[Note: Consult a professional before attempting any of the following!]
Now that summer is here, I wanted to share some recipes and information that may save your dogs life in an emergency. This is part one of a series of helpful things you can do in case your dog comes in contact with a poisonous frog. I have done some research and found information that has put my mind at ease. Hopefully you will find this of value.
I recently attended a pet first aid class and put together a first aid kit for Buddy dog. In next month's article I will share that information. I wonder how many folks have a doggie or kitty first aid kit. This pet first aid kit and the knowledge of how to administer first aid can save your pets life and save you money by being able to administer first aid at home to your pet. Caring for your pet amounts to less office visits to the vet for small first aid issues that can add up to big dollar amounts. I think you should always call your Vet in an emergency, but a lot of us cannot afford the high cost of veterinarian visits. Some of us are able to do simple first aid to our pets. I learned to do doggie mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in this class. I hope I never have to do it, but I would to save my dog's life. This is one of the reasons I brush Buddy's teeth daily. I am not fond of doggie breath.
I read in our local newspaper that on Oahu approximately 65% of families own pets. Now that is a huge number of pet owners. We truly have the power to change some laws to protect our pets and to establish safe and legal places to take our animals. I feel there should be areas that are more pet friendly. I think we can police ourselves in regards to picking up animal poop and keeping control of our animals in those designated areas.
I have a large Golden Retriever, who I love dearly. I know how much we pet owners love our animals. Buddy weighs in at over 100 lbs. of solid muscle. We run the beach daily and find places to run at night because he is large and needs to run for his health and so he does not go stir crazy in the house. On occasion he has instinctively gone after a frog leaping in the grass where we walk. You could probably hear me shriek in fear all across the island. I am not afraid of frogs. I just don't want one in my dog's mouth. Especially not a poisonous one.
I will refer to dogs and pets in this article interchangeably. My intention is not to sound repetitive, so to be clearer, I am referring to Dog's only. I do not know if a cat has been poisoned by a bufo. I will do more research. I will report in a future column.
There are some big, ugly, slimy looking frogs outside our house. I call them Bufo's…their real name is bufo marinus. They start out as small frogs and grow quite large. They have toad bumps that secrete a toxic poison that is seizure based according to the person I spoke to at a local Vet clinic. If your dog ingests the frogs poison it can affect the dog's heart or brain. It is a nervous system poison. This is scary stuff, but if you are prepared with a plan of action you will have a better chance of saving your pet.
I have a friend who lived overseas many years. She and her husband lived in a place where there was no emergency VET clinic and they had 4 dogs. There were many poisonous frogs on their property. On more than 25 occasions she had to rescue her pets. Sometimes two pets at once. She currently lives in Kaneohe on a large property with Bufo's a- plenty. She has saved her dogs time and time again using the method I will share. The poison from the frog makes the dog's mouth foam constantly. It stays under the back pocket of the dogs lips. It will foam again within minutes after you rinse and wipe the mouth.
FIRST AID TO REMOVE FROG TOXIN FROM THE PETS MOUTH Poisonous Frog Emergency Kit: - Pet leash
- Garden hose with a high pressure attachment
- Towels, assorted sizes
- Pepto Bismol in a dropper labeled: DOG (*Call your VET for advice about the Pepto Bismol and how much is safe to use)
- Know your pet's weight
- List of Emergency Vet phone numbers and 24 hour VET clinic. www.vcapets.com is a link to the pet clinics in Hawaii. The Pearl City has a 24 hour clinic. This is a 24 hour emergency after hour's number for pets. It is a physician's exchange. (808) 524-2575 This is a 24 hour number*** (You can see the map and directions at their site) |
My friend has given me this advice to share but I highly recommend you contact your Vet for advice. I am not a doctor. I am however, a sensible, caring, pet owner who would do anything to save my pet's life if I had to.
I spoke to several local Veterinarians. The one in Kaneohe was not willing to share information and put me on hold several times. They kept repeating to me that I should bring the animal to their office. I explained that I had a 30 minute drive and that my animal could die on the way. I added that this frog emergency could happen during the night when they were closed. They said an on call Vet would call me in that case. That wasn't a good enough answer for me. I don't want my dog drooling, foaming, and possibly having seizures and death while I wait for a call or try to get him to an office. Clearly there has to be a better option. She added that rinsing the mouth and wiping was good to do.
Another Veterinarian in Pearl City said they would go a few steps further to save the animal after you take it to the clinic. I could not get a straight answer at first as to what they would do at their clinic that could save my dog's life. I was persistent and asked specifically what they could do that I could not do. Finally, I was told that in severe cases the dog would be restrained, catherized, and have an IV with fluids. They would then observe that animal for 24-48 hours. They also would not tell me if they could save the dog with medication. I don't know about you but I do not ever want to subject my dog to that because I did not do first line aid. Call your clinic and/or veterinarian and see if they will give you life saving advice for your pet. Not just to bring the pet to the clinic but something of greater value…something you can do to possibly reduce the chances of loosing your dog. Do you or someone you know that has lost a pet from frog poisoning? Please comment on this column so we can all share in their experience or simply learn from it.
Both clinics I contacted said the method I am sharing is the preferred method. This action would be the first line of defense taken if your dog has been poisoned by a frog. The drive to the Vet without cleaning the pet's mouth can be more dangerous as the poison stays in the pet's mouth and goes into the bloodstream.
