Pet Safety / Compounds / T-2 toxin

Is T-2 toxin safe for dogs and cats?

Elevated risk for pets

Dogs are susceptible to T-2 trichothecene toxicosis from contaminated pet food containing oat, barley, or wheat byproducts. Clinical signs: severe oral/GI lesions (ulceration of the mouth and esophagus), vomiting, bloody diarrhea, ataxia, skin irritation. The skin-irritating properties of T-2 toxin (contact dermatitis) can cause facial lesions in dogs eating from contaminated food. ASPCA APCC lists trichothecenes as a major mycotoxin concern in companion animals. Veterinary diagnosis requires mycotoxin panel testing; treatment is supportive with GI protection and fluid therapy.

What is t-2 toxin?

The IUPAC name is [(1S,2R,4S,7R,9R,10R,11S,12S)-11-acetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-10-hydroxy-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-yl] 3-methylbutanoate.

Also known as: [(1S,2R,4S,7R,9R,10R,11S,12S)-11-acetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-10-hydroxy-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-yl] 3-methylbutanoate, T2 Toxin, T2-Trichothecene, Mycotoxin T-2.

IUPAC name
[(1S,2R,4S,7R,9R,10R,11S,12S)-11-acetyloxy-2-(acetyloxymethyl)-10-hydroxy-1,5-dimethylspiro[8-oxatricyclo[7.2.1.02,7]dodec-5-ene-12,2'-oxirane]-4-yl] 3-methylbutanoate
CAS number
21259-20-1
Molecular formula
C24H34O9
Molecular weight
466.5 g/mol
SMILES
CC1=CC2C(CC1OC(=O)CC(C)C)(C3(C(C(C(C34CO4)O2)O)OC(=O)C)C)COC(=O)C
PubChem CID
5284461

Risk for dogs

Elevated risk

Dogs are susceptible to T-2 trichothecene toxicosis from contaminated pet food containing oat, barley, or wheat byproducts. Clinical signs: severe oral/GI lesions (ulceration of the mouth and esophagus), vomiting, bloody diarrhea, ataxia, skin irritation. The skin-irritating properties of T-2 toxin (contact dermatitis) can cause facial lesions in dogs eating from contaminated food. ASPCA APCC lists trichothecenes as a major mycotoxin concern in companion animals. Veterinary diagnosis requires mycotoxin panel testing; treatment is supportive with GI protection and fluid therapy.

Risk for cats

Moderate risk

Cats are susceptible to T-2 toxicosis through the same routes as dogs. Given cats' generally lower grain intake in commercial cat food (higher meat content formulations), direct dietary exposure is typically lower than for dogs fed grain-inclusive kibble. However, cats in households where grain products are improperly stored may access contaminated food. Stomatitis (mouth ulcers) and dermatitis are hallmark signs in affected cats. T-2 also suppresses immune function, potentially exacerbating concurrent infections.

Regulatory consensus

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified T-2 toxin. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 3 - Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: None, 0 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: None, 0 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye—Skin Irritation: SkinIrr2 (score: high)

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 t-2 toxin

  • 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 T-2 toxin:

  • 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 t-2 toxin safe for pets?

Dogs are susceptible to T-2 trichothecene toxicosis from contaminated pet food containing oat, barley, or wheat byproducts. Clinical signs: severe oral/GI lesions (ulceration of the mouth and esophagus), vomiting, bloody diarrhea, ataxia, skin irritation. The skin-irritating properties of T-2 toxin (contact dermatitis) can cause facial lesions in dogs eating from contaminated food. ASPCA APCC lists trichothecenes as a major mycotoxin concern in companion animals. Veterinary diagnosis requires mycotoxin panel testing; treatment is supportive with GI protection and fluid therapy.

What products contain t-2 toxin?

T-2 toxin appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about t-2 toxin?

T-2 toxin has been classified by 4 agencies including EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See T-2 toxin in the pets app

Look up products containing t-2 toxin, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (4)
  1. EFSA Panel on Contaminants: Risks to Human and Animal Health from T-2 and HT-2 Toxins in Food and Feed (2017) — regulatory
  2. WHO Safety Evaluation of Certain Mycotoxins in Food: Trichothecenes (2001) — regulatory
  3. USDA/USAMRIID: T-2 Mycotoxin — Agricultural Biodefense Threat Assessment (2014) — report
  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 →