My frog has blisters?

[mike key]

I'm new to your frog forum so if I posted somewhere I shouldn't I'm sorry. I'm panicking I just seen our frogs has something wrong and cant eat. Looks like big blisters on there mouth. I have four frogs in the same 30 gal tank. My two oldest frogs (four years old) are the ones with this problem. They can open there mouth and eat. Please help me save my frogs. I found all my frogs at work they come in on plants mostly from Oregon.

[demon amphibians]

can you give us some closer up pics?s how many frogs do you have in the tank? first start with removing all frogs without symptoms from your tank. Place them in a clean temporary environment.
welcome to the forum. You have came to the right place for help.

[mike key]

I Have four frogs in the tank. I believe there all the same kind of frogs, my older two have the "things" and cant eat. I have them in different tanks. I'm taking them in to the vet tomorrow I just hope its not to late. I will try and get a better picture for you. Thank you for any help.

[mike key]

Here is a picture of one of the frogs. I hope you can help me

[tinkgirl77]

Please read this thread and post the questions abd answers in this thread though have started. There are so many wonderful resourceful people here. That are so willing to help.
http://www.frogforum.net/showthread.php?t=21212

[Heatheranne]

Hello Mike, and welcome to the forum.

I am sorry your frogs are experiencing this. A trip to the vet is the best option. It is a bit hard to see in the photo.

If you can answer the questions to the link that Lisa provided, we might be able to figure out how it happened. Please post your answers here.

I would recommend keeping the 2 healthy frogs in one tank and the 2 with the blister-like problems in another tank (hospital/quarantine tank).

The hospital tank should be minimized to paper towel as substrate (changed daily), water dish, cover the back and 3 sides of the tank to minimize stress, thermometer and hygrometer. You can use a safe plant if you'd like but keep in mind you'll have to either decontaminate it or toss it later. A smooth artificial plant would be easiest.

If you see this tonight....How long has it been since they've eaten? If its been more than a few days you can make a diluted Pedialyte bath. It is 1 part plain, clear, unflavored Pedialyte to 10 parts spring water, distilled water, or dechlorinated water. This is the only time I ever use distilled water for a soak. Never use only plain distilled water. I usually use previously made and settled dechlorinated water or spring water. Mix together and poor into the soak bowl just deep enough for them to sit in. Set the frogs in the soak for about 15-20 minutes. Then rinse the bowl and refill with regular dechlorinated water or spring water. The mixture gives them a few electrolytes. You may need to consider picking up some Reptaboost if they don't start eating for you soon.

Good luck at the vet tomorrow! Please keep us posted. Crossing fingers for you.

[tinkgirl77]

Thanks Heather!

[Heatheranne]

You're welcome ...any time .

[mike key]

Well the vet tried to get fluid out of it and its a solid mass......the vet said most likely its cancer......I told her the blister looked smaller today. She gave me some power that I can feed it to keep it going until it can eat on its own. She was leaning toward putting eddy down but I brought it home, I guess hoping in the next few days it will get better. Unless the vet sent some of the tissue off we wouldn't know for sure if it was cancer or not. I hope I did the right thing by bringing it home. I know its a frog, but you get attached to them just like any other animal. That was pretty stressful for my frog I just wanted it home where it can feel safe.???..

[mike key]

I'm not giving up yet on eddy and I know I've found the best site for advice and help. Thank you for your time and advice I do appreciate it. Be safe and good health to you and your frogs.

[CJ PELCHER]

Im no expert here. However you say they come in on your PLANTS. Are these plants fertilized and sprayed with pesticide? If so it might be a reaction to the pesticide/fertilizer. This is just a guess.

[mike key]

Maybe ...I don't know....most likely. I have three small plants in there now, I have had them for 6 months or more. I was really careful to rinse them for about 45 minutes before putting them in the cage. I'm sure they use some type of fertilizer in them. You know they are always just kicking it on the leaves and under the plant. I have plants in with my other frogs (three more tanks) do you feel I should take the plants out.

[mike key]

I just had to show you the last picture I took of my frog... I just got it home from the vet and if you look at the picture I took last night and the one I just took you can see this frog is really mad. It made me smile.

