Most pet foods are safe. Only 1.7% of reported poisonings in dogs and cats have been
attributed to pet foods.
1
Incidents of contamination occur through microbial action, mixing error, or intentional
adulteration. Although rare, the effects of pet food contamination can be physically
devastating for companion animals and emotionally devastating and financially burdensome
for their owners. Whereas most people consume a diet from various sources, for companion
animals a single bag of food or cans from a single brand/lot will likely be the major
or sole source of nutrition until that food has been completely consumed. Thus, the
effects of food contaminants in people is diluted by the varied diet, but the uniform
diet of most dogs and cats, although preferred for nutritional reasons, increases
the risk of adverse effects if a contaminant is present in their food. As the companion
animal veterinarian is aware, many animal owners consider their dog or cat to be a
vulnerable family member that needs to be protected.
2
Based on the authors' experiences, pet owners often experience seemingly disproportionate
guilt when pets become sickened or die after being unknowingly fed contaminated pet
foods. Some owners have described feeling responsible for poisoning their pet during
pet food contamination incidents.Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 09, 2012
Footnotes
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
