White's update

[Tara Garratt]

Hi all,
In late May I posted requesting help with my baby White's. I thought that it is long past time to give an update. As some of you may remember these babies were purchased at a pet store (a very good one) and then shipped to me by a friend as its difficult to get animals when you want them and at a god price in Saskatchewan.

Shortly after they arrived they were showing signs of an eye infection. They had very swollen eyes and the eyes clouded over. I posted requesting help. Many people suggested a vet trip, which I had already tried but there are no vets (not even at the vet college) who work with frogs that I could find. I followed the directions of a very wise person (Mark Pepper) and two of the three frogs started to improve.

Unfortunately "Jump" died after just a few days of treatment. I did not hold out much hope for the other two either. They were turning in circles to the point that they could not stand, never mind climb. They could not eat on their own and I had to resort to "force feeding." I have force fed mammals, but I have never attempted to force something smaller than a loonie to open its mouth and take food in.

Well, here we are six months later. "Skip" and "Hop" are growing quickly. "Skip" is croaking regularly. The very first time he tried to croak he was still so wobbly that he fell right over. Both frogs are blind in one eye, but they are doing very well. Even being blind they can now grab crickets as they race by. "Skip" continues to have a swelling above his eye that looks like a piece of something stuck there, but is not. This protrusion is part of the eye. Both frogs climb now and the circle-turning has reduced considerably. In time, perhaps the circling will stop all together.

Since I have spent so much time with these two, they are exceedingly tame. If I sit near the tank they bang on the glass and will persist until I take them out for a visit. I do not believe that frogs are intelligent creatures, but they are smart enough to recognize individuals (they do not bang for attention from anyone else and as the tank is in the livingroom by the couch I am certainly not the only one who sits in that spot). I am very pleased with their progress.

Thank you so much to those of you who tried to give advice, especially to those who suggested more than a vet trip. Of course I would like to publically thank Mark. Withouh his efforts "Hop" and "Skip" would be where ever good frogs go with their cage mate "Jump." I don't know when I can consider these guys "out of the woods" so to speak, but I am grateful for each day I have them.

Take care all,
Tara Garratt

[vanderkm]

Great news Tara - glad to hear that these little guys have made good progress. Always frustrating to deal with such problems in such little critters. Nice to have them recognize you (and your efforts) too.

thanks for the update,

mary v.

[Dani33]

Congrats, it's awesome to hear about these stories. I'm glad that they are doing well!

[camilogutierrez]

i am glad they are ok... but when i hear or read this stories a good question comes to my mind.....

where are the vets??? are dogs and cats the only animals... the rest of the creatures such as frogs and other anphibians and reptiles are aliens or what....???

can someone explain that to me please???

[eyespy]

Playing devil's advocate here, how many people actually take their herps to the vet? Students have to learn by practice and most have little or no exposure to herps while in vet school because people don't bring them in.

How can we owners expect them to know anything if they never see the animals? Every year when the residents come to the vet school where I worked, they are totally freaked out by the fact that they will have to do a reptile rotation because most vet schools never see enough herps to make them teaching cases so many of these people have no experience. Even after 3 to 5 years of intensive training.

That's as much a reflection on us owners as it is on the schools. If people brought their pets in, vets would have the experience we demand of them.

[Tara Garratt]

Eyespy, to some extrent I agree. Unfortunately there was not a vet that I could find who was even willing to look at the frogs. I would have given the vet the experience, if I had found one who was willing to even try.

Tara Garratt

[eyespy]

My comments were certainly not meant as a criticism to you, Tara, just a general comment to the readers here. I know most of the residents I've met would be afraid to treat an obviously very sick frog when they've never been lucky enough to work with healthy ones.

I'm so glad to hear that your frogs Skip and Hop are doing pretty well.

[Tara Garratt]

Eyespy, sorry to sound defensive. I re-read my post, and I did sound uptight. I know you were not trying to criticise. My response was made in frustration because I could not find a vet to even try. The vet I usually deal with knows so little about frogs or reptiles, and he does not want to learn. I am hoping that someone will decide to fill this obvious void. Again, I am sorry for sounding so uptight.

Tara Garratt

[eyespy]

I didn't think you were defensive at all, Tara and there's no need to apologize. I just wanted to be clear that I wasn't trying to criticize you.

It truly sucks that vets aren't available with a decent experience level when needed. I know 8 vets who work with frogs but even they may not have been able to help your trio. There are no normal establised blood values for White's tree frogs so it's hard to tell when a white blood cell count is too high and a virus could be the cause. Or when there is too much vitamin A causing eye damage. At best they could have looked in with an ophthalmoscope to see if a rare form of parasite had made its way to the eye socket.

So even if you did find a vet willing to treat these poor animals they may not have been able to help. The whole situation is rotten and you rose above it to save the lives of 2 of your frogs. That's completely awesome.