A human protein test has been adapted by veterinarians at Cornell University to to detect rapidly and exactly the toxin on which the blame of several dog deaths has been apportioned, according to an announcement Friday.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), aflatoxin in the pet food, made by Diamond Pet Food Company, Gaston, caused 23 dogs to die and 18 more to fall sick
Reacting to this sickness, the company had recalled 19 varieties of dog and cat food last month.
According to the company officials, the laboratory tests showed that 1 to 3 percent of those bags contained dangerous amounts of aflatoxin, which is a chemical that comes from a fungus growing on corn and other crops. When aflatoxin is given orally in high quantity, it has the potential to cause a deadly liver disease.
Mark Brinkmann, the company's chief operating officer said: “I'm hoping and praying that we got those bags back.”
But three weeks since after the recall, veterinarians have founds that at least 100 dogs across the country had died.
The human protein test used Protein C Activity Assay, according to Sharon Center, a professor of veterinary medicine at Cornell. The results of the dog's blood test can be got within a day with this test, it is said.
Center said: “With this test, we can mark dogs before they show serious symptoms or become really sick.”
According to Marjory Brooks, another Cornell vet, dogs, which are aflatoxin poisoned, have only 10 to 15 percent of normal amounts of protein C compared to 100 percent in unaffected ones.
The test is only one among several that are being carried out. Dr. Center's recommendations also included tests for the liver enzyme ALT, which identifies damage caused to the serum cholesterol, total bilirubin concentration and liver.
As of now, there is no antidote. If humans contracted it, they would have had to undergo liver transplantation.
Dr. Center is attempting to save the dogs by giving them some drugs. Yet, only one in three dogs is being able to be saved. And even they are at a risk of contracting liver cancer.
