Toad intoxication

URGENCY LEVEL Significant or life-threatening

In all cases of suspected toad poisoning, veterinary care must be sought without delay.

WHAT SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR?
Since the venom is highly irritating to mucous membranes, such as the gums and eyes, localised effects due to its causticity are immediate and intense, persisting for several hours. However, these effects can be considered as protective for the victim (and the toad!), who is quickly deterred by painful oral burns.

In the case of oral contact, the dog salivates excessively and immediately exhibits erosive lesions, highly sensitive, on the tongue and inside the mouth.

In the case of ingestion (rare), the signs of toxicity are severe, characterized by incessant vomiting, intense pain, neurological disorders evolving into seizures, respiratory distress, and disruptions in heart rhythm. Death can occur within an hour.

If you have observed your dog playing with a toad in your garden, you may observe various symptoms:

Your dog suddenly shows discomfort in the oral area.

They salivate excessively and paws at their mouth or shake their head.

They may make attempts to vomit or vomit continuously.

They breathe rapidly, mouth open, with increasing difficulty.

They exhibit seizures, stiffness, and paddling on the ground.

Emergency procedure / First aid

Any of these warning signs, combined with the presence of a toad in the dog's environment, should raise suspicion of intoxication:

Inspect the inside of your companion's mouth for a possible injury or a lodged piece of wood that could cause similar symptoms.

Immediately and thoroughly rinse the muzzle, lips, and inside of the mouth with large amounts of water.

Eye rinsing should be performed with saline solution even in the absence of eye irritation.

Seek veterinary assistance urgently.

Important note:

Dogs and occasionally cats can be poisoned by orally ingesting most types of toads found worldwide. However, the species in United Kingdom are unlikely to be deadly.

Dogs get intoxicated by playing with toads, licking them, or holding them in their mouths. The younger, more curious, and smaller the dog, the greater the risks of intoxication, with some dogs going as far as to swallow the toads.

Toad intoxication cases are mainly seen from March to October, which are the periods of amphibian activity.

All toads, and more generally all amphibians, including frogs, newts, and salamanders, produce venom on the surface of their bodies through glands located in the skin. Since the skin of amphibians is very thin, protection against dehydration is achieved through a significant production of surface mucus. The venom produced by the cutaneous glands mixes with this mucus.

It is purely defensive venom, as amphibians have no means of injecting it.

The venom of amphibians is a powerful and formidable toxin. It was used by certain tribes in the Amazon basin to coat their arrows and cause the immediate death of game. There is no antidote for these very complex venoms. Over three hundred biologically active molecules have been identified in hundreds of amphibian species. Each species has its own arsenal.

In toads living in United Kingdom, the venom is abundantly secreted by glands located just behind the eyes and by other dermal structures resembling small bumps or warts. The venom is expelled in larger quantities when the animal feels threatened.

What to do in case of emergency?