Dogs and frogs. Pugs and toads. Not exactly a match made at the vet’s office — especially if it’s a certain kind of toad.
Animal officials who track the cane toad — the world’s largest and native to the Caribbean — say the toxic amphibian could hurt humans and kill dogs.
Species of the toads, which migrated from South America and the Caribbean to South Florida and are slowly make their way north, carry a toxin on their skin that is particularly dangerous to dogs, especially if gets in their nose or mouth. Their tadpoles are also highly toxic to most animals if ingested.
They became invasive to Florida when they started eating other frogs. The University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health began tracking them, and has reports of them in Lakeland, Brevard County and Altamonte Springs, north of Orlando.
Experts suggest keeping your yard trimmed, and keep an eye on your dogs and other pets and night, as frogs are naturally nocturnal.
