How to Protect Your Pets from Toxic Toads
Our pets are very curious creatures. Dogs, especially, love to sniff, lick, and put just about everything in their mouths. Florida is home to America’s most poisonous toad, the Cane toad. While you may not be able to watch your dog every single second, you can learn how to identify a Cane toad and recognize the signs of Cane Toad poisoning. Knowing how to give your dog first aid at home before heading to the vet can help save your dog’s life.
Cane Toads (aka Bufo, Giant, or Marine Toad) – Rhinella marina.
Cane toads are burrowing toads that come out into the open during wet periods of the year. Pets are exposed to Cane toads by licking the toad, putting the toad in their mouth, or eating the toad, tadpoles, or eggs. Sometimes, a toad will decide to rest in a pet’s water bowl. While in the water bowl, the toad will discharge its poison into the water. Depending on how long the toad was resting in the water, the pet may get a very large dose of poison when they drink.
**Note, humans can be exposed to the toxins handling toads, tadpoles, and eggs. Wear gloves if handling potentially toxic toads!
How to Identify Cane Toads:
6-9 inches in length.
The top is reddish-brown to grayish-brown.
·The belly is light yellow or tan.
There is a large triangular poison gland along the shoulder (yellow arrow).
There are no ridges or crests on the head.
First Aid for Your Pet If You Suspect Toad Poisoning
1. Use a hose or sprayer to rinse your dog’s mouth from BACK TO FRONT for at least 5 minutes. This prevents your pet from swallowing the water. Point the head downward to help avoid swallowing. If you are having a lot of difficulty, allow your veterinarian to do this.
2. After you rinse your pet’s mouth, if your pet has any of the following signs, please also spray your pet down before heading to the veterinarian. These may be signs of heat stroke.
Note: many of these signs overlap with toad toxicity, but the body temperature at or above 104°F is an indicator of heat stroke:
Rectal or armpit temperature at or above 104°F
Excessive panting
Tongue hanging low
Brick red gums
Difficulty walking
Weakness
Seizures
Vomiting or diarrhea
3. After you have rinsed the mouth for 5 minutes, get your pet to a veterinarian immediately.
Veterinary Care for Cane Toad Poisoning
When you get to the vet, treatment will depend on how long it has been since the pet has been exposed to a toad, and the pet’s signs.
If you can catch the exposure early, the vet will try to remove the toxin before more absorbs. If the pet licked the toxin, this may mean more mouth rinsing. If the pet ate the toad, the vet may recommend endoscopy or surgery to remove the toad. The vet will not recommend vomiting the toad since that will mean exposure to more toxin on the way out.
Once as much toxin as possible has been removed, care is supportive to help the pet survive the toxins' effects. Digoxin Fab fragments can reduce heart toxins for dogs with severe heart effects. In critical cases, intravenous lipid therapy may reduce the heart and nerve toxins. Other treatments are IV fluids, anti-nausea medications, and restoring electrolytes.
Prognosis
Cane toad poisoning can cause death without treatment. Any pet exposed to Cane toads should see a veterinarian immediately after rinsing the mouth. Fortunately, Florida veterinarians are very knowledgeable about Cane toads and can treat these cases very successfully in most cases..
Prevent Toad Poisoning
You can do your part in helping your pet by:
Removing any toads you find on your property (wear gloves)
Keep dogs leashed when outdoors. Stay alert when your dog has their nose to the ground in case they contact a toad.
Keep cats indoors or inside a lanai.
Refresh outdoor water bowls several times a day.
Thanks for taking amazing care of your pets! I hope they have a toad-free summer. But if they have a run-in with a toad, now you know exactly how to handle it.
