Experts Warn Livestock Feed Additive Can Cause Fatal Heart Risks to Dogs

Wed, 06 May 2026 13:22:18 GMT

Ractopamine, a livestock feed additive commonly used to promote growth in cattle, swine and poultry, may pose a serious risk to dogs, say researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS).

Researchers report two cases of dogs treated at the Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital that consumed ractopamine. This had not previously been described in the veterinary literature as a natural exposure in dogs.

While both dogs experienced similar clinical signs, their outcomes differed significantly, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment.

In one case, the dog’s owners realized their dog had consumed the feed additive and quickly induced vomiting shortly after ingestion. The dog later required hospitalization for cardiac monitoring and supportive care but ultimately recovered and returned to a normal life, the researchers say.

However, the second dog was found in critical condition after an unknown period of exposure on a rural property. Without early treatment, the dog developed severe cardiac complications and died despite intensive treatment.

“Because this resulted from exposure to a common feed additive, one of the most important things, for us, is getting this information into the literature so it becomes something veterinarians can recognize and act on,” says Sophie Tippit, a VMBS DVM candidate.

The findings highlight the importance of keeping livestock additives out of reach of dogs to limit the possibility of accidental ingestion.

“Many owners don’t realize that these types of feed additives can be harmful to their companion animals,” Tippit adds.

Ractopamine Exposure

When the dogs were brought in, both were experiencing significant cardiovascular effects, including abnormal heart rhythms and elevated cardiac troponin levels, a blood marker that indicates damage to the heart muscle.

“These cases show us that this particular drug overstimulates the body’s fight-or-flight system, essentially putting the heart into overdrive,” says Dr. Sonya Wesselowski, associate professor of cardiology in VMBS’ Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. “When that happens excessively, it can cause direct damage to the heart muscle cells and trigger dangerous arrhythmias.”

The cases also exposed an important clinical consideration that standard treatments for certain heart rhythm disturbances were not effective in these patients.

“Typically, when we see ventricular arrhythmias, we reach for drugs like lidocaine first,” Tippit says. “But because of how ractopamine works, it wasn’t effective. Once we understood the mechanism, using beta blockers made much more sense and was more successful.”

Protect Your Farm and Ranch Dogs

Because these exposures can happen unintentionally, prevention is especially important for pet owners, the report notes.

“Wherever these products are stored, they need to be kept inaccessible to dogs,” Wesselowski says. “If there’s any concern about exposure, seeking veterinary care quickly can make a critical difference.”

Natural exposure to ractopamine in dogs had not previously been documented. If your dog experiences a possible toxin exposure on a farm or a ranch, this is something to consider, says Wesselowski.

“Veterinarians should consider ractopamine exposure in cases involving unexplained arrhythmias and initiate treatment quickly, including decontamination and cardiac monitoring,” Wesselowski points out.

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Experts Warn Livestock Feed Additive Can Cause Fatal Heart Risks to Dogs

Ractopamine Exposure

Protect Your Farm and Ranch Dogs