On March 15, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) learned that certain pet foods were sickening and killing cats and dogs. Upon investigation and laboratory analysis, the FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins (melamine) imported from China which are used as ingredients in pet food. Based on the FDA's recommendation, pet food manufacturers have voluntarily recalled more than 100 brands of dog and cat food across the nation since March 16, 2007.

The recall was prompted by the reported cases of cats and dog in the United States that developed kidney failure after eating the affected products. The affected products are moist (packaged in pouches) and canned diets. The products have been described as "cuts and gravy" style pet foods. A full list of all the recalled products can be found at http://www.menufoods.com/recall/

Check the FDA's website at http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html to see if your pet food is involved in the recall. If your pet food is not listed, the pet food is not affected by the recall and you can continue to feed it to your pets. Information about the most recent pet food recall can be found by calling 1-866-895-2708.

If your pet exhibits a sudden on-set of symptoms including loss of appetite, lethargy or vomiting, stop feeding your pet the food and contact your veterinarian.

If you are wondering what to feed your pets, keep in mind the following: although many different types of pet food are affected by the recall, the recalled products represent only about one percent of the total pet food available for purchase, according to the Pet Food Institute, the trade association for pet food manufacturers. There remains an ample supply of safe cat and dog food available at stores throughout the United States," says Stephen F. Sundlof, Director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).