PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Bridget Garrison said she is sharing her painful experience to help other dog owners be prepared for the risk of living near iguanas in South Florida.

Garrison’s beloved playful dogs “Tally” and “Karma” contracted botulism, a serious illness caused by a potent toxin from a bacterium.

“Both dogs got a hold of an iguana in the yard that had been dead, I believe,” Garrison said. “They ate the arms and legs off.”

Days later, “Tally” and “Karma” were so ill that Garrison said she decided to rush them to the veterinarian in Palm Beach County.

“Had I known that them even going near a dead iguana was possibly deadly, I would have gotten the activated charcoal, gotten the anti-toxins, but I had no idea,” Garrison said.

Dr. Evan Kadish, a veterinarian at the Lantana-Atlantis Animal Hospital in Lake Worth, said the risk is higher with cold-stunned iguanas dying.

“Once they die, you have bacteria starting to decompose, and dogs come along. You can start seeing high-level paralysis, and that will ascend up the body -- eventually causing more and more problems,” Kadish said, also adding, “Just walk through your garden, have a look under your trees. Use gloves or whatever to dispose of them safely.”

Garrison’s dog “Tally” died on Monday in Loxahatchee. Despite her grief and having to care for “Karma,” she was talking to as many people as she could to help prevent another tragedy.

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