UPDATE: Rat Poison Found in Pet Food

By Stone Martindale Mar 23, 2007, 16:23 GMT

Two Saint Bernard dogs pose in front of the Matterhorn mountain, in Zermatt, Canton of Valais, South-Western Switzerland, Saturday, 06 January 2007. EPA/OLIVIER MAIRE

The AP is reporting to CNN and ABC News that investigators have determined that a rodent-killing chemical RAT POISON is the toxin in the tainted pet food that has killed so many animals.

A source close to the investigation tells CNN and ABC News that the RAT POISON, was found on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food.

A news conference is scheduled for 1:00 PST and will be aired on CNN by experts in Albany, N.Y., where scientists at the state's food laboratory made the discovery a week after a massive recall of 60 million cans and pouches was issued.

The chemical is called aminopterin, and even more upsetting is investigators can't say so far is whether this is the only contaminant, if it is in all of the recalled food, or if it's in enough quantity in to sicken more animals.

Knowing the chemical can aid veterinarians who are treating sick animals that have been felled by the pet food.

Aminopterin is used in humans as a cancer drug, according to the source, reports the AP.

Many animal doctors, including those at New York's Animal Medical Center, suspect there will be a much larger rash of cases after they learned about an additional 200 reported cases of kidney failure in animals.

The AP and ABC news reports that Doctors at the animal hospital say they noticed the kidney failure while studying sick animals from last Friday to Monday, and traced the cases back to the 60 million cans and pouches of recalled food from Menu Food.

"I was shocked and surprised — acute kidney failure is not a common problem," veterinarian Cathy Langston told ABC News. "I've already heard about 200 cases, and so I bet that there are probably going to be thousands."

Investigators had already begun looking at the possibility that a pesticide or chemical may have been on the wheat used to produce the Menu Foods dog and cat food.

The Food and Drug Administration, which was notified of the tainted food one day before the recall.

Recalled Cat Food

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets, Authority, Best Choice, Companion, Compliments, Demoulas Market Basket, Eukanuba, Fine Feline Cat, Food Lion, Foodtown, Giant Companion, Hannaford, Hill country Fare, Hy-Vee, Iams, Key Food, Laura Lynn, Li'l Red, Loving Meals, Meijers Main Choice, Nutriplan, Nutro Max Gourmet Classics, Nutro Natural Choice, Paws, Pet Pride, Presidents Choice, Price Chopper, Priority, Save-A-Lot, Schnucks, Science Diet (Only brands recalled were 3 oz and 5.5. oz cans of Kitten Savory Cuts Ocean Fish; 5.5 oz cans of Feline Adult Savory Cuts Beef, Chicken and Ocean Fish, and 5.5 oz cans of Feline Senior Savory Cuts Chicken), Sophisticat, Special Kitty Canada, Special Kitty US, Springfield Prize, Sprout, Total Pet, My True Friend, Wegmans, Western Family, White Rose, Winn Dixie

Recalled Dog Food

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets, Authority, Award, Best Choice, Big Bet, Big Red, Bloom, Bruiser, Cadillac, Companion, Demoulas Market Basket, Eukanuba, Food Lion, Giant Companion, Great Choice, Hannaford, Hill Country Fare, Hy-Vee, IAMS, Key Food, Laura Lynn, Loving Meals, Meijers Main Choice, Mighty Dog (only 5.3 pouch products that were produced from December 3, 2006 through March 14, 2007 were recalled), Mixables, Nutriplan, Nutro Max, Nutro Natural Choice, Nutro, Ol'Roy Canada, Ol'Roy US, Paws, Pet Essentials, Pet Pride - Good 'n Meaty, Presidents Choice, Price Chopper, Priority, Publix, Roche Bros, Save-A-Lot, Schnucks, Shep Dog, Springfield Prize, Sprout, Stater Bros, Total Pet, My True Friend, Western Family, White Rose, Winn Dixie, Your Pet