No acetaminophen in tested pet food, ASPCA says

Fears of acetaminophen contamination in pet food are unfounded, based on test findings by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and independent toxicologists, says the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Three cans of cat food provided by a pet owner were shipped to the toxicology section of the California Animal Health and Food Safety System (CAHFS) at UC-Davis's School of Veterinary Medicine. Although the products tested positive for acetaminophen and cyanuric acid in a private laboratory in Texas, all of the school's test results were negative for acetaminophen contamination, says Dr. Robert H. Poppenga, CAHFS' lead veterinary toxicologist.

FDA's tests upheld CAHFS' conclusion and the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, Ill., has not managed any clinical cases to date. Deadly to pets, especially cats, acetaminophen contamination had concerned ASPCA officials, says Dr. Steven Hansen, board-certified veterinary toxicologist who runs the poison-control center.

"As a result, we want to reassure the public that, based on this information, we believe any fear of acetaminophen contamination in pet food is unfounded, and pet parents should rest easy on that account," Hansen says.