Vet saves frog ripped apart by lawnmower by carrying out amazing hop-eration

Vet saves frog ripped apart by lawnmower by carrying out amazing hop-eration

By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 1:20 AM on 15th May 2009

A tiny frog that was sliced apart by a lawnmower has survived after extensive surgery in Australia.

Vet Stephen Cutter who admitted to having a 'soft spot for frogs,' saved the amphibian in a difficult 30-minute operation at the Ark Animal Hospital in the Northern Territory.

The female tree frog, which has been named Victoria after the Victa brand of lawnmowers, had the skin on her back cut off by the blades and had to be anesthetised then stitched up in the op.


Delicate procedure: Vet Stephen Cutter stitches Victoria's head back together after she was torn open by a lawnmower

Mr Cutter said she certainly would have died if she hadn't been brought to the veterinary clinic.

'It was a pretty horrific injury,' he said.

'It basically took the top layer of the skin off and did some internal injuries.

'But from day one she fought to live. She's very lucky to be alive.'


Special equipment: The frog had to be intubated and put on gas to keep her asleep

Frogs are very delicate and sensitive to chemicals and toxins. Dettol, which is good for cleaning human, wounds would be fatal for a frog.

Dr Cutter said: 'We had to be really careful when using any products on her, especially when cleaning out the wound. Frogs have reasonably loose skin so we just pulled it together and sewed it up.'

Dr Cutter said it is not the first time he had operated on a frog.

'I have a soft spot for frogs and have operated on quite a lot of them,' he said.

'Frogs are declining worldwide and we are lucky to have lots in the Territory.


Happy ever after: The frog should make a full recovery and will be released back into the wild

'But they like to hang around places where humans frequent so unfortunately they do get injured.

'I've even operated on frogs that have been hit by cars.'

Victoria has made a good recovery and is now ready for release at Nina's Ark on the outskirts of Litchfield National Park near Batchelor, about 100km south of Darwin.

'She looks great,' said Dr Cutter.

'She has a very good chance of living a long and healthy life.'

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1181535/Vet-saves-frog-ripped-apart-lawnmower-carrying-amazing-hop-eration.html