Is your indoor environment making your pet sick?

By DR. MATT PRATT-HYATT, REAL TIME LAB & JULIE NICOLL, AMERICAN MOLD EXPERTS SUMMER 2023

Today, let’s dive into the question, “Is your indoor environment making your pet sick?” We love our pets, and most of us do whatever it takes to make our pets’ lives enjoyable and healthy. We provide them with toys, walks, and the best food to keep them healthy. If they get sick, we take them to the vet to determine the cause and help them feel better. In today’s article, I will delve into the issue of how our homes can make our pets sick. When we are talking about the indoor environment and drivers of illness, we need to consider three primary toxin sources: mold, toxins (mycotoxins), and volatile chemicals (VOCs).

Toxins are defined as poisonous substances that are specific to the metabolic activities of a living organism. A common saying in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison,” meaning that anything is toxic if you are given enough of it. However, it is equally important to understand that everyone detoxifies at different rates, and what affects one person may not affect another similarly. Humans, cats, and dogs detoxify at vastly different rates. Since mycotoxins and VOCs are detoxified mainly through binders, this can sometimes be problematic.1

Mold and their toxins (mycotoxins) are present in many different environments. These molecules are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi in the Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Stachybotrys genera.2 These toxins have a wide range of harmful effects, including immunotoxin (adverse effects on the immune system), nephrotoxic (deterioration of kidney function), hepatotoxic (liver injury), and carcinogenic (can cause cancer).3 Because of these harmful aspects of mycotoxins, millions of dollars are spent yearly on monitoring food supplies. Strict limits have been imposed on the amounts of different mycotoxins present in foods across the European Union and the United States. However, even with these safeguards, acute poisoning and deaths of dogs fed with food containing maize infested with toxin-producing fungi were reported in 1951, 1998, 2005, and 2020 in the United States.4,5 Still, one source of mycotoxin exposure that is starting to be identified in the scientific community is the exposure of fungi and mycotoxins in water damaged buildings (WDBs). One of the earliest studies was from Tuomi et al.

in 2000. This study showed high levels of mycotoxins in buildings damaged by water.6 This study has been backed up by multiple other studies including one from Andersen et al. in 2011.7 A recent test shows dogs seemed to suffer from many of the same symptoms that we see in humans such as lack of energy, tremors, hormone issues, and tumors.

Another reason mold and mycotoxins can be problematic for our pets is their size and closeness to the ground where spores can land. Their body size can make a small dose of mold more impactful. Like humans, any compromised immunity or elderly pets are more susceptible to mold exposure. And since they spend much of their time close to the floor, mold and mycotoxins can be more easily absorbed through the skin or inhaled.

Suppose you are concerned that mold and or mycotoxins might be an issue. In that case, we suggest having a home mold assessment that includes a building history, observations including looking for “invisible” mold that often looks like dust, evaluation of your HVAC, and testing. At all times, make sure your home’s humidity remains below 60%. 8,9,10

American Mold Experts commits to addressing your concerns with experience and professionalism. Knowing the possible effects of short-term and long-term exposure, we work very hard to ensure a healthy & and safe environment after we leave your home or business. Our inspectors are certified by the Professional Mold Inspection Institute(PMII) to perform inspection and remediation services for residential and commercial properties.

American Mold Experts
Call today to schedule an assessment!
239-572-2216 or visit www.AMEswf.com

Julie S. Hurst – Nicoll, MBA, CMI, CMR
President, American Mold Experts

Serving Central Indiana & Southwest Florida
(Other States for Mold Toxic Patients/Clients Upon Arrangement)
Mold Inspections, Testing & NON-Destructive Remediation
Clearance Testing is ALWAYS INCLUDED in Warranted Jobs (excluding States that forbid clearance by Remediation
Company, ie Florida)
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IICRC Certified Company
FL License MRSA 3097, MRSR 3248

References:
1. Court, M.H. Feline drug metabolism and disposition:
pharmacokinetic evidence for species differences and molecular
mechanisms. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 43, 1039-54
(2013).
2. Jedidi, I. et al. Mycoflora isolation and molecular characterization
of Aspergillus and Fusarium species in Tunisian cereals. Saudi J Biol
Sci 25, 868-874 (2018).
3. Ferruz, E. et al. Inhibition of Fusarium Growth and Mycotoxin
Production in Culture Medium and in Maize Kernels by Natural
Phenolic Acids. J Food Prot 79, 1753-1758 (2016).
4. Bailey, W.S. & Groth, A.H., Jr. The relationship of hepatitis X of
dogs and moldy corn poisoning of swine. J Am Vet Med Assoc 134,
514-6 (1959).
5. Stenske, K.A., Smith, J.R., Newman, S.J., Newman, L.B. & Kirk, C.A.
Aflatoxicosis in dogs and dealing with suspected contaminated
commercial foods. J Am Vet Med Assoc 228, 1686-91 (2006).
6. Tuomi, T. et al. Mycotoxins in crude building materials from
water-damaged buildings. Appl Environ Microbiol 66, 1899-904
(2000).
7. Andersen, B., Frisvad, J.C., Sondergaard, I., Rasmussen, I.S. &
Larsen, L.S. Associations between fungal species and water-
damaged building materials. Appl Environ Microbiol 77, 4180-8
(2011).
8. Shaw, W. & Pratt-Hyatt, M. Biochemical Markers in the Urine
Associated with Gastrointestinal Mold-Overgrowth Are Linked with
Elevated Urinary Mycotoxins in Patients with Suspected Mold
Illness. Townsend Letter (2019).
9. Qin, T. et al. Epigenetic Alteration Shaped by the Environmental
Chemical Bisphenol A. Front Genet 11, 618966 (2020).
10. Lehner, A.F., Samsing, F. & Rumbeiha, W.K. Organophosphate
ester flame retardant-induced acute intoxications in dogs. J Med
Toxicol 6, 448-58 (2010).

 

 

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