The ingredient that caused the recent pet food recalls in WET cat and dog food is called melamine. It is a compound used in plastics manufacture and other manufacturing industries.

It is NOT rat poison, although it does cause renal failure. Melamine becomes more toxic as more accumulates in the animal's system.

Cats are more sensitive to the toxic effects of malamine than dogs.

It does require some time for an animal to expire from melamine intoxication. The kidneys fail... and the animal is no longer able to excrete the waste products they normally would be able to eliminate. The other organ systems will then cascade and death will occur when there is a total crash.



To date, NO dry foods have been linked to THIS recall.



(As mentioned earlier, there was an unrelated recall for salmonella contamination in a few chicken varieties of one brand of "moist-dry" feed pet treats.)



The melamine was a contaminant in wheat gluten...which is commonly used to thicken "gravy type" mixtures...and WET pet food sauces and gravies.

Normal wheat gluten would be harmless to you and/or your pets.

However, this was contaminated wheat gluten which was purchased cheaply form a Chinese source. The labeling on the imported wheat gluten was not very clear and inspectors were not able to determine if the wheat gluten was intended for industrial use or food use.



They were able to determine that, so far, this wheat gluten has not been used in human food.



Dry dog and cat food is safe for your pets and has NOT been recalled.

So, I think that Rodent Feed, which is obviously dry, should not have any problems either.



Harlin Wall - WALL TO WALL REPTILES!

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