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Giant Toad
Very dangerous to dogs, a Giant Toad secretes a toxin from its skin that causes heart failure, Dr. Tegzes says. A dog just needs to pick up the toad and hold it in his mouth to be exposed. Also called Cane Toad, Marine Toad or Bufo Toad, the critters can bring agony: excessive drooling, crying, extremely red gums and loss of coordination number among pets' symptoms.
Among the 339 outdoor-critter-related calls for help to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in 2011, poisonings by Bufo toads and the Colorado River toad were most common, Dr. Wismer says, beating out ants, wasps, bees, snakes, spiders and others. Toad poisonings prompted 51 VPI insurance claims in 2011, costing an average $304.03 per pet.
Location: Hawaii, Florida, extending across the extreme southern parts of the country.
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