Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kidney failure outbreaks in dogs and cats from melamine in 2004
By Brown, Cathy A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2007·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Outbreaks of renal failure associated with melamine and cyanuric acid in dogs and cats in 2004 and 2007.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In two separate outbreaks in 2004 and 2007, several dogs and cats developed severe kidney failure after eating contaminated pet food. The affected animals showed symptoms like loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, increased urination, and other signs of kidney distress. Unfortunately, all the pets involved either died or had to be euthanized due to the severity of their condition. Tests revealed harmful substances called melamine and cyanuric acid in their kidneys, which were linked to the pet food they consumed. This highlights the dangers of certain pet foods and the serious health risks they can pose.
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Abstract
Sixteen animals affected in 2 outbreaks of pet food-associated renal failure (2 dogs in 2004; 10 cats and 4 dogs in 2007) were evaluated for histopathologic, toxicologic, and clinicopathologic changes. All 16 animals had clinical and laboratory evidence of uremia, including anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, polyuria, azotemia, and hyperphosphatemia. Where measured, serum hepatic enzyme concentrations were normal in animals from both outbreaks. All animals died or were euthanized because of severe uremia. Distal tubular lesions were present in all 16 animals, and unique polarizable crystals with striations were present in distal tubules or collecting ducts in all animals. The proximal tubules were largely unaffected. Crystals and histologic appearance were identical in both outbreaks. A chronic pattern of histologic change, characterized by interstitial fibrosis and inflammation, was observed in some affected animals. Melamine and cyanuric acid were present in renal tissue from both outbreaks. These results indicate that the pet food-associated renal failure outbreaks in 2004 and 2007 share identical clinical, histologic, and toxicologic findings, providing compelling evidence that they share the same causation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17823396/