Excessive drooling, breathing problems, and even seizures. It can be quite terrifying when your family dog comes into contact with poison released by a cane toad.

It was the exact situation one Brisbane family faced with not one, but two of their dogs, after they came across a cane toad in their backyard.

Hamish and Penny the longhaired sausage dogs are alive today — Hamish thanks to the intervention of doctors at a 24-hour veterinary hospital, and Penny to some quick thinking and first aid at home.

Dr Zoe Jacobs-Fohrman, who treated Hamish at the Animal Referral Hospital in Sinnamon Park, hopes their two tales will encourage dog owners everywhere to educate themselves on symptoms to look out for, and what they can do to help stop the poison.

'It's terrifying to watch'

Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said Hamish had one of the most severe cases of cane toad poisoning she had ever seen when rushed to the hospital a couple of weeks ago.

"Hamish was having seizures, he wasn't conscious, and his face was wet from drool," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

She got to work stabilising the dog, suspecting it had come into contact with a cane toad.

"We had to secure his airways, give him a lot of medications and fluid support," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

But as Hamish was being treated, Penny started developing similar symptoms at home.

"Hamish's dad got a call from his wife at home with Penny, who said Penny was looking strange, didn't know what she was doing outside, and drooling everywhere," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

Both Hamish and Penny recovered from their encounter with a cane toad. ( Supplied: Animal Referral Hospital Brisbane )

"He already knew we were suspected that Hamish had a toad.

"While his wife was at home she was speaking to us on the phone, and we told her how to perform first aid and she was able to save Penny."

Penny was brought into the clinic afterwards, but was OK.

Hamish on the other hand, had to spend the night at the veterinary hospital.

"He woke up after a couple of hours. By the morning he was walking out happy as Larry, you would've had no idea anything had happened."

Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said first aid helped stop Penny's condition from worsening.

"That first aid totally saved her," she said.

"Both mum and dad did an amazing job. Penny looked a little dazed, probably from the hallucinogens from the toads."

Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said many pet owners were not aware what they can do when faced with a potential cane toad poisoning in their dogs.

"It's terrifying to watch."

What are the symptoms to look out for?

It varies.

Perhaps the most obvious are drooling, shaking, and the colour of their gums.

"If you look at their gums in their mouth they're bright red, because the toad toxin is such an irritant," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

"It really ranges form drooling, looking strange with bright gums, even up until seizures, abnormal heart rhythm, collapse, trouble breathing — and some dogs unfortunately die from this."

Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said while the onset of symptoms was quick, the toxin was slow to be absorbed.

"That's why first aid is really effective, even though you're seeing clinical signs straight away, the toxin can still be removed because it's so sticky," she said.

In the worst cases, it can lead to death.

"Death can occur in as little as 10 to 15 minutes if the dog has consumed the toad," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

What are the steps for first aid?

Grab a damp cloth: "Use it to wipe the tongue and gums thoroughly and remove any residual venom. The venom is so sticky, you've got to rub firmly around all their mouth," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said.

"Use it to wipe the tongue and gums thoroughly and remove any residual venom. The venom is so sticky, you've got to rub firmly around all their mouth," Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said. Rinse the cloth in-between wipes: "Because the venom will stick, we always tell people to rinse in the sink and then go back in and keep wiping. Continue that for at least 10 minutes or so."

"Because the venom will stick, we always tell people to rinse in the sink and then go back in and keep wiping. Continue that for at least 10 minutes or so." Don't hose inside a pet's mouth: "They can choke on the water, but also they can accidentally drink way too much water and cause problems that way."

"They can choke on the water, but also they can accidentally drink way too much water and cause problems that way." If in doubt, call your local vet: "Problems with the heart and neurological systems can progress rapidly."

Are we seeing more cane toads at the moment?

Dr Jacobs-Fohrman said Animal Referral Hospital has seen 15 to 20 cases of cane toad poisoning in the past few months.

"They're just the ones to come into the clinic. It wouldn't surprise me if we had two phone calls every evening around dusk, people saying their dog's drooling and they're worried they've got a toad," she said.

Cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935. ( ABC News: James Purtill )

University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience researcher Professor Rob Capon said the weather could be driving toads out and about.

"In the drier, cooler weather they more or less dig down into the ground, into the leaf litter, keeping nice and warm in the ground," he said.

"If it's been a nice warm day and there's been a bit of rain, there are few more toads standing on the side of the road."

Where does a cane toad store its toxins?

In glands, mostly founds in its shoulders.

"When a predator attacks and starts to mouth it, it applies pressure to those glands and those glands then release or secrete a substance which is highly toxic," Professor Capon said.

"It releases cardiotoxin, and chemicals with vasodilatory properties … also releases a bit of adrenaline, which gets the heart pumping.

"So it opens up your arteries, it speeds up your heart, and gives you a toxin that when it gets to your heart, stops your heart."