Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys,

My bullfrog has been sick for a month now and I've only recently returned home (for the holidays) to be able to take it to the vet. By sick, I mean she's keeling over on one side as if she cannot support herself upright. Her body seems bloated (gaseous). When I got home, she was living in horrible conditions....bad water and cramped cage. Anyway, I changed this as soon as I got home and set her up in a temporary tank with just a shallow layer of clean water (I used distilled). Despite this, she is still feeding well....swallowing anything I give her after repeated tries (hahah bullfrogs are such survivors). She often jumps and falls on her back squirming until she rights her self up. =(

I took her to the vet for a diagnosis. The vet weighed her and felt her for any impaction (she had been living on gravel) but could not feel anything. He checked for general symptoms of fungal infections, bacteria infections, but other than the body contortion, she seems to be in seemingly...good health? Her limbs are muscular and her skin is without blemishes. Anyway, the vet said the problem might be due to a middle ear infection that's causing her to be off-balance. He gave me a week's worth of Baytril shots to be administered every other day. He also tried to deflate her a bit by sticking a tube up her cloaca and squeezing the air out but decided not to after several vain attempts.

Just yesterday I went to clean the tank and noticed a gravel in the water. This has led to me believing that THERE is a gravel impaction. The vet says sometimes the only way to see what's wrong is when the frog is dead and an autopsy is done. What do you guys suggest I can also do? I'm thinking of continuing the shots and maybe ask the vet to get an X-ray done. Should I stop feeding and raise the temps to see if she can pass the gravel through? Thanks.

Johnny

Oh ya,

I'll try posting a picture up later to show you what she looks like.

Johnny

I'm sorry, I can't help with your problem, but wanted to let you know not to use distilled water with animals who soak, like frogs. Distilled water is lacking sodium & minerals that regular water has. This is no small thing. The water will leach necessary nutrients from the cells, causing an imbalance on a cellular level, thus killing your frog. Please use only dechlorinated (stale) water or bottled water, not distilled.
Best of luck with your frog!
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1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo (Indy)
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Oh, hmm...i didn't think of that. I had just assumed it was the purest water available and shouldn't be harmful...but thanks for the advice.

I guess it's good using dechlorinated tap cuz I had to BUY distilled H20.

Johnny

Definately get a xray done.I would also bring a couple pieces of the gravel so they can put then on the xray cassette and compare their radiopacity. This will allow the vet to se how the gravel will appear if your frog is in fact impacted. The vet should also see a back up of fecal material and gas if he is impacted. Even if he is not impacted an xray can show if the bloating is due to gas or ascites (fluid).
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Stacey