Toad poisoning

[bonnie975]

I live in arizona and during the rains toads are a concern for my dog but my question is during the dry season when the frogs are in a dried state are the still dangerous?  My dog brought one in the house yesterday, she did not have any problems fortunately but would like to know if the potential is there.

[arachnaphob]

The toads in Australia were introduced to control the sugar cane beetle which was decimating the sugar cane yield. Unfortunately, it wasn't well researched and the toad just thrived in our climate.  It also turned out  to be very poisonous to a lot of our native animals.  It has just about made some small marsupials extinct.  When some of our snakes eat the toads they are poisoned and die as well.  

When you artificially alter the balance of nature it has flow on effects to just about everything else.  I hate killing the toads, and think to myself that they couldn't help being born a toad, but, I will protect my pets and everyone needs to do their bit in reducing the toad numbers.  I feel very nauseaus when I kill them.  

I had one come into my house the night before last and I had an awful time getting it out.  It kept hiding under the lounge chairs.  I would move one chair and it would leap under the next etc.  In the end I managed to sweep it out with the broom.  I thought the poor thing had been through enough, so I swept it out onto the footpath and left it to what ever its' fate might be.

I don't know what people were thinking of, introducing a poisonous toad.  We have the six most deadly snakes in the world, the three most deadly spiders and numerous other poisonous and venomous creatures.  We didn't need any more.

Chirley

[scotty2]

The toads we have in AZ are Colorado River Toads - now called Sonoran Toads - and their secretions  can kill a dog.  They live in the ground until it rains then they come up and mate.  I don't like killing things either, but when it comes to my dogs I will protect them no matter what.  So - I have to admit I use the spade as well!

[Jaybay]

The cane toads in Australia are an entirely different story.  They are extremely destructive to the ecosystem there and I fully understand why they need to be eradicated.    There's no such thing as "perfect balance" in nature.  This planet is constantly changing and it's inhabitants along with it.  We cannot freeze its development at some arbitrary point in time.  When a creature becomes so numerous and harmful as to be a pest and a threat to humans, it's time for it to go.

I don't know anything else about the cane toad or how toxic it can be to other animals who might eat one.  One of our dogs here in Texas was a "champeen" toad eater.  No way could you get one out of his mouth.  He'd just stare at you and gulp it down whole in less than one second.  No harmful effects whatsoever.  Crazy mutts!

[LolaLee]

Ok, toad killing... That just makes me sad.
Anyway, my mother has cats, and she lives in New Mexico. One of the cats got those frogs every now and then. The first time, we were afraid, because he was foaming at the mouth. We didn't know the foam was what came from the toad. The cat was sick for about a day, more from the taste in his mouth I think, but all in all he was perfectly fine. It wasn't that bad at all.
I am not sure about dogs, but I don't think this could effect them much different than my mother's cats.

Just please don't kill the poor toads. They are just defending themselves.

[arachnaphob]

Ooops. Forgot to mention I live in Australia and these are cane toads I'm talking about.  They are an introduced pest that are spreading all over northern Australia.  We are encouraged to kill them.

Chirley

[arachnaphob]

I think it's the secretion from their poison glands that is the problem.  I'm assuming the dog doesn't have an issue with the dry ones as long as they don''t eat them.

I'm very much a live and let live kind of person. I believe that all insects and creatures have a role to play in life.  BUT, I do kill toads.  I'm frightened that my dogs will get sick or die if they play with the toads and so I grit my teeth, close my eyes and cut them in half with the spade.

I'm not proud of ikilling them, but I will do what I have to, to protect my pets.

Chirley

[scotty2]

I can't say for sure but I think it is the slime that they give off that has the poison in it - so i don't think a dried up one would pose a threat.  I hate those things don't you?  My dogs got into them twice this past season!  Both times late at nite - I used a hose and rinsed their mouths out really good and they were both fine - Still - you never know.