Canine house owners are on excessive alert after the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) issued a warning on thirty first December 2024, relating to a number of Barkoo model canine treats following an outbreak of ‘werewolf syndrome’ in a number of European nations. Some information companies are reporting as many as 50 instances and 15 deaths, however these figures are but to be formally confirmed. Naturally, there are a number of questions all of us need answered, specifically: What Is Werewolf Syndrome, How Is It Handled, and Is My Canine At Threat?
The very first thing to pay attention to is that at this cut-off date, the dangers of your canine being affected by this situation are extraordinarily low, however being knowledgeable means being ready, so with that in thoughts, right here’s what it’s essential find out about werewolf syndrome, and the right way to hold your pet protected.
What Is Werewolf Syndrome?
Werewolf syndrome is a time period that has been used to explain a set of neurological indicators which were attributed to the consumption of sure canine treats, together with:
Indicators of Werewolf Syndrome
- excessive restlessness
- sudden panic assaults
- uncontrolled actions
- yelping and barking
- aggressive habits
- salivation
- seizures
- and in some instances, loss of life
In some ways, this syndrome shares many characteristics of the rabies virus, making an in depth historical past, together with vaccination standing, a significant a part of the diagnostic course of. The precise mode of illness development isn’t but understood.
How Is Werewolf Syndrome Identified?
At the moment, there isn’t any particular diagnostic take a look at for werewolf syndrome, and prognosis is predicated on medical indicators and a historical past of consuming suspected meals merchandise. Vets will probably carry out a number of checks to rule out some other potential causes of the medical indicators, which can embrace:
- neurological examination
- blood checks
- baseline hematology and biochemistry
- serology for illnesses linked to neurological illness
- CT scan
- evaluation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
How Is Werewolf Syndrome Handled?
There may be presently no particular remedy for werewolf syndrome in canines, with remedy specializing in supportive care, comparable to intravenous fluids, anxiolytics, and anti-seizure medicines.
There may be nonetheless no clear data as regards to why some canines died on account of this worrying situation, solely that they had been extra extreme in presentation.
Is My Canine At Threat From Werewolf Syndrome?
At this stage, the reported instances have been remoted to a small variety of European nations, with warnings issued to most of Europe and the UK. Nonetheless, the treats concerned are usually distributed by way of web sites, and there’s a small risk that affected merchandise may very well be discovered additional afield, which is why vigilance is crucial.
FAQs
Is Werewolf Syndrome contagious?
There is no such thing as a indication that this situation is unfold between people, solely that it’s acquired by means of the consumption of affected meals merchandise.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (BSE) is an incurable illness brought on by a prion, a defective protein that causes deadly mind illness in animals and people. This illness is named Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness (vCJD) in people, and Mad Cows Illness in cattle.
Canine can’t be affected by prion illness as a result of a particular mutation on a single gene, leading to a resistance to prion an infection. Due to this fact, werewolf syndrome isn’t believed to be brought on by a prion.
Canine Deal with Recall: Which canine treats are concerned?
At this stage, the NVWA has issued a warning towards the next merchandise:
Barkoo cheese sticks pure 29 cm
- Packaging: baggage of 570 grams (with 3 chewing bones)
- Code on packaging: 1148655 MHD 04.2027 3200PF027
- Barcode: 4260077047292
Barkoo kauknochen, knotted pure 11cm
- Packaging: baggage of 150 grams (with 3 chewing bones)
- Code on packaging: 1148592 MHD 07.2027 3200PF027
- Barcode: 4260077046875
Barkoo Kauknochen knotted 24cm
- Packaging: baggage of 150 grams (with 3 chewing bones)
- Barcode: 4260077046899
- Code on packaging: 1148657 MHD05.2027 3200PF027
Barkoo Kauknochen knotted with Spirulina 12cm
- Packaging: baggage of 180 grams (with 3 chewing bones)
- Barcode: 4260077047261
- Code on packaging: 1148654 MHD 06.2027 3200PF027
These merchandise are offered on the Zooplus and Bitiba web sites, and clients ought to get in contact with them for any additional data or directions about returning or disposing of the gadgets.
Extra merchandise that will even be affected embrace:
Chrisco Tyggeruller med kylling, 10 items (chewy rooster rolls)
- Merchandise quantity: 12457
- EAN code: 5764630124578
- Finest earlier than date: all dates
Chrisco Tyggeruller med kylling & kyllingelever, 100g (chewing snack with rooster and rooster liver)
- Merchandise quantity: 12324
- EAN code: 5764630123243
- Finest earlier than date: 01.12.2025; 05.01.2026; 15.03.2026; 18.03.2026; 15.04.2026; 20.04.2026; 01.06.2026 and 15.07.2026
Tyggeruller 18 stk. – hvide (chewing rolls 18 pcs. white),
- Merchandise quantity: 12468
- EAN-Code: 5764630124684
- Finest earlier than date: 05.01.2027; 26.02.2027; 15.03.2027; 18.03.2027 and 24.03.2027
Chrisco Large Politistave, 2.stk. – brune (Large chewing rolls, 2 pcs. brown)
- Merchandise quantity: 12541
- EAN-Code: 5764630125414
- Finest earlier than date: 26.02.2027 and 15.04.2027
Chrisco Large Kaurollen, 2 pcs. – hvide (Large rolls, 2 pcs. white)
- Merchandise quantity: 12542
- EAN-Code: 5764630125421
- Finest earlier than date: 05.01.2027; 20.04.2027 and 01.06.2027
Chrisco Tyggerulle m. kylling & kyllingelever, 1stk (rooster & rooster liver snack, 1 laptop.)
- Merchandise quantity: 12624
- EAN-Code: 5764630126244
- Finest earlier than date: 01.12.2025; 05.01.2026; 15.03.2026 and 18.08.2026
Conclusion
At this stage, there may be little or no data relating to the extent of this well being scare. The outbreak of werewolf syndrome stays small and restricted geographically, however it’s doable that the variety of instances and nations affected will enhance.
We’ll proceed to look at the state of affairs and hold you knowledgeable of any adjustments. For now, verify your canine deal with stash for any of the merchandise listed, and be looking out for any indicators of werewolf syndrome. Bookmark Dogster, and subscribe to our emails and our Instagram so to get all updates.
Moreover, when you have any questions or issues, significantly in case your canine is exhibiting any neurological indicators, don’t hesitate to talk to your vet, or make an appointment to talk with one in every of our vets on-line at PangoVet.
