Badly badly injured Bullfrog

[GrifTheGreat]

Thanks!
He's doing okay, but it's extremely extremely hard to feed him and give him medicine. He wont eat if i put crickets in his cage still, so i'm stuck with prying his mouth open, and he HATES it. He always is pushing my hand away or pushing my fingers out with his tongue and hands. Eventually, i can put the crickets in his mouth. This process alone takes like a half an hour, the little stinker just hates it. And I don't blame him. The medicine is the same way, he's like "NOPE". He gets so stressed out that his foot leaks red and turns bright red. When he's calmer, its more brown...yikes.
Is there ANY easier way to this? I just want him to be more comfortable...

He will have to be force Fed until he Regains his strength. You could use a plastic spoon flipped upside down to open his mouth and place the food or antibiotic in. I would try and get some night crawlers and force feed him chunks of those. They're easier for him ti eat and digest. This will be stressful no matter what. Just be patient and do your best.

[yug0]

Yessss, nightcrawlers! They are MUCH easier to handle. Around his injury, a strange color has formed...is it regenerating, or decaying? I cannot really tell.
Here's a picture:

[Pluke]

Yeesh, that doesn't look very good. Looks like decay but I could be wrong.. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[IrishRonin]

Thanks for helping out this beautiful creature first off. I know force feeding is hard but your keeping him alive. On the newly developed color, does it smell (the wound)? Decay and infections usually smell either funky or sweet.

[Heatheranne]

Ouch! Poor little fella. Thank you for helping him. It's sure a dandy. You are doing a great job!

Sorry I didn't see this post sooner. I sometimes miss a few on my work days.

Grif has given you wonderful advice! The dead tissues will darken and fall off. The neosporin will help prevent infection and keep the healthy skin soft so it can grow together. The wound is large in comparison to his size, so it will take a while to grow across. The pedialyte soaks are perfect because he will lose a lot of electrolytes through the seeping of the wound. The two number one treatments of burns are preventing infection and electrolyte replacement.

The wound inflammation is what you are seeing along the edges. It is very likely infected but can continue to heal from the inside out if you can keep him from going septic. Infected wounds are best healed from the inside out to provide constant cleaning as they close. You are doing a great job because he hasn't gone septic, though the odds were high given the depth and size of the wound. If you had not found him when you did he would have died in about 2 days. Though his wounds are severe, you have thus far saved him .

My only other recommendation is to spray and wipe down the sides and floor of the tank daily with dechlorinated water and dry with paper towels prior to putting his paper towel floor down. Mist him twice a day with the dechlor water so he stays moist, and like Grif said, keep him in a warm room at at least 75 degrees. Their bodies cannot warm up like us and the cold will slow down their metabolism and healing.

I'll try and think of anything more to add but at this time that is all that is coming to me.

Great job!!!!

[GrifTheGreat]

Definitely follow what Heather has stated above as well. You must keep bacterial growths as low as possible to orient further infection. You're doing well keep it up.

[yug0]

Aaaaah thank you guys so much!! You guys are such a big help oh my gosh! It turns out that that white-ish stuff around his leg is new skin, and his wound looks like it is slowly healing up!! His leg is far less swollen too. I'll try and get some of the unflavored pedialyte stuff tomorrow...I hope the pet store has it! I just started feeding him worms today, it seems he likes those better than crickets because he swallows them almost immediately. Still wont eat them off of tweezers, however.
Here's a picture I took of him, he's lookin' good! (you might have to click on it to see it better, however)

[Heatheranne]

Awe , he looks good . The pedialyte is found in the baby section of a grocery store or Walmart/Kmart.

[evangelist6589]

Aaaaah thank you guys so much!! You guys are such a big help oh my gosh! It turns out that that white-ish stuff around his leg is new skin, and his wound looks like it is slowly healing up!! His leg is far less swollen too. I'll try and get some of the unflavored pedialyte stuff tomorrow...I hope the pet store has it! I just started feeding him worms today, it seems he likes those better than crickets because he swallows them almost immediately. Still wont eat them off of tweezers, however.
Here's a picture I took of him, he's lookin' good! (you might have to click on it to see it better, however)

Thank you for taking care of him. Do you have any YouTube videos?

[Faith]

Aaaaah thank you guys so much!! You guys are such a big help oh my gosh! It turns out that that white-ish stuff around his leg is new skin, and his wound looks like it is slowly healing up!! His leg is far less swollen too. I'll try and get some of the unflavored pedialyte stuff tomorrow...I hope the pet store has it! I just started feeding him worms today, it seems he likes those better than crickets because he swallows them almost immediately. Still wont eat them off of tweezers, however.
Here's a picture I took of him, he's lookin' good! (you might have to click on it to see it better, however)

He looks great! Look at those pretty eyes <3 You are doing such an awesome thing for him, keeping y'all in my thoughts that he continues to progress well!

