How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
one of my clawed frogs suddenly inflated over the past 2 days. im trying to figure out what kind of bloat it has, and if it has dropesy, whether i should treat it, or consider euthanasia?
thanks for your help
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Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
A "hard bloat" is very serious. It is where the frog suddenly appears on the surface of the water and the legs and body are distended. The typical treatment is the use of Maracyn, a antibiotic, along with a salt bath. Untreated, it is fatal.
The "soft bloat" is where fluid accumulates under the skin and the frog appears like the "Michelin-man". A salt bath is the recommended treatment. It is serious, but not fatal if treated. Use one teaspoon of "sea salt" or "non-iodized" salt per gallon. These frogs are quite salt tolerant. Salt baths should be no more than 30 minutes per day until cleared.
In either case, the frog should be placed in a "hospital tank" for treatment.
Bloating is caused by a number of reasons:
* bacterial infection (regular use of the probiotic Lymnozyme will help)
* stress (provide some hiding places)
* insufficient calcium (regular feeding of earthworms will prevent this condition)
* osmotic irregularity (maintain proper water temperature and chemistry)
* overfeeding of bloodworms (don't feed them to your frogs)
Dropsy and hydrops are now referred to as edema. Bloating seems to be more and more common these days. If cared for properly, these frogs can live 12+ years. Good luck with your frog
Terry Gampper
Nebraska Herpetological Society
“If we can discover the meaning in the trilling of a frog, perhaps we may understand why it is for us not merely noise but a song of poetry and emotion.”
--- Adrian Forsyth
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
thanks terry,
I tried the salt bath treatment, once last night and once this morning, but there wasnt any noticable improvement. its belly looks like a balloon and its hind legs seem to be swollen a bit as well. he is not floating at the top and it still seems to be getting around fairly well. so i guess that means it not hard bloat. but i am still confused as to what is the difference between dropsey/edema and soft bloat. and how do i tell them apart. is there any difference in appearance between the three conditions?
happy thanksgiving, and thank you for you help
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
Continue the salt bath. It usually takes about a week.
It's difficult to explain the difference without pictures. Probably the best way to tell the difference is how the frog behaves. If it looks like a balloon and gets around fairly well, than it is probably soft bloat. Hard bloat frogs usually hang out around at the surface.
Here is a photo of soft bloat
Happy Thanksgiving!
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
over the past 2 days of continuing the salt bath, the bloating has gotten worse, and now the blood vessels in the webbing on its feet have turned red. is that indicative of a bactierial infection, or does that mean the concentration of salt was to high? the redness appeared rapidly over the course of one salt bath
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
What type of salt are you using, how much salt and in how much water?
72 Gallon Bow - ACF and GF tank.
26 Gallon Bow - ACF tank.
20 Gallon Long - ACF tank.
"If there were an invisible cat in that chair, the chair would look empty. But the chair does look empty; therefore there is an invisible cat in it." C.S. Lewis, Four Loves, 1958
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
My frog died this morning
i was using 1 teaspoon of non iodized salt in about 1 cup of water
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
I am so sorryOriginally Posted by Dan
My frog died this morning
i was using 1 teaspoon of non iodized salt in about 1 cup of water
In the future though....if you do a salt bath it is 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 GALLON of water.
72 Gallon Bow - ACF and GF tank.
26 Gallon Bow - ACF tank.
20 Gallon Long - ACF tank.
"If there were an invisible cat in that chair, the chair would look empty. But the chair does look empty; therefore there is an invisible cat in it." C.S. Lewis, Four Loves, 1958
Re: How can you tell the difference between Hard bloat, soft bloat, and dropesy?
I am so sorryMy frog died this morning
i was using 1 teaspoon of non iodized salt in about 1 cup of water
In the future though....if you do a salt bath it is 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 GALLON of water.
72 Gallon Bow - ACF and GF tank.
26 Gallon Bow - ACF tank.
20 Gallon Long - ACF tank.
"If there were an invisible cat in that chair, the chair would look empty. But the chair does look empty; therefore there is an invisible cat in it." C.S. Lewis, Four Loves, 1958
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