INTOXICATION IN ROTTWEILER PUPPIES CAUSED BY MILK POWDER CONTAMINATEDWITH BACILLUS-CEREUS

Four litters of Rottweiler puppies became diseased shortly after consu ming a commercial milk powder. Clinical signs, which appeared a few ho urs after drinking the milk substitute, included vomiting, diarrhoea a nd increased intestinal peristalsis, but no fever. Withdrawal of the m ilk powder resulted in a clinical recovery and re-exposure to the milk powder resulted in relapses. Five puppies which consumed the most, as a result of their mother suffering agalactia, died. Virological, bact eriological and parasitological examinations of intestinal contents an d faeces from a sample of puppies ruled out an infectious aetiology. B acteriological examination of the milk powder revealed contamination w ith Bacillus cereus at a concentration of 2.7 - 3.5 x 10(4) CFU/ml. Ba cillus cereus is frequently found in dairy products and is acknowledge d as a cause of food borne intoxications and characterised as a potent producer of emetic and enterotoxins. This finding together with the c linical course of the disease provided conclusive evidence that the il lness was a result of a B. cereus intoxication. The retention of sampl es of milk powder for forensic reasons is recommended whenever possibl e.