Canine Food Safety

Canine food safety became a serious issue for pet owners in 2007 when 14 dogs and cats in the U.S. died of sudden renal failure after eating commercial pet food, and thousands more became ill. The Food and Drug Administration made several changes to its policies as a result.

History

• In 2007, a chemical called melamine was added to certain brands of pet food in an attempt to make it appear the products had a higher protein level than they actually did. Melamine, commonly found in fertilizers, plastics and cleaning supplies, is not an approved food ingredient and proved lethal to many animals.

Effects

• After an intensive investigation by the FDA, two Chinese nationals and the president and CEO of an American company were indicted by a federal grand jury for "delivering adulterated food" and on more than two dozen other counts. The FDA also took steps to make pet food safer; its Amendments Act of 2007 required pet food labels to include ingredient and nutrition information; regulated establishment of ingredient standards and definitions for pet food; and regulated pet food processing standards.

Considerations

• Veterinarian Karen Halligan of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Los Angeles, recommends pet owners choose foods that conform to the Association of American Feed Control Officials, or AAFCO standards. Pet owners should also avoid foods containing chemical preservatives, and should not purchase brands without an expiration date or with a date that has expired, Dr. Halligan says.