Pet frogs can be a lot of work. This includes taking care of the delicate balance to maintain their health that can be difficult to figure out, especially if you’ve never had a frog as a pet before.
Though it can be nerve wracking, you owe it to your frog to learn what they need for optimal health and happiness.
Your frog may develop an issue with bloating which can make it look as though it’s inflated in its abdomen.
If this does happen, it’s important that you have adequate knowledge of what to do so that you can help them to get back to better health. It may be a matter of delivering a treatment to them and then sitting back to see how it works.
However, you don’t want to do this is you have never treated a frog before and have not spoken to a veterinary specialist in exotic animals.
Bloating may not always seem like a huge cause for concern and you may feel confident enough by reading up on the causes and treatments for frog bloating.
There are some treatments that may work, but there’s no guarantee that they will be as successful and some can cause worse issues.
You’ll just need to read the instructions carefully so that you know what to give your pet and how it should work.
Why Do Frogs Get Bloated?
Frogs can get bloated for several reasons. Among the top conditions that leads to bloating is a condition that’s known as dropsy.
Dropsy may be caused by specific bacteria, though it also can be associated with a metabolic disorder that develops when the frog’s climate is not being maintained and/or they have an improper diet.
Since the causes aren’t always clear, it’s best to look closely at the symptoms your frog is exhibiting.
Dropsy results in the appearance of bloating including soft dermal abnormalities around the frog’s abdominal area. Though the dropsy condition isn’t completely understood by experts, it’s been determined that the edema is caused by its lymphatic system.
A fluid substance known as lymph circulates the system, goes into the lymph nodes, doesn’t drain properly, and then it build up outside the tissues it normally stays in until it fills the frog’s abdominal cavity.
It’s in your best interest to bring your frog to an exotics veterinarian. You shouldn’t just assume that what they have going on is from dropsy.
Your frog may be swollen for a number of other reasons that include eating what they shouldn’t have such as rocks or gravel.
Even if it were just dropsy, there are certain things only the staff at a veterinary office will be able to handle since they have the expertise with such animals.
How To Treat A Bloated Frog
It’s not really the best idea to treat your frog while at home. Since the causes aren’t always for certain, it’s important to go to the vet. They can treat the symptoms, even if there is no actual cure. This is definitely a condition that requires that a professional be involved.
One of the first procedures the doctor will do is to drain your frog’s abdomen of excessive fluid. It will alleviate pressure that’s been on their organs and have them feeling better almost right away.
The vet can perform an x-ray on the animal so that they know that the frog hasn’t ingested a foreign object and won’t potentially need to have surgery done on it.
You might hear that a good way to treat dropsy is to add salt to the frog’s freshwater enclosure.
However, this is actually a dangerous move since the salt can kill your pet if it’s not a saltwater amphibian. You also want to avoid trying to drain out their fluids yourself because this can lead you to puncture the frog in a way that can’t be fixed.
How Long Can A Bloated Frog Live?
There is no way to cure bloating in frogs when it comes from dropsy, especially. You’ll need to monitor it after the first occurrence and bring your frog to the vet to get treatment as soon as possible.
Though this is the case, as long as you remain vigilant, there’s no reason not to expect that your pet will live a happy, quality life that’s close to their average lifespan.
Something that you can do for your frog is to keep the water as clean as possible. You should use a three-stage filtration unit and change out the water often so that there’s no harmful buildup of bacteria.
Another important thing you should be doing is feed your frog a varied diet of larvae, small insects, and high-quality commercial pellets.
Your frog will appreciate the clean water and varied diet. A happy frog is much more likely to live to the extent of its lifespan.
You’ll also derive many benefits from having your pet frog in your life and this is something that you’ll only be able to experience if you make sure that you get adequate maintenance and emergency care for your frog when it’s needed.
Will A Bloated Frog Treat Itself?
You may wonder if your frog will treat itself or be capable of treating itself when it becomes bloated.
The simple answer to this is that it really can’t do so. Unlike humans or even dogs or cats, frogs don’t have the ability to conduct any self-care or even let you know when they’ve become ill.
Your frog will need assistance from you. When you notice that there’s a serious bloating issue, immediately pick up the phone or send a message to an exotics veterinarian in your area.
They’ll at least be able to discuss what’s going on with your frog and determine if a trip to their office is likely necessary.
Even though your frog won’t treat itself, they do have a system of homeostasis that usually makes them healthy and happy. Closely watch your frog and develop a bond that will make it possible to notice once any bloating issues start.
Is Bloating In Frogs Contagious?
Bloating in frogs isn’t necessarily a contagious condition. It does depend on what causes the bloating. Since there are several causes and not every single case of each condition is the same, it’s important that you seek professional assistance.
Dropsy can appear all of a sudden. Though it can be fatal if it’s due to bacteria, you won’t see the same prognosis with a frog that develops bloating from diet-related problems.
This is in large part because these issues occur gradually and you are much more likely to pick up on them and seek help from a professional to have your frog evaluated, treated, and on its way back to good health.
A bloated frog who has a bacterially-derived case might spread this to another frog that’s nearby. A frog with diet-related bloating issues is not going to be contagious.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid looking at the other frogs in the tank or who have been near the frog with the infection. It’s crucial that you keep an eye on all of them since you likely have been feeding them similar things to one another.
Bloating In Frogs Is A Serious Yet Treatable Matter!
It can be overwhelming when your pet frog becomes sick from dropsy or something else that results in them becoming bloated.
Don’t hesitate to take action when this occurs. Reach out to a veterinarian who specializes in treating exotic animals such as bloated frogs, which will give you peace of mind knowing that your pet is in good hands.
Once you begin to get treatment for your sick frog, you’ll have greater confidence knowing what to do next time and that an expert will resolve the issues to the best of their abilities.
