Authorities in Malawi are investigating the sudden de@ths of dogs in recent months, with preliminary findings pointing to suspected aflatoxin pois0ning.
Aflatoxins are h@rmful compounds produced by certain fungi that can thrive on food, including pet food ingredients like peanuts, corn, and other grains.
An accumulation of the pois0n in an animal’s body can cause liver damage, blood clotting issues, and de3th. The Blantyre Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, a nonprofit organization dedicated to animal care and treatment, has been receiving cases since April of this year.
According to Timothy Manda, veterinary clinic manager and member of the dog testing team, at least 450 dogs have di3d thus far.
He stated that the dogs di3d as a result of liver failure, which was later verified to be caused by aflatoxin. According to Manda, the majority of the de2ths were detected in dogs fed Nsima, a thick porridge made from maize that is a staple diet in Malawi, or maize husks.
Tsankho Juma, assistant animal health officer at Chitedze Research Station, told SciDev.Net that aflatoxin affects around 60% of maize in 20 regions of Malawi.
“As a result, in the agriculture sector, it diminishes feed value and hampers sales due of their capacity to infect human food and animal feeds,” said Juma.
Manda stated that what began as isolated cases in Blantyre, the commercial hub, quickly spread to neighboring districts in the country’s south, including Mulanje, Mangochi, and Zomba.
Manda reportedly reported de@ths in Lilongwe, the capital, with identical clinical indications and post-mortem results.
