In Test 1 in 6 animals are poisoned by Tainted pet food

As many as one in six animals died in tests of Ontario-based Menu brand pet foods suspected of poisoning pets in the United States, a U.S. government official has said.

Menu Foods has now issued a North America-wide recall of 91 different kinds of dog and cat food, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received complaints the food was causing kidney failure in animals.

The investigation is focusing on wheat gluten used at two U.S. plants as the likely source of contamination.

The FDA first learned of a potential problem after receiving complaints on Feb. 20 and followed up by feeding the "cuts and gravy" product to 40 to 50 cats. Of those, seven animals died, said Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's top veterinarian. He added the contamination appeared more deadly to cats than to dogs.

Menu Foods, which is based west of Toronto in Streetsville, Ont., has so far reported 10 deaths — nine cats and one dog.

source:www.cbc.ca