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. They think the cyanuric acid is what is killing pets. The article also discusses hogs that were fed salvage pet food from Diamond Pet Foods that may or may not have entered the human food stream.
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.
You can find out much more on the recall on my Pet Food Recall Archive Page.