About Poisoned Food And Your Dog Or Cat (Part 1)
Soon after eating the poisoned food, the pets have been suffering. These pets are having serious health complications, including kidney failure, vomiting, lethargy, and death in some cases. Though so far few animals have died (less than two dozen) the crisis has affected many cat and dog lovers, and others.
Originally, people were concerned that the problem was a substance in rat poison in the food supply, namely the chemical aminopterin. Aminopterin is a chemical used primarily for chemotherapy. However, while New York officials stated this, FDA officials never confirmed the matter.
At present, the main opinion is that there was a problem with the wheat gluten supplied by a Chinese food distributor. The poisonous chemical in the wheat gluten, melamine, is used in pesticides, as well as for plastics.
Wheat gluten is the protein part of the wheat flour. It resembles gelatin, and is valuable in food manufacturing because it adopts the texture and flavor of the food it’s with. It also adds volume to products, and may imitate meat by taking on the texture and flavor as well. It can also add elasticity and chewiness to foods, as well as act as a binder, filler, and gravy thickener.