Pooscapades: Toad you so!

No, it's not a typo, this is an important post to inform fellow Westies of the dangers lurking in Australian Adventure Playgrounds. A timely reminder to stay safe over the summer. We Westies and other terriers were bred to hunt and hunt we do! But, like all highly skilled activities, success can come at a price.

So your Pack Leaders need to be trained to know what to do when our enthusiasm overwhelms our judgment and we come face to face with a Cane Toad! Lucky for my friend Marlee-Jane(seen here on the right with me in the middle and Tiff on the left ), her Pack Leaders, Aunty Kim and Uncle Paul knew EXACTLY what to do and saved her life!

Now, for those who like to read stuff for themselves, follow this link. For the rest of you, here are the important points:

1. Toads gets scared when you get close and release a WHITE POISON onto their skin.

2. DON'T sniff, lick or get so close the poison goes in your eyes - it can KILL YOU (or even your Pack Leader) within 15 minutes.

3. You may get any one or more of these SIGNS: start to salivate, retch or vomit, get a bit disorientated, stare into space, have a fit, have trouble walking, and it could make your heart stop.

4. If the poison got in your mouth, your Pack Leader must WASH AND SCRUB YOUR MOUTH OUT and get rid of all the poison from your teeth and gums using water. The water must go forward OUT of your mouth so that you don't swallow the poison!

5. If you are having a fit, get your Pack Leader to take you to the VET immediately!

6. Toads come out at night, so don't go hunting by yourself then and make sure your Pack Leader doesn't leave water out and they must cover any pools and ponds.

For myself, I've decided to stick to sunbaking: