1. If your pet ingests obviously spoiled food, contact your veterinarian. You may be instructed to induce vomiting, or attend the clinic so that your veterinarian can induce vomiting.
  2. It may be helpful to bring a sample of the foodstuff or product ingested by your pet.
  3. If your pet is seizuring contact your veterinarian immediately. Be aware that seizuring animals can bite.
  4. Veterinary care consists of further decontamination (including possible gastric lavage and administration of activated charcoal. Other treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-emetics and, in cases where animals are seizuring, cooling measures.
  5. Anti-convulsants and muscle relaxants may be used to control seizures and muscle tremors. In severe cases, general anaesthesia is required.

OTHER NAMES:

Examples of tremorgens include Penitrem A or roquefortine

TOXICITY

SEVERE

CLINICAL SIGNS

  • Vomiting
  • Restlessness/agitation
  • Uncoordinated gait (ataxia)
  • Panting
  • Excessive salivation
  • Rigid, stiff posture with hyperextension of the limbs
  • Mild to moderate whole body muscle tremors
  • Hyper responsive to touch and noise
  • Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Rapid respiratory rate (tachypnoea)
  • Dilated pupils (Mydriasis)
  • Seizures
  • Death

EFFECTS OF TOXICITY

The exact mechanism of toxicity is unknown but one of the toxins may have direct effects on the central nervous system, causing changes in nerve impulses.

REFERENCES

Boysen SR, Rozanski EA, Chan DL, Grobe TL, Fallon MJ & Rush JE (2002) Tremorgenic mycotoxicosis in four dogs from a single household. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 221(10): 1441-1444

Eisold J and Mostrum M (2011) Mycotoxins and Mushrooms. In: Small Animal Toxicology Essentials. Ed. Poppenga RH & Gwaltney-Brant SM. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Hooser SB & Talcott PA (2006) Mycotoxins. In: Small Animal Toxicology. 2nd Ed. ed. Peterson ME & Talcott PA. USA: Elsevier Saunders.

Munday JS, Thompson D, Finch SC, Babu JV, Wilkins AL, di Menna ME & Miles CO (2008) Presumptive tremorgenic mycotoxicosis in a dog in New Zealand, after eating mouldy walnuts. New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 56(3):145-148