What are common toxins to be concerned about?
First, there are mycotoxins (toxins produced by fungi or molds). An example of a common type mycotoxin would be the Aflatoxins. These toxins attack the liver and can produce upset stomach all the way to a life-threatening hepatitis depending on exposure. They come from the bacterial species called Aspergillus which is the white and gray fluffy mold that is commonly seen on spoiled foods. A typical exposure scenario might involve a dog that got into some moldy trash. The extra bad news is that aflatoxins are stable in heat which means that cooking does not destroy them. Another toxin to know is Vomitoxin which produces upset stomach especially in dogs. This toxin is produced by Fusarium bacteria growing in grain, especially wheat and barley. This toxin is also heat stable. Because of this toxin, the FDA has established a guideline that the grain and grain by-product composition of pet food should never exceed 40% thus restricting the amount of toxin that could be present in food. The FD
