# might have chytrid



## carbonetc (Oct 13, 2008)

So I may have chytrid. Of course, I don't know this, but in the past week I've lost two frogs and a third is now not eager to eat. This has been the pattern for every frog: perfectly healthy, then a little reclusive and not eating, then barely responsive, and then dead. This takes four days at most. I'm not sure what else could kill so quickly without any specific, obvious maladies. Any ideas?

I went on a hunt for Lamisil AT spray, and of course it appears to be discontinued. Chloramphenicol is also not really available around here. The only things I can get a hold of in my area are the Lamisil cream (can someone explain why this is bad?) and maybe a Formalin/Malachite Green treatment for fish (nasty stuff). Ordering the Lamisil AT spray won't do me any good; she'll be dead by the time it gets here. Though I do have a fourth frog that was in contact with these other three. Maybe I should order it in preparation for his inevitable demise.

So, what do you guys do when pretty much every good chytrid treatment is unavailable?


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

I am so sorry you are losing frogs. What makes you think it is chytrid? With the warm temps everyone seems to be having...it seems an unlikely choice. How are your temps? How long have you had the frogs? Are they spending a lot of time in water?

Personally I would try an get a fecal off to a vet, much better yet take a frog in to see a vet.


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## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

First of all you need to determine what is causing the deaths etc. before you treat. Talk to a Vet, swab the frogs you have and test via real time PCR and determine if if it is chytrid or not. 
There is a list of amphibian vets under ARAV or you can contact Dr. Frye. 
PCR labs I know of off the top of my head are Univ. of Georgia, Research Associates Laboratory, Research Associates Laboratory, Inc. at vetdna.com and pisces molecular testing and Pisces molecular.


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## carbonetc (Oct 13, 2008)

srrrio said:


> I am so sorry you are losing frogs. What makes you think it is chytrid? With the warm temps everyone seems to be having...it seems an unlikely choice. How are your temps? How long have you had the frogs? Are they spending a lot of time in water?


It could very well not be chytrid. I just couldn't think of anything that could spread among frogs so quickly. Two of the frogs were very recently introduced to the others, so whatever it is it's not something that's been lurking for a while. It was sudden.

The tank temperatures are consistently below 75F. The dying frog and one of the dead frogs, I've had for almost three years. The other one that died (along with the one that's still okay) I've had for a month or so. They all spent most of the time in water toward the end -- the dying one is currently in the pond.

A week or two before all this happened I went swimming in a lake. When I got home I did a few frog duties, and then suddenly thought, "Crap. What am I doing? I really should have showered and disinfected my hands before I did that." That's my best guess so far as to how I got chytrid, if that's what it is.


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## srrrio (May 12, 2007)

Detective stuff in seriously ill frogs, is not so easy. I would be inclined to think it was more likely something the new frogs introduced carried something that is causing the problem. 

Sending the swabs in is a good idea but in reality from your description there may not be enough time to diagnose and save the remaining guys, especially with the 4th a holiday. Consulting with an ARAV vet is probably the best course..tomorrow if you can. 

Worst case, if the 3rd frog does not make it, getting a necropsy done maybe worth, it if you have other frogs in your home. 

That's all I got, but by bumping this maybe someone more knowledgeable will help.
Best of luck


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## DaysAndDarts (Jan 24, 2012)

Sorry to hear about this, Were you able to get it figured out?


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