One of the biggest news stories (in the pet world) of 2007 was the massive Menu Foods pet food recall — and the number of animals who suffered melamine poisoning.
Review the story here if you need a refresher:
- The Case of the Menu Foods Pet Food Recall
- Menu Foods Pet Food Recall: New Clues, New Questions
- Pet Parent Alert: Pet Food Recall Expanded, Could Expand Even More
Symptoms of melamine poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Frequent urination
- Increased water intake
Why? Because melamine is toxic to kidneys. It caused acute renal failure in the dogs and cats who ate the food. When the kidneys fail, they can’t clean the blood, causing nausea, a lack of appetite, and vomiting. The thirst and urination is the body’s attempt to flush the kidneys. The physical symptoms of acute kidney failure are dramatic because kidney function declines so rapidly.
I actually MET a poisoned pet food survivor at the veterinary side of the cats only boarding facility where I’ve been working for the last few weeks.
This poor cat is skin and bones. He comes to the clinic three times every week for subcutaneous fluids. That’s the last step in a long line of measures that unfortunately won’t ever cure him. There is no cure for this type of kidney failure. In some cases, the condition can improve; in the case of dogs and cats who survived melamine poisoning, there is no hope. Treatment can prolong life, but the pets who survived will never be the same.
Kidney failure can be treated in a number of ways, including:
- Intravenous fluids to help flush the kidneys
- A special diet to reduce strain on the kidneys
- Medication to control blood pressure, nausea, and anemia
- Frequent blood and urine tests to monitor the patient’s kidney function