South Tampa dog survives bufo toad encounter in backyard
Dog owner warns of Bufo toads after encounter
South Tampa dog owner is urging other pet owners to watch out for invasive Bufo toads, FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A South Tampa woman is urging pet owners to be on the lookout for Bufo toads after her dog survived an encounter earlier this month.
Backyard encounter in Tampa
What we know:
Susan Mazuchowski says her four-year-old Westie, Callie, loves chasing lizards outside in their backyard.
However, on July 11, the dog unfortunately found a Bufo toad instead.
About ten minutes after Callie came back inside, she began excessively drooling. Mazuchowski initially thought the dog was just overheated.
"She is just standing still. Not moving," Mazuchowski explained. "She's starting to shake, and we cannot figure out what's wrong with her."
Rushing to the pet hospital
Timeline:
Mazuchowski rushed Callie to VEG ER for Pets where doctors saw Callie's bright red gums. Mazuchowski said they told her it was a Bufo toad.
"I was already crying. I was freaking out because I know I read enough about it," Mazuchowski said. "She's just never got one. We've never seen one in our backyard, but I know they can be highly, highly toxic, especially to little dogs. Like it can cause death if you don't get them treated right away."
Veterinarians put the dog under anesthesia to thoroughly rinse out her mouth. Callie spent the night in the hospital but ultimately pulled through and recovered.
"By Monday, she was back to 100%, trying to get outside," Mazuchowski told FOX 13.
The invasive toad threat
Big picture view:
Bufo toads are also called Cane toads and are classified as an invasive species here in Florida. They thrive during the summer months, particularly after rainstorms.
You can learn how to identify a Bufo Toad on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
"They do excrete a pretty serious heart toxin and neurotoxin from these glands behind their eyes," Dr. Blake Tomlin, founder and veterinarian at Tomlin Family Pet Hospital, told FOX 13.
And if a dog licks or bites one of these toads, the results can be deadly.
"It can cause the heart to start beating in such an arrhythmic way that it's not delivering blood to the vital organs like it should," Tomlin added.
What you can do:
If a dog comes into contact with one of these toads, medical experts say that owners should immediately wipe the pet's gums. You can also carefully rinse their mouth, taking extreme caution not to wash the toxin down their throat. Pet owners should then seek medical attention for their pets.
Now, Callie’s lizard-chasing hobby is strictly supervised. And Mazuchowski encourages other dog owners to watch their pets closely while outside, too.
"Check your backyards because right now is the biggest time, and they can be anywhere," Mazuchowski warned. "I want people to know, at least check your dog's gums, because if you notice bright red, you can start the process of getting their mouth rinsed out, cleaned out, and then you can get them to the vet. And so, a lot of times, with those little dogs — that time counts."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from interviews with dog owner Susan Mazuchowski and Dr. Blake Tomlin of the Tomlin Family Pet Hospital.