Dart Frog Disease

DISCLAIMER & CREDIT

The following information was extracted using Archive.org by recovering lost data that was previously provided on a personal friends website called Dendroworld.com. It was written by Chris van der Lingen, a highly regarded Dutch dart frog expert with over 30 years of dart frog keeping experience. Chris passed away a few years ago but leaves us his legacy in the dart frog hobby.

He developed Dendrocare, a vitamin and mineral product specifically formulated as a poison dart frog nutritional supplement. He has also authored dart frog related books, dvd's, and cd's on various topics.

The information provided below is provided as a guide only and should not be mistaken as an absolute medical reference. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary care but it does offer insights by advanced hobbyists for other hobbyists to offer self care and treatment to their collection. We offer no guarantees for accuracy of the info provided.

POISON DART FROG DISEASES

Before administering any medicine, you need to be sure that the frog is sick. Therefor you should keep a close eye on them, so you can intervene if necessary. If you are not sure about your diagnosis, don't hesitate and ask for help. Placing the animal in quarantine should keep any contagious diseases from spreading among the other animals.

One of the disorders found among the frogs is stress, caused by prolonged captivity
in a small area or a vivarium with to many frogs in it. Messy vivariums and too much exposure to humans can also cause stress.

Symptoms: animals won't eat and/or lay on their backs while twitching (often occurs with young animals). If you buy a new frog, place them in a small dish with some tepid water and a teaspoon of honey. Place the animal in quarantine after 30 minutes. After 30 days you can put the frog in the vivarium with the other frogs.

Symptoms	Disease	Treatment
Doesn't eat, loses weight, is listless, has lumps or other irregularities on the skin.	Bacterial infections	Treat with BAYTRIL. Put 8 drops in 125ml tepid water. Put a lid on the dish and make sure the frog's head stays above the water. Duration: 15 min, each day for 6 days.
Listless, often found in water or hiding, watery droppings.	Parasites in intestines	Parasites are always present in the intestines, but they will cause problems when the animal is weak. Treat with vitamins and FLAGALEX. 1drop on 8 drops of tepid water, one drop on back of frog. Duration: each day for 6 days. Treatment for the vivarium: 1ml per 5 liters of water; use this to spray the vivarium. Be careful!!! Overdoses can be deadly for the frogs. Use the right dosage!!!
Does eat, loses weight, listless.	Parasites in intestines	Treat with PANACUR. 25mg/kg body weight. Dissolve and drop on frog's back for at least 10 days. Be careful!!! Overdoses can be deadly for the frogs. Use the right dosage!!!
Pink area surrounding anus, bulging rectum.	Infections in intestines	Treat with Salazo salt. grind 1/8 tablet, sprinkle on food (flies).
Acts spasmodic, is active but loses weight, dry skin.	Worms	Treat with: LEVAJECT/LEVADERM/LEVAMISOL. 1 drop in 3 drops of tepid water, Drop water on frog's back, then put one drop on it's back. Duration: 7 days.
Listless and doesn't eat.	hypothermal	Same as treatment for stress. Duration: 7 days.
Flesh-colored spots on skins, toes or nose.	Wounds	SULFANILAMIDEPOEDER (orgasepton) Apply to wound several times per day.
Skinny front legs (young frogs).	spindly leg syndrome	No treatment. Euthanasia is the only solution. Caused by lack of vitamins (especially D3), starting with the parents.
Fungus on skin.	Red leg Pseudomanas hydrophilla	Use the water area of a quarantine vivarium and add 0,6% of salt. Make sure that the frogs gets in the water often. Duration 6 weeks refresh water often). Use a solution of 0,2% mercurochroom on areas with fungus, rinse after several minutes.