Pet food recall: FDA says it ' s not aminopterin, but melamine, in pet food samples

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From Karen Roebuck at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, via a commentor on an earlier post:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration testing found a chemical commonly used in plastics, but no rat poison, in the recalled pet food that has killed and sickened cats and dogs nationwide, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review learned Thursday.

Testing by the FDA and at least one lab independent of the agency found melamine, a chemical used in plastics and household textiles, in samples of the recalled pet food and in one of its ingredients -- wheat gluten -- said an FDA official and another source close to the investigation. Neither wanted to be identified prior to the FDA's formal announcement this morning.

Roebuck also reported:

The FDA has received 8,000 complaints regarding the recalled food and is testing hundreds of customer-submitted samples.

While Menu Foods has reported 16 deaths, Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, has said many more deaths are expected. The contamination appears to be more deadly to cats than dogs, he said.

The complete story is here.

I'll be listening in on the FDA press conference Friday morning at 10 AM Eastern Time and will update as soon as more information is available.

If you have a pet with a recall-related illness, let us remind you to:

• Call the FDA to report your information


• Call your veterinarian and ask him or her to report to your state veterinarian, also for the FDA


• Enter your pet in our database

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Comments

[Janice]

The FDA investigator in Shreveport, LA who called yesterday to discuss the death of our cat stated his district, which includes the four state of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, has received more than 8,000 complaints from pet owners regarding pet food contamination in just the last two weeks. He got this information from the FDA database. There certainly are more than 8,000 cases nationwide that have been reported to the FDA if there are 8,000 in these four states. People need to keep reporting. Also, switch to an organic food if you have not already done so or make your own. A boycott of these irresponsible pet food manufacturers is the only thing that will get their attention.



We lost our cat in January after he began a new bag of Hill's Prescription DRY c/d. He had a seizure and was placed on IV's for 7 days but could never regain his kidney functioning. We have switched our two dogs to an organic dog food.

[Cindy]

Emporia Kansas is a manufacturing town according to the Chamber of Commerce website. Wondering if the FDA is checking the water supply for possible contamination from other manufacturing plants.

[keenisar]

Congratulations petconnection!



How refreshing, that what we are told to believe is "rumor" is more often "truth", when discovered on this Blog.



I'm sorry I do not remember the name of your fine commenter, but this morning I read someone telling us "Melamine" is being looked into.

After learning everything I wanted to know about rat poision and wasn't afraid to ask, I began a fascinating and learning-search of

(melamine-formaldehyde polymer +packaging +migrating)

Walla! when I retured to your site this Announcement Thread is already posted!!!



Thank You so much

[GingerTom]

Looking up the MSDS for melamine and becoming somewhat puzzled. LD50 of aprox 3g/kg in rats which means that at that dose 50 percent of the animals given the substance die (also remembering rats can't vomit,so they're pretty well stuck with whatever goes in). Rabbit data showing 1g/kg LD 50.....



have to think on this a while...how much of this would be required to kill a 3kg cat in three days and how would that much get into a 3 oz container...unless perhaps it was used as an adulterant (volume expander) in the gluten. Something considered relatively non-toxic and non-detectable and the right color/consistency, weight etc...



officially puzzled....very puzzled....

[Mary Ellen]

I just had to take a moment here to say a huge thank you to you folks at Pet Connection. The chaos and lack of information otherwise available about this horrible situation would be unimaginable if we didn't have to live through it, and your updates and information have been a lifeline.



My heart breaks for everyone with a pet who has been poisoned. It is only luck that my 3 cats are happy and healthy as I eased my youngest off a recalled brand of kitten food to dry food in October. But while I'm thankful for my good fortune, I'm grieving for those who do not share in it.



There is not much more to say, except to once again offer my deepest appreciation to Gwen and the rest here at Pet Connection for their time, energy, and help in spreading the most up to date and helpful information available.

