Antech pathologists have seen many cases of renal tubular necrosis associated with precipitation of yellow crystals in dogs and cats that have eaten recalled pet foods. Urine sediment examinations revealed yellow, round crystals that resemble those found in the renal tubules of affected dogs and cats. Scientists in the US and Canada have found that melamine and cyanuric acid can react to form crystals that have chemical composition identical to the composition of urinary crystals found in affected animals.

At Antech's laboratories, these round, yellow crystals from urine sediment have been seen in 20-30 cases a day, however the numbers of urine samples containing these crystals are rapidly decreasing. Now we see less that 10 a day. Follow up on these cases revealed that these dogs and cats have been on the recalled diets.

Recommend urinalysis on all animals that have been fed any of the recalled pet diets. Note: formalin is an acceptable fixative but only for short-term fixation of tissue samples. Fixation of tissues in formalin (1 to 3 days) has not been shown to cause dissolution of melamine/cyanuric acid crystals.

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