A pixie frog named Juan has been given a new lease on life after an unusual procedure at a British Columbia veterinary clinic. The amphibian underwent surgery last weekend to remove a large coin lodged in its abdomen.
Juan was rushed from Squamish to the Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge, one of the few facilities in the province equipped to treat exotic animals. The issue? Juan had swallowed a 50-pence coin.
Dr. Adrian Walton, the hospital’s owner and lead veterinarian, explained the odd behavior with humor and science.
“Juan is a prime example of too few brain cells in too big a body,” Walton told CTV News. “I’m not trying to insult frogs, but they’re really, really stupid. Anything that moves in front of them, they’ll try to eat.”
The coin, which occupied around 20% of Juan’s abdomen, posed a serious health risk. The clinic’s standard otoscope was too short to retrieve the object, prompting Walton to call in a specialist: Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky, an endoscopist known for removing swallowed items from pets across the province. Gorodetsky also stars in the new reality series My Pet Ate What!?, premiering on CTV Wild this weekend.
Complex Anesthesia Procedure
Anesthetizing Juan proved to be a unique challenge. With thousands of frog species and limited guidelines for sedation, the veterinary team had to make educated guesses.
They began with an injectable anesthetic, which only partially sedated the frog. Next, they applied a fish anesthetic to Juan’s skin, and finally injected the same drug directly into his abdomen.
“After a few minutes, Juan was sufficiently asleep for us to insert a camera down his throat and grab the coin,” Walton said.
The entire process took 45 minutes to achieve sedation but only three minutes to extract the coin.
Not Juan’s First Mistake
Juan is not the first frog Walton has treated for swallowing unusual objects. Previous patients have ingested socks and toys.
“I can’t stress this enough: frogs are not smart. Big body, tiny brain,” Walton remarked.
Juan’s owner reports that the frog is recovering well, despite his questionable dietary decisions.
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