In Part 1, we talked about how dog food grains can cause chronic dog food allergies and attract some pretty nasty contaminants.
Like insects, mites and molds.
We also talked about how these unwelcome infestations can be especially abundant in cheap, low quality feed grains.
But grain mites and insects can together create a much bigger problem. They can easily pick up (and spread) the spores of highly dangerous molds.
I deliberately chose the word “dangerous” here because these molds are capable of producing some of the world’s deadliest natural toxins.
Now, before we discuss these life-threatening poisons… and how they can end up getting into your dog’s food… let’s take a quick look at the molds themselves.
Low Quality Grains Attract Hazardous Molds
First, like their cousins (mushrooms and yeasts) molds are members of a family of organisms known as fungi.
But unlike mushrooms, molds are completely invisible to the naked eye. What’s more, they reproduce by creating even smaller seed-like particles called spores.
Now, because molds and spores are so incredibly tiny they can easily spread by way of the wind… or by hitching a ride on the bodies of mites and weevils. So, it doesn’t take long for an entire storage bin of cereal grain to become quickly contaminated.
And sadly… because it’s so cheap… it is this low-quality, contaminated grain that’s so frequently used to make dog food.
Grain Molds and Their Deadly ‘Venoms’
OK… as you can imagine, many dogs are allergic to the molds and spores that have now found their way into their daily rations.
But the greatest danger to any pet lies in the possibility of ingesting the poisonous toxins produced by the molds themselves.
As I mentioned earlier, molds are capable of producing an exceptionally dangerous type of poison known as a mycotoxin.
Today, there are over four hundred known mycotoxins1. And more are being discovered all the time. Here are some of the more common ones known to affect dogs…
- Aflatoxin
- Vomitoxin
- Zearalenone
- Ochratoxin
- Fumonisin
Mycotoxin Poisoning… A Tragic and Painful Death
How a mycotoxin affects a dog is directly dependent upon the amount of the toxin the dog actually ingests.
This important relationship is known as the dose-response effect. In other words… the higher the dose, the greater the risk of disease.
For example, if a dog were to eat a commercial pet food contaminated with a high level of aflatoxin… the result would be catastrophic.
Symptoms of acute aflatoxin poisoning include…
- Fever
- Jaundice (yellow eyes and skin)
- Dark urine
- Persistent and violent vomiting
- Bloody diarrhea
- Death
A rare disease? Not quite.
These are the very same symptoms that affected… and killed… so many innocent dogs worldwide in 2005… and prompted an emergency recall.
That was the year Diamond Pet Foods of Gaston, South Carolina made and distributed a large batch of aflatoxin-contaminated dog food.
Think this was an isolated event?
Diamond Pet Foods shipped the tainted products throughout the United States… and to 29 other countries around the world2.
A tragic and deadly incident… for sure.
But another… even greater… danger awaits the trusting consumer.
No Antidote… No Cure
An unexpected hazard of aflatoxin results when a dog ingests only a small amount of the poison… an amount not large enough to cause the more obvious, acute symptoms of the disease.
You see, even in tiny, trace amounts, aflatoxin can silently accumulate within a dog’s liver… attaching itself to the animal’s own DNA… where the poison eventually causes a fatal cancer.
Once the toxin enters a dog’s body… it stays there… forever. There’s no antidote… and no known cure.
That’s why so many experts agree… the maximum amount of aflatoxin that should ever be allowed in any dog food should be… zero!
And that’s the real danger you face any time you choose to feed your pet a commercial dog food made with cheap, low quality cereal grain ingredients.
Hiding there… right inside the package… may be one of the deadliest, cancer-causing substances found in commercial dog food… mycotoxin.
And Now… More Bad News
Although cooking can kill the mites and molds… it has no effect on the poison itself. So, the mycotoxins maintain their dangerous potency even after they get “baked” into the finished dog food.
And if that’s not enough… your own open package of pet food is capable of developing an ugly infestation… all by itself.
