Most people know what they look like, but few appreciate how deadly the puffer fish really is. Commonly washed up on beaches all around Australia, in varying states of decay, these toxic landmines are a tempting snack for any beach dog.
When fully inflated they’re unmistakable – a white, leathery, prickly balloon, with lips. In the deflated state, they’re a little less conspicuous, but no less toxic. Pay special attention to the subtle polygonal patterns of the skin, in the image below. It’s the most reliable feature for identification.
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.When rotten and dried out they may just look like any of the foul smelling carcasses that litter the high-tide line, but again, they are still toxic. Holding the dessicated skin up to the light will reveal the same polygonal pattern. If stretched when still moist and pliable, I suspect the skin would make a beautiful, if not smelly, lampshade…
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,Along with snorting wasabi, eating ‘fugu’, sashimi of puffer fish, is the extreme sport of Japanese dining. A small number of connoisseurs die each year when a clumsy sushi chef contaminates the meat with toxins from skin and innards. Dogs show no such finesse, usually happily chomping on the whole thing, unaware they may be enjoying their terminal meal.
What to do? If you’re a fisherman and haul one in, or you spot one on the beach, dispose of them thoughtfully. Poo-bagging is a good strategy if rotten or deflated; burial is a cosmetic solution, but may be the only option in remote locations. Burial in wet sand, around the low-tide line, will mask the odour and accelerate decomposition. They are not toxic to handle.
Tetrodatoxin is a neurotoxin, blocking the nerve messages that supply the muscles. Humans report some sensory effects (numbness, tingling) but most dog owners first notice vomiting or weakness in the limbs. The neurological symptoms are indistinguishable from botulism, snakebite and tick paralysis, although tick cases are usually more slowly progressive..
For more interesting detail on the evolution of tetrodatoxin in the animal kingdom, see here.
Tags: canine, extreme dining, neurotoxins, puffer fish, tetrodatoxin, toxins, veterinary, vomiting
I took my cat to the vet with extreme drooling, and vomiting clear phlegm. It was decided that he ate something that irritated his mouth. he vomited at least 7-10 times this clear phlegm. My question: I have a small dried puffer fish hanging up that was bought at a gift shop about 10 years ago. Is it possible that it is still toxic, say if my cat chewed on it? I am told it is more likely that it was just a bug or lizard, as blue bellies are very common here.
hi there, yes, even the died fish can be toxic….. here is a link that decribes the toxicity of dried fillets.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12380760
thst being said, if the fish is hanging and out of reach of kitty, there are countless other toxins, man-made and natual, then can cause the drooling and vomiting you describe. Tetroda toxin will more usually result in weakness, a wobbly drunken gait, progressing to paralysis, usually over a few hours.
cheerio
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