ON THE WAY. WE’LL SEE YOU THE REST OF YOUR FORECAST COMING UP. LOXAHATCHEE DOG OWNER IS WARNING OTHERS AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH A ROTTING IGUANA LEFT ONE PET DEAD AND ANOTHER FIGHTING TO RECOVER. OUR CALEB SPOKE WITH THE DOG OWNER, WHO SAYS SHE HAD NO IDEA THE DANGER WAS LURKING RIGHT THERE IN HER BACKYARD. WELL, THIS GOOD GIRL RIGHT HERE IS KARMA, AND SHE’S GOT A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY AHEAD. AFTER HER MOM TELLS ME SHE ATE A DEAD IGUANA AND GOT SICK WITH A RARE DISEASE CALLED BOTULISM. NOW, HER MOM SAT DOWN WITH US TODAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND HER WARNING TO OTHER PET OWNERS. GO PLAY TWO. YOU CAN PLAY TWO, BRIDGET GARRISON FROM LOXAHATCHEE TELLS ME HER TWO DOGS, TALLY AND KARMA, WERE INSEPARABLE. THEY LOVE TO SNUGGLE ON THE COUCH TOGETHER. THEY’RE VERY ACTIVE, EXCITED DOGS, THEIR BLUE TICK HOUNDS, THE SIX YEAR OLD TALLY AND THE EIGHT YEAR OLD KARMA RAN AROUND THE COMMUNITY DOING WHAT DOGS WOULD NORMALLY DO, PLAYING WITH EACH OTHER AND EATING WHATEVER THEY COULD CATCH. HOWEVER, LAST WEEK, BRIDGET NOTICED HER DOGS EATING WHAT LOOKED LIKE A DEAD IGUANA IN HER YARD. AT THE TIME, SHE DIDN’T THINK MUCH OF IT, BUT JUST DAYS LATER, BOTH OF HER DOGS SUDDENLY COULDN’T WALK. SHE RUSHED THEM TO AN ANIMAL HOSPITAL, WHERE VETERINARIANS SUSPECTED BOTULISM, A RARE BUT SERIOUS NEUROLOGICAL ILLNESS. BOTH DOGS WERE PARALYZED AT THE SAME TIME. UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, FOR ANY KIND OF REASON. AND THEN THAT’S WHEN I SAID, NO, THIS HAS TO BE FOR A REASON. DOCTORS BELIEVE THE DOGS WERE EXPOSED AFTER EATING THE DEAD IGUANA, WHICH CAN CARRY DANGEROUS BACTERIA AS IT DECOMPOSES. THE CONDITION CAN PROGRESS, PARALYZING MUSCLES AND EVEN AFFECTING BREATHING. EIGHT YEAR OLD KARMA NOW SITS CURRENTLY PARALYZED IN BOTH OF HER HIND LEGS. SLOWLY RECOVERING EVERY DAY. THIS IS WHERE WE BURY TALLY AFTER SHE PASSED. HOWEVER, SIX YEAR OLD TALLY SADLY DID NOT SURVIVE. GARRISON SAYS SHE PASSED AWAY JUST DAYS AFTER SHOWING SYMPTOMS. BRIDGET TELLS ME SHE TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING SHE COULD BEFORE TALLY PASSED. THAT’S WHEN I KNEW SHE WAS. SHE WAS GONE. LISTENED TO HER HEART WITH A STETHOSCOPE. SHE WASN’T MOVING. SHE. SHE HAD PASSED. BRIDGET TELLS ME THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE FOR HER HAS BEEN TRAUMATIC. BUT FOR HER, ALSO, A CALL TO ACTION. USING EVERY OPPORTUNITY SHE CAN TO WARN OTHER PET OWNERS OF THE DANGERS OF A DISEASE LIKE BOTULISM, SO THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO KARMA AND TALLY DOESN’T HAPPEN EVER AGAIN. MY WARNING TO EVERY ANIMAL OWNER IS TO CHECK YOUR YARD, ESPECIALLY HERE IN LOXAHATCHEE IN SUCH A RURAL ENVIRONMENT. AND WE HAVE LARGER PROPERTIES. WALK YOUR YARD, MAKE SURE THAT THERE’S NO DEAD ANIMALS LAYING ON IT AT ALL, BUT ESPECIALLY THE IGUANAS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE COLD SNAPS. NOW HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS. THIS GOOD GIRL RIGHT HERE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY. HER MOM IS POSTING EVERY DAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LETTING FAMILY AND FRIENDS KNOW ABOUT HER CONDITION. UNTIL THAT FULL RECOVERY TRULY DOES HAPPEN, SHE’S ALSO CONTINUING TO WARN THE POPULATION ABO
Loxahatchee dog owner warns of botulism danger after pet dies from eating iguana
Updated: 7:32 PM EST Feb 20, 2026
A Loxahatchee dog owner is warning others after her dogs fell ill from botulism, a rare neurological disease, after eating a dead iguana in her backyard, resulting in one dog’s death and another’s ongoing recovery.Bridget Garrison, the owner, shared her story to alert other pet owners to the potential dangers lurking in their yards. Garrison says her two dogs, Tally and Karma, were inseparable companions. “They love to snuggle on the couch together. They’re very active, excited dogs. They’re blue tick hounds,” Garrison said. The dogs, aged 6 and 8, often played together and ate whatever they could catch in their community.Last