Have you ever eaten a meal and discovered that the food contained mold? While this is rare, it does happen.
Mold is a fungus that can grow on foods when certain conditions are met, such as when they’re stored incorrectly or exposed to moisture. It may also appear in food items due to spoilage.
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Symptoms
Cats who have eaten moldy food may experience diarrhea, vomiting and/or altered behavior. They may appear lethargic or depressed, hide away from you and appear very different than usual.
Symptoms often stem from food toxins caused by fungi and molds growing on spoiled or decaying foods.
These toxins, known as mycotoxins, can be hazardous for dogs and cats. They may lead to a syndrome with tremors and seizures known as mycotoxin intoxication or mycotoxin toxicosis.
When your cat displays any symptoms of lead poisoning, seek immediate veterinary help. Your vet can test for lead toxins in their urine, blood and tissue samples.
Ingestion of toxic substances can be deadly, so it’s essential to get your cat to the vet as soon as possible. They may prescribe antibiotics or other medications for treatment of their illness.
Treatment
If your cat has eaten moldy food, you should contact your veterinarian right away. The toxins present in mold can make your pet very ill and even result in death.
There are various treatments available to reduce your cat’s symptoms. These may include medication to manage respiratory symptoms, reduce vomiting and use IV fluids for dehydration.
In severe cases, pets may exhibit symptoms like nausea, agitation, vomiting and hyperactivity. They may also experience body tremors and convulsions.
Cats tend to avoid spoiled or moldy foods, but some may still consume them. For instance, blue cheese contains Penicillium mold which can be toxic for your furry friend.
Keep your pet away from compost piles and other places where mold grows. They should also avoid outdoor trash cans that may leak. Furthermore, make sure they don’t consume contaminated pet food that has expired. Store their food in an airtight container to reduce the chance of mould growth on it.
Prevention
If you find mold on a piece of food, such as bread or fruit or vegetables, it’s best to discard it right away. According to celebrity chef and nutritionist Serena Poon, mold spreads more rapidly in soft foods like bread and fruit so if they appear moldy it’s unsafe to consume them.
Moldy food such as hard cheese or soft vegetables like spinach and carrots can be eaten if you take care not to inhale any mold spores. According to Dr. Demetriades, mold is actually beneficial because it breaks down food during its natural decomposition cycle.
However, moldy food that contains tremorgenic mycotoxins can be poisonous and cause serious illness in your pet. These toxins cause small muscle tremors that mimic severe drunkenness in pets; ataxia and slurred speech; in extreme cases, mold toxicity could even result in death.
Veterinary Care
Molds that grow on food, compost piles and trash can be toxic for your pet’s nervous system. This could manifest in a range of symptoms from muscle tremors to seizures to acting like your pup is drunk with difficulty walking or standing up.
If you believe your cat may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, fungus, or moldy food, take them immediately to the veterinarian for examination and testing for toxins. They will perform a physical examination and inquire about your pet’s medical history and how he/she has been behaving since the incident; additionally they may conduct blood tests to check for these poisons.
Your veterinarian may induce vomiting to expel any remaining toxins from your pet’s stomach. They may also give them activated charcoal to absorb any impurities present in their GI tract.
