Here in northern Arkansas, american toads are very common. The streetlight really brings them out at night - I counted 11 tonight in just five minutes. My concern is, however, about whether or not they may pose a danger to my dog - a 15 pound pekinese/terrior mix. He's a good boy, but he has a tendency to attack small animals - he's dispatched a good number of field mice to mouse heaven over the past eight years we've had him. I am afraid, however, that if he bites into a toad, it will sicken him or even kill him. Is this a legitimate fear? Thanks for the advice.

We had a pekineese die about 7 years ago. we had an autopsy done one him and he was either stung or had some other toxic creature (toad?) in his mouth because he was foaming at the mouth. he died and collapsed in the pool (autopsy showed he didnt drown, but choked to death from the poison/foam in his mouth) which makes us think he had a toad/frog or something in his mouth

JarrodRossi, where do you live? The only species of toad in the US that will kill a dog is the non-native marine or cane toad which is now invasive in Florida and Texas. The other toads are not fatal to dogs normally. The American toad as well as some of the others do have toxins but they are going to do some of the following: cause itching, eye watering, frothing at the mouth, vomiting, and general sickness. It's normally not toxic. I guess it's possible if the dog doesn't take the warning from that first bite and actually consumes multiple toads, death is a remote possibility. After getting a little toxin, most dogs learn their lesson. I'm reasonably sure that if a 15 pound dog ate an entire adult American toad, there wouldn't be enough toxin to cause death (but the dog would get sick). Most if not all of the toxin is on the skin. If you rub an irritated toad yourself, it will cause itching and irritation. The marine toad though is very toxic.

i have heard that bull frogs can realese posion like that. I think he mentioned somewhere he lives in texas.

As far as I know, bullfrogs don't have any toxins.

do any frogs like green, leopard etc have toxins? i have tadpoles in my pond and also have a very curiouse dog.

I live in Texas, but we never knew what it was, we just knew that it was some sort of toxin that killed him.

I don't know of any native US frogs that have toxins. Many South American frogs do have poisons such as the poison arrow frogs.

Since JarrodRossi lives in Texas, I think the invasive marine toads are found there in some areas now. If his dog ate/bit one of those, he would have died. The native toads though are only mildly toxic/irritating.

i just remember hearing it or something. Im not sure if its true though.

I wouldnt let the dog come in contact with any toad or bullfrog, it's too risky. I've never heard of leopard or pickeral frogs being toxic though.