[Mentat]

Glad you took frog to vet and sorry about results . OK so you've got 4 field collected frogs in the same tank and the oldest 2 (4 years old) suddenly develop the same malady (big mouth blisters) and stop eating. Well, unless they got exposed to a carcinogen at the same time, and it affected both frogs at same rate, it's kind of strange. Can't see blisters because your posted pics are avatar sized and my eyes are old.

On to plants, if all frogs came in shipped plants; they probably where exposed to everything they should not. That can be very bad as Corey mentioned. The plants you washed for 45 minutes and used for 6 months are probably not a threat now. In future do get plants from vivarium supply or frog sources (i.e. Josh Frogs) and avoid problems that way.

Do separate the healthy frogs from others as advised here. Try and keep them eating because if they don't eat; it's downhill from here. If Vet's powder food is expensive and running low on it, can also use Fluker's Repta-Boost.

Please answer the following questions based on your present enclosure to see if we find anything amiss. Thank you !

“Trouble in the Frog Enclosure” The following information will be very helpful if provided when requesting assistance with either your frog or enclosure. To help with your questions, please utilize the below list and post the information in the proper forum area to get advice from FF members that keep the same frog. This will allow for little confusion and a faster more informed response.

1. Size of enclosure?

2. # of inhabitants - specifically other frogs and size differences?

3. Humidity?

4. Temperature?

5. Water - type - for both misting and soaking dish?

6. Materials used for substrate?

7. Enclosure set up i.e. plants (live or artificial), wood, bark and other materials. - How were things prepared prior to being put into the viv?

8. Main food source?

9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often?)

10. Lighting?

11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure?

12. When is the last time he/she ate?

13. Have you found poop lately?

14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)

15. How old is the frog?

16. How long have you owned him/her?

17. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred?

18. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats?

19. How often the frog is handled?

20. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area?

21. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc)


by Lynn(Flybyferns) and GrifTheGreat.

[flybyferns]

Well the vet tried to get fluid out of it and its a solid mass......the vet said most likely its cancer......I told her the blister looked smaller today. She gave me some power that I can feed it to keep it going until it can eat on its own. She was leaning toward putting eddy down but I brought it home, I guess hoping in the next few days it will get better. Unless the vet sent some of the tissue off we wouldn't know for sure if it was cancer or not. I hope I did the right thing by bringing it home. I know its a frog, but you get attached to them just like any other animal. That was pretty stressful for my frog I just wanted it home where it can feel safe.???..

Hi Mike,

YOU DID ! make the right decision

this is why:

" My two oldest frogs (four years old) are the ones with this problem. "
It would be highly UNLIKELY that 2 frogs would get "cancer" at the same time !

Cancer is not contagious. The chance of them developing cancer simultaneously is, so, unlikely .
Did the vet know about both frogs?

I'm wondering , if you have time, could you let us know:

---Is it possible to get a close up photo of the frog's mouth?

---Are you using any kind of heat source to keep the tank warmed?

burn?

---What was used to clean or sterilize the tank , or any addition(s) into the tank, if anything?

contact /chemical / burn ?

Hang in there, please keep us posted!

You can squish/mush feeders to feed the frogs , if you have to force feed.
You don't have to use a shelf-sustained 'food' supplement.
Consider ,fresh / mixed with the frog's typical powdered supplements

Lynn

[mike key]

here is a picture I hope this one helps. I will get all the information together and reply in a few minutes. Thanks

[mike key]

30 gal, same size frogs really close to the same type, humidity.....I'm not sure there waterfall runs all the time and I have a monsoon rs 400 set for twice a day. The only way I warm the tank is by what my room temp 72 ish. I use distilled water in my monsoon and in the pond part I use well water. For the substrate first eco balls, eco earth coconut fiber and eco moss. I have a few pieces of drift wood the vine you can buy at the pet store and three plants. This tank I have up and running for over a year now. I don't use any cleaners what's so ever, paper towel only. When I clean the pond part I take out the rocks and run water over them. Main food is crickets first, meal worms and once in a while the fly's in a jar that cant fly. (sorry I cant remember the name) Question 9 I'm sorry I have not been using the vit and cal. I have a Exterra hood light with only one bulb so its not really bright. Its been three days that I know of since my frogs ate. Have not seen them poop. I don't handle them at all until now to feed them. I have the tank in with my computer and just two of us live here so not much traffic. I chance the water in the pond area once a month but I clean the filter weekly. I have small fish tank rocks in the bottom on the pond area a few larger rocks for them to sit on. I will send pictures of the tank if that would help. I have racked my brain trying to think of something I have done different, if I fed them something added something and I cant think of one thing I have changed. The only thing is I fed them a moth I caught, just a regular moth and a small night crawler. I'm not sure what frog even got the moth. Thanks for all your help

[mike key]

I just want to say thank you everyone, I have taken a lot of your time asking for your help and advice I didn't know what to do. Everyone has been wonderful, Lynn when you said I did the right thing by bringing them home I felt so much better about my decision thank you.

