Warning issued as several dead puffer fish wash up on Caswell Beach

CASWELL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Caswell Beach Police Department is issuing a warning after several dead puffer fish were found along the shore Tuesday morning.

If you find one, do not touch it.

The spikes of a dead puffer fish can still be poisonous even after the fish has died. The pufferfish’s skin is covered in spines and spikes, which are exceedingly hazardous. They carry a toxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), which is deadly to other fish and humans. You should avoid touching a pufferfish, especially if it is “puffed out.”

If eaten these fish are toxic and potentially fatal. The symptoms of poisoning are numbness of the mouth, salivation and vomiting, then weakness that can progress to respiratory failure. There is no antidote, so if you think your dog has eaten a puffer fish on the beach, you should visit the vet within 1 hour of ingestion.

If one is found, you can call Town Hall at (910) 278-5471.