Mold in cheese gives an incredible flavor and texture that can be safely consumed, despite the common belief that all moldy food should be thrown away.
But is the mold that gives cheeses like gorgonzola their distinctive flavor safe for canines?
Is it possible for a dog to eat moldy cheese?
No.
Stale food, including moldy cheese, is toxic to dogs.
Cheese poses its own health risks, including but not limited to salt poisoning, dehydration, and pancreatitis.
Milder problems, like mycotoxin poisoning or even death, are just one of the many complications that can arise from eating moldy cheese.
Why Moldy Cheese Isn’t Safe for Your Dog is a Discussion of That Very Topic.
Also, we’ll define “moldy cheese” and explain why it should be stored safely out of reach of canines.
Can Dogs Eat Moldy Cheese?
If the cheese has mold on it, then no, you shouldn’t feed it to your dog. The presence of mold on cheese is not necessarily harmful to dogs, but there are a number of symptoms you should watch out for if you suspect your dog has eaten some spoiled cheese. Lack of appetite is a common symptom of mold poisoning in dogs.
What is moldy cheese?
Moldy cheese is a common descriptor for blue-veined cheeses made with penicillium Roqueforts, such as stilton, Roquefort, and gorgonzola.
You can also call brie or camembert “moldy cheese” because mold grows on the surface during the ripening process.
For lack of a better term, moldy cheese is extremely poisonous to dogs and can lead to serious illness or even death.
What Happens When a Dog Eats Moldy Food?
You should know that if your dog eats something that has mold on it, he or she may become very ill. Toxins called neurotoxins are contained within the fungus that mold is made of, and they are what makes your dog sick.
If your dog eats something moldy and shows none of the following symptoms, you and your pet are lucky.
If your dog does become ill, however, the duration of his or her symptoms may be anywhere from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Therefore, it is imperative that you seek immediate veterinary attention for your dog.
How long after eating moldy cheese will my dog get sick?
Within 2 hours of ingestion is possible for the first symptoms to show.
Even before the quakes start, your dog may begin to throw up.
Muscle tremors, brought on by the mycotoxins in moldy cheese, can quickly lead to a dog’s body temperature rising to potentially fatal levels.
If your dog’s behavior changes after eating moldy cheese, you should schedule an appointment with your vet right away.
Symptoms of Mycotoxin Poisoning
Listed below are some of the signs that your dog may be suffering from mycotoxin poisoning:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Tremors
- Loss of equilibrium
- Color that looks like jaundice
- Fever
- Pain
- On Occasion, Seizures
Your dog may begin experiencing these signs as soon as 30 minutes after being exposed to or consuming the mold. However, with veterinary care, most dogs will make a full recovery in about 48 hours.
Expert advice: keep giving your dog water if he or she is severely dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea. An easy victim to dehydration, water is crucial to your dog’s health and well-being.
How do you treat mycotoxin poisoning in dogs?
Mycotoxin poisoning can be fatal for dogs, so getting them to the vet quickly is crucial.
To remove the poison, your veterinarian will pump the dog’s stomach and administer activated charcoal.
Your veterinarian may also prescribe a laxative to help start the digestive process.
If you think your dog has been stealing moldy cheese, make sure to give them plenty of water to drink.
What Can You Give Your Dog If It Ate Moldy Food?
It is important to keep an eye on a dog even if it is only showing mild symptoms of mycotoxin poisoning.
Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (the B.R.A.T. diet) should be your go-to when your dog is famished. You can try feeding your dog any of these items in an effort to calm its tummy.
Another option that may help your dog’s stomach is chicken that has been boiled or cooked very gently without spices. If your dog doesn’t always have access to fresh chicken, this may also encourage it to eat.
Your dog should be taken to the vet and you should let them know that it ate moldy food if it does not improve after receiving that treatment.
Depending on the situation, your vet may recommend a number of treatments and care options for your dog. Medicine, steroids, and a carefully monitored overnight stay are all possibilities.
Can moldy cheese cause vomiting in dogs?
One of the initial signs that your dog has eaten moldy cheese is vomiting.
Loss of appetite and bowel habit changes are two additional indicators.
Take your dog to the vet if he starts acting strange after eating moldy cheese.
Will moldy cheese hurt my dog?
There are a number of variables, including the amount eaten, that determine how severely and how specifically moldy cheese can harm your dog.
Even if your dog only ate a tiny bit, it can still experience some unpleasant side effects, including vomiting and diarrhea.
The risk of intoxication increases if your dog manages to steal a sizeable piece of moldy cheese.
Don’t waste any time getting him to the vet so they can treat his symptoms.
Toxicity can be reduced and recovery time shortened with professional care for your dog.
Health risks of moldy cheese to dogs
Providing your dog with even a small amount of moldy cheese on a regular basis can be harmful.
The seriousness of some of these threats means that they must be addressed immediately to prevent death.
Mycotoxin intoxication
Mycotoxins, which can be found in moldy cheese, can be harmful to your dog.
Mycotoxin intoxication (mycotoxin toxicosis) is a syndrome that can develop if your dog eats moldy cheese.
Hyperthermia, salivation, fever, seizures, vomiting, pain, and disorientation are among the most frequently reported signs.
These symptoms may emerge shortly after exposure or up to a few hours later.
Mycotoxin intoxication can be fatal if not treated promptly, so veterinary attention is essential.
Even if your dog only ate slightly spoiled cheese, you should still take him to the vet for advice.
Lactose intolerance
Many dogs are lactose intolerant, so it’s best to be cautious when giving them dairy products like cheese (moldy or not).
Cheese can cause gastrointestinal distress in canines, including diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramping, and loss of appetite.
The pain in your stomach is probably temporary, but it still stinks.
But if the signs persist, a trip to the vet is in order.
Salt poisoning
Dogs can suffer from sodium ion poisoning from eating too much cheese due to the high salt content of the food.
Your dog may be experiencing tremors and other shaking behaviors if he or she is dehydrated, which is made more likely by excessive salt consumption.
Your dog may also experience nausea, loss of appetite, fever, and lethargy.
Even worse, it could be fatal for dogs already struggling with kidney disease.
Pancreatitis
Fat-rich cheese can cause pancreatitis in canines if given in excess.
The risk of pancreatitis from consuming an excessive amount of cheese is increased for dog breeds that are predisposed to the disease. Fat-rich foods, such as moldy cheese, can cause pancreatic inflammation, which, if left untreated, can be fatal.
What should I do if my dog ate moldy cheese?
- If your dog eats moldy cheese by accident, you should throw away the rest of the cheese and keep an eye on him until you can determine how much he ate.
- Provide lots of water in an effort to keep them from getting dehydrated.
- Describe the problem in great detail to your vet on the phone.
- Your veterinarian might advise you to bring your pet in for an in-person checkup.
- The vet will need the cheese’s packaging to identify the type of moldy cheese your dog ate, so bring it with you if you can.
- Your veterinarian may recommend keeping your dog in for observation for one or two days after treatment has begun to ensure he is healthy enough to go home.
Will Moldy Dog Food Hurt my Dog?
Possibly, I am not sure how much of the moldy dog food you have already given your dog, but it is crucial that you immediately stop giving it to your dog once you realize its perishability.
This can happen with both dry and wet dog food; if this happens to you, please discard or return the food immediately.
Furthermore, the retailer will be alerted to the problem with the dog food producer and can investigate accordingly. If this keeps happening and you keep getting moldy dog food, I recommend switching to homemade dog food.
In conclusion
Dogs shouldn’t be given moldy cheese because of the moderate to high risk it poses to their health.
Always make sure it’s completely safe before feeding your dog any human food, including moldy cheese.