People With Dogs Beware!!

Charlotte, I'm so sorry about your doggie.

Charlotte,
What a horrible introduction to the islands - I am so sorry about your loss. Thank you for sharing; perhaps it will save someone else from the same loss.

OMG Charlotte,
I am SO sorry for your loss.
I have lived here for four years and never heard about this frog! And I think we just had a thread about what things household pets should avoid.
Thank you again for shariing and maybe preventing the same thing from happening to someone else.

I am soooo sorry - thank you for the warning. I just posted a few days ago about what to watch out for on island - things that maybe harmful to dogs - as I have 2 new puppies. I hate to ask you this at this time, sorry, but could you tell me what these frogs/toads look like - are they quite large and easy to spot or are they small like the little coqui (tree frogs) Thank you again this information and again I am so sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry! That is so sad, you must be heartbroken. Thank you for the warning.

I am very sorry about your loss. I love my dogs as if they are my children.

The spitting frogs I have encountered have been the size of a toad in the states but white in color. They hang around cistern drains/overflows and people should be careful not to have them spit into their eyes.

I too am very sorry about your loss. I really appreciate the warning. I live around very large frogs that do not move when I approavh them. My dog has gotten pretty close> It very humane of you too let everyone know what might be the situation with these frogs.

Hi everyone, I got this info from a local lady about what to do:

Wow this is exactly what happened to my dog and to me it died faster than 30 minutes, I would say within 20 minutes of biting the frog.  The other night we came home late my husband and I and saw a big one in the yard and the dogs were trying to bite it my husband took a stick and batted it and then threw it over the fence, if the dog had ever bitten it they would be dead.  But you know if you catch them as soon as the frog poisons them and give them milk and oil it will make them vomit the poision and they will be fine within the next hour or so thats what happened to one of my dogs, we found him frothing in the mouth and my husband opened his mouth and mixed the milk and oil and made him drink it and within an hour he was fine then we saw the frog under the car and knew he had bitten it, thank God we found him before the poison killed him.   So these frogs are dangerous. They are huge bigger than a normal frog, I have never seen any that huge before  and they are gray with humps on their backs.  I am thinking that if a human bothers them maybe they will spit that poison at them too.

You can also give a dog sea salt or hydrogen peroxide to make them vomit. Just put a little bit on the back of their tongue. That's what we did at the vet clinic I worked for. From someone who is lactose intolerant also...no milk around for me 😉

According to one of the housekeepers at work they do spit at people and it will make you sick or worse. She is violently afraid of any frog.

My condolences on the loss of your little dog.

I think it must be a cane toad - there have been no reports of 'spitting frogs' on Caribbean Islands.
The cane toad can grow up to 4 lbs in weight, and when it moves can be upright - might look like spitting movement.
The cane toad is a well known pest - when an animal bites or disturbs it, the skin gives off a milky white poison.
Ask your vet for his advice.
Remember, you're not in Kansas any more.

http://www.amonline.net.au/herpetology/faq/cane_toad.htm

Hi Piaa,
The vet said that the frog that probably killed my dog was a white frog that is not very large, probably 3-4 inches long. They are also jumping from outdoor plants near your swimming pool areas. It could have been a toad, but my dog never picked up anything in her mouth, therefore, we feel it was one of the spitting frogs. We have had a lot of rain in the past 10 days here. Frogs and toads come out with rain. We have had 2 tropical waves hit this island in the past 10 days. And today, one is moving thru again.
Research, that I have done on the internet, show that these frogs and toads kill an animal within 30 minutes. If you don't see it happening to them, like at night, then your pet has no chance in hell of being alive in the next 20 minutes.
If nothing else, I will make people aware of this devistating problem among our best friends.
Thanks for everyones support....love your pets and children...protect them as if it were the last day of their lives.
Charlotte

Charlotte-

As the self-appointed Biggest Pet Lover on the moving board, I thank you and I feel your heartbreak for your pet. I, too, am very sorry. Thank you for taking the time to let us all know of another peril for our pets and ourselves.

I did not know these frogs could kill. Now I'm on frog patrol all the time. I am assuming these toads come out primarily around dusk, or not? Does the milk neutralize the poison, or only make the dog throw it up?

