Be aware of Cane
Toads & Ticks!
Cane
Toad Poisoning!BUFO
MARINUS SP
These toads are capable of producing a
potent toxin in their large, warty, paired parotid glands. The
glands are roughly oval in shape, situated behind the border of the
tympanum, and extend backward over the shoulders. Numerous pinhole
openings can be seen on the surface skin of these glands from which
a thick, pasty, yellow-white toxin can be manually expressed. The
threat of this potent toxin to animals mouthing the toads in
Queensland (Australia) is very real. The lethargic hopping of the
awkward toad will often attract dogs at dusk when other kinds of
activities are minimal.
These dogs will grasp the toad in their mouths, causing compression
of the toad's parotid glands and expression of the toxin. Absorption
of the toxin through the dog's mouth and stomach mucosa apparently
is quite rapid, resulting in a variety of symptoms that may
culminate in death.
The dog that mouths a toad will exhibit variable symptoms depending
upon its age, concurrent disease, amount of toxin absorbed in
relation to its total body weight, and length of time since
exposure; the signs range from slight salivation to cyanosis (blue
gums) and convulsive seizures, and heart attack. Obviously many
other conditions could be confused with toad poisoning, and a
history of having seen the dog mouth a toad will be sufficient
evidence in a sick animal to warrant initiation of immediate
anti-toad-poisoning therapy. Don't wait to see if the dog improves
it usually won't- it will progressively get worse.
(
do not hesitate to
contact your vet.)
Owners need to be aware that the
best first aid measure they can do for their dog is to hold its
mouth down and dry the mouth with a paper towel, than run the hose
at a slow rate in the side of the mouth to wash out most of the
toxin. This should be done for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime,
someone else should phone the nearest vet to warn him/her of the
incident. If caught early enough, most dogs will survive this
poisoning.
E.Cebuliak.B.V.Sc

Tick Poisoning!
By Ian Haddon
The tick season this year is still with
us, and looks like going through until the end of summer at least.
The Paralysis Tick becomes a problem in rural areas during August,
so care must be taken to ensure that your dogs are inspected daily -
morning and evening. Regular dipping helps, but seems to be
effective only about 4 to 5 days.
Favourite Spots:
The most common areas where ticks will attach to your dog are the
head,
ears (inside and out), around the mouth and inside the lips, down
the neck to the chest and under and around the front legs. Another
spot that can be missed is the pads of their feet and between their
toes. All these spots seem to be favourite places for the tick to
attach themselves. It has been found that there are fewer traumas if
you first kill the tick while it is still attached by applying
kerosene or any of the tick rinses.With
a cotton bud, apply direct onto the tick, wait until the tick is
dead and then remove by gripping the tick by the head with a pair of
tweezers.
What to look for:
Ticks are not easily detected in their
first stages of attachment, and can be on the dogs for 6 to 8 hours
before they can be felt. Even at this stage they may only behalf the
size of a match-head, but they can still make the dog very ill and
in some cases can kill. The tick is dark blue in the early stages,
and when it is full appears a blue-grey colour. Symptoms include the
dog being unsteady on its feet, unusually drowsy, shaking its head,
vomiting or coughing. Once the tick is removed and any of the above
symptoms persist, the dog must be attended by your vet immediately.
Don't wait to see if the dog improves, because it usually won’t - it
will progressively get worse.
Recovery:
The serum
injection can make a dog quite ill and can do so for up to 48 hours.
The dog may take a week to fully recover. Do not give food or water
to the affected dog as it may vomit and choke.
A couple of ice cubes in a bowl can be placed with the dogs for them
to lick 12 hours after the serum is given. As treatment tends to
make dogs thirsty and in bad cases intravenous fluids may be
necessary, even oxygen.
The dog must be kept very quiet, away from noise and kept cool. Try
a small amount of food 24 to 36 hours after treatment if the dog has
responded, but check with your vet first! If you have a pregnant
bitch that has come down with a tick, is likely that she will abort
the puppies within a couple of days of receiving the serum. On the
bright side, some dogs are immune to the tick and show very little
ill-effects from their toxin.
anti-Tick-therapy.
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