Toads and Dogs in South Africa: The Night-Time Poisoning Nobody Warns You About

How it happens

On warm, wet summer evenings, toads come out onto lawns and patios — and curious dogs mouth them. The toad’s skin glands release a toxin that absorbs straight through the gums. Within minutes many dogs drool heavily, paw at their mouths and shake their heads; brick-red gums are typical.

Most South African toad encounters cause dramatic drooling and distress that settles, but larger doses — small dogs, big toads, or a toad actually chewed — can progress to vomiting, wobbliness, tremors or seizures, which is an emergency.

First aid that actually helps

Rinse the mouth immediately with gently running water pointed forward and down — a hosepipe on low or a wet cloth wiped repeatedly over the gums works. The goal is to wash the toxin off the gums without the dog swallowing the rinse water, so never spray towards the throat and never force water down.

Rinse and wipe for ten minutes, then phone your vet and describe what you are seeing. If there is any wobbliness, tremoring, collapse or seizure — or if the dog is very small — go in immediately rather than waiting to see.

Prevention for toad season

Do a quick torch-lit garden scan before the last toilet trip on summer nights, keep outside water bowls raised (toads sitting in bowls leave toxin in the water), and teach a solid ‘leave it’. Dogs who have had one toad adventure almost always try for a second.