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.

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socaled

I really doubt that it could have been a PDF in hawaii there probably only DF's without the P. These frogs get their toxins from insects that obtain it from a plant. Also the person that killed an auratus could not have gotten those hives and swelling of the hands unless the person had open sores. the poison of these frogs can only work if it come in through skin or mucous membranes. That's how tribesman in Columbia tip their arrows. LOL the tribesman wear latex gloves to hold the frogs. hehehe imagine that.

atlfrog

I have to concur. Even if fire ants lived there the poisons within them would essentially kill the frogs in months as they can not digest the Alkaloids in the poison. If I am not mistaken there is no ant there that can cause these frogs to become poisonous. These frogs when caught wildly in Hawaii bear no poisons. Although I feel terrible about the dog, I think someone somewhere got their wires crossed and thought it would be a great comparison as the dart frog in the wild, which are not native to Hawaii, are poisonous and the plant they suggested is. An allergic reaction to a frog, well maybe, sounds reasonable, but otherwise ladies and gentlemen I leave you with this, "What amazing cr@p people put together."

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Merek Matthew Cardew :: ATLFROG.com
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Socalsam

You said it! People just see the word poison in PDF and they "Assume" they All are poisonous.Lets see the autopsy report. Lets not contribute to the stupid HR 669 proposal.

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A few frogs.