Researchers Examine Contaminants in Food, Deaths of Pets

November 26, 2007

The evidence is building that a combination of two adulterants in pet foods, melamine and cyanuric acid, contributed to the deaths of hundreds of cats and dogs earlier this year.

The complex situation led to a massive recall of pet foods and caused a great deal of public concern. The AVMA hosted a conference call on April 30 to facilitate the exchange of information among representatives of the AVMA, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Food and Drug Administration, and American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians.

On Sept. 24, the AVMA hosted a follow-up conference call. Some participants presented preliminary results from studies of melamine and cyanuric acid in several species of animals. Two of the same toxicology studies were the subjects of presentations during the AAVLD annual meeting from Oct. 18-24 in Reno, Nev.

During the meeting, the AAVLD also released the results of the “AAVLD survey of pet food-induced nephrotoxicity in North America, April to June 2007≤ and presented a preliminary case definition.

More info from the American Journal of Veterinary Medicine.