PIKE'S CORNER Tuly in Kona is usually hot and starting to get a bit miserable. This year however it feels like we have suddenly moved to Hilo. The rain is out of control the last few months and my family has had to pressure wash our back lanai because it started to grow green fuzz. Our grass is more like a kelp forest and has to be mowed every few days or the mower can't cut it. The other day when mom cut it there was actually a whole batch of baby toads that came hopping out of the grass. Mom was screaming at us to go inside and stop chasing them and then I realized they must be Cane toads. Baby ones but still. Cane toad or Bufo toads can make dogs very sick and if they get a big enough amount of the toxin they secrete they can actually cause them to die. Dad takes calls all the time in the evening when the toads come out and owners let their pets out for their last trip to the yard before bed. Its always the same, dog got a toad, foaming at the mouth, fast heart rate and acting a little off. Talk of rinsing out the mouth quickly and careful usually comes next monitoring for symptoms... Sometimes however, the pet is already having seizures and their temps have already started to rise. This is a trip into the hospital for emergency care and it is serious. I personally have never gotten a toad but not from lack of trying. Mom always freaks out the minute she sees one. I am usually terrified and not sure what might happen next so I usually leave the business to ridding the yard of toads to the professionals. Mom is now on high alert since she saw all the babies, knowing there no way she got them all. We will just have to wait and see. Maybe the birds in the yard will earn their keep or may just maybe IIl get to try some frog legs... on second thought that could be the death of me so I guess I will have to pass. - Ruff. Keauhou Veterinary Hospital, Experience your pet deserves, Experience you can trust. Best Pet Care 1 Years! BEST Hawail BEST Hawaii 2019 wet AAHA Keauhou Veterinary Hospital, LLC ACCREDITED wyEe 808-322-2988/Fax 808-322-2303 78-6728 Walua Road · Kailua Kona www.keauhouvet.com 7:30-5:00 Monday-Friday 8-5pm on Saturday Emergency call 24/7 PIKE'S CORNER Tuly in Kona is usually hot and starting to get a bit miserable. This year however it feels like we have suddenly moved to Hilo. The rain is out of control the last few months and my family has had to pressure wash our back lanai because it started to grow green fuzz. Our grass is more like a kelp forest and has to be mowed every few days or the mower can't cut it. The other day when mom cut it there was actually a whole batch of baby toads that came hopping out of the grass. Mom was screaming at us to go inside and stop chasing them and then I realized they must be Cane toads. Baby ones but still. Cane toad or Bufo toads can make dogs very sick and if they get a big enough amount of the toxin they secrete they can actually cause them to die. Dad takes calls all the time in the evening when the toads come out and owners let their pets out for their last trip to the yard before bed. Its always the same, dog got a toad, foaming at the mouth, fast heart rate and acting a little off. Talk of rinsing out the mouth quickly and careful usually comes next monitoring for symptoms... Sometimes however, the pet is already having seizures and their temps have already started to rise. This is a trip into the hospital for emergency care and it is serious. I personally have never gotten a toad but not from lack of trying. Mom always freaks out the minute she sees one. I am usually terrified and not sure what might happen next so I usually leave the business to ridding the yard of toads to the professionals. Mom is now on high alert since she saw all the babies, knowing there no way she got them all. We will just have to wait and see. Maybe the birds in the yard will earn their keep or may just maybe IIl get to try some frog legs... on second thought that could be the death of me so I guess I will have to pass. - Ruff. Keauhou Veterinary Hospital, Experience your pet deserves, Experience you can trust. Best Pet Care 1 Years! BEST Hawail BEST Hawaii 2019 wet AAHA Keauhou Veterinary Hospital, LLC ACCREDITED wyEe 808-322-2988/Fax 808-322-2303 78-6728 Walua Road · Kailua Kona www.keauhouvet.com 7:30-5:00 Monday-Friday 8-5pm on Saturday Emergency call 24/7