Gray Treefrog Prolapse

[tgampper]

Hi Brian:

The sugar treatment should only be done once, after that you or a vet will need to take care of it. I had an opportunity to assist a vet in correcting a prolapse in a turtle. It wasn't that difficult. I would soak the frog in clear, lukewarm water for a few minutes and take a swab dipped in Vaseline and gently reinsert it. If not repaired soon, the condition may prove fatal. Good luck - I know you can do it

[UncleChester]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for your encouragement in the reinserting procedure, I had just returned from the store with some K-Y Jelly for that purpose when I read your message (I had seen K-Y Jelly suggested elsewhere). My cat vet wasn't much help so I went for it. The result-almost all of it is back inside. There is a small ~1 mm deflated looking piece that I couldn't get to stay in. I'll try again in a little bit after my nerves have calmed down some and give the frog a little rest. I sincerely hope I didn't cause more damage than I fixed though, I tried to err on the side of too gentle.

I didn't actually have to hold her down, when I pushed from the right angle she bore down and actually pushed back. I had a moment of fancy where I felt she knew I was helping her out, but I'm sure it must have just felt good. Yes, I bought K-Y jelly to stimulate a frogs rear end.

[UncleChester]

Round 2, it's all the way back in

She pooped during the final bit. To my horror and eternal shame I found what looks to be a piece of perlite in it (Small, hard white volcanic rock stuff you find in potting soil to help prevent compaction of the soil and to increase drainage). I had put a couple of new potted plants in the past few months. I always wash them clean of the potting soil and repot in a safe mix (cocofiber and leaf litter/mould+some playsand if it needs more drainage). I mustn't have been as thorough as I had thought. I have no idea what she was trying to eat though, as I've said she is hand fed worms and crickets are put in a clean small (~1gal) aquarium at the bottom of the tank. Maybe she managed to get a piece on her and sqallowed it while shedding. Doesn't really matter I guess. Everything is getting cleaned again, even though I can't actually see any perlite.

I feel pretty **** now that the cause was almost surely a preventable impaction.

She looks much better now, less of a skeleton but definitely not 100%.
Her quarantine tank is pretty empty, assuming there's no relapse tomorrow, I'll add in a couple of branches.
No food for the next 48 hours? She was eating well and was nice and plump just a couple of days ago, so I could probably go longer.
Start off with small chunks of earthworm and waxworms?

[Rae]

Im so glad it sounds like shes gonna be ok.

[DonLisk]

I would feed only easy passable items like the earthworms.

Good job Brian.... sometimes its harder on the care giver than on the patient.
Hope it goes well and stays. I bet a good soak would help too.

[John]

I'm proud of all of you! Well done Brian and Terry. Fingers crossed for your girl.