This study summarized the key features of toad toxin poisoning, focusing on symptoms, treatment strategies, and factors influencing prognosis and mortality. The findings provide insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment of toad toxin poisoning, as well as for forensic determinations of cause of death. There is a need for enhanced drug safety education and clear regulatory guidelines on the therapeutic use of toad-related products. Toads, encompassing a broad taxonomic category within the order Anura and the family Bufonidae, are represented by over 300 species across 26 genera. Historically documented in ancient Chinese medical texts, such as the “List of Famous Doctors,” toads have long been valued for their medicinal properties8.
Western toads (Anaxyrus Boreas) are large toads that grow up to 5.1 inches (13cm). They are collected for the pet trade and are experiencing habitat loss, which is why they are considered near threatened by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). There was a recording of a Colombian giant toad in Florida in 1963 but was not established. They reproduce throughout the year with large clutches, averaging around 12,000 eggs per clutch.
Are all parts of a true toad equally poisonous, or are certain parts more toxic than others?
They have green to dark brown spots on their backs with a light-colored belly. They can change color as a response to light and heat changes with females being larger than the male. European green toads (Bufotes Viridis) are found in mountainous areas, deserts, urban areas, and other habitats in Europe, from France to Western Russia. Males have a clear white belly and a vocal sac, while females have a dark-spotted belly and no vocal sac. This is the smallest toad species in North America and grows to 1.30 inches (3.3cm). These toads are common from north Pakistan to Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Macau, and Malaysia, to name a few.
The Trouble with Toads: Getting to the Bottom of This Toxic Threat
The ability to produce toxins is mainly found in the family Bufonidae, which includes species like the common toad (Bufo bufo) and the American toad (Anaxyrus americanus). These toads possess specialized glands known as parotoid glands, located on the back of their heads. These glands are responsible for producing and storing the toxic substances. While there are many species within the family Bufonidae that possess toxic skin secretions, there are also numerous non-toxic species. It is crucial to exercise caution and seek expert guidance when encountering toads in the wild to avoid any potential health risks.
What Table Food Is Bad For Dogs
5-MeO-DMT, a component of toad venom, interacts swiftly with the 5-HT1A receptors in the central nervous system. Additionally, toad venom targets the NKA on myocardial cell membranes, inhibiting their activity, which may result in arrhythmias. To keep your dog safe from toxic toads, teaching them to leave them alone in the first place is crucial. If you live in an area where dangerous toads are found, take your pet into a veterinarian immediately after rinsing out their mouth. If dangerous toads are not found in your area, you should still contact a veterinarian, but rinsing out the mouth is usually sufficient to stop the drooling. One important thing to remember is that these dangerous toads only live in very specific areas in the United States.
Removing the Toxin
- Toad venom acts on gastrointestinal smooth muscle, enhancing peristalsis and thereby inducing nausea and vomiting.
- It is important to avoid handling true toads and to seek medical attention if there is any suspicion of poisoning.
- A pet that licks or eats a toad, will absorb the toxins through their mouths, which will cause poisoning.
- The Colorado River Toad can be found in the southern portions of Arizona, New Mexico and California, while the Cane Toad can be found in Florida, southern Texas and Hawaii.
- The best way to determine if a toad is poisonous is to look for specific physical characteristics and behaviors that are unique to toxic species.
- The American toad (Anaxyrus americanus) is a common garden species that eats harmful insects and can be seen in backyards in the Northeast.
- Similarly, the African common toad (Amietophrynus regularis) lacks toxic skin secretions.
Once the toxins are produced, they are stored in special glandular cells within the parotoid glands. When a true toad feels threatened, it can release these toxins from its parotoid glands in response to a predator’s attack. The toxin is expelled in the form of a milky secretion that can be toxic to the predator. Some toads can even aim and squirt the toxin towards the predator, increasing the chances of deterring are all toads poisonous them. Toad tadpoles and juvenile toads, also known as toadlets, can also be toxic to humans as the specific toad species will carry the same active toxins as adults.
- These toads are common from north Pakistan to Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Macau, and Malaysia, to name a few.
- They help control insect populations, including mosquitoes and garden pests, by feeding on them.
- If you accidentally touch a poisonous toad, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention if any adverse reactions occur.
- It is worth mentioning that not all species of true toads have the same level of toxicity.
- They differ from most frogs because they have dry skin, warts, crests behind the eyes, and parotoid glands.
- While most toxicities happen to dogs – likely due to their curiosity – the toads we mention in this article are toxic to cats, as well.
Join me as we delve into the world of these fascinating and potentially dangerous creatures. In the United States, the Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius) is one of the most well-known poisonous toads. This species is primarily found in the southwestern states, including Arizona, California, and Nevada. Colorado River toads secrete a potent toxin called bufotoxin, which is present in their skin, glands, and some other body tissues.
Although the potency of these toxins will generally be lower based on a lessened amount of toxins held in their small bodies, it frequently aids their survival chances in the wild. While all toads are generally poisonous to animals, not all toads are toxic to humans. However, toxicity effects can also vary between cases, meaning that people may experience varying toxicity levels or side effects after poisoning. All toads have poison-carrying parotoid glands located behind their eyes on the sides of their heads. However, these poisonous glands can also be housed inside numerous warts across the surface of their body.