The good news is that the FDA didn't find rat poison (aka aminopterin) in pet food samples from Menu Foods, which is what NY State authorities found last week. The bad - very bad - news is that traces of melamine were found in the pet food, and apparently melamine-contaminated wheat gluten was also sent to a dry food manufacturer. From the AP:

Cornell University scientists also found melamine — used to produce plastic kitchen wares and used in Asia as a fertilizer — in the urine of sick cats, as well as in the kidney of one cat that died after eating the company’s wet food... more ›

NY State agricultural officials say that testing so far has indicated the presence of rat poison in recalled pet food. According to ABC News, a source says "the rodenticide, which the source says is illegal to use in the United States, was on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food." Yikes! [Via Poop City, which has had excellent coverage of the recall.] more ›

As if the news about the massive pet food recall after pets have become ill and even died couldn't get any worse, it has. It turns out that Menu Foods actually fed 40-50 cats and dogs, resulting in seven animals dying - and still waited weeks to recall the food! more ›

Two more big pet-food brands joined the massive pet-food recall announced on Friday. Nestle Purina and Hill's Pet Nutrition voluntarily recalled some of their products. Pet-food manufacturer Menu Foods, which sells food to stores and other brands that then market the food under their own names, has not found out what is causing pets to become ill (10 cats and dogs have died so far), but believes the problem is related to wheat gluten in wet foods. more ›

A Canadian company that produces cat and dog food is recalling over 80 brands. Some pet owners have noted that their cats and dogs have been vomiting and suffered kidney failure. more ›