With monsoons less than a week away, wildlife experts are warning about the dangers of the poisonous Sonoran Desert Toad, which only makes an appearance after the storms. Officials say the toad can be deadly for dogs.
"There are two toxic glands, right behind the eyes," said Daniel Marchand with the Herpetological Society.
The Sonoran Desert Toad is native to Arizona, and it comes with a reputation.
"This toad is the second most toxic toad in the world, it's only second to the Cane Toad in Australia," said Marchand.
We only see the toad a few months of the year when strong storms move through.
"These guys will come out at night, they will do their feeding, their mating, and the females will of couse lay their eggs," said Marchand.
People in Chandler recently posted pictures on social media, after they spotted a Sonoran Desert Toad in their neighborhood.
The toads are not super dangerous for humans, but people still gotta be careful. The biggest concern: Valley pets.
"Dogs are pretty nosey and they will try and bite them and they will excrete the toxin out," said Sage Garvey with Burns Pest Elimination. "Then they will end up pawing at their face, rubbing their face in the ground, foaming at the mouth."
If your dog does come into contact with a toad, make sure to rise your dogs mouth out and get to the vet immediately.
While a grown toad is gross enough for a lot of people, their babies could be even worse.
"They lay a ridiculous amount of eggs," said Marchand. "If you ever see it, you will wake up in the morning and wonder what in the world happen to my pool?"
Marchand said the eggs looks like a string of slimy liquid with millions of black dots. If you spot that in your pool, make sure to clean it out with a pool net right away.
