Category: Cats

Due to the possibility of cross-contamination, Drs. Foster & Smith Lamb & Brown Rice Dry Adult Dog Food is being recalled. Check link for specific lot numbers.

You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.

SmartPak Canine is recalling its LiveSmart Adult Lamb & Brown Rice. (scroll to bottom) It tested positive for melamine even though it is not supposed to contain “rice protein concentrate, wheat gluten, or any of the ingredients on FDA’s import watch list.”

You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.

Renal tubule blocked by crystals.

Two months into the pet food recall, scientists weren’t sure why melamine and cyanuric acid, which are not thought to be very toxic, were killing pets. Now scientists at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, may have found the answer as to how the contaminants in the tainted pet foods cause renal failure. Perry Martos mixed melamine and cyanuric acid together and it almost immediately formed crystals like those found in the kidneys of animals that died. Unfortunately, these crystals appear to be very insoluble.

On April 20th, I wrote that researchers have identified three melamine by-products in the tissue and urine of affected animals.(article via PetConnection) Scientists at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health have found cyanuric acid (used as a stabilizer for pool chlorine), amilorine, and amiloride.

Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population & Animal Health has photographs of these crystals in the kidney of an affected dog and micrographs of these crystals clogging the renal tubules of the kidney. It makes it easier to understand what these crystals did when you see these images. (Note: At the time these pathology slides were prepared, it was still thought that aminopterin was the contaminant.)

You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.
Continue reading “Pet Food Recall: Melamine & Cyanuric Acid Combo Deadly”

Since the recall list just keeps growing, I want to remind you there is a very well maintained list of safe (not part of the recall) pet foods at PetSitUSA.com.  I strongly encourage you to check it out.

You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.

Two months after its first recall, Menu Foods has expanded their recall to include products made without wheat gluten, but that might have been cross-contaminated. There are many more added to the list, so be sure to check the list of newly recalled foods for the US and the list for Canada.

China has made an arrest in the case, but I have to wonder if they’re just making a scapegoat out of some guy who was operating with the tacit approval of the Chinese government, since it sounds like adding melamine to food additives is a common occurrence in China. Also, some of the wheat gluten was mislabeled and shipped through a third party—a textile company. Again, it sounds like this isn’t uncommon. I think what these individuals did is wrong, but clearly the problem is the Chinese government and the government isn’t who will be pilloried.

Arresting a few people won’t change the lax enforcement of the Chinese government, so I’m glad to see Sen. Durbin is working to ensure the safety of pet food in the US.

You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.