Swallowed toad too tough to die

A cane toad has confirmed its species' extraordinary talent for survival by emerging unscathed after being swallowed by a dog and spending 40 minutes in the animal's stomach.

The toad was vomited up by the dog and has since been christened Spew by staff at an Australian animal clinic.

Bella wolfed down the unfortunate amphibian which hopped onto the grass after the dog's owner tossed some leftover meat pies on to his backyard lawn in Palmerston, Darwin.

Owner Jackson Crews told the Northern Territory News: "[The vets] gave her a needle to help her vomit. She vomited a lot of pies and pasties but nothing else came up. Then they gave her another needle and she spewed up the cane toad."

Cane toads have toxic glands in their skin which can kill pets and wild animals which try to eat them. Crews said it was probably Bella's greed that saved her life because she had swallowed the toad whole rather than chewing it.