TRIBUNE-HERALD (Waco, Texas) 10 December 06 Dog bit toad and dies — dangers multiply during holidays (Mónica Ortiz Uribe)
The Stankey family’s 1-year-old Shih Tzu, Stasha, was no match for a nasty grey toad she bit and toyed around with while the family trick or treated on Halloween night.
After 45 minutes of foaming at the mouth, restlessness and difficulty breathing, Stasha died in her owner’s arms.
That night the five Stankey family members learned a dire lesson about potentially harmful elements to their pet.
Fatal hazards to man’s best friend and other household pets usually increase during the holidays. Dangers range from common things around the house to the unexpected, and sometimes unpreventable.
Melissa Stankey, a mother of three who lives in Elk, tried her best to rinse out her dog’s mouth while family members called the emergency veterinarian service on Halloween.
The technician who answered the phone said the dog would be fine. In fact, Stankey’s outdoor dogs at home made a habit out of biting toads, foaming at the mouth a little and going back to normal.
Local veterinarian Luann Ervin, who was Stasha’s vet, thinks that the toad that killed Stasha was not native to the area and may have been moved here by people from another region.
Ervin suggests that the best place for most pets is inside the home or in a well-fenced yard. Further prevention, such as antitoxins and vaccines, can be used for hunting or rural dogs.
While Stasha’s death would have been difficult to prevent under the circumstances, according to Ervin, many dangers that surface during the holidays can be prevented.
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Toads are not usually on the death list for pets, especially not for Central Texans, said Andy Price, a herpetologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife.
There are no toxic toads native to Texas, he said, except for the marine toad, which can only survive the heavily humid climate of South Texas.
“All toads have toxins in their skin as part of their defense mechanism,” Price said. “In the 20 years I’ve been in the Texas area, I’ve never seen a fatality as a result of a pet biting a toad.”
The mild toxin carried by the dozen or so species in Texas could cause dogs who bite toads to foam at the mouth, a normal reaction that goes away with no harm done to the animal he said. It helps to rinse the dog’s mouth out with water without squirting it down the animal’s throat, he said.
Unfortunately, the Stankey family may never know exactly what kind of toad killed Stasha.
Replacing Stasha won’t be easy, Melissa Stankey said.
But as an avid pet lover, she said, the family has many pets to love including dogs, cats, ducks and a couple of peacocks.
Dog bit toad and dies

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