The California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System is testing samples in association with the pet food recall. Please visit its Web site for more information about submitting samples and contact information for the laboratory.

Since March 16, 2007, more than 150 brands of pet food have been voluntarily recalled by a number of companies. Types of pet foods recalled include:

Many companies that sell pet food do not make the food. Instead, they give their formulation, or recipe, to manufacturing firms. The manufacturer mixes ingredients according to the recipes to make a wide variety of pet foods for companies to sell under many different brand names. Because one manufacturer may produce many kinds of pet foods at the same facility, a contaminated ingredient can get into many of these foods.

Call your veterinarian immediately if your pet shows signs of illness such as loss of appetite, weakness or lack of energy, or vomiting. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has recommended that pets (dogs and cats) that ingested pet food that was on the recall list, whether showing signs of illness (lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, etc.

We really don’t know at this time, but it seems extremely possible, depending on how many pet food manufacturers were supplied with the contaminated wheat gluten—or other contaminated products. Please monitor the FDA’s website closely for new recall announcements, as well as our recalled products page.

Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful substances or microorganisms to food by equipment, food-contact surfaces, utensils, hands, or other means. It occurs when these items are not cleaned properly after processing a food that contains a harmful substance and then processing another food.

For a complete list of affected brands and product codes, please visit the ASPCA’s list of recalled pet food products. Click on each brand to find specific information about products and/or product codes that have been recalled. This list is updated frequently, so please check back often. In addition, you should visit the website of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

If your pet develops signs of botulism, seek veterinary attention immediately. Signs of botulism in pets are similar to those in people. In addition, your pet may have difficulty holding its head up or its tongue may hang out of the mouth. There is no specific treatment for botulism in animals, but supportive medical care may be helpful. Watch your pet for signs of botulism for 10 days after it ate the recalled product.

If you pet shows signs of illness (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting), you should consult with your veterinarian immediately. "The American College of Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has recommended that pets (dogs and cats) that ingested pet food that was on the recall list, whether showing signs of illness (lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, etc.

New pet foods continue to be added to the recall list. For the most recent, updated list, please go to the AVMA Web site.

Since the time that information was originally posted on this site, additional recalls have been made by different manufacturers who may have used wheat gluten from a particular supplier in China. Although there are different opinions about the identity of the actual contaminant in the wheat gluten, manufacturers who have used this particular brand are instigating recalls of the foods.

FDA laboratories found melamine and melamine-related compounds in samples of pet food. Melamine, an industrial chemical, and its related compounds have no approved use as an ingredient in animal or human food in the United States. FDA traced the melamine to products labeled as wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China and used as ingredients in pet foods.

Some states also enforce their own labeling regulations. Many of these regulations are based on a model provided by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Learn more about AAFCO at http://www.aafco.org//. Learn more about labeling requirements at FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine Web site: Interpreting Pet Food Labels at http://www.fda.gov/cvm/petlabel.htm

Renal failure means that the kidneys are not working to remove toxins from your pet's body. Your pet can be alive and be in renal failure. Most of the time, the symptoms of renal failure are decreased appetite, lethargy, vomiting, maybe diarrhea; increased water consumption, increased or decreased urine production. In cats that use a litter box, you may notice a need to change the box more often than usual. Dogs may ask to go outside more often or the well housebroken dog may have accidents.

Any food that is not on the recall list is safe and can be substituted for a contaminated product. The important thing to remember is that although this is an extensive recall, commercially available diets are still the best option for your pets overall health. Home made diets are often lacking in nutrients and can subject your pet to other more common contaminates such as salmonella. Ask your veterinarian for suggestions on what would be a suitable diet change for your dog or cat.

Recalled foods are highlighted like this. There will also be a notation that they have had recalls. Example:

Other than making a notation that a brand has had a recall, we will not list the specific recalls. Please visit the company website or call the company to find out the exact products that have been recalled.

For anyone who has ever lived with a dog or a cat, it's hard to imagine that some pet food companies would conduct invasive tests on animals in labs. But the pet industry is big business, and in their ongoing efforts to maximize earnings and deliver "new and improved" formulas, some leading pet food manufacturers conduct cruel experiments on dogs and cats.

In addition to dog and cat food, one brand of dry ferret food is recalled: Ultra-Blend Advanced Nutrition (Net Wt. 20 lbs, UPC 26851 00413, Code C7072), manufactured by Chenango Valley Pet Food.

Fluid therapy - flushing the kidneys with fluids to remove the toxins - is the mainstay of treatment, as it is for practically all kidney failure. Adequate hydration is important in preventing toxicity from the toxic agent, aminopterin, in people, and most of the dogs and cats treated have been very responsive to fluid treatment. Dialysis, in which the function of the kidneys is taken over mechanically, is recommended when the kidneys are seriously compromised.

If your pet is exhibiting any signs of kidney failure, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, disorientation and changes in water consumption and urination. If you suspect that you have fed the recalled pet food to your cat or dog, save any remaining pet food and the can or pouch. Open cans or pouches may be double-bagged in sealable plastic and kept in the freezer.

Many foods are specially formulated for age of the pet (kitten/puppy, maintenance, active, less active, senior etc.) or for specific problems (allergies, urinary problems, etc.). It is important to purchase a food balanced for your pet's individual needs.

You should check the list of the recalled foods because only some Natural Balance pet foods co-packed at the Castleberry’s facility are involved. The FDA tells us that, while botulism can affect some pets, dogs and cats are inherently resistant. The disease has only been seen occasionally in dogs and has not been reported in cats. Ferrets, though, are highly susceptible to botulinum toxin.

Wheat gluten is the principal protein component of wheat flour and may be used as a thickener in pet foods. It also has uses in human food products as a stabilizer or thickener. It is not generally associated with food contamination.

Most of the dry food packages we use are called multi-wall bags and are made of 3 layers of natural kraft paper stock. The outside layer is clay-coated to provide a better printing surface. The middle layer is a grease-proof kraft paper (resin coated to stop fat from "wicking" out of the food). The inside layer is kraft paper that has been laminated to a metalized polypropylene or saran coated polypropylene to act as a moisture barrier. This is what goes against the food inside the bag.

This type of tests provides information on the glomerular and tubular function of the kidneys. The kidney tubules' main function is to excrete waste products while reabsorbing water and dissolved chemicals from the ultrafiltrate.