Pet Safety / Compounds / Deoxynivalenol (DON / vomitoxin)

Is Deoxynivalenol (DON / vomitoxin) safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for pets

Dogs are the most sensitive domestic species to DON — more sensitive than pigs (the traditional indicator species). DON in dog food causes acute feed refusal, vomiting, and diarrhea at lower concentrations than in swine. Several commercial dry dog food recalls have been triggered by elevated DON levels. The primary source is wheat, barley, or corn byproducts in pet food formulations from poor-quality or improperly stored grain. Dogs are occasionally poisoned by eating moldy bread or spoiled grain. Clinical signs: anorexia, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy. Prognosis generally good with supportive care (IV fluids, antiemetics) and food withdrawal. FDA advisory levels for dog food are stricter than for human food (5 mg/kg) but monitoring data show exceedances in some market samples.

What is deoxynivalenol (don / vomitoxin)?

The IUPAC name is (1R,2R,3S,7R,9R,10R,12S)-3,10-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-one.

Also known as: (1R,2R,3S,7R,9R,10R,12S)-3,10-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-one, DEOXYNIVALENOL, 4-Deoxynivalenol, Dehydronivalenol.

IUPAC name
(1R,2R,3S,7R,9R,10R,12S)-3,10-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-one
CAS number
51481-10-8
Molecular formula
C15H20O6
Molecular weight
296.31 g/mol
SMILES
CC1=CC2C(C(C1=O)O)(C3(CC(C(C34CO4)O2)O)C)CO
PubChem CID
40024

Risk for dogs

High risk

Dogs are the most sensitive domestic species to DON — more sensitive than pigs (the traditional indicator species). DON in dog food causes acute feed refusal, vomiting, and diarrhea at lower concentrations than in swine. Several commercial dry dog food recalls have been triggered by elevated DON levels. The primary source is wheat, barley, or corn byproducts in pet food formulations from poor-quality or improperly stored grain. Dogs are occasionally poisoned by eating moldy bread or spoiled grain. Clinical signs: anorexia, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy. Prognosis generally good with supportive care (IV fluids, antiemetics) and food withdrawal. FDA advisory levels for dog food are stricter than for human food (5 mg/kg) but monitoring data show exceedances in some market samples.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Deoxynivalenol (DON / vomitoxin).

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC—Not classified as a carcinogen

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter deoxynivalenol (don / vomitoxin)

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Deoxynivalenol (DON / vomitoxin):

  • Prevention (storage and agricultural practices)
    Trade-offs: Zero point-of-use emissions; shifts emissions to power generation (grid-dependent); lower operating cost; higher capital cost; infrastructure requirements (charging, grid capacity); rapidly improving economics.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is deoxynivalenol (don / vomitoxin) safe for pets?

Dogs are the most sensitive domestic species to DON — more sensitive than pigs (the traditional indicator species). DON in dog food causes acute feed refusal, vomiting, and diarrhea at lower concentrations than in swine. Several commercial dry dog food recalls have been triggered by elevated DON levels. The primary source is wheat, barley, or corn byproducts in pet food formulations from poor-quality or improperly stored grain. Dogs are occasionally poisoned by eating moldy bread or spoiled grain. Clinical signs: anorexia, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy. Prognosis generally good with supportive care (IV fluids, antiemetics) and food withdrawal. FDA advisory levels for dog food are stricter than for human food (5 mg/kg) but monitoring data show exceedances in some market samples.

What products contain deoxynivalenol (don / vomitoxin)?

Deoxynivalenol (DON / vomitoxin) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

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Sources (4)
  1. EFSA Panel on Contaminants: Risks to Human and Animal Health from Deoxynivalenol in Food and Feed (2017) — regulatory
  2. US FDA Advisory Levels for Deoxynivalenol in Finished Wheat Products (2010) — regulatory
  3. WHO Safety Evaluation of Certain Mycotoxins in Food: Deoxynivalenol (2001) — regulatory
  4. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Mycotoxin Toxicosis in Companion Animals (2021) — report

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →