ICYMI: Giant, Poisonous Toads Causing Problems for Tampa Bay Area Pets

TAMPA, FL — A South Tampa schnauzer’s Monday run-in with a poisonous Bufo toad stands as a reminder that these critters pose a continual threat to pets in the Tampa Bay area. Although the non-native toads are generally most active in the summertime, the potential for encounters persists in the region no matter the season, veterinarians say.

“We typically see these cases when it’s warm and wet, which is pretty much all year-round in Florida,” said Dr. John Gicking of BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa. Rainy weather and standing water can increase the problem, he added.

Gicking said he treats a lot of Bufo toad-related cases throughout the year. The critters, also known as cane and marine toads, secrete a neurotoxin that can prove fatal to animals. The same toxin can sicken humans. The toads can grow as big as a dinner plate in size.

With no available inoculation to give dogs to keep them safe from Bufo toads’ toxin, Gicking said the best thing pet owners can do is keep a watchful eye on their four-legged friends while they are outside. Dogs should not be left unsupervised to explore yards on their own.

When dogs encounter Bufo toads, they tend to begin drooling and their gums turn a brick red color, Gicking said. Dogs may also paw at their mouths, display signs of seizures, have an elevated body temperature and vomit. If a dog displays any of these signs, owners can help by rising out their mouths, but a trip to a veterinarian is also in order.

"The most important thing to do is to seek veterinary care as quickly as possible," Gicking said. "The veterinarian can flush the mouth, treat the seizures and help return the body temperature to normal."

Dogs who are treated tend to recover within 12 to 24 hours, Gicking said. Poisoning left untreated may prove fatal, he added.

The recent encounter that catapulted Bufo toads back into the news occurred in a South Tampa yard on Monday. Donna Rushing called for her schnauzer, Hettie, and saw that she was staggering, Fox News reported. When foam started coming out of the dog’s mouth, she rushed Hettie to a vet for care, which was the right move, according to Gicking.

Bufo toads are found throughout the Tampa Bay area and in other parts of south and southwest Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. These toads, indigenous to South America’s Amazon Basin, are also found naturally in South Texas.

Giant toads began appearing in Florida decades ago and have since made their way to many Bay area counties, including Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Manatee and Pinellas. The biggest bufo toad on record measured in at 9.4 inches. The average “giant toad,” however, is about 7 inches long, the state notes on its website.

There are plenty of reasons to be mindful of this invasive species, Lisa Thompson, spokeswoman for the fish and wildlife conservation commission, explained in a previous interview.

They pose a threat to pets and people alike courtesy of the large paratoid glands on their neck that release a toxic substance, she said.

“When pets try to lick or pick up the toads in their mouths, the toads secrete the poison in defense,” Thompson noted. “The skin-gland secretions are highly toxic and can sicken or even kill animals that bite or feed on the toads, including dogs, cats and native mammals, birds and snakes.”

That poison can also cause irritation to people’s skin, as well, so experts recommend avoiding contact with bare hands.

To learn more about this invasive species, visit FWC online or the University of Florida Wildlife Extension.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission