. Apart from this she doesn't want to move, but hides.
Could it be some sort of parasite? She is in the aquarium on her own, and the only new thing I have done is put one live plant a week ago.And I have given her raw liver to eat, which I didn't do before.
All her water statistics are fine, and the temp is 17C.
She has also lost a lot of weight in the last month. She eats, but never finishes her meal.

Does anybody know what could be wrong with her? I'm so worried can hardly sleep.

Please tell me all your suggestions. Many, many thanks in advance

 

[joan]

I would guess the thrashing about is due to being blind from the new fungus.

Treat for fungus with fridge and salt baths, give the tank a good cleaning (siphon the substrate, 25% water change or so), and wait. Be patient. If she's been ill, it will take some time to get over everything.

 

[sherri]

Thanks Joan. I already changed a lot of her water, and her tank sits at 17C, and I covered it with a blanket, so she can rest.Would it be even better to put her in the fridge, because the even lower temp? I have a powerful cooler, so I could change her tank temp even lower, maybe 11-13C?

Also, I read something interesting in the net, but it was just a mention, so I don't know more. But apparently Bacterial infection in the tank can make the axolotl lose co-ordination!!This may be the cause of Axelina's walking problems!!!
And apparently if thats the case, the only thing that can be done is to totally empty and disinfect everything in the tank. I can buy a new smaller tank for Axelina while I do that, but obviously am not willing to do it, if its not the oproblem.As my axie would then have to go back to uncycled tank.
Any thoughts? Thank you again so much in advance!!

 

[lana]

if you cant find anything i say it all the time go to the vet!!!!!

 

[joan]

Lana, there's usually no need to go to the vet unless the animal doesn't respond to home treatment.

Sherry, cooling the tank as much as possible is a good idea. I'd cool it down for some time, and see if that helps the fungus. This might also help kill any bacterial issues you think are present. Keep up on salt baths and the cool tank.

Cleaning it totally is a drastic decision. You would have to recycle, and if you think your tank is infected, you would not be able to seed the new tank with anything.

 

[sherri]

Lana, I would have already taken her to a vet, but there isn't any axie specialist here. Last time I took her to a vet, she nearly died, cos the fish medicine she was given was toxic for axies. So am very careful about where to take her.

Joan, I will cool her tank by 2 degrees per day from now on, until the temp gets to about 11C. I hope this is correct? If I cool her too many degrees all at once, it may shock her too much?

I agree about cleaning of the whole tank. But am starting to think its possible there is bad bacteria there, cos my axie is ill so often. Or she may have some bacteria in her blood. Oh, I don't know. Am not gonna do total cleaning yet, at least, as it would stress her to move to another (uncycled) tank.
I really appreciate your replies! Means a lot to me, and to Axelina's health!

 

[edward]

With some unusual exceptions, the bacteria that affect amphibians are always present in thier enviroment. The tend to not infect the animal(s) unless the amphibian is compromised.
As your axolotl has a fungal infection, this is an indication that it is immunocompromised.
Dropping the tank by two degrees a day should be acceptable.

Ed

 

[joão]

well I don like the salt baths, as I mentioned before, but people say they work, I personaly think their just too agressive to axies even in small dosage, I agree with adding some salt like a soup spoon to the tank. I use this method, I put the axie(s) under running tap water, for a few seconds, wash the fungus away, the remaining fungus I take them out with tweezers, and in lees than a week the problem is solve, I once got two axies from a friend and their were without legs and tail just the body and head no gills too, and they were covered in fungus , they didn´t eat at all, I did the things that I mentioned above and in one week and a half they were fungus free and eating as there was no tomorrow..

 

[sherri]

Thank you so much Ed and Joao.
Her tank temp is now 15C, but she has taken a turn for the worse, and is very swollen too. I was worried sick she wouldn't make it through the night. I managed to find a vet who should be experienced in amphibians, and got an appointment for tomorrow.

Will have to go and buy a coolbox that fisherman use, I think, to transport her in. Will ask the vet to check all he can, take a skin scraping, check her water for any tiny parasites etc..?

