Very sick Whites tree frog.

[Herpvet]

Hi John,

Just a comment here, with regards to the vitamin deficiencies. In recent years there has been a suggestion in the veterinary literature that most if not all amphibians may be vitamin A deficient (linked to studies done on toads with stunted tongues/squamous metaplasia), and routine supplementation is quite often recommended in any ill amphibian.

Hope this helps,

Bruce.

Firstly, I am not a vet. Has your vet ever treated this frog for internal parasites? Not that this is the problem but more a gauge of your vet.

In the long term history of having this frog, have you been dusting his food with vitamin/mineral supplements, ever? I've never heard of a frog that needed such radical treatment for vitamin deficiencies - calcium deficiency yes, but never vitamin deficiencies. Anyone else?

I strongly suspect your vet is treating your frog according to a reptile rule book, which is likely not appropriate, since amphibians are a completely different class of animals. However, I must once again state that I am not a vet.

Kurt, what do you think (maybe ask Greg if he has heard of anything like this?).

[John]

Yes, the Vitamin A business with frog tongues is quite infamous now in dart frog circles and Kurt has had some experience of it first hand. Personally I have never encountered it and the only frogs I have ever supplemented with vitamins are African Bullfrogs, Pacman frogs and darts, and only the darts ever get it religiously. I think we're all just trying to speculate what could cause a prolapse - I'm thinking it's more likely a physical issue rather than a physiological?