For those unfamiliar with how to make a dog swallow - pry their mouth open, pour in hydrogen peroxide or milk or whatever, then clamp their mouth shut and blow hard on their face, right up their nose. They will swallow...and if it's peroxide, it's coming right back up, be prepared.

Does anyone know if lime spread around the perimeter of a yard will keep the frogs away? We used it in Arkansas - it burned the bellies of snakes (usually) and kept them back out in the woods.

Charlotte, again - I am so sorry for you - the people and pets we love are always taken from us too soon...

To All My New Friends on the Board:
Thank you so much for your support and kind words. Being aware of what disasterous problems are out there to hurt or kill our pets and children need to be talked about and make adults aware that you can lose a loved one by being unknowledgeable about such things.
I am a bartender at Lobster Reef. I have had numerous customers come in and tell me about what they have read on this board about frogs killing dogs. That does my heart good to know that my Kerry Blue Terrior dying can make a difference.
God Bless you all and watch out for your babies,
Linda aka: Charlotte

I had a Great Dane that weighed about 170 pounds die from eating one, so beware, it must be potent enough to kill an adult human.

Seems that most people writing on this board who've encountered problems with these frogs are from St. Croix? Am I right?

I'm just curious because I've never in my over 22 years here on STT heard of these spitting frogs although I HAVE heard - but rarely - about the large toads (in PR known as "buffos") which secrete a toxic element in their skin and, if picked up by a dog or human, release the toxin with uncomfortable results but not death unless the whole thing is ingested which any sensible dog or human wouldn't do because apparently they're really stinky.

The postings thus far have given descriptions of these toxic toads/frogs as large/small and everything inbetween and with varied coloration.

I think that maybe it's time that someone contacted not only veterinarians on all three islands but the U.S. Agriculture vet likewise to seek the definitive response before we see a hysterical slaughtering of harmless frogs and toads which are in the majority and have done nothing wrong other than "peep-peep, "ribet," and sleep under rocks minding their own business.

I can't do it until the beginning of next week but would be pleased to do so unless someone else knows who to contact who can do it sooner so we can get this thread back on track. Cheers.

actually, way back in the thread I did advise contacting a local vet - this is definitely something for the experts.

I am actually going to chat with Doc Williamson's office (on STT) today, so I will ask them about this frog-toad.

Personally, I am scared to death, but wasn't planning a mass frog genocide. 🙂
We had planned to check the cistern openings (someone mentioned they lurk there), but we haven't seen any in the 4 years we have been here.

Again Charlotte, I am so sad that the loss of your dog is the catalyst for our education on these frogs.

I just spoke with Doc W's office:

1. The Bufos toad (aka Cane Toad) is deadly. It is a large toad that secretes an hallucinogenic poison through its skin.
I found an article with some helpful tips (see the bottom):

http://starbulletin.com/2005/03/18/features/story7.html

2. The Cuban Frog is not deadly, but will make your pet very ill. It is smaller.

Ok, now I have to get back to work. 🙂

Charlotte-Thanks so much for all of this info on the frog situation. I'm relocating to STX in a couple of months with two English Bulldogs. I'd have never known about the threat of these frogs if it hadn't been for you. I'm sorry about your loss. My bulldogs are very inquisitive, and likely to put their noses many places they shouldn't! Glad to hear there are other animal lovers on the island. Anxious to meet my future island friends.

I suspected it was a cane toad - check my earlier post for good link to Cane Toad info.

To: STTRES
I guess STX has an exclusive on spitting frogs?
Did anyone suggest a "hysterical slaughtering of harmless frogs and toads"?
I have had them spit on me. Did I go and kill them? No.
Contact a Vet Or US Ag? Give me a break they don't have a clue what goes on in the VI.
Is the USVI a great place to live- Yes. But just like anywhere else there are things to watch out for.(I would rather deal with a frog than stuff I see in the states.)
This started by loss of a pet, with a warning to help others, let it be.

Oh, GulfCoast, Dear Heart, such an incredibly and unwarranted angry response.

So Bethany (the FedAg vet here on STT) and the local veterinarians on STT or STX don't have a clue about what goes on in the USVI were animals are concerned?

Please do appraise all of us on this board as to your veterinary credentials and knowledge/expertise with regard to either indigenous or historically imported animals, or even domestic pets in the islands.

Your apology is accepted if forthcoming. Cheers.