Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are metabolites of moldy food and are mainly produced by two types of fungi, one is Aspergillus and the other is Fusarium.

Aflatoxins are toxins produced by a specific type of Aspergillus. Improperly stored corn, peanuts and grains are prone to produce aflatoxins. Dogs are very sensitive to aflatoxins. A very small amount of aflatoxins can Causes dog poisoning, symptoms include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, jaundice, diarrhea, abdominal effusion and even sudden death. Even if treated promptly, the mortality rate of dogs infected with aflatoxin is still high, reaching 64%. Aspergillus flavus is a daily testing item for grain and oil processing companies, and grain and oil products from formal channels can be trusted.

DON is produced by Fusarium fungus, and its chemical name is deoxynivalenol. This toxin mainly infects various types of wheat (wheat, barley, oats, rye, etc.). Dogs are also very sensitive to DON, and symptoms of infection are vomiting and diarrhea. Fortunately, a significant number of dogs can sniff out DON in their food and refuse to eat food containing DON. Therefore, if your dog refuses to eat a certain kind of dog food or food, don’t simply and crudely characterize it as a picky eater. It is possible that these foods have been infected with DON!

Bacteria

Salmonella is a Gram-negative bacillus that can infect many species including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Salmonella generally exists in the small intestine and infects food and drinking water through feces. When food is not fully cooked and drinking water is not boiled, humans and animals who eat food or drink water may become infected. Symptoms of salmonella infection include loss of appetite, lethargy, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, persistent fever, conjunctivitis, miscarriage, and pneumonia. A Canadian market survey found that 21% of raw meats for dogs contained salmonella, and 67% of raw meats containing salmonella contained chicken. In other words, raw chicken and eggs are susceptible to salmonella infection. It has been found that some Salmonella bacteria are resistant to most antibacterial drugs, which has attracted great attention from relevant agencies. Healthy dogs are resistant to Salmonella, but puppies and older dogs have low immunity and are easily infected when eating raw food. Dogs with serious infections are life-threatening. Due to the zoonotic nature of Salmonella and the high risk of infection in dogs eating a raw diet, some therapy dog ​​programs exclude visiting dogs fed a raw diet in order to prevent dogs from transmitting Salmonella to humans.

Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive bacillus and anaerobic bacterium that generally exists in the soil and mainly infects raw meat, dead animals and vegetables. Clostridium botulinum can produce highly toxic botulinum toxin in an anaerobic environment (such as raw meat). Once ingested, this toxin produces the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The onset time is generally 10 hours to 6 days after ingestion. Typical symptoms are weakness or even paralysis of the hind legs first, and gradually develop to weakness and paralysis of the limbs. Botulinum toxinThe toxin loses its toxicity in 10 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius.

Staphylococcus aureus is commonly found on the skin of humans and animals and is a food-borne disease. Humans generally begin to experience nausea and vomiting symptoms 2-4 hours after ingestion, and will recover on their own after 24-48 hours. Dogs are highly resistant to enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is quickly destroyed by heating, but the enterotoxin it produces can still survive in processed foods and canned pets.

E. coli is a common foodborne pathogen in humans, but its role in canine foodborne disease is not well understood. But studies have found that E. coli can cause a syndrome in greyhounds, the main symptoms of which are ulcers on the ends of the body (dog paws) and kidney damage.

Bacillus niger is generally found in cereals and some processed products, and is more common in raw rice. Bacillus niger can cause vomiting and diarrhea in humans but is not an obvious pathogen in dogs. However, if pet food is stored in a hot and humid environment, Bacillus niger can multiply rapidly. Therefore, homemade fresh food containing a lot of moisture should not be stored in a high temperature environment for too long.

Rickettsia

The worm Neorickettsia is the pathogen causing toxicity in salmon. Raw salmon may contain a parasitic fluke called Neorickettsia helminths. When a dog eats raw salmon containing this fluke, the flukes mature over a week, attach to the lining of the dog's small intestine, and then enter the bloodstream, causing an acute infection. Symptoms are vomiting, bloody stools, fever, dehydration and swollen lymph nodes. If it is not diagnosed and treated urgently, the mortality rate of dogs is high.

Biogenic amines

Biogenic amines are produced when bacteria cause amino acids in the body tissues of dead animals to lose their carboxyl groups. Biogenic amines include histamine, putrescine, and cadaverine. Histamine is present in spoiled fish meat and causes scombroid toxicity. Mackerel includes tuna, mackerel and sardines. Histamine causes an allergic reaction in dogs, with symptoms such as redness of the skin and liver, nausea, diarrhea, rash, facial swelling, disorientation and respiratory distress, with a low mortality rate.

Forbidden foods

Chocolate: Do not feed chocolate to dogs, and prevent dogs from eating foods containing chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is similar to caffeine, and dogs’ bodies metabolize theobromine slowly and are extremely sensitive. 1 mg of theobromine per pound of body weight is enough to poison a dog. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, extreme excitement, muscle tremors and urinary incontinence. Since there is no antidote, the only treatment is to induce vomiting.

Onions and garlic: Onions contain N-propyl bisSulfide, after a dog eats a certain amount of onions, will damage the lipid membrane of red blood cells. The damage to the lipid membrane will lead to irreversible denaturation of heme. Heinz bodies will be produced in the red blood cells, and then develop into Heinz body anemia. Garlic is very similar to onions. They are both plants of the Allium genus in the Liliaceae family. Dogs that eat garlic for a long time will suffer from anemia and dermatitis.

Grapes and raisins: Not all dogs are toxic to grapes and raisins. About one-third of dogs are very sensitive to grapes and raisins and will develop acute kidney failure within 48 hours after eating a certain amount. About 1/4 of dogs have no reaction at all to grapes and raisins. There is currently no specific study on the toxicity of grapes and raisins to dogs, but it is suspected that the ochratoxin in grapes and raisins is toxic to dogs, because dogs with acute renal failure after poisoning have significantly elevated blood calcium. According to observations and statistics from veterinary clinics, dogs with acute renal failure have ingested 10-30 grams per kilogram of body weight of grapes or raisins. The mortality rate of dogs with acute renal failure due to this cause is 41%. Dogs that survive have undergone Intensive treatment for several weeks. If your dog is found to have eaten a large number of grapes or raisins, emergency treatment methods include inducing vomiting, gastric lavage, and using activated charcoal.