That’s because dog food can easily become contaminated with insects, mites and mold… right there in your own home. All it takes is for one stray insect to deposit a single mold spore into an open bag of kibble.
And suddenly… your dog’s at risk.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Dog
OK… here are five simple suggestions to help you protect your dog…
1. Never buy cheaply-made dog food
2. Only choose fresh, “in-date” products
3. Avoid any dog food containing grain by-products or mill waste
4. Favor low-grain or no-grain dog foods. Otherwise, only consider products made with high quality, whole grain ingredients
5. Tightly re-seal every bag of open dog food. Squeeze out all the excess air. And always store the product in a moisture-free area
Spread the Word… Save a Life
Dog food grain ingredients might just be one of the most frequently overlooked causes for serious disease in otherwise healthy dogs.
So, go ahead. Spread the word about grains in dog food. And be sure to tell everyone you know who has a dog they care about.
Because you might just save an innocent life.
By the way… if you missed Part 1 of this article click here to read it now.
- Griessler, Karin, Mycotoxins: A Risk for Companion Animals? ↩
- “Toxic pet food may have killed dozens of dogs”, MSNBC.com News Services, Article ID 10771943, May 10, 2006 ↩
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I have three breeds of dogs which I show in conformation. Papillon Tibetan Spaniel and SmoothCoat Chihuahua and have been feeding Purina Pro Plan for years because it is one of the foods that wasnt recalled.
Now I am completely confused and wonder what dry food to buy!!!
Hi Shirley… I know how you feel! The world of commercial dog foods IS confusing (indeed). That’s why I created this website. You certainly can continue feeding a dog food that you (and your pets) both like. But it never hurts to do a little comparative “shopping”. If you have any doubts about your current dog food, try looking through some of the better-rated products. There are some really great dog foods out there. I plan to cover hundreds more over the next year… so if you can’t find one you really like, then stop back again. And I welcome any suggestions you have for others you’d like me to review.
I feed my dogs Beef n’ more, is it a good brand to feed my dog?
Hi Brenda… Haven’t yet reviewed that dog food. But thanks to your suggestion, I’m adding it to my “to do” list.
Is there somewhere I could get dry dog food tested? My 8 yr old mixed breed died from sudden liver failure about three weeks ago. I suspect the dog food .
Hi De… There are a number of consumer testing labs around the country. But looking for a possible toxin in a package of dog food is like trying to find that proverbial needle in a haystack. Testing labs charge you “by the test” for each specific toxin. And there are literally hundreds of different possible toxic agents to consider. Individual tests can cost hundreds of dollars each. For multiple “suspects” your bill could easily reach into the thousands.
What would help you save the most money is if you had some particular toxin already in mind. Then, the lab could run a test for just that specific agent (by itself).
Ask your vet if he or she has a particular chemical suspect in mind.
If you can handle the expense, try contacting Microbac Laboratories in Warrendale, PA at 724-772-0610. I’ve never used them myself but they appear to be at least interested in doing this type of work. Hope this helps.
My dog was just diagnosed with allergies to storage mites and dust mites and my vet suggested a wet food diet. Any suggestions on what to look for in a wet food and/or will a grain free food be good enough?
Hi Kellie… mites can be a problem with any dog food containing cheap cereal grains. Although your vet has surely made a savvy diagnosis, I’d be inclined to focus more on the ingredients in the food rather than whether or not it is canned or dry. A three, four or five-star grain-free product would probably be an excellent place to start. Hope this helps.
I had two dogs die from giving them diamond dryfood. Realized when the company recalled or had issues with food, it was too late. The bag I had in my possession were the dates the company recalled. Very fine, vivacious, young dogs lost there life because of diamond.
Very angry at this company. I will not buy cheap dogfood anymore for this reason.
This is so sad indeed. I have been feeding my dogs Life’s Abundance and it has never been recalled. It is more expensive, but well worth the price. I had a friend recently lose a dog to likely poisoning in Eukanuba. She is waiting on test results from the food.
If you would like info about this good food, please contact me. Blessings to all.
Sheatina