Can dogs eat moldy food?

What to do if your dog ate moldy food

Call your vet, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435, or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 right away, even before signs appear. If she's trembling, overheating or having a seizure, go straight to an emergency vet. Don't try to make her vomit at home. To prevent it, fence off compost, keep meat and dairy out of it, and secure the trash.

Raw, cooked and other forms of moldy food

• ToxicMoldy bread, pasta or cheese and other dairy Common sources of tremor-causing mold toxins.
• ToxicMoldy walnuts, peanuts and fallen nuts or fruit Moldy walnuts can carry penitrem A, which causes tremors and seizures.
• ToxicGarbage and food waste Old food in the trash can grow these toxins quickly.
• ToxicCompost piles Decaying matter can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins. There's no antidote.
• ToxicMoldy dog food Throw it out rather than feeding around the mold.

Why moldy food is toxic to dogs

Tremorgenic mycotoxins made by molds such as Penicillium, best known as penitrem A. They disrupt nerve signaling and cause tremors, seizures and dangerous overheating.

Signs to watch for after she eats moldy food

Vomiting, drooling, agitation or jumpiness, panting, high body temperature, a fast heart rate, wobbliness, muscle tremors and seizures. Signs can start within 30 minutes to a few hours. They often last 24 to 48 hours, but recovery can take weeks, and a few dogs stay wobbly for months.