Very sad news

I have very sad news about little Nia who was adopted to a wonderful home about 2 months ago. Her new dad called to tell me she had died early this morning. He and his girlfriend were, of course, devastated and were desperately trying to find out what had happened. Nia had been outside early in the morning for a little while and then came in, plopped down in her bed, and was dead 15 minutes later with no explanation. When her dad went outside to take a look around he found a huge toad out there. He took pictures and sent them to me and in the end, we believe that Nia died from ingesting poison from a type of toad we have here.

I did a little research on this type of toad and summarized it below to provide information as well as warning to all pet owners. I also included some informative links below.

The toad is commonly called a "bufo" as it's scientific name is Bufo marinus. It is native to Central and South America but it has spread to other areas such as Australia, the American southwest, and here to Florida. Bufo toads have poison glands that secrete a highly toxic poison that can be deadly if ingested. These toads have become a nuisance but are a much more serious problem in Australia where they have proliferated to uncontrollable numbers. Bufo toads have no natural predators so when introduced into an ecosystem that has not developed to include them in their ecological functioning, the toads wreck havoc. They are bigger than the frogs you're used to seeing in your yard - they can grow to be 6 - 10 inches long!

The toads are nocturnal so not letting your pets roam outside at night is the best way to protect them. The toads are also attracted to water, as most amphibians are, and are predators so they eat lizards, insects, etc... Don't leave water or food out which can attract the toads. Also concerning the water, I learned that an animal can ingest the poison even by just drinking from a water bowl in which the toad has been soaking!

The symptoms of bufo toad poisoning are excessive salivation, vocalizing and pawing at the mouth, stiff gait or trouble walking, and difficulty breathing. If the pet ingests enough of the poison the symptoms can rapidly progress to seizures and death. Depending on the size of the animal and the amount of poison ingested, the animal can die in 10-15 minutes! We think because of Nia's tiny size this is what happened to her.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, immediately rinse their mouth out with large amounts of water. You are trying to wash away the poison - but be careful not to drown them by forcing water down their throat. Then take the animal immediately to the vet.

If your pet is poisoned - and especially if it dies - by a bufo, remember that it's really not the toad's fault. It secretes the poison as a defense mechanism - it's just what nature intended it to do. The toad was just trying to protect itself from the playful puppy or hungry cat. I don't advocate killing the toads but if you feel you must, PLEASE do it humanely. DON'T seek vengeance on the toad by killing it barbarically. The best way to humanely kill the toad is to put it into a secure container with airholes poked in it (a plastic bucket, for example) and put the toad in the refrigerator (not freezer) for at least 12 hours. This will cause the toad to go into a coma-like state. The next morning, move the container to the freezer for at least another 12 hours then dispose of it the next trash day.

http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/TDdispose.htm
http://www.toadilytoads.com/canetoadsposition.html
http://www.healthyhomesforkidsandpets.com/articles/bufo.html