Expertox Finds Lead, Other Toxins In Wal-Mart Pet Toys

[CountAllVotes]

Source: By Emily Huh (Itchmo)

>> Expertox, a Texas lab, has found elevated levels of lead, chromium, and cadmium in two Chinese-made pet toys sold at Wal-Mart. But two veterinarians said the levels found by the lab are not a health risk to cats and dogs.

<snip>

A dog chew toy, a green monster, tested positive for what the lab categorizes as high levels of lead and chromium. The lab detected lead levels of 907.4 micrograms per kilogram (almost one part per million). Chromium was found at levels of 334.9 micrograms per kilogram. Levels of cadmium, arsenic and mercury were also found in the green monster toy.

The lab said with that kind of concentration, if a dog puts the toy in his mouth and chews or licks it, he is being exposed to a good amount of lead and runs the risk of metal toxicity that may shorten his life.

Expertox said a cloth catnip toy also tested positive for a “tremendous amount” of the toxic metal cadmium. The levels of cadmium found were 236 micrograms per kilogram.

Read more: http://www.itchmo.com/expertox-finds-lead-other-toxins-in-wal-mart-pet-toys-2877

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There is much more to this story. Please be sure to click on the link and read all about this horror (fairly lengthy story). I'm going to throw away any pet toys I have left Made in China. They simply aren't safe it doesn't sound like to me!! :mad:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Are those really toxic levels?

The EPA allows a cadmium level of 50 ppb in 1 L drinking water per day for humans. Yeah, that's less than the 236 ppb in the chew toy, but the cat's not ingesting a chew toy every day.

[napi21]

2. Doesn't the toxin level requirement depend on the size of the

dog/cat/human ingesting the product? I don't think cats eat their toys, but I know quite a few dogs who do.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Not really.

Since smaller critters consume less water.

That's why concentration is useful, and not just the mass.

Dogs eat toys, sure. But if they're like mine they just crap out chucks of the toy. They don't digest them. So I doubt the metals in the toy are being absorbed in a large amount. I suspect that's why the vets quoted in the article aren't worried. I also suspect the levels aren't that much different then what you'd see in American made toys, or for that matter catnip that you'd grow in your garden.

[CountAllVotes]

6. you really need to read the whole thing

there is a link to consumer reports on here. A huge part of this worry is that children are also handling these toys and you know how kids are - they put things in their mouths like pet toys.

As I mentioned, it is a long article. Go to the consumer reports link of this article for more indepth analysis of this.

:kick:

[flamin lib]

4. I posted about Chinese recalls earlier. When are we going to get

serious about fair trade instead of free trade? Make them live up to our standards of safety, environmental protections, labor law, human rights and quality? With our current trade policy China gets the gold and we get the shaft.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1826091&mesg_id=1826091

[onyourleft]

5. I doubt that we will get serious about fair trade.

Every time "standards" are brought up by a pundit, it is instantly reinterpreted as "protectionism." They (the media) don't seem able to understand the difference between the two.

[OnyxCollie]

7. MY DOG HAS THAT TOY!!!

It's going in the trash IMMEDIATELY!!! These bastards are willing to kill my dog. I'M SO FUCKING ANGRY!!!

[likesmountains 52]

8. My dog has the Hedgehog toy...but it's going in the trash now...

[OnyxCollie]

9. Hedgehog guy, too? BASTARDS!!!

[tblue37]

12. What a gorgeous baby! n/t

[YOY]

13. Cute pooch

Looks friendly too!

[OnyxCollie]

14. Thanks. I know he would give his life to protect me.

I feel so terrible that I endangered his.

[CountAllVotes]

10. more here ....

Here is the last three paragraphs of the link to consumeraffairs - they leave this ugly little piece of info. until the very end of course. You have to look for it.

>> But pet owners shouldn’t be the only ones alarmed by ExperTox’s findings, Doris said. Parents should be worried, too.

“There are children playing with their pets and their pets’ toys,” she said, “and sometimes small children will put their pet’s toys in their mouths.

“Somebody ought to care enough to do something about this.”

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/09/pet_food_recalls73.html

:dem:

[ellenfl]

11. kicking for my co-workers. eom