As a previous exotic pet store clerk and now as a vet assistant in an exotic veterinary clinic, I can assure you that you absolutely can take your pet frog to the veterinarian.
You can take amphibians and pet frogs to an exotic veterinarian for in order to contribute to their overall health and longevity. However, frogs need to visit an exotic vet for pet frogs, not a regular vet.
I will be biased in answering this question because I myself work at an exotic veterinary clinic.
We specialize in exotic pets so we do not see cats or dogs.
And I can speak from experience that pure exotic clinics are few and far between.
Also, I have taken my former pet frog to a veterinarian before I lived where I do now.
It was not strictly an exotic veterinary practice, but the doctor we were scheduled with saw exotics voluntarily.
I will say this now, my frog unfortunately did not make it.
The veterinarian did a wonderful job in treating and diagnosing him, but he was not strong enough.
I know that finding a veterinarian to see your pet frog can be a struggle so I’ll advise you on how to find an exotic clinic and what to look for in a veterinarian.
I also see a lot of creative but inappropriate enclosures people bring their frogs in, so I will provide the best way to transport your frog to the vet as well.
I will also share more about my personal pet frog experiences with vets. Let’s dive in.
When Should I Take My Frog To The Veterinarian?
It can be difficult to know when to take your pet frog to the vet.
Exotic medicine is more expensive than regular cat/dog clinics.
Timing of visits can also vary based on owner preference and health of the frog.
The clinic I work at recommends twice yearly wellness health checks.
Now, this does not actually happen often. We mainly see sick patients.
It would be good to bring your pet frog in for a visit when you first acquire it.
This allows you to ensure it was healthy upon acquisition and it establishes a clinic-patient relationship for any questions you have in the future.
You should, of course, take your frog to see a doctor if you notice any health problems:
These are all conditions you should be tracking and paying attention to.
I used to weigh my juvenile weekly to track his growth and keep a log of what he ate on what dates.
I would also keep track of what dates he would defecate and receive full enclosure cleans.
What Veterinary Clinic Should I Take My Frog to?
My first piece of advice I have to give is to research veterinarians in your area if you have or plan on having exotic animals.
It may be a drive, some of the clients for my clinic drive up to an hour and a half to receive care.
Some cat and dog clinics may be comfortable seeing exotics, but that is all up to the doctors practicing.
For example, the clinic I worked at before moving would see some exotics, as long as the client knew the doctors were not extremely experienced in their medicine and care.
The emergency veterinary clinic I used to work at would see exotics on a case-by-case basis. It would depend on what doctor was working and what was wrong with the animal.
Many exotic veterinarians hold certifications in exotic specialities.
Look for seals for the:
- American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP)
- Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV)
- Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV)
- Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV)
- Other affiliated associations.
Always conduct research on the veterinarians.
Read the history of the clinic on their website and browse through the doctor biographies.
This helps get a sense of who you would be seeing and what type of experience they may have.
Here are some exotic vets I found after a quick Google Search:
| Veterinary Clinic | Location |
| NC State Veterinary Hospital | Raleigh, North Carolina, USA |
| Avian and Exotic Pet Medicine at AMC | NYC, New York, USA |
| Avian and Exotics Animals Clinic of Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| The Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine | Bothell, Washington, USA |
| University of Saskatchewan Avian, Exotic, Wildlife Medicine | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| The links Road Animal and Bird Clinic | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
I like to read reviews, too, it helps put their bedside manner in perspective.
Are their clients satisfied, or do they have complaints that you may want to avoid?
What Should I Bring My Frog to the Veterinarian In?
When you bring a cat to the veterinarian, it travels in a cat carrier.
A dog walks on a leash.
A rabbit also travels in a carrier.
What about a frog?
Working at an exotic veterinary clinic, people get real creative with what they bring their pets in.
We see a lot of cardboard boxes, pillow cases, cat carriers, and plastic containers.
However, a better container to have is what is called a Kritter Keeper:
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This is my top choice for transporting your pet frog.
If you obtain your frog from a convention or store they should send you home with a plastic carrier, which is wonderful as well.
You can line the bottom with a damp paper towel to keep your frog’s skin moist.
My Experience Taking a Frog to The Vet
I had a pacman frog that we had purchased from a reputable breeder online; we conducted our research, looked at reviews, everything seemed square.
After two weeks my juvenile frog stopped eating and lost weight.
He was taken to the veterinarian in our area that was comfortable seeing exotics as soon as they could see us.
He was diagnosed with a bacterial infection that he acquired before coming to live with us.
The doctor prescribed us antibiotics and showed us how to medicate him, unfortunately, he passed away that same night.
I do not blame the breeder as it can happen, there are many animals in the facility, and the stress of shipment may have triggered growth.
When we moved away from the area to where we are now I had to find an exotic veterinarian that could see my snakes.
Luckily, I now work there! 🙂
This article was written by Melissa M. who holds a Bachelors of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, and a Master Herpetologist certificate. The article was edited and published by Daniella, Master Herpetologist in the author profile below.
