Reports indicate that the "ingredient" which proved to be a killer in the case of the recalled dog food manufactured by Menu Foods was nothing less than aminopterin, a cancer drug that once was used to induce abortions, and to this day is still utilized to kill rats in some countries.
Aminopterin in not allowed to be used in the United States.
The FDA has been focusing on wheat gluten as a potential source of the problem which has caused renal failure in dogs and has killed at least one so far.
Wheat gluten itself is not suspect of being a cause of kidney or renal failure but could have become contaminated.
The New York State Animal Diagnostic Center, located at Cornell University as well as scientists at the N.
Y.
State Food Laboratory conducted tests on pet food from the manufacturer and discovered aminopterin in two samples.
The New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University and at the New York State Food Laboratory tested three cat food samples provided by the manufacturer and found aminopterin in two of them.
Aminopterin can be highly toxic, depending on the dosage.
It can for example, suppress the immune system.
As to the effect of aminopterin on dogs, the amount discovered in the recalled food samples was 40 parts per million.
This is enough to cause kidney failure in dogs.
The Dean of Cornell's veterinary School indicated that he expects the number of pet (dog) deaths to increase.
If your dog demonstrates a decrease in appetite, vomiting or lethargy you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
Should your dog have consumed any of the recalled dog food and is diagnosed with kidney or renal failure you should retain the food as a sample.
To determine if your dog food is one of those affected by the recall, go to http://www.
menufoods.
com/recall/product_dog.
html and match your dog food against the brand and lot number of those brands of dog food recalled.