In my mother's garden pond, in the UK, there is a male Smooth Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris, with an injury to a hind leg. There seems to be an open wound or sore where the leg joins the body, and the whole leg is furred with some sort of fungus. The newt's behaviour seems unaffected; its breeding colours are bright, and it is swimming around quite actively. Does anyone here know about such injuries or infections in newts? I hope it isn't a sign of any general infection - the other newts in the pond seem fine, except that some have small freshwater mussels clamped to their toes.

Another thing I've noticed from time to time is that an individual newt will become hugely swollen or bloated, its whole body swelling up. After a few days like this it dies.

Any information about either phenomenon would be appreciated.