[Mentat]

30 gal, same size frogs really close to the same type, humidity.....I'm not sure there waterfall runs all the time and I have a monsoon rs 400 set for twice a day. The only way I warm the tank is by what my room temp 72 ish. I use distilled water in my monsoon and in the pond part I use well water. For the substrate first eco balls, eco earth coconut fiber and eco moss. I have a few pieces of drift wood the vine you can buy at the pet store and three plants. This tank I have up and running for over a year now. I don't use any cleaners what's so ever, paper towel only. When I clean the pond part I take out the rocks and run water over them. Main food is crickets first, meal worms and once in a while the fly's in a jar that cant fly. (sorry I cant remember the name) Question 9 I'm sorry I have not been using the vit and cal. I have a Exterra hood light with only one bulb so its not really bright. Its been three days that I know of since my frogs ate. Have not seen them poop. I don't handle them at all until now to feed them. I have the tank in with my computer and just two of us live here so not much traffic. I chance the water in the pond area once a month but I clean the filter weekly. I have small fish tank rocks in the bottom on the pond area a few larger rocks for them to sit on. I will send pictures of the tank if that would help. I have racked my brain trying to think of something I have done different, if I fed them something added something and I cant think of one thing I have changed. The only thing is I fed them a moth I caught, just a regular moth and a small night crawler. I'm not sure what frog even got the moth. Thanks for all your help

Hi Mike! Appears the camera settings are set too small or links are to thumbnails of pics processed or uploaded into some photo share utility. If you can change the photo or upload settings to 640x480 pixels it would help us see them a bit larger without overwhelming posts. Thank you !

Have you had your well water analyzed recently by a private service? Any notable findings (metals, etc.)? Also, can you perform some basic aquarium tests in the pond area water (a local pet shop could do these for you if you take bagged water to them): pH, Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates; then post findings here .

You should conduct (after testing) a 100% water change of pond area and clean the filter media with water you are taking out (do not replace filter media at this time). Get in pet store (while they check your water) a small bottle of Melafix and either Seachem's Prime or Tetra's Aquatize. Treat your well water with either conditioner as if it were tap. Then prepare a gallon (or more if required) of Melafix solution as per the label instructions and use that to refill pond.

Once mixed can store the Melafix solution in a dark place for a couple of days while you use it. Continue replacing the pond water daily with the Melafix solution for a week and update us with any changes. If frogs use pond they will get medication; if not, give them baths or place them in pond where water level reaches frogs chin. After we hopefully get frogs better; recommend 25% weekly water changes with filter media cleaning on ponds water. When replacing media, do not change all at the same time. Do the pads or the bio-media but not both.

If you got good comm's with veterinary; see if he/she could get you some topical antibiotic. If not, plain over the counter neosporin or silver based anti-bacterial ointment (no pain killers) can be carefully applied to blisters area daily.

You need to get supplements and dust the frogs food with them. I use Repashy's products but RepCal is also good. Dust food weekly with CA/D3 2X and vitamins 1X on different days with skip day in between.

The moth was not "it." But those blisters (I can't see ) could very well be of bacterial origin or result of chemical exposure to ammonia/nitrites or accumulation of nitrates in water. Please keep us updated and good luck !

[mike key]

. I will take the water in on Tuesday and let you know. Thanks for your help and advice. I have some silver that you put on burns can I use that. I got some reptocal powdered nutritional supplement today. I have the carnivore care 70g from the vet that I'm feeding it now. How long can it live on just that? I'm not a frog expert by any means so forgive me if I don't totally understand something and I ask the same thing more then once. I will try to take a better picture tonight when I have it out. I'm having camera issues right now so all I have is my phone...old phone to boot. Sorry Thanks again.