You will need to know your pet's weight when using the Pepto Bismol. Neither Vet ever heard of that method but so far it works for my friend. We are all capable, thinking adults and sometimes it's ok to make your own decision in reference to the care of you or your pet. Some Vet's may not agree with this method but it is ultimately your choice.
THIS IS FIRST AID... MEANT TO BE DONE FIRST...
FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN STEPS TO REMOVE TOXIC POISON FROM PETS MOUTH Do In order listed: This is better with two people helping - Restrain the animal, put the dog on a leash or tie up
- A small dog can be wrapped in a towel or blanket to secure
- Wipe the toxic slime with a towel out of the dogs mouth quickly
- Keep the dogs head tilted down, very important to keep head down
- Rinse the dogs mouth with the garden hose
- Use pin point spray of water but reduce water pressure, you are trying to rinse the toxin and keep a steady water flow
- Alternate with the towel to wipe, then rinse again with the hose
- Keep checking inside the dog's mouth to see if you removed the toxic slime. It will feel like raw egg whites.
- If the dog throws up, that is ok, the VET will induce vomiting if you go to their office
- When you feel you have the slime removed Use the dropper to squirt a tablespoon of Pepto Bismol at the back of the dogs tongue so it swallows and coats the back of the tongue
- Wait and watch the dog in a confined space like the bathroom for several hours
- The dog will probably be vomiting and gagging, keep the dog calm as possible. If the dog starts foaming at the mouth, repeat the procedure with the towel wiping and more water but no more Pepto Bismol
- At any point in time CALL THE VET or get someone else to call
- If your pet starts to have seizures get to the VET immediately
At any point if your dog's gums get bright red... immediately get to the Vet. This would indicate serious poisoning. Both clinics confirmed this. I would not take a chance and heed their warning. |
Here are a few more pointers to know while administering this first aid. My friend gave her dog's milk and bread. My Vet said no food. I think the toxin would be worse if the dog has an empty stomach. I would probably give my dog a small amount of bread or milk depending on if he had an empty stomach. Again, this is something to discuss with your doctor and make the decision that is best for you and your pet. Veterinarians and doctors are just human. Sometimes, we actually know more about what is good for us and our pets than they do.
Again, the Vet spoke to at the big clinic said each case of frog poisoning was different. In some cases they keep the pet overnight and put a catheter and IV in the pet. They observe for seizures. Both clinics I spoke to agreed with the rinse and wipe method to remove poison. The Pepto Bismol was new to them, but they did not discount it.
I changed Vet clinics recently because I felt they wanted to do too many unnecessary tests. Not only were they expensive but the clinic I went to in town agreed with me. I want the best care for my dog but do not want to feel like I am taken advantage of. The clinic I go to now is in Honolulu. There services are a fraction of the big clinic. One drawback though is that they do not have a 24 hour clinic. Also they have short hours. So I take my Buddy to both places. I will do what is best for my dog if he needs help regardless of the cost. But common sense tells me there are options and I have choices.
HOW TO CATCH A FROG AND HOW TO DISPOSE OF THE FROG
You can only frog hunt at night because the frogs sleep and hide during the day. After the grass is mowed is a good time to hunt so you can see the critters. I look in plant pots, around trees, around trash piles. They like to hide, so go seek them. Remove all pet water dishes from outside at night as the frogs like to rest in the pet water dish and the toxin will be in the water and possibly harm your pet.
For the Hunt You Will Need: - A good flashlight
- Rubber gloves
- Plastic tall trash can, heavy duty trash bag, or plastic cooler to contain frog
- A coffee can to scoop frogs into
- A dust pan from the kitchen to use as a scooper
- Courage
- These are creepy fellas. You can also pick them up in your hand with rubber gloves on. I have not been able to do that method. I am working on some frog fear issues at the moment. You can put wire screening around the perimeter of your yard that is at least 18" tall. The frogs cannot jump that high, but the baby frogs may get through. This can be done before or after the frog hunting. |
I have tried the frog toss method. I was tossing them over the fence only to discover the frogs came back. Not only did they come back, they brought friends and family frogs. Some of the folks I talked to put them in the trash dumpsters. Frogs are useful to our environment as they eat tons of insects, especially mosquitoes. I know a person who spears the frogs, which kills the frog and them tosses it into the dumpster. He boasts that frog hunting and capture is a skill... maybe if you are Neanderthal. I don't encourage killing any creature because we are all environmentally linked.
I recommend that after catching the frog; take them far away from people's houses. I take them to a stream where no one lives. I also take them to the jungle on the Pali Highway. Then the frogs can continue to do what they do best which is to eat insects. Use caution where you put them as they might wash downstream to a place that other animals might live. I wonder if frogs are like dogs and can find their way home from miles away. I would hate to go into my yard at night and see all the frogs I dumped returning to their favorite yard.
I have several methods to catch the frogs. I use a small ice cooler and scoop the frog inside and shut the cover. It is easy to catch a frog. You need to shine a big flashlight in their eyes and they cannot move with the light shining in their eyes. The minute you take the light away they will try to jump to escape. Some times they will jump towards you. Scoop the frog by any method you feel comfortable with and take it to the water, and set it free. I always give the frog a send-off song. I sing that "don't worry, be happy song."
Next month I will discuss Heatstroke first aid for pets, other Hawaii pet issues. I will also share with you how to assemble a first aid kit just for your pets.
Please feel free to comment on this column and please share your experiences so we can all benefit from the information. I will answer your questions or refer you to someone who can give you professional advice. Thanks for reading my column.
