A Loxahatchee dog owner is sounding the alarm after a freak backyard incident left one of her pets dead and another partially paralyzed. During last week’s cold snap, a dead iguana ended up in Bridget Garrison’s yard. Her two bluetick coonhounds, Tally and Karma, got to the carcass and ate parts of it. In the days that followed, both dogs developed hind-leg weakness. Tally died on Monday, and Karma survived but with partial paralysis. Garrison told local reporters she hopes her experience pushes other pet owners to check their yards after freezes and keep curious dogs supervised.
Owner’s timeline and local response
As reported by WPTV, Garrison first noticed her dogs playing with something in the yard and later discovered it was a dead iguana with its limbs missing. When both animals began to show signs of paralysis in their back legs, she rushed them to the Pet Emergency and Referral Center in Palm Beach Gardens, where veterinarians suspected botulism. Neighbors and groups including Big Dog Ranch Rescue stepped in to help Garrison move and care for Karma during the crisis.
Veterinarians explain how iguanas can be lethal
Veterinarians say the danger comes from Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that thrives in decomposing carcasses and produces a neurotoxin that can cause progressive paralysis. “Once they die, you have bacteria starting to decompose and dogs come along,” Dr. Evan Kadish told WPLG Local 10. He advised owners to walk their yards after a freeze and to use gloves when safely removing any fallen iguanas.
What botulism looks like and why treatment is limited
Botulism in animals usually shows up as an ascending, flaccid paralysis that starts in the hind limbs and can advance to the muscles that control breathing, making the condition potentially fatal without prompt care. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that ingestion of preformed toxin in decaying carcasses is a common source of infection and that antitoxin or decontamination must be given very early to be effective. Treatment is mainly supportive, with fluids, nursing care and respiratory support if needed, and the outcome depends on how much toxin the animal has absorbed.
How to protect your pets after a freeze
Veterinarians recommend checking yards after cold snaps, removing any dead reptiles while wearing gloves and keeping dogs supervised or leashed outside. Reporting on the recent freeze shows temperatures dipped well below normal in early February, leading to scores of cold-stunned iguanas that later fell from trees, as reported by Palm Beach Post. If a pet shows weakness, drooling or trouble walking or breathing, owners are urged to contact a veterinarian immediately because early care can be lifesaving…