Dart Frog Forums - View Single Post - Could Poison Dart Frog Have Caused Dog's Death?

Knoxter · 03-24-2009, 08:29 AM

Could Poison Dart Frog Have Caused Dog's Death?

Updated: Jan 16, 2008 11:41 PM

Sean Omine

By Beth Hillyer

MILILANI (KHNL)--Nalu was a lovable, energetic five-year-old golden retriever. These dogs retrieve almost anything and that could have led to his death.
Sean Omine is now left with only Nalu's companion. He believes it's possible the dog encountered a poisonous dart frog.
"When we took him in, his back legs kinda gave out and the vet ran blood tests, but couldn't come up with anything and released him home. Later on, his front legs gave out so he was immobile and lethargic," said Sean Omine.
He also consulted a leading Hawaii entomologist.
"He said it was probably one of two things; a cantor bean plant or the poison arrow frog."
Nalu suffered from seizures then passed away.
"We don't know exactly that it was the poison dart frog but my neighbor mentioned he actually killed a small half inch frog, with black and green bands on its sides and hind legs."
When disposing of the suspect frog the neighbor came in contact with it. It caused his hands to break out in hives with swelling and infected sores.
The green and black poison dart frog was brought into Hawaii in the 1930's to Manoa valley for mosquito control.
State agriculture officials say the dart frog is only highly poisonous in the Amazon due to it's diet of ants.
"The ant species poison dart frogs consume are not known to exist in the state of Hawaii. As such the term poison dart frog is not a true because the toxin it produces is more of an irritant than a poison," said Agriculture expert Dominic Cravalho.
However they do say that Nalu could have been highly allergic to the dart frog and that may have led to his death.