Redleg, Disease profile: Redleg

[Shadow]

I speak from personal experience which I wish i didn't. Feel free to add any other information you may have about this disease.


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My firebellied newt was attacked by my firebellied toad the day I introduced him. Before that, my newt was living happily and afterwards my newt was horribly lethargic. After about 3 days of the attack, the hind leg of the newt became red and swollen (which is the easiest way to know if your pet has redleg). After about 7 days from the attack, the newts leg fell off and became a stump. I was hopeful because of the regenerative capabilities of newts. Unfortunately it died 10 days after the initial attack. That's my story.

Redleg is a bacterial infection which (as in my case) can prove fatal. It is carried by some toads, but some are immune to it (until it is severely stressed out, in which case the bacteria tries to take over). Unfortunately it is tranferable so the infected must be kept isolated from others of its species. I believe that the redleg is also carried by newts because of the immediate flaring of the infection after the attack (the newt became very stressed).

Redleg can be treated by a home remedy of Tetracycline hydrochloride but consulting a specialized vet would be a better option.
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Feel free to add anything I may have missed or any changes you would make to this. Also add any personal experiences you have had from the disease.

Peace!

[Jumpshot724]

Every book and person I have read or spoken to has advised against keeping FBTs with any other species due to their active hunting nature as well as their toxicity.

Im not a newt keeper but I have read that in order to heal as well as regenerate a lost limb on a newt to place them in a salt water bath in a tupperware container in the fridge. <shrug> may be worth reading up on in case (god forbid) something like that happens again.