Need Help for Sick Red Eyed Tree Frog!

[Terri]

One of her eyes is bulging and mucus-y looking. It has steadily gotten worse as today progressed. I've just rescued her and am willing to try and save her, but am admittedly below novice about frog husbandry. She's been out of the pet shop for about a week and was doing fine with her previous owner until this morning. I know her habitat has been all wrong. I need help quick! I've got habitat all set up for bearded dragons, and have "liberated" one of their red night lamps in an effort to warm her environment for tonight. I have to work 12 hours tomorrow, but am thinking I might cover her nano cube on all sides except the screened top and place her inside the dragon habitat so she at least gets uv/uva/uvb lighting tomorrow (she's had none for a week). Good idea? Any and all help will be graciously accepted.

[Purrdoc]

RETF don't need the strong UV light like a bearded does and that one will probably burn her. They need much lower lighting, so I would tend towards lower light with a sick guy, but be sure to keep the heat up in the low 80's. Be sure to keep her moist, humidity is going to be important. Give her a plant or something to hide in. Use paper towels or something like that as substrate for now- I don't know what you had before (I am assuming this is a clean tank). Depending on what is wrong with her eye, she may need (most likely) antibiotics or other treatments. You can keep the eye moist by using saline (like for contacts) or artificial tears (available over the counter) until you can get her in to see a veterinarian. Bulging eye may indicate trauma (most common), parasites, abscess, or something else pressing behind the eye. If you don't already have one, there are a ton of reptile/amphibian vets in Florida. Go to the ARAV website and check under Florida and find who is closest (I didn't see anyone in Tampa Bay and I don't know Florida well enough to say who to go to). If none of them are close to you, ask a regular vet in your area where to go. Try to go sooner rather than later if it is progressing that fast. But, in the meantime, keep it moist as much as you can without stressing her too much. Usually, you can just sneak up on them and put some drops on the eye.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[Terri]

Thank you so much. I actually work for a regular vet, so she's going to work with me today since she unlikely requires the stronger lighting. I have cleaned her cage of the mossy substance in the bottom and switched to a paper towel. I mixed some polysporin with spring water to drip into her eye last night. It looks like the swelling may have reached it's peak or the polysporin is working. Thanks for the help. I will keep you posted.

[Purrdoc]

You are lucky to be able to have access to a vet like that. I usually take my frogs in just a critter keeper with a moist paper towel, then put them in an incubator at work. That way, I can keep them warm and control the humidity (keep towel wet/moist, water bowl, etc).

How is your frog?

[Terri]

The vet I work for gave me a better anti-bacterial to put on her eye. We could actually get it to stay on her eye. She perked up a bit earlier today and I started to hope. Unfortunately she died about an hour ago. Thank you so very much for your help.

[flybyferns]

Terri,
I'm sorry I did not see this post about your frog dying, until now.
I'm so sorry.
Lynn

[butcher]

Awe sorry for you and your frog.

[Purrdoc]

I'm sorry, Terri. It sounds like you did everything you could.