Keeping Your Pet Safe From Colorado River Toads

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Keeping Your Pet Safe From Colorado River Toads

Arizona’s warm climate is certainly enjoyable, but unfortunately, this sunny state attracts more than just people (along with their pets). Lots of poisonous creatures also love heat, so families with dogs and cats need to take special care in keeping their four-legged family members safe. One of the most toxic reptiles pets can encounter is the Colorado River Toad, which contains a substance that can be lethal to pets.

About Colorado River Toads

NHPTV

The Colorado River toad is a poisonous amphibian that can grow as big as two pounds. Despite their name, Colorado River toads (or Sonoran Desert toads) don’t only live in Colorado, they’re also quite common in Arizona. This is especially during monsoon season because when the ground gets wet, they emerge from underground to seek out water in search of mates.These toads are often found in streams, drainage areas, reservoirs, near springs, or any other area that’s filled with water

The poison of Colorado River toads is in a gooey white substance that’s secreted through glands on their backs. If ingested by your pet, it can cause neurological issues, including seizures and death. Contact with the eyes can also cause severe symptoms.

Parents of playful companions know that some dogs and cats love chasing critters, especially ones that hop. Since Colorado River toads are relatively slow, it’s easy for pets to pounce on them. After a catching their prey, the next step is usually putting it in their mouth. This is what makes them particularly dangerous to our four-legged friends, especially if they enjoy being outside.

Symptoms

It’s important to be aware of these dangerous toads, as well as the symptoms that surface if contact does occur. According to Healthy Pets by Mercola, symptoms of toad poisoning include:

  • Excessive drooling
  • Pawing at mouth/eyes
  • Overheating
  • Vomiting (yellow fluid)
  • Hyperthermia (overheating)
  • Seizures
  • Collapse
  • Loss of coordination
  • Diarrhea
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Head shaking
  • Death

Avoiding An Encounter

Keep your eye out for these amphibians, especially near bodies of water or during the rainy season. This is another reason that pets should never be outside without supervision. When going on walks or hikes, it’s also safest to keep them on a leash so they don’t wander off and get themselves into trouble.

What To Do If Your Pet Makes Contact With A Colorado River Toad

If you suspect your companion has touched or ingested some Colorado River toad poison, call your vet, emergency vet, of  Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661, ASAP — the sooner treatment is administered, the better the chance of survival. They may instruct you to gently but thoroughly flush the tongue or eyes with water. One very important note, though: never aim a stream of water down your pet’s throat, as they could drown; run water across the tongue and out the side of the mouth, instead.

The vet may run blood tests or a urinalysis to confirm that the toad’s toxins are in the patient’s system. If this is the case, one course of treatment is to put the pet under anesthesia and flush out the mouth. They may also be given activated charcoal to absorb the poison.

Other treatments may include a cool bath to keep the body temperature down and / or IV fluids for hydration and seizure management, if necessary. In any case, and before starting any treatment on your own, it is imperative to consult with a veterinary professional as soon as you suspect your pet came in contact with a Colorado River toad.

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