Is Homoanatoxin-a safe for dogs and cats?
Moderate risk for petsDogs are the primary sentinel species for homoanatoxin-a toxicity globally. Numerous documented deaths in dogs have occurred from ingestion of Phormidium/Oscillatoria benthic mats in rivers and streams in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland. Dogs actively investigate and mouth river-bottom substrate, directly ingesting the dense biofilms. Clinical presentation after homoanatoxin-a ingestion: rapid-onset muscle tremors, weakness, loss of coordination, respiratory distress, and death — typically within 15–30 minutes of ingestion of a lethal dose. There is no specific antidote; supportive care (artificial ventilation) may be attempted if the dog is found rapidly. Dog owners in regions with known mat-forming cyanobacteria in rivers should keep dogs leashed and away from river beds and should monitor for brown/orange biofilm mats. Environmental monitoring by water authorities in New Zealand in particular includes homoanatoxin-a as part of river cyanotoxin surveillance.
What is homoanatoxin-a?
- CAS number
- 73386-73-9
- Molecular formula
- C11H17NO
- Molecular weight
- 179.26 g/mol
- SMILES
- CCC(=O)C1=CCCC2CCC1N2
- PubChem CID
- 126727
Risk for dogs
Moderate riskDogs are the primary sentinel species for homoanatoxin-a toxicity globally. Numerous documented deaths in dogs have occurred from ingestion of Phormidium/Oscillatoria benthic mats in rivers and streams in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland. Dogs actively investigate and mouth river-bottom substrate, directly ingesting the dense biofilms. Clinical presentation after homoanatoxin-a ingestion: rapid-onset muscle tremors, weakness, loss of coordination, respiratory distress, and death — typically within 15–30 minutes of ingestion of a lethal dose. There is no specific antidote; supportive care (artificial ventilation) may be attempted if the dog is found rapidly. Dog owners in regions with known mat-forming cyanobacteria in rivers should keep dogs leashed and away from river beds and should monitor for brown/orange biofilm mats. Environmental monitoring by water authorities in New Zealand in particular includes homoanatoxin-a as part of river cyanotoxin surveillance.
Regulatory consensus
1 regulatory bodyhas classified Homoanatoxin-a.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHO (cyanotoxin guidelines for safe recreational water use and drinking water quality, 2020) | 2020 | no carcinogenicity classification; potent nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist; neurotoxic cyanotoxin from Oscillatoria/Phormidium; responsible for dog and livestock deaths from stream biofilm ingestion; no established regulatory limit in most jurisdictions; not classified for carcinogenicity by IARC, NTP, EFSA, or US EPA |
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 homoanatoxin-a
- 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 Homoanatoxin-a:
-
Avoidance (no chemical substitute)
Trade-offs: Direct chemical substitution requires verification that the replacement does not introduce new hazards (regrettable substitution). Conduct full hazard assessment of proposed alternative before adoption.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
Is homoanatoxin-a safe for pets?
Dogs are the primary sentinel species for homoanatoxin-a toxicity globally. Numerous documented deaths in dogs have occurred from ingestion of Phormidium/Oscillatoria benthic mats in rivers and streams in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland. Dogs actively investigate and mouth river-bottom substrate, directly ingesting the dense biofilms. Clinical presentation after homoanatoxin-a ingestion: rapid-onset muscle tremors, weakness, loss of coordination, respiratory distress, and death — typically within 15–30 minutes of ingestion of a lethal dose. There is no specific antidote; supportive care (artificial ventilation) may be attempted if the dog is found rapidly. Dog owners in regions with known mat-forming cyanobacteria in rivers should keep dogs leashed and away from river beds and should monitor for brown/orange biofilm mats. Environmental monitoring by water authorities in New Zealand in particular includes homoanatoxin-a as part of river cyanotoxin surveillance.
What products contain homoanatoxin-a?
Homoanatoxin-a appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).
See Homoanatoxin-a in the pets app
Look up products containing homoanatoxin-a, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in pets View raw API dataSources (1)
- WHO Cyanotoxin Guidelines Safe Recreational Water Drinking Water Quality 2020: Homoanatoxin-a Oscillatoria Phormidium Benthic Mats nAChR Agonist; Dog Deaths NZ Scotland; No Established Regulatory Limit; No Carcinogenicity Classification (2020) — regulatory
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 →