Pet Food Perils

Little has focused the public's attention on where its food is coming from quite like the present recall of pet chow tainted with melamine, a chemical used in fertilizer and plastics manufacturing. With over a hundred products pulled from the shelves, we've seen just how far tainted items can spread.

The FDA confirms that 16 dogs and cats have died as a result of eating contaminated foods, although many more deaths and illnesses are suspected. Yet the cause is still uncertain. Currently, attention is focused on Chinese wheat gluten contaminated by melamine, which is a marker for the unknown culprit chemical, perhaps a byproduct or breakdown component of melamine. "The reason we're calling it a marker is that dogs and rats are known to tolerate melamine in very high doses," says Stephen Hansen, D.V.M., director of the Animal Poison Control Center at the ASPCA and a board-certified veterinary toxicologist, adding, "The bottom line is that we don't know, but ... lots that contained the melamine are being watched." Furthermore, it's unclear whether the melamine contamination was accidental or intentional. Hansen notes that it may have been deliberately added to raise the protein-[equivalent] content. "It's plausible," Hansen says, "because there are similar compounds, such as urea (used to make melamine), added to cattle feed to increase the protein content."

So if your animal has eaten the recalled foods, what should you do? The ASPCA urges pet owners to call their veterinarians immediately if their pets show "any signs of illness, including loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in water consumption or changes in urination." Should you be unable to reach your veterinarian and believe your pet is ill, call the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for emergency advice ($55 fee).

Chow Down

If your animal appears to be healthy, however, you may switch to a wheat gluten-free product. These days there a plethora of byproduct-free and organic pet foods, seemingly enough to suit every taste. If only it were that simple. When not munching bugs, cats are notoriously finicky eaters, many choosing simply to starve rather than suffer a change in diet (similar problems can occur when substituting wheat cat litters).