Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kidney failure in two dogs from melamine-tainted food in Italy
By Cocchi, Monia et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2010·Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine nephrotoxicosis induced by melamine-contaminated pet food in Italy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two young dogs from the same kennel in Italy died after showing signs of kidney failure. They had symptoms like increased thirst and urination, which are common in dogs with kidney problems. A necropsy revealed that both dogs had severe kidney damage caused by melamine, a toxic substance found in their pet food. This case is significant as it highlights the dangers of contaminated pet food, marking the first report of melamine-related kidney issues in dogs in Europe. Unfortunately, both dogs did not survive due to the toxicity.
People also search for: dog kidney failure symptoms · melamine in pet food · how to treat dog kidney disease · signs of dog uremia
Abstract
Two young dogs belonging to the same kennel placed nearby Treviso (north-eastern Italy) died at the end of 2008 with clinical signs of renal failure. They were subjected to necropsy and were evaluated for histopathological and toxicological changes. Both the animals had same clinical signs and laboratory evidence of uremia. Post mortem investigations revealed severe nephrotoxicosis, associated with uroliths deposition within renal tubules and pelvis. The predominant crystal type was identical to those observed in the kidneys of animals involved in the 2004 and 2007 melamine-associated renal failure epidemic in Asia and US, providing evidence that they share the same causative agent. High doses of melamine were detected in the pet food administered to the dogs, likewise melamine was identified in renal tissue from one dead dog and in urine samples from both the animals. Therefore, a diagnosis of melamine-related nephrotoxicosis was made. To the author's knowledge this is the first report about melamine contamination of pet food from EU.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19915330/