So with Christmas and the New Year firmly behind us, many (like me) will have over indulged with the huge variety of festive fare on offer.
For the holidays we are a nation that likes to over shop at the supermarket to ensure there will be enough food to feed every visitor to our home and to cook a mammoth feast on Christmas day.
While we collapse on the sofa in a self induced food coma, there is, sadly, still a mountain of food which is wasted. Leftovers that we promise ourselves will get used up, very often hangs around for too many days and eventually becomes mouldy and, as we all know, some of our canine friends aren’t too fussy when it comes to food, mouldy or otherwise.
Mouldy food is poisonous for dogs. This is because it produces toxins called MYCOTOXINS. Even just licking or inhaling the mould can be dangerous. Moulds are actually fungi which play a vital role in the ecosystem by biodegrading organic matter.
There are several different types of MYCOTOXINS, the most common being TREMORGENIC MYCOTOXINS (so called because they cause tremors or seizures in dogs) Nearly all food and food waste, if left long enough, will go mouldy including; bread, pasta, wet pet food and food which has been left in a compost bin,
Symptoms of Mycotoxin Poisoning
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Tummy pain
High body temperature
Lethargy
Muscle tremors
Seizures
Eventually death
If you suspect that your dog has ingested mouldy food stuff, then contact your vet straight away.
Do not feed your dog leftover or mouldy food. To try and reduce the chances for your dogs helping themselves, think about your storage and recycling habits. Rubbish bags should be stored securely away from dogs, dustbin lids firmly closed and prevent access by dogs to compost heaps.
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