Toad poisoning happens to cats when exposed to toxins released by certain toads. There will be mild signs and symptoms after licking the toad, whereas ingesting the toad can lead to vomiting, oral irritation, and drooling. Dogs are more exposed to toads, but it has been reported that even cats have shown signs of poisoning in recent years. Toad poisoning is more common in the rainy season. The most active time for toads is the nighttime after rainfall. As a cat parent, this can be completely new information for you, so this article will answer some of the frequently asked questions about toad poisoning.
There are many questions related to toad poisoning, but below mentioned are some of the interesting ones:
What is the reason behind toad poisoning?
Toads can release toxic substances through the glands of their skin. The amount of toxins released through their skin doubles when the toad feels threatened. In these scenarios, when a toad is eaten or licked, the toxins get absorbed into the mouth, leading to poisoning (toxins can also get absorbed through open wounds). One thing which you need to know is that toads are poisonous at all stages of their life. From the time they are eggs and also when they become tadpoles.
What are the signs and symptoms of toad poisoning?
If your cat gets toad poisoning, then within minutes, your cat will start drooling, and frothing can also occur at the mouth. Your pet’s gum will become very red, and they can even exhibit signs of pain by vocalizing and pawing their mouth. Along with that, vomiting and diarrhea are very common symptoms after toad poisoning. And these signs can worsen into irregular heartrate, rapid eye movements, difficulty breathing, stumbling, tremors, and seizures. If your cat doesn’t get immediate medical treatment, it can lead to fatality.
How to diagnose toad poisoning?
When a cat shows the above signs and symptoms after being exposed to a toad, they are diagnosed with toad poisoning, but there is no one specific test to confirm if a cat has toad poisoning. Though poisoning can be confirmed if cats get supportive care like blood work, chest and abdomen ECG, and radiographs.
What is a way to treat toad poisoning?
Immediately after toad poisoning, the mouth of the cat should be flushed with running water. The cat’s head should be down so that the chances of ingesting or inhaling the water are not possible. Subsequent steps of treatment depend upon symptoms that develop. But, after washing the area of exposure, it is best to take them to the vet for the best health care treatment.
These are some of the common questions related to toad poisoning. But one crucial thing that every pet parent should know is that this kind of thing might never happen to your pet. However, it is still essential to be fully aware of precautions and be completely prepared if anything unfortunate happens. Knowing the emergency drills is one way of being prepared; getting pet health insurance is another way. In this situation, your cat needs immediate medical attention, and it can be expensive to get the blood test, ECG and radiograph, let alone the treatment once diagnosed. Pet health insurance will stop you from worrying about monetary expenses and help you focus on your fur ball’s recovery process. So if you don’t have pet insurance, make sure you get a policy soon.
