Hello everyone. I've just joined out of desperation...

I have a bullfrog that has lived in my little pond at home since he was a tadpole. When he woke up this year, I noted that there's something that appears to be sticking out of his side where his "knee" meets his body when his feet are under him. It's white, filmy-ish, gooey and now there appears to be a pinkish red core to it. It doesn't look like anything on the surface, but I really can't tell - it looks like it's coming out of his body!

Tonight, we noticed something new.. on the other side, towards his underbelly, there's a straight white line (head to rear) that almost looks like cartiledge getting ready to just ... poke through his skin (it looks like it's kind of sharp on the head-side end - almost like a rib).

He is not a pet - he is a wild frog that we happen to have "raised". I'm very hesitant to try to catch him for fear of exacerbating his illness/injuries.. not to mention, I don't even know what I'd do with him if I did! I'm not sure where or to whom I'd take him.

Can anyone here help? Not only am I exceptionally worried about Mr. Frog (my children have watched him grow for the last 3 summers as well) but I'm also concerned that maybe whatever is wrong could be cross contagious to my fish (ie: fungal).

*sighs* He's been like this for at least a week. It doesn't seem to be getting any better, whatever it is.

Thanks.