05
Sep
Posted by Cat Advice Admin as All Cat Care Advice
The deaths of two cats from what is believed to be the first documented case of toxic black mold poisoning in pets point to a new health concern for pet owners, according to a veterinarian who co-authors a report in the Sept. 1, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Douglas Mader, a veterinary specialist in Marathon, Fla., was performing routine dental procedures on two cats when he noticed frothy blood within endotracheal tubes used to supply anesthesia to the animals. The veterinarian immediately stopped the procedures, but both animals died — one the following day, the other about two weeks later.
“The circumstances of these cases are just not heard of,” Mader said. “Anesthesia doesn’t cause pulmonary hemorrhage [bleeding from the lungs.]” These were healthy, indoor cats. Examinations conducted prior to the dental cleanings showed no indications of illness.
Blood collected prior to the cats’ death was tested and demonstrated the presence of the toxin produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as “toxic black mold.” Exposure to the mold can cause respiratory-related health problems, pulmonary hemorrhage and death in people. It had not previously been associated with disease in pets, Mader said.
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