Oh No! Toxic Pet Toys!

Tweet

I only just came across this in my email. I subscribe to the petplace.com website and get a daily e-newsletter and this one "woke" me up. Remember how not too long ago, there were massive recalls of toys for children that were made in China due to the high levels of lead paint? Well I just bet none of us thought about the possibility of lead paint in toys for our pets....Well now we should be thinking it, and yes, due to pet toys made in China. Here's an excerpt from the article itself..I urge you though to read the entire article in it's entirety. [i]In the wake of the lead scare, two laboratories have conducted independent tests on randomly selected pet items. These very qualified laboratories include Trace Laboratories, Inc. in Illinois and ExperTox Analytical Laboratories in Texas. Both labs have found lead and other toxic heavy metals in pet items purchased from American stores. ExperTox Analytical Laboratories tested a Chinese-made, Wal-Mart marketed cat toy and dog toy. Both were packaged in a clear plastic wrapping with a cardboard label and no brand name. The dog toy, a latex, green monster, contained high levels of lead and chromium (a cancer-causing heavy metal) and smaller amounts of other toxic materials. The cat toy contained very high levels of the toxic heavy metal, cadmium. The lab determined these toxins were easily accessed and could be acquired from the toy with a simple lick of the dog's or cat's tongue. Trace Laboratories tested Paws 'N Claws tennis balls purchased at a dollar-type store. They found an astounding 27,200 ppm lead levels in the ink on the balls. They also tested a ceramic food dish and found lead levels at 2,890 ppm. The lead levels in both these items far exceeded the limit set for human toys. [/i] Besides toys..here are other possible sources of lead that can poison your pet and the symptoms of lead poisoning itself [i]Some lead-containing products which can be a threat to pets include the following: lead paint, fishing weights and sinkers, gun pellets, linoleum, drapery weights, rug padding, automotive parts, and construction materials among others. Some symptoms of lead poisoning include anemia, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, seizures, blindness, deafness and behavior changes.[/i] Here's the entire article..it gives more about lead poisoning in general http://www.petplace.com/cats/toxic-toys-is-there-lead-lurking-in-your-pet-supplies/page1.aspx?utm_source=catcrazynews001et&utm_medium=email&utm_content=petplace_article&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter (Warning: This is NOT a referral link but a link to the article about lead poisoning) So gee, just great we now have to concern ourselves about possibly poisoning our pets from lead painted toys...wonderful