Help Save Piglet

Please help us in our efforts to provide life-saving surgery to a special little frog!

Piglet is an albino Eastern Gray Tree Frog who has lived a life brimming with adventure since the day she and her three siblings were discovered as tadpoles living in the cover of a backyard pool in Brodheadsville, PA. When they grew into baby frogs no bigger than a thumbnail, they were shipped overnight to Daphne, Alabama, where they have been living and receiving endless amounts of love and care by my friend Lacey for the last two years. Lacey has since dedicated her life not only to providing the best care she can for these little frogs, but to also preserve their unique bloodline. As of today, Piglet and her siblings are currently the only known albino variants of their species to exist in captivity, if not the world. Lacey has owned reptiles and amphibians for over 20 years, and over the past few months, she has been trying to breed Piglet and her siblings to increase their incredibly rare morph’s numbers and make them more widely available for all frog lovers and enthusiasts. But in April 2024, Piglet began to show signs of what was at first thought to be an injury to her eye...little did anyone know, it would turn out to be something much more serious.

Over the course of a couple weeks, painful swelling, ulcers and cloudiness began to form in Piglet’s eye. In the span of just a few short months, her condition drastically worsened and both eyes became affected. It was determined by Piglet’s vet that her corneas are rapidly deteriorating, swelling with fluid, becoming cloudy to the point of visual impairment, and even leaking aqueous humor (a type of fluid inside the eyes). Her eyes have become so swollen and ulcerated that she has lost most of her vision, as well as the ability to use her third eyelids, resulting in crystalline deposits in the stroma layer of her corneas. And vision isn't the only things frogs rely on their eyes for: they also need them to eat! If you've ever seen a frog eat, you'll notice that they close their eyes or 'blink' when they swallow. This is done because they are actually using their eyeballs to help them swallow by pushing the food down their throat, as they naturally lack the muscles to do so. Because of the painful ulcers, Piglet has also been struggling to blink and safely swallow her food. She was soon diagnosed with bullous keratopathy, a painful disease that is caused by the innermost layer of the cornea not functioning properly, resulting in fluid buildup, ulcers, and other complications. It is rarely reported in amphibians. In Piglet's unique case, what caused her to develop this disease is unknown.

When it comes to ophthalmology in amphibians, research in available treatment options is extremely limited. Veterinarians with the specialized knowledge to help amphibians affected by this disease are few and far between. Since her diagnosis, Piglet has had to be given a daily mix of prescription antibiotics, lubricating drops, and ointment to try to slow down the deterioration of her eyes as much as possible. Supplying these special medications that are crucial to improving her quality of life has proven to be quite expensive, especially since they are administered multiple times a day, and bills are quickly piling up. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of Lacey and her amazingly dedicated exotic vet and his team of techs, Piglet’s condition is continuing to worsen. After being seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist, it was determined that Piglet’s only treatment option left is surgery to stabilize the corneas by putting healthy tissue over the eyes in order to heal the damage that has been done. Without this surgery, Piglet’s eyes will eventually rupture and she will have to be euthanized. As one can guess, such a delicate procedure is incredibly costly, and time is of the essence if we want to save Piglet.

A lot of people out there may read our story and think, “Why go through all this costly effort for a frog?” But to me, and especially to Lacey, Piglet is so much more than just a pet frog. She is so incredibly loved by many in her life and has such a unique, funny little personality that brings a smile to the face of anyone she meets. Eastern Gray Tree Frogs can live 10+ years, so at just 2 years old, Piglet’s life is only just beginning. We want to do everything we can to make sure Piglet gets to continue her story, one without debilitating pain where she can be her best froggy self like before and be reunited with her siblings, all living in the same terrarium once again. Please help us give Piglet the best chance at a long, happy, love-filled life. All donations will go directly to her surgery, medical treatment, and care.

Thank you. ♥️