Pet food recalls and pet food contaminants in small animals

Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2012 Mar;42(2):237-50, v. doi: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2011.12.007. Epub 2012 Jan 9.

Abstract

Most pet foods are safe, but incidents of chemical contamination occur and lead to illness and recalls. There were 11 major pet food recalls in the United States between 1996 and 2010 that were due to chemical contaminants or misformulations: 3 aflatoxin, 3 excess vitamin D3, 1 excess methionine, 3 inadequate thiamine, and 1 adulteration with melamine and related compounds and an additional 2 warnings concerning a Fanconilike renal syndrome in dogs after ingesting large amounts of chicken jerky treat products. This article describes clinical findings and treatment of animals exposed to the most common pet food contaminants.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cat Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Cat Diseases / therapy
  • Cats
  • Dog Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Dog Diseases / therapy
  • Dogs
  • Food Contamination / analysis*
  • Foodborne Diseases / epidemiology
  • Foodborne Diseases / therapy
  • Foodborne Diseases / veterinary*
  • Product Recalls and Withdrawals*