Overt signs of toxicity to dogs and cats of dietary deoxynivalenol

Studies were conducted to determine the dietary amounts of deoxynivalenol ( DON; vomitoxin) in dog and cat food that are required to produce overt sign s of toxicity (e.g., vomiting or reduced food intake). Wheat naturally cont aminated with 37 mg of DON/kg was used to manufacture pet foods containing 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mg of DON/kg. Deoxynivalenol concentration in pet food following manufacture was unchanged, indicating that the toxin was sta ble during conventional extrusion processing. Dogs previously fed DON-conta minated food were able to preferentially select uncontaminated food. Dogs n ot previously exposed to DON-contaminated food consumed equal quantities of contaminated and uncontaminated food. There was no effect of 6 mg of DON/k g on dog food digestibility. Food intake of dogs was significantly reduced by DON concentrations greater than 4.5 +/- 1.7 mg/kg, and DON greater than 7.7 +/- 1.1 mg/kg reduced cat food intake. Vomiting by dogs and cats was co mmonly observed at the 8 and 10 mg DON levels.