If you live in Florida, especially South Florida, the large toad hopping through your yard at night could pose a serious danger to your dog.
The invasive cane toad, commonly called a Bufo toad, produces a powerful toxin that can make a dog dangerously ill within minutes after licking, biting or mouthing the toad.
For Florida pet owners, knowing how to identify a cane toad, recognize the signs of poisoning and respond quickly can save a pet’s life.
“Bufo toad” is a name many Floridians still use for the invasive cane toad. The name comes from the animal’s former scientific classification. Today, the species is known scientifically as Rhinella marina.
Cane toads are native to parts of Central and South America but were introduced into Florida decades ago. They are now well established across much of the southern and central portions of the state.
They are particularly comfortable around people and are often found in yards, neighborhoods, golf courses, school grounds and other developed areas.
That puts them in many of the same places where our pets live and play.
Cane toads have spread through much of South and Central Florida.
According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, established populations occur throughout much of Florida’s southern peninsula, with populations extending into Central Florida.
For South Florida pet owners, that means Bufo toads can be a concern throughout communities in areas including:
Palm Beach County
Broward County
Miami-Dade County
Martin County
and surrounding areas
They are especially common around homes and other developed properties where food, water and shelter are readily available.
Correct identification matters because Florida is also home to native toads that should not be confused with invasive cane toads.
Adult cane toads are large and can measure roughly 3 to 6 inches long, with some individuals growing even larger.
Look for these characteristics:
Young cane toads can be much smaller and more difficult to distinguish from native Florida species.
If you are unsure what kind of toad you are looking at, do not assume every toad in your yard is a Bufo.
Adult cane toads are primarily nocturnal.
They usually remain hidden during the day and become active after sunset.
That makes evening, nighttime and early morning potty breaks particularly important times to supervise dogs.
Toads may also become more noticeable following rain, and they are attracted to places that provide insects, moisture, hiding spots or food.
Outdoor pet food can be especially attractive to cane toads.
Cane toads have large glands behind their heads called parotoid glands.
These glands contain a potent toxin. When a dog bites or mouths the toad, pressure on the glands can release the toxin directly into the dog’s mouth.
The toxin is rapidly absorbed through the mouth and mucous membranes.
Dogs are at particular risk because many instinctively chase, sniff, lick or bite small animals moving through the yard.
The seriousness of an exposure can depend on factors such as the amount of toxin, the size of the dog and how quickly treatment begins.
Symptoms can appear very quickly after exposure.
Possible warning signs include:
Severe cane toad poisoning can become life-threatening.
Do not wait for multiple symptoms to appear before acting if you know or strongly suspect your dog has mouthed a cane toad.
Treat suspected cane toad exposure as an emergency.
Immediately move your dog away from the toad.
Then begin removing toxin from the mouth while contacting your veterinarian or the nearest emergency veterinary hospital.
The University of Florida recommends wiping the mouth with a damp cloth and rinsing the mouth with water for approximately 15 minutes, while making sure the water flows out of the mouth rather than down the throat.
If using water:
Keep your dog’s head or muzzle angled downward.
Direct water so it flows across the gums and mouth and back out rather than toward the throat.
A damp cloth can also be used to carefully wipe the gums, tongue and inside surfaces of the mouth, rinsing or changing the cloth frequently.
If you are using an outdoor hose, let the water run first. Water sitting inside a hose in the Florida sun can become dangerously hot.
Contact a veterinarian immediately while performing first aid.
If your dog is having seizures, is unconscious, cannot swallow normally or cannot safely tolerate mouth rinsing, do not force water into the mouth. Get to an emergency veterinary hospital immediately.
Milk, lemon juice, egg yolks and other commonly shared home remedies are not substitutes for proper first aid and emergency veterinary care.
Do not delay professional treatment while trying them.
Cane toad toxin can act quickly because it can be absorbed through the tissues inside the mouth.
That is why a dog may begin drooling, foaming or acting abnormally shortly after an encounter.
The faster toxin is removed from the mouth and veterinary care begins, the better the opportunity to manage the exposure.
If you actually saw your dog lick, bite or carry a suspected cane toad, do not wait to see whether symptoms develop.
Preventing an encounter is much easier than treating one.
Because adult cane toads are primarily active at night, accompany your dog outside during evening and nighttime bathroom breaks.
A short leash gives you much more control if your dog suddenly notices something moving in the grass.
Do not leave bowls of dog or cat food outside overnight.
Cane toads will eat pet food and may begin returning to locations where food is readily available.
Toads are attracted to moisture and may climb into outdoor water bowls.
Bring bowls inside when possible, particularly overnight, and always provide your pet with clean, fresh water.
Outdoor lights attract insects, and insects attract hungry toads.
Motion-activated lighting or less insect-attracting outdoor bulbs can help make the area less appealing.
Keep landscaping maintained and reduce places where toads can hide during the day.
Debris piles, dense ground-level vegetation, spaces beneath decks and areas around outdoor equipment can provide shelter.
Cane toads breed in water.
Eliminating unnecessary standing water and addressing wet areas around the property can make your yard less attractive to both cane toads and mosquitoes.
Training will not replace supervision, but a reliable “leave it” cue can give you another way to interrupt a dog before it grabs a toad or other dangerous object.
Florida has plenty of wildlife that pet owners learn to coexist with. Cane toads are different because they thrive especially well in the same developed areas where people and pets spend their time.
A Bufo toad does not need to be deep in the Everglades to become a problem.
It may be beside a patio, underneath landscaping, near an air-conditioning unit, next to a pet bowl or sitting in the grass during an evening walk.
For South Florida dog owners, awareness is one of the best forms of prevention.
Know what cane toads look like.
Use extra caution outside after dark.
Keep your yard less inviting to them.
Most importantly, know what to do before an encounter happens.
Yes. Cane toads, commonly called Bufo toads, produce toxins that can cause severe and potentially fatal poisoning in dogs.
A dog may begin drooling or foaming, pawing at the mouth or showing bright red gums shortly after exposure. More serious poisoning can cause neurological and cardiac problems, including tremors, seizures and abnormal heart rhythms.
Begin removing toxin from the mouth and contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital immediately.
Signs can begin within minutes because the toxin can be absorbed rapidly through the mouth.
Do not wait for symptoms if you know your dog has bitten or licked a cane toad.
Severe cane toad poisoning can be fatal, particularly without prompt treatment. The amount of toxin, the dog’s size and how quickly care begins can all affect the outcome.
Cats can also be poisoned, although dogs are much more likely to attack or mouth cane toads.
Florida has several native toad species as well as the invasive cane toad. Cane toads pose the greatest concern for severe toxicity, which is one reason proper identification is important.
Established populations occur across much of South and Central Florida, particularly in developed areas such as neighborhoods, yards, golf courses and other human-modified environments.
Cane toads do not intentionally shoot venom at pets. However, toxin can ooze from their glands, and pressure from a dog’s mouth can cause toxin to be released.
Cane toads are part of life for many Florida pet owners, but an encounter does not have to catch you unprepared.
Learn to recognize them, supervise dogs outside at night and keep your veterinarian’s information and the location of the nearest emergency animal hospital readily available.
If your dog does encounter a suspected Bufo toad, act immediately and seek veterinary care.
This article was reviewed and updated using current guidance from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, VCA Animal Hospitals and American Kennel Club veterinary resources.
This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment. If you believe your pet has been exposed to a cane toad, contact a veterinarian or emergency veterinary hospital immediately.
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