[Sue Jeffrey]

The LD50 for melamine is more than 10X higher than that of aminopterin. (it's much less lethal in other words) It's hard to fathom that there could have been enough to do serious damage - add to that it is an irritant - hard to believe that our animals would have willingly ingested enough to kill them. ALthough it is known to have toxic effects on the kidney. I think, if aminopterin was a red herring, so this will turn out to be as well. Hopefully the FDA and the labs will heed the ASPC warnings and keep looking.

[Julie]

Dry Food Recall



I just saw a short story on CNN about the dry food recall. We have felt that it was Dry Iams mini chunks that killed our 5 year old papillon Feb. 16, 2007.



Any information?



thanks!

[Steve]

No information other then "don't call us we'll call you".

[Steve]

The next stage is this is going to turn political.

[Steve]

About the labels



What's really in that can of pet food on your shelf? Here's a guide to some ingredients listed on the label and what they really are, according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials:



Chicken, beef or fish: Clean flesh from those animals.



Meat byproducts: Blood, bone and organs such as lungs, spleen, kidney, brains, liver, stomachs and intestines from slaughterhouses.



Poultry byproducts: Necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, lungs, intestines. Not feathers.



Meat or poultry byproduct meal: Blood, bone and organs that are rendered, dried and ground up. Can include tissue from animals that died outside slaughterhouses.



Steamed bone meal: Bones separated through cooking and ground up. It provides minerals, mainly calcium and phosphorus.



Taurine: An amino acid needed by cats.



Grains: Labeled either as whole grains, such as corn or barley, or as ground milled products, which are what's left after flour and cereal are processed.



Vegetables: Dried yams, beet pulp, carrots.



Additives: Vitamins and minerals, such as flavorings and preservatives.



SOURCE: Gannett News Service

[Rafael]

So what does this mean? What was going on in that Factory? Their samples show Rat poison and samples form the FDA show Melemine. What else was in that food>?

[keenisar]

I was searching for the possibility that the melamine-formaldehyde was introduced to the food through packaging?



Considering that it is one of the many chemicals allowed by FDA aproval to be utalized in; allowable amounts "migrating" to the contents.

Link:

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:XHVhk...;cd=1&gl=us

(see fine print[footnote] at bottom of the article)



Please, any comments to help educate me on this possibility would be welcomed.

Thanks

[keenisar]

Sorry, if Link failed, this is the pdf of the

FDA document in my last comment regarding packaging

http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/aprqtr/pdf/21cfr181.29.pdf

[Jean]

Emporia Kansas is my hometown and I grew up there. The Chamber of Commerce may wish it was a manufacturing town, but it's a 2 job kind of place woth a small college. I doubt the water supply is affected. I would not use any product, dry or wet, manufactured there until there is some answer as to what the cause is.

[Joyce Brown]

What radio station or tv channel will the FDA news conference be airing this morning?

[Steve]

What else was in that food>? Comment by Rafael — March 30, 2007



Makes me shudder to think about it.

[karen]

CNN tv will be carrying the FDA's 10am (EDT) press conference LIVE.

[Valarie]

I'm upset and mad as hell. The FDA is having a

live network update on the pet food recall. The 2 CNN stations and FOXNews ran only about 7 minutes of it. This is the morning report on Friday, March 30, 10am. By checking my computer, I could tell there is a question and answer period in which people are phone in but I could only hear 3 minutes. My question: why in hell aren't these stations carrying the full extent of the conference.

[Elderta]

I'm watching it on CNN Pipeline (full conference), but CNN Pipeline is a paid service.

[Paone]

You're not missing much as far as the Q&A section goes. What bothers me is that no one seems to want to identify the company in China who supplied the wheat gluten or the company in Kansas who used it.

[Sharon Gilbert]

This is all well and fine, BUT this toxin (the rat poison)more than likely wasn't in EVERY one of the packets. I lost one cat and another is very ill. A third ate this food also, but he's okay. It's probably just the luck of the draw. There probably is some type of plastic in the food. Why not? It seems that there is alittle of something in everything we buy?

[shayla hawkins]

Just the musings of a heart sick pet owner...



