Q & A Library

The contaminated pet food in question came from a facility in Gaston, S.C. and was manufactured by Diamond Pet Food, which issued a recall of some of its products after a number of dogs died and others became ill. Unfortunately, the recall was issued during the 2005/2006 holiday season so many pet owners may have failed to hear about it and, as a result, kept feeding their dogs the contaminated products. The problem was a potent toxin called aflatoxin, which comes from a fungus found on corn, peanuts and other crops. It can cause severe liver damage. If you've been feeding your pets (cats as well as dogs) foods produced by Diamond, be sure to check the company's Web site (www.diamondpet.com) for a list of the specific products affected. The contaminated foods were distributed in the northeast and southeast United States.

Symptoms of illness caused by aflatoxin include sluggishness, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellow discoloration of the whites of the eyes, gums, and skin), severe vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea, and fever.

The events that led up to this disaster for pets started with a drought in the south in the summer of 2005 that promoted the growth of the fungus, Aspergillis flavus, that produces aflatoxin. Although manufacturers test for aflatoxin, the fungus doesn't grow throughout a crop so when truckloads of corn are tested, the toxin may not show up in all samples.

When choosing food for my own two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Jambo and Daisy, I stay away from anything containing animal byproducts, rendered or recycled meats, poultry or fats, and look for meat protein that is properly cooked before it's consumed. I suggest you always check pet food labels to make sure that they clearly state that the food does not contain added growth hormones, antibiotic-fed protein sources, as well as rendered meats, fats and poultry. I would add corn to the list of ingredients to avoid. Pet Promise, the pet food I use, does not contain any of the protein sources I mention above. It does contain corn gluten meal, the high-protein part of the corn kernel that remains when the starch, bran, and germ are extracted. Corn gluten meal provides two essential amino acids that pets need, methionine and taurine. While you can never be 100 percent sure that corn gluten meal doesn't contain aflatoxin, I'm satisfied that the corn from which corn gluten meal is extracted for Pet Promise is subjected to much more stringent tests. It comes from a family-owned Kansas facility that mills corn for use in human foods and has earned a "superior" rating for its testing procedures from the American Institute of Bakers.

Andrew Weil, M.D.