(Message edited by Sherrisixxx on September 26, 2006)

 

[sherri]

Ok, I took Axelina to see a vet yesterday. The amphibian specialist wasn't there, this vet's speciality was reptiles. He said Axelina has 50/50% chance of surviving. He said she has either bacterial infection, and gave her antibiotic injection straight away. I also have to inject antibiotics to her every second day for 12 days. She was also given multi-vitamin injection and calcium injection, and internal parasite killer by mouth. Apparently I will see in 2 days if this medicine will work. If its not infection she has, the vet thought she has liver damage, which cannot be cured, and she will die.

 

[sherri]

Oh, also I want to mention that most of the day yesterday Axelina was lying on her left side, and once in a while going mental, rolling around herself like a cork-screw, very fast.

Has anybody else's axie done this and what did you do?

Am very grateful for all your support

 

[sherri]

Update: Axelina is very weak. She is lying to her left side inside her barrel in her tank. Even if I touch her slightly, she doesn't move. My only hope is that the antibiotic will start working tonite,and help her. Otherwise I don't think she has long left. So worried.

My friend found some info on a Japanese amphibian site, that BACTERIAL INFECTION IN NERVOUS SYSTEM causes exactly these symptoms. Axies are leaning to one side, and cannot straighten themselves, and suddenly go around and around themselves like a cork screw.

 

[sherri]

Update: She is still the same, apart from she has fungus again (we had managed to get rid of fungus 4 days ago). No improvement,she just lies on her left side, hardly moving. Doesn't seem like the antibiotic is working. Wanna cry

 

[kapo]

Is she still at the vets or in the fridge? I hope she gets better or improves.

 

[sherri]

Kapo, thanks. She is at home in her own aquarium. I have lowered her aquarium temperature to 11-12C to keep her as stress free as possible.

 

[kapo]

One of our axies does a partial corkscrew thing and then swims madly on his side up and down the tank (usually only when very stressed; so thankfully only seen it few times).

I know you've lowered her temp in the tank and she doesn't have a floating prob. Would having her poss. in a smaller container with water lowered to cover her so she's just standing, if she was able - I don't know if this would help but just wondering if it might alleviate some stress or whether she would still lie on her side. In fridge or somehow suspended in top part of your tank.

 

[sherri]

Update: She has eaten a bit, and is not so lopsided all of the time, but doesn't want to walk/move/socialize. She just sleeps. She has been getting antibiotics for a week now, so I was hoping she would be much better, but I still have antibiotics til Saturday. Last night I managed to hit my own finger with her antibiotic needle, when she moved suddenly.Ouch!Hope I don't have her illness myself now as well

 

[joan]

I've stabbed myself a time or two with needles not meant for me. I wouldn't worry about disease transmission.

I hope she keeps improving. Have faith!

 

[sherri]

Update: She is slightly better, but still very ill. She eats from my hand, and moves a little bit, and is more straight. But most she does is sleep, and she got a bit more fungus.
I called the vet, and will go and pick up more antibiotic injections for her tomorrow, and also a disinfectant. I will have to disinfect whole of her tank. Her tank is huge, so it will take me the whole day at least and Axelina has to be in a big bucket while I do that.Awwww

Joan, I checked with a doctor if I need antibiotics too, as may have same bacteria as Axelina after stabbing my finger with her needle. But he said I don't have to worry, it won't spread from amphibian to human

(Message edited by sherrisixxx on October 10, 2006)

 

[sherri]

Ok, she has now finished her antibiotics (the vet gave them for 3 more weeks), but Axelina is still not well. She still keeps rolling around herself, round,round, round, and she only eats a little bit about every 3 to 5 days or so. She just sleeps in her barrel, apart from when she notices some movement, and start rolling around herself. Am soooo worried. I can only hope she is doing it cos she is so scared that I may 'torture' her again. By torturing her I mean I had to inject her with antibiotics for the last 3 weeks which she hates, and is definately painful for her. She doesn't understand its for her own good, but seems to think am torturing her...Which, of course, I would never do, as I love her!!