Penicillium Mycotoxins Can Produce Serious Tremors in Dogs

 Penicillium is a common mold (fungus) which is found commonly on indoor surfaces, in indoor and outdoor air, and on rotting food.  Penicillium is the mold which produces penicillin antibiotics.  Penicillium also produces a wide range of mycotoxins- which are toxic chemicals produced by molds.  Some of the mycotoxins produced by Penicillium- such as the penitrems and roquefortine cause severe nervous damage including shaking and tremors.  The mold species Penicillium crustosum is a particularly heavy producer of these tremorogenic (tremor producing) mycotoxins penitrem and roquefortine.

Case studies were presented of 6 Norwegian dogs in different homes who became very sick and developed tremors following eating moldy dog food.   Both of the tremorogenic mycotoxins penitrem and roquefortine were found on the dogs feed.  Three of the dogs recovered in a few days, one dog took 3 months to recover, one dog still has balance and neurological problems 3 years later and 1 dog died of the mycotoxin poisioning. This research by Eriksen et al. is published in now in press in Medical Mycology.

Penicillium species commonly grow on many types of food and on moist indoor environments. Penicillium crustosum commonly grows on rotting peanuts, soybeans, cheese, meat and apples.   All food with visible mold should be promptly thrown out.  Peanuts and soybeans should be stored in clean and dry areas or refrigerated  Cheese, meat and apples should be refrigerated.