Mouth Rot?

[EmbraceCalamity]

So I was in the Biology department at my university, and in one room there are a couple different projects set up for our Animal Behaviour class. In two small tubs, there was a little bit of water and a few large riverstones. I didn't see anything at first, but then I realised each one had two tiny, tiny baby red-eared sliders in them. (For the record, I can't imagine these poor things could have possibly been able to get onto the riverstones by themselves to get out of the water.) Without even thinking, I picked one of them up (which I know I shouldn't have done, but in hindsight it might be a good thing that I did), and I noticed that it didn't look well. Now my area of interest is geckos, not turtles, but it appeared to have what I'd consider mouth rot would look like. Its mouth was open and there was a lot of pale yellow slimy gunk in its mouth, and it refused to open its eyes at all. (The other one in the other...dish appeared to be alright.) I promptly emailed the professor to express my concerns (fingers crossed that they're not hers).

My question is: Does this sound like mouth rot? Or am I off base? How treatable is it that this stage? I told her that if the owner was unable or unwilling to treat it, that I'd be willing to take it (as a temporary measure, as I have 0 experience with turtles and don't really feel I could provide a proper enclosure for it).

~Maggot