| Verdict for dogs | Toxic |
| Severity | 4 / 5 — Serious — call your vet or poison control today. |
| Safe amount | None |
| Category | Human snacks |
| Source | Merck Veterinary Manual; Pet Poison Helpline · reviewed 2026-08-07 · confidence: high |
Moldy food and compost can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins, which cause muscle tremors, agitation and seizures within hours — often before anything looks wrong with the stomach. Bin-raiding dogs are the classic patient. It is treatable, but it needs a vet quickly.
Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 straight away. Tell them what your dog ate, roughly how much, and when, and take the packaging with you. Don't wait for symptoms — with several poisons the harm is done before a pet looks ill.
Never induce vomiting and never give any medicine unless a vet tells you to — it can do more damage than the poison. What we will and won't tell you.
Can cats eat moldy food and compost? — Toxic for cats.
No — moldy food and compost is toxic to dogs. Call your vet or poison control today, even if your dog seems fine. Moldy food and compost can contain tremorgenic mycotoxins, which cause muscle tremors, agitation and seizures within hours — often before anything looks wrong with the stomach. Bin-raiding dogs are the classic patient. It is treatable, but it needs a vet quickly.
Watch for: Vomiting and diarrhea; Muscle tremors or twitching; Wobbliness, agitation or disorientation; Seizures; Yellow gums or eyes if the liver is affected, sometimes a day or two later. Some signs lag by a day — call, don't wait.
More than a taste can cause real illness, and the risk rises with the amount and with a smaller pet. The safe amount is none — if your dog has had more, call your vet.