Help - Grey tree frog in bad condition

[kueluck]

I'm taking care of the neighbors tree frogs and this is what I found. The skin coloration did not look right, and when I tried to feed it, the frog started jumping franticly and kept wiping itself like trying to remove something. This is the best pic I could get. In a few spots it looks like blood vessels under the skin are inflamed, and the back of the frog is a darker grey, around the eyes look bluish and it looks wet. That's a piece of substrate on it's back left leg. There are 3 in the tank, I took this one out to isolate it but the others don't look quite right either. Help & suggestions please. My neighbor does not return home until Saturday.

[flybyferns]

Hi Gail,
I'm sorry you have to deal w/ this.
This poor little guy needs a vet!
Lynn

[kueluck]

You have no idea how much this sucks, or maybe you do, but I just don't know what to do. My hope is someone knows what this is, and knows how to fix it. Bacterial, fungal maybe?

[kueluck]

My neighbor is taking the frog to the Vet today. I'm curious to find out what the issue is since all 3 in the tank have the same symptoms. The office she is going to does wildlife rehab so there won't be a charge as long as she returns this to the wild, which she intends to do anyway, otherwise it's a $48 charge which I think is very reasonable. She has approx 17 frogs now, but once spring hits she will be keeping 4 of them.

[kueluck]

Update: After several hours at the Vet, and a couple of calls to frog experts it is believed the frog has some kind of ½ cell organism that it is infected with. The Vet believes it's something in the vivarium. The frog(s) is being treated with Metronidazole & Panacur. So hopefully after all this they will be healthy to be released back into the wild come spring. If no improvement in a couple of days she will tear down the vivarium.

[Heatheranne]

I suppose it would be wise to tear down the vivarium and start over anyway, wouldn't it? To prevent possible future reoccurrence? If the parasite(?) is already in their home. Just thinking ....

[Shanny]

Yeah that would probably be the wisest choice.. The vivarium should be disassembled and cleaned throughly, otherwise your treating the frogs with meds and payed for a vet visit for no reason when u run the risk of the frogs getting it again. Now that she knows what the problem is she can fix it or at least try so that they're healthy come spring.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=44.926650,-93.081285

[kueluck]

She was advised by someone on Frogforum to mist down the vivarium with the Metronidazole first, then see how they do. But I think she'll just tear it down and start over. She's a paranoid as I am about keeping them healthy.

[Heatheranne]

Interesting that that is an antibiotic also given to humans. It is used to treat anaerobic bacteria and parasites. Just thought I'd mention.

[kueluck]

Sorry to say the little frog didn't make it. The frog was soaking in its medicated bath and just passes away in a very peaceful manner. She is having an autopsy done to find out what is going on which can take up to 5 days for results. We are both very curious to see what this is.