Toxic Effect of Aflatoxins in Dogs Fed Contaminated Commercial Dry Feed: A Review

Abstract

Since its first patent (1897), commercial dry feed (CDF) for dogs has diversified its formulation to meet the nutritional needs of different breeds, age, or special conditions and establish a foundation for integration of these pets into urban lifestyles. The risk of aflatoxicosis in dogs has increased because the ingredients used to formulate CDF have also proliferated, making it difficult to ensure the quality required of each to achieve the safety of the entire CDF. This review contains a description of the fungi and aflatoxins detected in CDF and the ingredients commonly used for their formulation. The mechanisms of action and pathogenic effects of aflatoxins are outlined; as well as the clinical findings, and macroscopic and microscopic lesions found in aflatoxicosis in dogs. In addition, alternatives for diagnosis, treatment, and control of aflatoxins (AF) in CDF are analyzed, such as biomarkers of effect, improvement of blood coagulation, rate of elimination of AF, control of secondary infection, protection of gastric mucosa, reduction of oxidative stress, use of chemo-protectors, sequestrants, grain-free CDF, biocontrol, and maximum permitted limits, are also included.

Aspergillus flavus and Total Aflatoxins Occurrence in Dairy Feed and Aflatoxin M1 in Bovine Milk in Aguascalientes, Mexico

“…The range of AF contamination in the samples with concentrates was not wide (25.9–27.0 µg/kg), suggesting that the quality and composition of the concentrates were homogeneous; however, the proportion of samples exceeding the MRL was very large (87.5–100%). This may be because the main ingredients (cereals, oilseeds, flours, by-products) from which concentrate feeds or commercial protein nuclei are made are very susceptible to contamination by toxigenic fungi and, therefore, mycotoxins and come from different geographical origins [ 24 ].…”

HPLC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of aflatoxins in blood: toxicokinetics of aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin M1 in rats

“…Chronic aflatoxicosis is predominantly perceived as a promoter of liver cancer and compromised immunity (Bruchim et al 2012). The most common clinical signs of acute aflatoxicosis include icterus, hematemesis, hematochezia, diffuse hemorrhage and ascites, nausea, abdominal swelling, constipation alternating with diarrhea and abdominal pain, as well as signs associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (Bruchim et al 2012;Benkerroum 2020;Martínez-Martínez et al 2021). In 1991, the consumption of a traditional Chinese dish contaminated with both boric acid and aflatoxins resulted in 17 severe poisoning cases and 13 deaths.…”

Hepatopathy in Victorian dogs consuming pet meat contaminated with indospicine

“…While definitive toxicological testing was not available, it was excluded as a likely differential diagnosis owing to the more peracute and significant nature of typical histopathological lesions caused by this toxin. Aflatoxicosis has previously been linked to pet food‐linked hepatopathy, 12 but outbreaks in dogs are usually linked to a carbohydrate, grain or nut component in commercial feeds; no such link could be made in this case, and preliminary testing on two samples returned a negative result. Blue‐green algal poisoning (specifically Microcystis aeruginosa toxicosis) is associated with warmer weather and drinking, swimming or other water sports in waters affected by an algal bloom 13 .…”