TREATMENT FOR REDLEG (Chytrid Fungus)

[CJ PELCHER]

mine - none, but i have access to vet. inside info and lots of experience treating all kind of stuff.
I have big frogs lol would love to get red eyed but my family screams at me that i have too many frogs lol may be i should convince my younger daughter to get a red eye instead of whites as a first pet lol she says to get a hamster is too "normal" lol

Dont you just love the word NORMAL..haha

[demon amphibians]

what i have read is that chyrtid fungus is what produces the bacteria that causes red leg it isn't the fungus itself. Many documentary's and sources that i have read use the term red leg as a nick name. And where red leg comes from is the internal hemorrhaging which causes the frogs legs to bruise and turn red. But it not only occurs in the legs it will be all over the under part of the frog. If starvation doesn't kill the frog first the internal bleeding will. Now i have heard of other bacterial infections that do cause the frogs legs to turn red but it is not from internal bleeding. poor water quality from my understanding can cause both infections.

the cure is said to be an antibiotic contained in eye medications but no one seems to be able to get there hands on it. thus far there has been no feed back on the product.

[flybyferns]

Great thread !

Here is some information for clarification ?

Chytrid zoosporangia is a fungus
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (is the causative agent of chytridiomycosis) of which the frog will succumb to.

great life cycle posters !
https://www.google.com/search?q=batr...w=1219&bih=581


<"Chytridiomycosis
In terms of its effect on biodiversity, chytridiomycosis is quite possibly the worst disease in recorded history. First identified in 1998, this potentially lethal skin disease is caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has been detected on at least 287 species of amphibians from 36 countries. " >

<"Chytrid zoosporangia live in the heavily keratinized stratum corneum and stratum granulosum of the frogs’ pelvic patch, digits, and ventral body, and in the keratinized mouthparts of tadpoles. Associated epidermal changes included irregular cell loss, hyperkeratosis, and excessive sloughing of the skin. " >

<"Two leading hypotheses have been put forward to explain how Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis directly kills its host: 1) toxic, proteolytic enzymes are released by the fungus, and 2) loss of electrolytes negatively affects osmoregulation and/or oxygen uptake, two primary functions of amphibian skin." >

above information quoted from Chytrid Fungus

*link below----This information is eye-opening ! Available in PDF format.
A must read if you keep frogs and/or breed frogs :

After I read this ( in 2009) --- I removed ALL soil substrate from my Agalychnis ( callidryas and moreletii) enclosures and have NOT put it back.
For what it's worth:
I use an ( UNPROVEN- my recipe): cleaning solution every Saturday on the walls and floors of my tree frog enclosures.
( including on the cricket bowls and soaking dishes). Except for the plants-- they are housed like a "lab" or quarantine enclosures; like the paper towel theory but 'pretty'. I use- reusable ( fleece fabric) substrate (changed 3 times a week) of which is put through the washing machine in hot water and bleach /rinsed twice and put in a hot dryer to evaporate any left over bleach remnants. The substrate is soaked in de-chlorinated water before put back in to the enclosure. This has been my routine since of 2009. I have lost one frog ( recently ) since 2009 due a to a puncture wound behind the eye - from a plant branch.

*link:
http://www.cbsg.org/cbsg/workshoprep...ase_manual.pdf

[Mentat]

... I removed ALL soil substrate from my Agalychnis ( callidryas and moreletii) enclosures and have NOT put it back.
For what it's worth:
I use an ( UNPROVEN- my recipe): cleaning solution every Saturday on the walls and floors of my tree frog enclosures.
( including on the cricket bowls and soaking dishes). Except for the plants-- they are housed like a "lab" or quarantine enclosures; like the paper towel theory but 'pretty'. I use- reusable ( fleece fabric) substrate (changed 3 times a week) of which is put through the washing machine in hot water and bleach /rinsed twice and put in a hot dryer to evaporate any left over bleach remnants. The substrate is soaked in de-chlorinated water before put back in to the enclosure. This has been my routine since of 2009. ...

Wow Lynn, you remind me of college days and time working on a lab. Will read those linked articles and see what I learn, thank you !

[flybyferns]

Hi Carlos,
It's a very confusing topic. Understand it ? Not my pea brain ---in comparison to the world renowned - passionate- researchers working on the problem.
My common sense just tells me to.......simply....keep things clean and use proper quarantine methods for all new "in-coming !"
We can do that !
Lynn

[Mentat]

what i have read is that chyrtid fungus is what produces the bacteria that causes red leg it isn't the fungus itself. Many documentary's and sources that i have read use the term red leg as a nick name. And where red leg comes from is the internal hemorrhaging which causes the frogs legs to bruise and turn red. But it not only occurs in the legs it will be all over the under part of the frog. If starvation doesn't kill the frog first the internal bleeding will. Now i have heard of other bacterial infections that do cause the frogs legs to turn red but it is not from internal bleeding. poor water quality from my understanding can cause both infections....

Please take a look at links provided by Lynn & myself and will see they are two different diseases with separate causal agents and deaths. Chytrid is a fungus that attacks the frogs keratinized layers on adult skin and tadpoles mouth. A frog that has a compromised immune system due to fungus enzymes or deteriorated skin functions could also suffer from additional maladies to include a Red Leg bacterial attack. However; until research proves otherwise, fungal Chytrid and bacterial Red Leg are not related and work independent of each other .

[flybyferns]

I read two 2 really good research articles - I can't find them ( I'll post when I do)
1- on the use of lotrimin ( human anti-fungal medication) COREY - that is why I sent you the PM re speaking to your vet about the lotrimin treatment .
2- the use of probiotics for frogs to boost their immune system.


forgot about this article- came across it looking for the others- little info on human anti fungal medication ie lotirmin

Chytrid Fungus « Amphibian Ark

great contacts ( above) to keep on-hand and to help follow current research.

[flybyferns]

CISR: Chytrid Fungus

current

Inter Research » DAO » v102 » n3 » p169-180

[Lija]

you're right Lynn

a lot of reptile and amph. species can be chytrid carriers, meaning you get one frog or snake, don't quarantine and treat if needed properly and soon you may have everyone or majority of your collection sick. it may go from snake to a frog and vise verse.

[flybyferns]

Thanks Lija,
Thank you for always taking the time and effort to support FF members!
It's a pain to "have to do it" but quarantine is the bare bones basics !
Lynn

[Lija]

my pleasure Lynn, you know how it works - you guys scratched my back when it was very much needed, now it is my turn