The practice of "toad-licking" has evolved into an urban legend – that the poison secreted through the skin of some toads cause hallucinations. In fact, the poison has been cultivated for generations to be used for medicinal purposes in human beings.

However, the poison is highly toxic to pets. Dogs are the most likely pet to come into contact with a toad and have a high probability of dying if untreated. The Colorado River toad and the giant toad, also called the marine toad, are the two most common poisonous toads found in the United States.

The Colorado River toad is found along large streams in the southwestern United States, from Arizona to southern California and into Mexico. This toad wouldn't win any awards for beauty; its brown/green skin is usually covered with warts. These toads grow to be about 3 to 7 inches long. The giant toad is not as common, and is found in south Texas and Florida. This brown toad grows to be 4 to 6 inches long and is very toxic to pets.

Because dogs are more curious and extroverted, they tend to be treated for toad poisoning more often. But a dog doesn't necessarily have to lick or eat a toad to be poisoned. There have been cases where frogs have been attracted to a dog's water dish and sat along the rim, leaving enough toxin to make a dog sick.

If you live in an area where these toads reside, you should limit your pet's exposure to warm, moist outdoor environments, especially in the desert southwest.

What to Watch For

If enough toxin is ingested, your pet may have an irregular heartbeat and act strangely, as if in the grip of a hallucination. Call your veterinarian if you observe:

Mouth irritation with foamy salivation

Depression

Weakness

Collapse

Difficulty breathing

Seizures

Fever

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Veterinary Care

An electrocardiogram may be conducted to determine whether your pet has an abnormal heart rhythm. There currently is no way to find the presence of the toxin. Diagnosis is usually based on the fact that the pet was seen eating a toad, or if toad parts are in the gastrointestinal tract.

If your pet ate or licked a toad, you should flush his mouth with water to remove traces of the toxin. Your veterinarian may give your pet cardiac drugs such as propranolol to combat abnormal heart rhythms. Anxious, frightened or painful pets may need sedatives. Pets with a high fever may benefit from a cool bath. A hospital stay with intravenous fluids is very likely, with your pet's heart monitored by an electrocardiograph.