Care Article: Basic Frog First Aid

Paul Rust · #1

EMERGENCY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF AMPHIBIAN DISEASES

© Paul W. Rust – NW AMPHIBIAN RESCUE
A very special thank you to Bruce Maclean, DVM

PERMISSION FOR USE ON FROG FORUM GRANTED

THE SYMPTOMS LISTED IN THIS ARTICLE COULD BE INDICATORS OF A MUCH WORSE UNDERLYING PROBLEM. THE TREATMENTS ARE INTENDED FOR EMERGENCY USE TO STABILIZE YOUR ANIMAL UNTIL IT CAN BE SEEN BY AN AMPHIBIAN MEDICAL SPECIALIST. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE VETERINARY CARE.

Before treating any frog, you need to be sure that it is sick. Therefore you should keep a close eye on it so you can intervene if necessary. Placing the animal in quarantine should keep any contagious diseases from spreading to the rest of the population.
One of the problems commonly found among frogs is stress. It is caused by prolonged captivity in a small area or a vivarium with too many frogs in it. Messy vivariums and too much exposure to humans can also cause stress.
Symptoms: animals won't eat and/or lay on their backs while twitching (often occurs with young animals). If you buy a new frog, place it in a small dish with some tepid water and a teaspoon of honey. Place the frog in this solution for 30 minutes. Then quarantine the frog for 30 days.

A FEW NOTES ON MEDICATIONS USED IN THIS GUIDE

Panacur (Febendazole) is a great medicine to have on hand. Purchase it as Panacur-C in the 4 gram packets. It is safe to use and some people recommend treating your collection routinely with it once every 1-2 weeks to keep worms under control. Personally I treat my frogs for 3 days on the first of every month. It is very easy to use; you just dust the food with it.

Flagyl (Metronidazole) the oral liquid also a good one to have on hand as it is useful for a broad range of problems, from parasites to appetite to bacterial problems.

Another good one to have around is a topical cream (Neosporin), as you could quickly apply it to any frog with a bump or scratch from shipping (or anything else) and head off a potentially serious infection.

Another item I use commonly is an Electrolyte solution (Pedialyte), for new frogs or ones that seem dehydrated or listless, a few minutes in a bath of this can bring them around.

As far as liquid de-wormers go, I would not get one of these unless recommended after a fecal exam, as they kill all the worms at once. A bunch of dead worms inside the frog can lead to death from Septic Shock.

Symptoms:
Disease:
Treatment:

Doesn't eat, loses weight, is listless, has lumps or other irregularities on the skin.
Bacterial infections.
Treat with ENROFLOXACIN (BAYTRIL) Put 8 drops in 125ml Tepid water. Put a lid on the bowl and make sure the frogs’ head stays above the water. Duration: 15 min. each day for 6 days.

Listless, often found in water or hiding, watery droppings.
Parasites in intestines, “Protozoa”
Parasites are always present in the intestines, but they will cause problems when the animal is weak. Treat with METRONIDAZOLE (FLAGYL)
1 drop in 8 drops of tepid water. Place one drop on the back of frog. Duration: Each day for 6 days. Treatment for the vivarium: 1ml per 5 liters of water; use this to spray the vivarium.

Does eat, loses weight, listless.
Parasites in intestines, “Worms”
Treat with FENBENDAZOLE (PANACUR) 25mg/kg of bodyweight. Dissolve and drop on frogs’ back once a day for at least 10 days. Or dust the food items for 3 consecutive days.

Pink area surrounding cloaca, bulging cloaca.
Infections in intestines.
Treat with SALT. Grind into a powder and sprinkle on food.

Acts spasmodic, is active but loses weight, dry skin.
Worms.
Treat with ERGAMISOL(LEVAMISOLE) 1 drop in 3 drops of tepid water, pour water over frog's back, then place and leave one drop on its back. Duration: 7 days.

Listless and doesn't eat.
Hypothermal.
Same as treatment for stress. Duration: 7 days.

Flesh-colored spots on skin, toes or nose.
Wounds, scrapes, cuts.
SULFANILAMIDE POWDER Antibiotic. Apply to wound several times per day.

Skinny front legs (young frogs).
Spindly Leg Syndrome.
No treatment. Euthanasia is the only option. TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE (FINQUEL) or (MS-222) Mix 2X the recommended dosage with an equal amount of SODIUM BICARBONATE Dissolve in an equal amount of water and inject into the abdomen.

Fungus on skin.
Red Leg, Pseudomonas, Hydrophila.
Use the water area of a quarantine vivarium and add 0.6% SALT by volume. Make sure that the frog gets in the water often. Duration 6 weeks (refresh water often). Use a solution of 0.2% MERBROMIN (MERCUROCHROME)on areas of the frog with fungus, rinse after several minutes.

