# Weiner dog not acting right after catching garter snake



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Weiner dog caught a garter snake this morning and after wards she started dry heaving with what looked like foam coming up. She stoped doing that farly quickly but isn't her active normal self just laying around. Also a lot of toads in the yard. Any ideas?


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Toads and some snakes emit a fowl tasting substance to discourage predators. I'm guessing that your dog has an upset stomach. Should be fine.


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Garter snakes will also eat toads which can make a dog sick. Her symptoms sound like she tasted a toad. Maybe the snake had one in its system.


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

I agree with the above, if you have toads and garter snakes, the snakes are very likely to have toad fluids in their digestive tracts. Dog chomps snake, snake pukes up toad remnants including that white gunk secreted by their parotid glands (on sides of heads). The toxins from marine toads (Bufo marinus) common in Florida and related Colorado River toads in the southwest deserts can be deadly to pets but I'd think a common native toad's punch wouldn't be that bad, especially if sort of diluted as snake spit. You might want to check with a vet if the symptoms persist, though, one of our neighbors said just a few days back they nearly had a dog die from a likely Colorado River toad encounter. (No toad was present so they think the dog may have outright eaten the whole thing.)


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

She is doing better. She was back outside hunting and not listening when I was ready to go in.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Just for fun sometime handle a garter snake and then smell your hands afterwards.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Whoa, I hadn't a clue! What do they smell like?


tinknal said:


> Just for fun sometime handle a garter snake and then smell your hands afterwards.


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## SunsetSonata (Nov 23, 2006)

tinknal said:


> Just for fun sometime handle a garter snake and then smell your hands afterwards.


Lol I was going to say the same thing. Doesn't surprise me in the least that a dog would get a terrible taste in its mouth. Though it didn't seem to stop this dog!


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

We have what we call spreading vipers here, a garter snake has nothing on them for stinking. 

Weiner dog is going fine this morning. She is natural hunter. Hard on mice and rabbits. My muscovey ducks too, every now and then she will chase and paw one to death, and know she is in trouble for it when she is done. Held a rat behind a piece of ply wood in the basement one day till I got home to get it. Been trying to get her after snakes hope this don't discourage her.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

Glad your weiner dog is doing fine today! 

The prey instinct is very high in the weiner dogs, isn't it? Ours keeps our property free of snakes, moles, mice, etc...No rabbits here but I'm sure she'd try. She'll sit for hours on alert if she finds a snake hole, just waiting for the chance to do her 'head shake kill the beast' thing.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

They are a lot of dog in a little package. Didn't realize just how usefull one could be.


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