Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog poisoning linked to tetrodotoxin in grey side-gilled sea slug
By McNabb, Paul et al.·Published in Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology·2010·Cawthron Institute·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of tetrodotoxin from the grey side-gilled sea slug - Pleurobranchaea maculata, and associated dog neurotoxicosis on beaches adjacent to the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Several dogs became seriously ill after being exposed to grey side-gilled sea slugs on beaches near Auckland, New Zealand. These slugs were found to contain a potent toxin called tetrodotoxin, which was also detected in the vomit of affected dogs. Symptoms of poisoning included gastrointestinal distress, and the toxin levels in the slugs were significant enough to pose a risk to pets. Fortunately, the investigation helped identify the source of the toxin, allowing pet owners to be more cautious in those areas.
People also search for: dog vomiting after beach visit · tetrodotoxin poisoning in dogs · grey side-gilled sea slug danger to pets · dog neurotoxicosis symptoms · marine toxins affecting dogs
Abstract
Investigations into a series of dog poisonings on beaches in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, resulted in the identification of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in the grey side-gilled sea slug, Pleurobranchaea maculata. The levels of TTX in P. maculata, assayed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) ranged from 91 to 850 mg kg(-1) with a median level of 365 mg kg(-1) (n = 12). In two of the dog poisoning cases, vomit and gastrointestinal contents were found to contain TTX. Adult P. maculata were maintained in aquaria for several weeks. Levels of TTX decreased only slightly with time. While in the aquaria, P. maculata spawned, with each individual producing 2-4 egg masses. The egg masses and 2-week old larvae also contained TTX. Tests for other marine toxins were negative and no other organisms from the area contained TTX. This is the first time TTX has been identified in New Zealand and the first detection of TTX in an opisthobranch.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20466016/