PAUL’S FROG FIRST AID KIT
HAVING THESE ITEMS ON HAND SHOULD GET YOU OUT OF MOST EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

SALT
HONEY
NEOSPORIN
PEDIALYTE
PANACUR-C (FENBENDAZOLE)
FLAGYL (METRONIDAZOLE)
BAYTRIL (ENROFLOXACIN)
MERCUROCHROME (MERBROMIN)
SULFA (SULFANILAMIDE POWDER)
ERGAMISOL (LEVAMISOLE)
TRICAINE METHANESULFONATE (MS-222) (FINQUEL)
SODIUM BICARBONATE (BAKING SODA)

Franky · May 29th, 2010

When I google panacur-C, I get a list of canine medication. Is that ok to use? Or is there a special frog one?

NW Amphibian Rescue · May 29th, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by abacabb

When I google panacur-C, I get a list of canine medication. Is that ok to use? Or is there a special frog one?

That's the stuff.

Franky · May 30th, 2010

What would be the proper dose for an adult red eye tree frog?

NW Amphibian Rescue · May 30th, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by abacabb

What would be the proper dose for an adult red eye tree frog?

Does eat, loses weight, listless.
Parasites in intestines, “Worms”
Treat with FENBENDAZOLE (PANACUR) 25mg/kg of bodyweight. Dissolve and drop on frogs’ back once a day for at least 10 days. Or dust the food items for 3 consecutive days.

Franky · May 30th, 2010

One more thing, what exactly is "tepid water"?

NW Amphibian Rescue · May 31st, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by abacabb

One more thing, what exactly is "tepid water"?

Tepid water is between warm and cold, lukewarm.

doganie · June 1st, 2010

I got these tadpoles a couple weeks ago, but am not sure what they are. One of them got really bloated and can only float upside down. The pictures of the single tadpole are of the bloated one, the last picture is of two of the other regular ones. I have six, the rest of them aren't bloated at all. I don't have a proper fish tank for them, but I change their water every other day with sink water that I set out two days in advance so the chlorine evaporates. I also put a rock in the water for them to cling on to or climb up on when their legs get bigger. I separated the sick one and didn't give it any food. Is there anything I can do to help it?

NW Amphibian Rescue · June 1st, 2010

There is little you can do for tadpoles beyond giving them fresh water and food. I see you are feeding them fish flakes, that's good. They don't look like Chorus Frogs, do you know what they are?

doganie · June 1st, 2010

I don't know what they're called, but I roughly know what they look like full grown. I got them from a pond near Seattle, Washington, and saw a couple full grown frogs there, most likely the same type. I don't really know how to adequately describe it, do you know of any websites that I could go to to help identify it? It was a pretty average frog in my opinion, not very colorful, dark shades with some freckles. Maybe about an inch or two long. When I found them, the pond was practically covered with all the tadpoles, and there was a lot of green algae. Thats all I can remember right now. The sick tadpole isn't doing so great though, it's barely moving anymore.

NW Amphibian Rescue · June 1st, 2010

If it was in seattle try looking up Rana.aurora, or Pseudacris.regilla.Both are very common here on the west side.

doganie · June 1st, 2010

From what I remember, the Pseudacris regilla fits the description better, but I don't remember it having the trademark stripe on it. I might have just overlooked it though.
Update on the sick tadpole, I think it died, It's not moving anymore and I can't see any inner-body movement, but luckily there is no sign of bloating in any of the other tadpoles.

NW Amphibian Rescue · June 1st, 2010

I'm sorry it died. When the others morph into froglets you will be able to tell if they are P.regilla immediately. We have a care article Pacific Chorus Frog that may help you take care of them. Make sure they have a way to climb out of the water when they morph and have some flightless fruit flies ready to feed them, they are voracious when they are young.

doganie · June 1st, 2010

Thanks for all your help, I hope the others survive

NW Amphibian Rescue · June 2nd, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by doganie

Thanks for all your help, I hope the others survive

You're welcome. Post some pics in your albums as they grow. Keep us updated.

doganie · June 2nd, 2010

so sad, two more died. One of them bloated like the first one and the other just died, no bloating or anything, it looked completely normal except that it wasn't moving. I'm hoping that it was the water since I just changed it right now, but I couldn't change it before because I didn't have any water that had been sitting out for long enough. The other three tadpoles look okay, but they were moving a little slow.

Kurt · June 2nd, 2010

I would get a dechlorinator like Stress Coat, it instantaneously makes tap water safe.

Franky · June 8th, 2010

I'm going to dose my frog today with pancur-c. I see that it states on this page 25mg/kg Of weight. Does this actually mean 25 Milligrams per kilogram of weight? Was this a mistake? Did they mean 25mg per Gram of weight?

NW Amphibian Rescue · June 8th, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by abacabb

I'm going to dose my frog today with pancur-c. I see that it states on this page 25mg/kg Of weight. Does this actually mean 25 Milligrams per kilogram of weight? Was this a mistake? Did they mean 25mg per Gram of weight?

It means what it states. You are using a canine remedy on a very small animal and it is hard to dose at that minute level. Just dust the crickets for 3 feedings, it's really easy. In case I didn't say it before;
DUST THE CRICKETS

Ebony · June 8th, 2010

Paul... You forgot the smiley face

Care Article: Basic Frog First Aid

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