View Full Version : uh Oh Oscar is high again
Mama S.
04-25-2006, 08:32 PM
THe one thing I do not like about Spring/Summer - the frogs. Oscar has learned that if he catches one, they will secrete some type of funk that makes him high as a kite:duh: His summertime name has become toad licker. He will not hurt them, just paces up and down the fence line until he spots one. Traps it in between his feet then gently licks it :vomit: THen he goes off into this spaced out :duh: Vet has assured me that he is ok, I freaked the first time it happened he was dripping foam looked like he had grown a beard.. Soon as I hear that weird whine I know that he has managed to get outside find a frog/toad and is headed towards froggy heaven...
I keep on the look out - don't want him getting sick - WHY KERMIT WHY>????
Mama
lotsadox
04-25-2006, 08:40 PM
Bandit used to get the foamy mouth every chance she got. :shocked: Frog addicted doggies! :banana: :banana:
Well, we all have our vices. :rotfl: The thing with Oscar is--does it give him the munchies?? ;)
Jacqueline
04-25-2006, 11:40 PM
Is this some special species of frog? We have tree frogs here, and Taffy has been going nuts trying to get at one. Something got one the other ight....Dh found just a head laying out on the lawn. Couldn't have been a snake, they finish the whole thing off.
I love the frogs....they sing at night....and should it EVER RAIN AGAIN, it sounds like a symphony around here.
I didn't know the frogs did that!!! Wow~Oscar is one smart frog junkie!!!:rotfl:
Owen drink beer and Oscar gets high on frogs......I think we're not too far from a 12 step program here. (Referring to JanUet's post of the Owen video).:rotfl:
areese
04-26-2006, 07:54 AM
Is this some special species of frog? We have tree frogs here, and Taffy has been going nuts trying to get at one. Something got one the other ight....Dh found just a head laying out on the lawn. Couldn't have been a snake, they finish the whole thing off.
I love the frogs....they sing at night....and should it EVER RAIN AGAIN, it sounds like a symphony around here.
I would think it would be toads, really. The big bumps behind their eyes are glands that secrete a toxin. Gsoh-are there cane toads in the US?? they are very very poisonous.
I don't know that frogs have the same effect...I think some tree frogs have a toxin.
I ahd to look up about the Cane Toads in the US...I know we wouldn't have them here but down south...
this is what I found:
Q: I've heard Marine/Giant toads are poisonous. Can they kill my dog?
A: Yes, possibly. The toxin from the Giant Toad or Marine Toad (scientific name is: Bufo marinus) can be hazardous, sometimes fatal, to pets. In Florida, they are only found in the southeastern coastal region (Dade Co. and Monroe County), a small area on the southwest coast (Lee and Glades County), and a small area near Tampa (Pinellas County and nearby areas). So, Giant toads will only be a threat if you live in or near those areas of Florida. Adult Giant toads can be bigger than your fist, much larger than any toad or frog that is native to Florida.
Remember that ALL toads have glands on their skin that contain MILD toxins that just taste nasty or make a potential predator a little sick after they try to eat a toad. The strategy for the toxin is to "educate" the predator to not mess with toads again. But the Giant toad is NOT NATIVE to Florida and the animals here are not adapted to its toxin, that's why it is a more serious threat. The toxin of Giant toads can make humans sick if swallowed, so be SURE to wash your hands immediately after touching a Giant toad. Also, if you accidentally rub your eyes before washing hands, the toxin can irritate your eyes.
If you see a toad that you suspect might be a Giant toad, first, make SURE it is the Giant/Marine toad (they can look similar to our native Southern toad, which is harmless to pets, they just taste bad). Look at photos and information at this link http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/frogs/default.htm--- and compare the Southern toad to the Giant/Marine toad.
All toads go through a growth stage, so all species at one time or another are small (so it is not safe to assume that all small toads are not Giant Toad species). For Giant Toads, they will not have as much toxin when they are small, but they can still be dangerous. Giant toads have large, parotoid glands that angle downward onto the shoulders (by comparison, the Southern toad has parotoid glands that are kidney-bean-shaped and small). Also, the Southern toad has two ridges just inside the eyes that end in bulbous knobs. The Giant toad does not have these ridges or knobs.
Q: What do I do if my dog, or cat, bites or licks a Marine/Giant toad?
A: Here is what a veterinarian in Miami has said about treatment for your dog or cat if it licks or bites a Giant/Marine toad.
David Stelling, a veterinarian who practiced in Miami for more than 14 years, said toad poisoning is a common problem for dogs, particularly terriers.
"By nature, terriers are inclined to attack smaller animals," Stelling said. "But any dog may become territorial and bite a toad. Marine toads will climb into outdoor food bowls to eat leftovers, and this leads to biting incidents."
Symptoms of Marine toad poisoning include drooling, head-shaking, crying, loss of coordination, and, in more serious cases, convulsions. The dog's gums often turn red, an indicator veterinarians use to distinguish toad-poisoning from epilepsy. For this reason, dog owners should be familiar with normal gum color.
"Treatment is usually successful -- I've only seen two fatalities, and they were very small dogs," Stelling said.
"If you suspect toad poisoning, get a hose and run water in the side of the dog's (or cat's) mouth, pointing the animal's head downward so water isn't swallowed. Rub the gums and mouth to remove the toxin, and call your veterinarian immediately."
Keep in mind that if your dog or cat is just salivating heavily or "foaming" a little at the mouth, it may have bitten or licked another type of toad or frog. Remember that most of our native frogs and toads secrete MILD toxins that just taste nasty or make a potential predator drool or get a little sick after they try to eat a toad. The strategy behind the mild toxin is to "educate" the predator to not mess with frogs/toads again. Part of the reason the Marine toad's toxin is so dangerous is because the Marine toad is NOT NATIVE to Florida and the animals here are not adapted to its toxin.
Nancy
04-26-2006, 10:23 AM
I probably shouldnt laugh, but have you seen the show "Drawn Together" on the Comedy Channel? One of the characters got high by licking another character and it goes down hill from there. Very funny! Hope the pooch is o.k.!!
Bella's Mom
04-26-2006, 10:28 AM
I never heard of that! Wowsers.... I can picture Oscar trotting around with a glazed look in his eye, tongue hanging out and not a care in the world! Does he get the munchies?? :rotfl:
quavec
04-26-2006, 10:28 AM
Hmm....Cricket would grab them then spit them out...but I never noticed any odd behavior out of him.....:scratch: After a while, he'd just nudge them with his nose to flip 'em over.:rolleyes:
Mama S.
04-26-2006, 07:15 PM
Oscar seems to go after the every day garden variety toad - the bumpy bulgy kind. Guess he's just so goofy that he doesn't understand the toxin is supposed to STOP him from wanting them !!:rotfl: NOT make him crave the things!!
Mama
Kerie
04-27-2006, 05:22 PM
Oh no, is there a toad/frog addiction rehab center?
My Oscar is a bit of a junkie himself! Not for frogs (not that we know of), but for anything he can get outside. Oh, how he would love to catch a rabbit!
I do hope that this is not toxic for your pup!
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