👁️ Corneal Lipidosis in Amphibians: A Vet’s 2025 Guide to Xanthomatosis & Lipid Disorders | Dr Duncan Houston BVSc

If your frog’s eyes are developing a white haze or raised bump, you may be seeing signs of corneal lipidosis — a serious fat storage disorder. Also called lipid keratopathy or systemic xanthomatosis, this condition often begins with eye symptoms but reflects a whole-body lipid imbalance. 🧬🐸

🔬 What Is Corneal Lipidosis?

Corneal lipidosis is the buildup of cholesterol in the eye’s corneal tissue. This often stems from a systemic fat metabolism issue, where cholesterol is improperly stored throughout the body — including skin and internal organs. 🧪

Early Signs:

• 👁️ White stippling or hazy spots on one or both eyes
• ⚪ Irregular white lines or blobs over the cornea

Advanced Disease:

• 🔘 Large, raised, white nodules with rough texture
• 🩸 Bleeding around corneal lesions
• 🟡 Xanthomas — yellowish cholesterol deposits in skin or organs

🦠 What Causes It?

The main cause is believed to be dietary cholesterol excess — especially from unnatural captive diets. Amphibians in the wild eat low-cholesterol prey, unlike crickets, mealworms, and rodents used in captivity. 🐛🧈

Key Risk Factors:

• 🧂 Overfeeding — especially of fatty prey
• 🐁 Feeding rodents, goldfish, or high-fat insects
• 🥫 Gut-loading insects with dry dog food or cholesterol-rich feed
• 🌡️ Low enclosure temperatures — impairs fat metabolism
• 🐸 Lack of reproduction — lowers natural fat turnover

🧬 Species Affected

• 🟢 White’s tree frogs (Litoria caerulea)
• 🟡 Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis)
• 🐸 Other adult frogs and toads

Older female frogs appear most commonly affected, but any captive amphibian can develop this condition. ⚠️

📋 Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will take a full diet and husbandry history and perform a physical exam. Diagnostic steps may include:

• 👁️ Visual inspection of eye lesions
• 🧪 Blood tests for cholesterol and triglycerides
• 🔦 Light-based internal checks for systemic xanthomas

Corneal lipidosis is often confused with eye infections or trauma — a correct diagnosis is essential. 🧠

💉 Treatment

Core Goals:

• 🔻 Reduce cholesterol intake
• 💧 Prevent further fat accumulation
• 🔥 Increase metabolism through temperature optimization
• 🛑 Manage inflammation and pain

Steps to Follow:

• 📉 Limit prey items to 4–6 crickets/week for adult White’s tree frogs
• 🪰 Eliminate rodents, goldfish, and high-fat prey
• 🥬 Gut-load insects with vegetables, not dog food
• 🌡️ Provide basking spots at the upper end of preferred temps

Medication:

• 💊 NSAIDs like meloxicam may be used to reduce inflammation and discomfort

There is no surgical or topical cure. Management focuses on long-term metabolic correction. 🧬🧠

🛡️ Prevention

• 🧠 Learn your species’ natural diet and caloric needs
• 📆 Feed adult amphibians less frequently
• 🪰 Rotate prey (e.g., springtails, grasshoppers, firebrats)
• 🌞 Maintain proper thermal gradients for digestion and fat turnover
• 🎯 Encourage natural behaviors like calling and reproduction to use stored lipids

📈 Prognosis

• 🟢 Mild cases: Good if husbandry and diet are corrected
• 🟡 Advanced disease: Guarded to poor, especially with systemic xanthomas

With proper management, some frogs have lived up to 4 years post-diagnosis. But frogs with internal lipid buildup may decline within 6 months. 📉

📱 AskAVet.com for Nutrition & Care Help

Need guidance on safe diets, gut-loading protocols, or eye care for your frog? Download the Ask A Vet app to connect with exotic veterinarians and get real-time advice. 🐾💬

Let’s give our amphibians a healthy future — and keep their eyes clear for years to come. 🐸👁️💚