Schnitzel sitting under her favorite tree lizard watching
I have been spending some time in Miami. Over dinner the other night I pointed out how cute my dog Schnitzel is sitting under a tree staring at lizards. She’s too scared to actually interact with them, they are simply the best movie she has ever watched. She sits like a stature staring at the bushes waiting for the lizards to run up and down the trees. My friend’s response was not at all what I expected … He said “don’t let her near a Bufo frog as it can kill her!” Having never heard of a Bufo frog before, or envisioning a FROG that could kill a DOG, I quickly did some research. Here is the bad and the ugly…
Bufo toads also known as the cane toad, marine toad and giant toad have shown their ugly faces in Florida and are highly toxic to dogs. They are usually found in wet areas near canals, ponds and even in your own yard. Cane toads breed year-round in standing water, streams, canals and ditches.
Bofu toads are large and jump around a lot which can attract the attention of your pooch. As a defense mechanism the toad secretes toxins and venom through its skin. If your dog licks or grabs the toad with its mouth it can cause illness and even death. A very small amount of the toxins are needed to cause serious damage to your pup.
Symptoms usually show within minutes and can include:
- red gums
- excessive drooling
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- seizures
- trouble breathing
What do you do if your dog comes in contact with one?
