Pufferfish Poisoning and Dogs in Florida

Pufferfish can be extremely dangerous if eaten.

The major toxin associated with many pufferfish is tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin.

For dog owners:

Never let a dog eat a pufferfish, whether fresh, dead or washed onto the beach.

Why Pufferfish Are Dangerous

Tetrodotoxin can interfere with nerve and muscle function.

Severe poisoning can lead to:

• Weakness
• Loss of coordination
• Paralysis
• Breathing failure

Florida’s Own Puffer Problem: Saxitoxin

Tetrodotoxin is the toxin most people have heard of. Florida has a second one. Between 2002 and 2004, people in Florida and three other states were poisoned by puffers caught in the Indian River Lagoon – and the culprit was not tetrodotoxin but saxitoxin, a paralytic toxin the fish pick up from a local algae, Pyrodinium bahamense. Researchers traced it to three species: the southern puffer, the checkered puffer and the bandtail puffer.

Two facts from the state matter for a dog owner:

• The toxin has no taste, color or smell. A dog gets no warning from the fish itself.
• Cooking or cleaning the fish does not destroy it. A cooked scrap from a well-meaning neighbor’s fish fry is just as dangerous as a raw carcass on the sand.

The toxin works on nerves: in people, FWC lists tingling, burning, numbness, drowsiness, slurred speech and difficulty breathing, and severe cases can be fatal. A dog cannot describe tingling, so what you will see is weakness, wobbling and labored breathing – which is why a suspected puffer meal is an emergency before any symptoms show.

Five Counties Where Keeping a Puffer Is Illegal

Since July 15, 2004, FWC has banned taking any puffer of the genus Sphoeroides in the waters of Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties (rule 68B-3.007). That covers the whole Indian River Lagoon, from New Smyrna Beach to Jupiter Inlet.

If you fish those waters with a dog aboard, the rule makes the dog-safe choice for you: unhook any puffer in the water where you can, release it right away, and never drop one on the deck or dock, where a dog will reach it first. Anywhere else in Florida, treat every puffer the same way – there is no reason to keep one around a dog.

Where Dogs Find Them

• Fishing piers and bridges. Puffers take baited hooks readily, and one left on the planks instead of released is easy for a dog to grab. Keep the leash short on any pier.
• The wrack line after a fish kill. Red tide and cold snaps can wash up dead fish by the hundreds, puffers among them.
• Cleaning stations and boat ramps. Scraps and bycatch end up in the bins and on the ground.
• Lagoon and inlet shorelines. The same shallow grass flats where puffers live are where a dog wades.

If you come across a beach covered in dead fish, turn the walk around and report it to the FWC Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511 or online at MyFWC.com/ReportFishKill. The state tracks these events, and a report helps warn the next dog owner.

Who to Call

• The nearest emergency vet, first. Call on the way so they are ready; our pet help by county pages list them.
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435, 24 hours a day (a consultation fee may apply). Useful if you are far from an emergency vet and need to know what to do in the meantime.

Dead Fish Are Still Dangerous

A pufferfish does not have to be alive to be hazardous.

Do not let dogs:

• Bite
• Chew
• Carry
• Eat

a pufferfish carcass.

Beach Walks

Pufferfish may wash ashore with other fish.

Use extra caution around:

• Wrack lines
• Fish kills
• Red tide events
• Fishing areas

Keep the dog on a short leash.

Fishing Trips

If you catch a pufferfish:

• Keep dog away
• Do not leave fish on deck
• Do not let dog lick slime or tissue
• Dispose of it according to current fishing rules

Signs of Possible Poisoning

Seek emergency veterinary help if a dog that may have eaten pufferfish develops:

• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Tremors
• Difficulty walking
• Difficulty breathing
• Collapse

Do Not Wait for Symptoms

If you know or strongly suspect the dog ate a pufferfish:

Contact an emergency veterinarian immediately.

Do Not Induce Vomiting Without Guidance

Because severe poisoning can affect muscle control and breathing, home treatment can be risky.

Follow veterinary instructions.

Bring Evidence

If safe, take:

• Photo of fish
• Remaining carcass in sealed container
• Time of exposure

Do not handle unknown fish with bare hands if avoidable.

Pufferfish and Human Food

Florida also has strict public-health warnings regarding consumption of certain pufferfish.

That is another reason never to treat pufferfish as casual pet food.

Best Prevention

• Short leash on beach
• No scavenging
• Keep fish carcasses away
• Closed fish box
• Immediate cleanup after fishing

Related Guides

• What to Do if Your Dog Eats Dead Fish
• Red Tide and Dogs
• Bait and Dogs: What Is Toxic?
• Fish Spines, Catfish and Dogs
• Florida Wildlife Emergency Checklist for Pet Travelers

Pufferfish poisoning is one of those hazards where prevention is far easier than treatment.

Sources

• Florida Department of Health – Puffer Fish Poisoning: floridahealth.gov
• FWC – Puffer fish prohibition (68B-3.007): myfwc.com
• FWC – Fish Kill Hotline: myfwc.com
• CDC – Tetrodotoxin: emergency.cdc.gov