week, Garrison noticed her dogs eating what appeared to be a dead iguana. Initially, she did not think much of it. However, days later, both dogs suddenly lost the ability to walk. She rushed them to an animal hospital, where veterinarians suspected botulism, a serious illness caused by bacteria found in decomposing animals.”Both dogs were paralyzed at the same time, unbeknownst to me, for any kind of reason. And then that’s when I said, no, this has to be for a reason,” Garrison said. Doctors believe the dogs contracted the disease from the dead iguana, which can carry dangerous bacteria as it decomposes. Botulism can progress to paralyze muscles and affect breathing.Eight-year-old Karma is currently paralyzed in her hind legs but is slowly recovering. Sadly, 6-year-old Tally did not survive. “I knew she was– she was gone. I listened to her heart with a stethoscope. She wasn’t moving. She had passed,” Garrison said.The experience has been traumatic for Garrison, but she is using it as a call to action. She is warning other pet owners about the dangers of botulism to prevent similar incidents. “My warning to every animal owner is to check your yard, especially here in Loxahatchee, in such a rural environment. And we have larger properties. Walk your yard, make sure that there’s no dead animals laying on it at all. But especially the iguanas, especially after the cold snaps,” she said.Despite the ordeal, there is good news. Karma is expected to make a full recovery, and Garrison is keeping family and friends updated on social media about her condition. She continues to warn the community about the dangers of botulism.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
THE ACREAGE, Fla. —
A Loxahatchee dog owner is warning others after her dogs fell ill from botulism, a rare neurological disease, after eating a dead iguana in her backyard, resulting in one dog’s death and another’s ongoing recovery.
Bridget Garrison, the owner, shared her story to alert other pet owners to the potential dangers lurking in their yards.
Garrison says her two dogs, Tally and Karma, were inseparable companions.
“They love to snuggle on the couch together. They’re very active, excited dogs. They’re blue tick hounds,” Garrison said.
The dogs, aged 6 and 8, often played together and ate whatever they could catch in their community.
Last week, Garrison noticed her dogs eating what appeared to be a dead iguana. Initially, she did not think much of it. However, days later, both dogs suddenly lost the ability to walk. She rushed them to an animal hospital, where veterinarians suspected botulism, a serious illness caused by bacteria found in decomposing animals.
“Both dogs were paralyzed at the same time, unbeknownst to me, for any kind of reason. And then that’s when I said, no, this has to be for a reason,” Garrison said.
Doctors believe the dogs contracted the disease from the dead iguana, which can carry dangerous bacteria as it decomposes. Botulism can progress to paralyze muscles and affect breathing.
Eight-year-old Karma is currently paralyzed in her hind legs but is slowly recovering. Sadly, 6-year-old Tally did not survive.
“I knew she was– she was gone. I listened to her heart with a stethoscope. She wasn’t moving. She had passed,” Garrison said.
The experience has been traumatic for Garrison, but she is using it as a call to action. She is warning other pet owners about the dangers of botulism to prevent similar incidents.
“My warning to every animal owner is to check your yard, especially here in Loxahatchee, in such a rural environment. And we have larger properties. Walk your yard, make sure that there’s no dead animals laying on it at all. But especially the iguanas, especially after the cold snaps,” she said.
Despite the ordeal, there is good news. Karma is expected to make a full recovery, and Garrison is keeping family and friends updated on social media about her condition. She continues to warn the community about the dangers of botulism.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.