What happens if a dog licks a toad will greatly depend on what type of toad was licked. In the USA, there are two toads to be aware of, which can cause life threatening symptoms.
If you suspect your dog has been exposed to toad toxins, it is important to institute first aid immediately and get in contact with a vet to play it safe.
You can call the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for guidance (a fee applies, so keep your credit card handy), but do this only if your dog is exhibiting no signs or only mild signs such as drooling.
Residents of Australia or New Zealand can call the Australian Animal Poisons Centre. This service is free to all pet owners. Their number is 1300 869 738.
Most frogs and toads will produce an irritating, bitter foam as their defense mechanism against predators.
When dogs lick a toad, they will visibly foam at the mouth due to the presence of this bitter foam.
They may also paw at the mouth, develop nausea and vomiting, and refuse to open their mouth as their gums are sore.
In non-toxic toads, this temporary discomfort will quickly pass and correct itself within an hour or so.
With toxic toads, if enough toxin is ingested, there are risks for neurological changes and changes to heart rhythm, which can turn deadly.
In general, expect a rapid onset, with signs of illness appearing often within minutes.
However, there may be cases, where signs may show up from 1 to 4 hours later, although this is not very common.
Two types of toads are known for their poisonous effects.
The giant toad, also known as the marine toad or cane toad (Rhinella marina) is found in south Texas, Hawaii and southern Florida.
The other troublesome toad is the Sonoran desert toad also known as the Colorado River Toad (incilius alvarius).
This toad is found in southeastern California, New Mexico, Mexico and most of southern Arizona.
The signs of cane toad poisoning in dogs include the following:
Toads release toxins from their skin and some even have special poison glands (parotid glands) in the back of their heads and other parts of their bodies.
When toads feel stressed, their skin may excrete mild toxins, or in the case of the poisonous toads, their poison glands may excrete a milky, alkaloid substance known as bufotoxin which acts as a neurotoxin.
These toxins are made so to make the toad slippery to hold onto and unpalatable to predators.
Dogs foam at the mouth as a response to the bitter taste of the toads' secretion.
The secretion also irritates the dog's gums and mouth, triggering further saliva, nausea and foaming.
A good amount of toxins are rapidly absorbed by the mucous membranes.
The toxins emitted by the toads' parotid glands trigger similar effects as exposure to cardiac glycosides (digoxin) and therefore can potentially cause dangerous heart arrhythmias.
You should immediately try to minimize absorption of the toxins by removing as much as the milky, sticky substance as possible.
Do this by wiping the roof of the mouth, tongue and gums with a wet cloth, rinsing it out after each wipe for 10 to 20 minutes, suggests the Australian Animal Poison Helpline.
The goal is to prevent your dog from absorbing or swallowing any further toxins.
Although rinsing the dog's mouth may seem like a good idea, wiping the mouth area works better.
This is because hosing the dog's mouth out is not effective in removing the very sticky substance from the mouth, explains the Australian Animal Poisons Centre.
On top of this, you need to be very careful in rinsing the dog's mouth by keeping the muzzle pointing downward so to prevent the dog from swallowing further poison and to prevent water from entering your dog's airways.
Done incorrectly, this can cause potential complications such as aspiration pneumonia.
You can call the Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for guidance (a fee applies, so keep your credit card handy), but do this only if your dog is exhibiting no signs or only mild signs such as drooling.
Residents of Australia or New Zealand can call the Australian Animal Poisons Centre. This service is free to all pet owners. Their number is 1300 869 738.
If your dog keeps foaming at the mouth, or worse, shows others worrisome signs such as restlessness, shaking, panting, a wobbly gait and/or seizures, please take him the the closest vet immediately.
After rinsing and wiping the mouth, you should carefully monitor your dog in the next few hours.
If you notice any worsening of symptoms, such as disorientation, shaking, fast breathing, increased heart rate, muscle stiffness or seizures, you should seek veterinary help immediately.
For cases that require hospitalization, vets may administer intravenous fluids, activated charcoal and diazepam.
If cardiac arrhythmias are also present, cholestyramine and antiarrhythmic drugs will be added.
Supplemental oxygen may also be needed as well, points out veterinarian Dr. Michael Salkin.
Anti-nausea medications, muscle relaxants, medications to control seizures may be given as needed.
There may be chances that, shortly after pawing and foaming at the mouth, the dog's condition may progress to seizures.
Should the seizures persist and last long, and veterinary care is not received, there are risks the dog may not survive, explains veterinarian Dr. Gwen.