[yug0]

Thank you for taking care of him. Do you have any YouTube videos?

I don't, but when i feed him tomorrow, I will make one!!

[IrishRonin]

Thanks for keeping us updated, he looks like he's doing great! Thanks agian for going out of your way to help a hurt animal, I wish more peole were like you in the world then maybe we wouldn't be losing so many species all the time.

[yug0]

Feeding an Injured Frog - YouTube

Alright, here's a video!

[Namio]

Yeah, way to go, Yugo! I am no vet, but intuitively I would first clean his wound thoroughly, then sew the wound (with thread and needle) or glue (this may be too toxic for the frog, however) the skin back on the wound to seal it off. Then resume with antibiotics, pedialyte solution soak, and force feeding.

[GrifTheGreat]

There are some areas of the leg that really look bad. Anything that is turning black is very bad and is dead tissue. If the leg begins to become gangrene it would be in a state that would most likely need to be amputated. Of course only a vet can do this so fingers crossed that it doesn't become to far gone.

It does look better overall. Keep up what you're do g and try and get some more antibiotics if possible. His eyes are very clear and alert. and his skin color is good so he is slowly recovering.

[Faith]

His leg looks sooo much better in that video, you are doing an amazing job. I cringed the whole time you fed him (I don't know if I could do it so points to you for doing what's right.) Hope he continues to heal as he's been doing and starts eating on his own soon!

[evangelist6589]

There are some areas of the leg that really look bad. Anything that is turning black is very bad and is dead tissue. If the leg begins to become gangrene it would be in a state that would most likely need to be amputated. Of course only a vet can do this so fingers crossed that it doesn't become to far gone.

It does look better overall. Keep up what you're do g and try and get some more antibiotics if possible. His eyes are very clear and alert. and his skin color is good so he is slowly recovering.

Which is great news. I hope the frog recovers. Thanks for what you are doing.

[Heatheranne]

How is your bullfrog doing? Do you have any new photos?

[Heatheranne]

Sorry I was away for a bit...I try and keep up but my work days are very long.

In the video the frogs overall appearance looks better. He looks perkier, likely from the electrolyte soaks. Have you used any amphibian calcium with vitamin D 3 powder on his food. He will need this. Also get an amphibian multivitamin powder such as herptivite. Lightly sprinkle the frogs food every other day with the calcium. One day a week sprinkle or gently dust with the vitamin powder.

I am very concerned for the leg. The blackened colors are a sign of tissue death. It should fall off. Do you feel any pulsations along the leg or foot that feel like a pulse would in your foot or wrist? Feel along your arm on the underside on the side of your thumb, just below your wrist, between the edge of your arm and your tendon where there is a slight dent, at your radial pulse. Your frog should have a pulse in his leg. It won't be as strong as yours, but should be there. I am concerned about his circulation.

I think you should either take him to a local vet or email Dr.Frye with a photo and tell him what has happened. See what he thinks. Dr. Frye is a wonderful vet in Michigan who has helped many with their frogs. If you need his email, let me know.

You are doing a great job and have kept him alive .

At this time you may have to consider that your frog might lose the lower part of his leg and foot. Please don't be upset. I am one to be completely honest. I will still guide you and help you in every way I can. I am also a nurse. There may still be a possibility of saving the leg but I would contact a vet.

If your frog does lose his lower leg, he will be dependent on you to care for him, and at this point will be anyway. You will not be able to set him free. He will not be able to leap well, therefore you will have to provide him with food, a clean, safe, and proper home. He will not be able to flee fast enough from predators in the wild. He is a wonderful frog . If he pulls through he will be awesome still . If there comes a time you can't or no longer want him, I'm sure someone here would help you find him a home. Just a thought. I just want you to understand that he may end up losing that part of his leg and that to continue to save his life, it may be necessary. But he can still be loved .

Continue the soaks and continue feeding him and rinsing and wiping down his tank daily. Be sure to change his water daily. Be sure to wash your hands before and after all of his care. The goal is to keep the germs away. Apply the neosporin every day and apply enough to keep the thigh shiny to allow any possible tissues to heal in. Apply the neo to the foot too.

Please keep us posted. We are all hoping for the best!

[evangelist6589]

Feeding an Injured Frog - YouTube

Alright, here's a video!

How is the Frog doing?