I regret having to post additional new info, yet again, on Pet Food

[rumpel]

It is not yet clear what is causing the illness!

Howl911:
UNIV. OF GUELPH: UPDATE #4 ON SUSPECTED FOOD TOXICITIES 04/04/07
Thanks to one of our readers for alerting us to this update, issued April 2, 2007 by the University of Guelph's Animal Health Laboratory.
melamine
► Investigations continue in Canada and the USA, and the suspected cause remains melamine, an industrial chemical used as a fertilizer and to make plastics.
► We have detected melamine in suspect wet pet food and in crystals in the urine of affected cats, but have not detected melamine in dry pet food.
► A causative link between melamine and acute renal failure has not been confirmed.
► We suggest that pet owners or veterinarians hold pet food packaging (pouches, bags, cans, etc.), and freeze food samples, should further investigation be warranted.

and from the University site:

Urgent Bulletins

Menu Foods Pet Food Recall

Menu Foods, which provides ingredients for numerous pet food companies, has recalled portions of the dog and cat food it manufactured between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. This page provides information on the recall as it pertains to Laboratory Services.
Current Status

While originally aminopterin, and now melamine, have been postulated as the toxin, a causative link between these toxins and acute renal failure has not been confirmed. Given the lack of proof that either aminopterin or melamine is responsible for the renal failure problems, and given our continuing investigation efforts, we will not be accepting samples for testing at this time, and we are not aware of any other lab that is offering these tests.

For more information, see our latest LabNote:

* AHL LabNotes: Update on suspected pet food toxicities 4 (on AHL LabNotes page)

More Information

For additional information, please see our other LabNotes relating to the recall:

more at:
http://www.labservices.uoguelph.ca/urgent.cfm

[shaniqua6392]

1. Don't regret posting info on the pet food recall!

We all need to keep this story alive. There are also a few stories on Vitamin D3 being put in the pet food in excessive amounts. PETA has some information on their site at www.peta.org. NOTE: There are pets dying that only eat dry kibble forms of dog food that contain NO wheat gluten. We are not being told the truth. Thank you again for posting this.

[rumpel]

2. thank you

The lab says: "unknown crystaline...."

I really wish all labs to check into this - not just this one.

[kestrel91316]

3. It's not Vitamin D toxicity. We aren't seeing the characteristic

hypercalcemia in the sick animals. And if excessive levels of Vitamin D or its related compounds haven't been tested for already, I'll eat my shirt.

PETA needs to quit playing doctor, IMHO. They are trying to creat panic and uncertainty to further their own goals.

[Hobarticus]

5. Thank you for saying that...

Things are bad enough, trying to get facts and act accordingly, without that distraction.

[shaniqua6392]

8. There is also an article in Canadian newspaper

that is stating the same thing. I know PETA can be extreme, for sure, but I wonder if there is any validity to the claim. Here is a link to another article:

http://www.torontodailynews.com/index.php/BusinessNews/2007040404pet-food-poisoning

[TZ]

6. PETA has been complaining about Vit D..

for awhile. The pet health issues have just recently happened, since December. PETA's explanation makes no sense. It probably is a combination of melamine and something else. I will let the experts (vets and scientists) figure this out not an anti-science group.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. melamine...

Melamine is an industrial chemical, but it's also a derivative of urea. How do they know it's exogenous, and not some endogenous metabolite, caused perhaps from the illness?

[rumpel]

9. I think Menu foods has to reveal what they were really

experimenting on.

The early article and only article which was posted here reported that they were experimenting with some foods...
Not a word on this subject since.

I have to search and dig it up..

[TheWraith]

10. If nobody else has reported it, it's almost certainly an error in the story.

Do you really think they could keep something like that secret given the intense media scrutiny going on?

[tbyg52]

11. The way things are nowadays, yes. nt

[Kurovski]

7. K&R.(nt)