Pet food poisonings with melamine or aminopterin

Kidney disease is killing cats and dogs that ate pet food containing wheat gluten supplied by Menu Foods. Initial reports from the New York State Department of Agriculture indicated that the wheat gluten contained a rat poison, but the FDA now believes melamine, a plastic, is causing the poisonings. The true cause of the poisonings will be difficult to clarify because the FDA does not have the same protocols in place to investigate pet poisonings as it has to investigate human poisonings. There are similarities in tissues of the dead pets, especially in the kidneys and bladder, but there are enough differences that authorities cannot say for certain that melamine is the cause of death.

Pet owners are frustrated that toxic amounts of rat poison or plastics can be in pets’ food and horrified that their pets can be poisoned due to contaminated food. The symptoms and manner of dying resemble deaths caused by ammonia, which leads to kidney failure. With excess ammonia, the liver and kidneys are overwhelmed and the brain is affected. Within hours the amount of damage is irreversible for pets that consumed significant amounts of tainted food.

Currently, the FDA has confirmed more than a dozen pet deaths, and estimates are that thousands will be affected. Numbers of affected pets will be high because the tainted wheat gluten was present in about 1% of the nation’s pet food--over 100 different brands. (See previous blog entries for names of affected brands.) If only 0.03% of the pets that eat this food become severely ill, the toxin will be responsible for approximately 39,000 deaths. These estimates are based on information from the 600 Banfield Pet Hospitals. Banfield hospitals have seen a sudden, sharp increase--about 30%--in pet death due to acute kidney failure. This increase is believed to be due to tainted food.

So far, the focus has been on the severe suffering and death that occurs in acutely poisoned dogs and cats, but it is equally important to be aware of the thousands of pets that will have chronic, low-grade health problems caused by eating a small amount of tainted food. If 1% of the population of 60 million dogs and 70 million cats ate tainted food, about 600,000 dogs and 700,000 cats will be affected with chronic, subtle health problems. Positive steps can be taken for these pets:

1. Provide foods that nourish the kidney and liver, such as beef kidney and beef or chicken liver. Start by feeding small amounts of these organ meats and don’t increase the total calories the pet is fed. For example, serve 1/3-1/2 cup of organ meats 3-4 times a week to a 120-lb dog, and 1-2 teaspoons of organ meats 3-4 times a week to a 10-lb dog or cat.
To hold the number of calories steady, decrease the amount of kibble or other food accordingly. Serve the organ meats warmed, either cooked or raw. Use organic, hormone-free meat when possible.

2. Provide Omega 3 fatty acids that come from fish or flax seed to strengthen the kidney and help promote a normal, balanced immune reaction to toxins. Kidneys are irreversibly damaged when the immune reaction to toxins is too extreme. Use wild-caught fish from cold waters, such as salmon, sardines, and menhaden fish. Farmed salmon and warm-water fish, such as catfish are not helpful. Whole ground flax seed is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids for pets that don’t enjoy eating fish. Ground flax seed is preferable to flax oil because it does not oxidize as quickly as the oil. Feed 3-4 times a week according to label directions.

3. Provide antioxidants from richly pigmented foods, such as broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and bell peppers. The darker the color, the greater the antioxidant benefit. Start by feeding small amounts to ensure your pet does well on the food, and don’t increase the total calories the pet is fed. Serve vegetables warmed or room temperature, either cooked or raw. If the vegetable has a great deal of fiber, such as broccoli and carrots, run it through a blender. Dogs and cats evolved getting much of their plant material from the stomach of their prey where it was already partially digested. Their intestines aren’t good at degrading fiber, and you’ll notice an increase in the amount of gas they pass if the food is difficult to digest. Start by feeding small amounts of vegetables and work up 1/3-1/2 cup daily for a 120-lb dog, and ½-1 tablespoon daily for a 10-lb dog or cat.

Take all three steps so that your pet is receiving organ meats, fatty acids, and vegetables.

Should you take these steps for pets not exposed to toxic foods? YES!
These three positive steps benefit all pets, not just those that we know have been exposed to toxic foods.