The companies that have been involved in this were LESS than forthright... in some cases its believed that THEY knew long before the public was told that was a problem. Long before some of the first animals died.



Food for thought... My Rottie/Shar-pia was 130 pounds of love (she tought of herself as a lapdog). Healthy and robust at 8 years of age.



On the 14 of Aug last year... she didn't feel well..... no tempature, we thought perhaps she'd just wolfed down her chow to quickly. We, went on to church and arrived home to a dead dog about 4 hours later. She was on one of the brands that was later recalled. (in the begining it was thought only the 'wet' food was at risk..now we know it dry as well). The vet thought she was poisined (indeed she was).



In my mind with the general moral bankuptcy of this country and its business' its NOT a stretch to think that ... possibly this was a forerunner of things to come to pass. Wouldn't be the first time that the public as boren the exspence of others negligences in order to save face or a buck!!!



I'm mad and very upset... because IF any of this is true then instead of 1000 animals it could be 10 times that. My beloved dog at 8 with today's advances in medicine was looking at many more happy years with us. She is sorely missed.



Its time we as consumers MAKE our elected officals take a stand. Pets are the love of many of our lives ... but this feasco could have easily been our childrens cereal. Think about it.



Sincerely Shayla

[Nadine Long]

The Today Show is about to do a segment on pet food.

[Lisa]

Since they are now saying that it is Melamine and not Aminopterin, how does that explain the high levels of Aminopterin in the tested recalled pet food? Which makes you question, how many MORE contaminates will be found? And how does PLASTIC get into food?

[Valarie]

Pet Connection - Gina



Is it possible the Oregonian paper can dig deep and find the supplier and report it to the public. If the FDA won't reveal the source, someone on their own who is efficient at sleuthing may be able to come up with the information.



We sure want to know and get these people out of business. They have no right to be able to continue capitalizing on this tragedy.

[Duvy]

Your pets depend on you to make safe choices for them. You broke their spirit, locked them in the house, and then you fed them rat poison because it had a higher price tag so you assumed it was safe. I'm guilty too. No one would listen to me years ago when my Yog was getting sick from the cat food. I paid a lot of money to keep him in case of Fancy Feast because I thought it was better. He suffered off and on for seven years and I have no proof. The vet couldn't figure out what was making him sick. No one believed me and they kept replying, "it's only cat food. he's only a cat." Sure, he's a cat that I helped poison for his entire life. It's been three years since we had to put him to sleep. I miss him every day. This has been going on for years right beneath our noses. So many lives snuffed out. From happy with health to weak and dead in just ten days. There has to be a huge boycott or this will continue. When I don't feed my cats can food they don't get worms or fleas. I haven't fed my cats Fancy Feast since two whole litters of kittens died, one before they were born, the other litter were mutated horribly and died soon after. I stopped feeding the mother can food and let her have another litter so she wouldn't be all screwed up mentally, because she was...she had six male kittens, they are almost four years old now. Five of them are still with me, the other went to live in a good home. I have twelve cats and they depend on me to provide them with a safe environment. I don't feed them expensive food and they are all healthy. I am 100% sure it's the food and products we are paying $15 billion a year for.

[Paone]

To Duvy:



Fancy Feast is not among the recalled brands, as it is made by a different manufacturer.

[Joanne Curtis]

In Dec. 2006 we received in our P&G retiree holiday gift pac from P&G paks of "Iams Tartar Treats", patent pending, and soon after we fed them to our golden retriever he became lethargic and stopped eating and he was diagnosed with failing kidney function. This week I found part of a pac left in the cupboard, and the main ingredient listed on the label is wheat gluten. I contacted the NY State Dept of Agriculture, and they have not responded to my email yet. The dog is still alive, is better, but we will have to take him for a checkup now that he may have ingested a toxic product.

[diana bryan]

PROPYLENE GLYCOL is a legally allowed ingredient for pet food and human food. It is used to keep food moist. The govt does not require labeling of ingredients on pet food. Also, it goes under many trade names. Propylene glycol is an ingredient in ANTIFREEZE. It is possible that either a larger than approved amount is in the toxic pet food and/or another chemical such as melamine act in a synergistic way increasing the toxicity of the propylene glycol. It is the opinion of many chemists that there may be NO SAFE AMOUNT for this to be allowed in human and pet food and it should be removed from the list of approved ingredients. So far, no reporter or scientis has mentioned this. Has anyone seen this in any report?

[Kim]

Joanne - thanks for posting that here!



Please also (attempt) to report your experience to the FDA.

[Linda]

This is not the bottom line:



http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_033007



This is just the beginning.

[Linda]

Sorry, I didn't realize that Gina had just posted it on a new thread.

[Cathy]

Diana Bryan said: Propylene glycol is an ingredient in ANTIFREEZE



No, ethylene glycol is antifreeze. Mind you I don't think propylene glycol belongs in pet food, but it is not antifreeze.

[Amy Boda]

Ok here is a thought. I have checked all types of wet and dry food that I have here at home. There are many brands as Nick is a finicky cat...or at least I thought so. Maybe he is just smart and refused all of this stuff because it was tainted. Sheer speculation on my part, but I wouldn't rule anything out right now. So the possible toxins are aminopterin, melamine, both, and/or additional ones to these. If melamine is used in fertilizer, then that should mean that the wheat itself is affected, not just the gluten. Along with any other wheat ingredients made from this affected wheat. I can only assume that Menu Foods did not receive this Entire wheat crop. And if it is marketed only for pet consumption (which I doubt), many other brands should be affected. Also if the melamine is also used in the manufacturing of rodentcide, then the issue remains what else is in these foods?



Well, here are the brands I have sitting here in front of me:



With wheat gluten: Special Kitty pouches, Whiskas pouches, Meow Mix Market Select cups, Natural UltraMix (made by Menu), Fancy Feast Grilled varieties (all flavors), Fancy Feat new gourmet line (the ones in the green can), and 9 Lives Tender Slices (all flavors).



With wheat: Purina Cat Indoor Formula (dry)...Nick did enjoy this food, but he isn't getting it anymore due to the wheat component. And Purina's BRAND NEW Naturals Cat Chow. Also his treats, Temptations (made by Whiskas) contain wheat flour.



Nick is not eating Natural Balance foods (both wet and dry) as they contain no wheat ingredients. I may add some Blue Buffalo wet food, seems they are ok too. (I tried the homecooking thing...well he turned his nose up, we don't feed him people food very often.) Funny cat :), would rather eat the yucky can stuff.

[4lgdfriend]

He repeated that he was not making a connection of these symptoms with melamine.

COMPILATION OF BS:

said an FDA official and another source close to the investigation. Neither wanted to be identified prior to the FDA's formal announcement this morning.

Whether melamine is the source of the animal illness is unclear, they said.

Because of a lack of scientific data, it is unclear what level of melamine would be harmful to cats and dogs, the sources said.

[4lgdfriend]

BS smells like another cover up to me

[deb]

If this was found in any food...well, that's just WRONG!



melamine

melamine (mel'umēn") [key], common name for 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine. Melamine is a trimer (see polymer) of cyanamide, H2NCtriple bondN, and is synthesized from calcium carbide. It condenses with formaldehyde to give a thermosetting resin. Melamine resins have many uses, including the manufacture of plastic dishes under the trade name Melmac.

[Catherine]

I found only two brand without wheat, corn or by products. What brands wet food are SAFE??? HELP I tried ground turkey my cats refused but love processed turkey. Unfortunately you buy over the internet and the shipping is as high as the cost of food any ideas at Pet Smart.. or others? There is not ONE commercial brand in food stores free from wheat, corn or meat by products, It is horrific what we have been feeding our cats. My 17 yr old has been vomiting for YEARS and I thought it was gastritis! Yea right!

[Kathi]

Catherine

You might try Natural Balance by Dick van Patten at Petco. I've not heard any complaints. I use it for both cat and dog.