Re: 8 and 1 Victim Could you clarify? Was a necropsy done with the identifying crystals composed of melamine and cyanuric found in the kidneys? (Ferrets are so small that I am also wondering if in their casesuch crystals could block male urethras and cause other fatal problems like bilateral hydonephrosis just as more traditional uroliths can do.) If those crystals weren't found then that isn't going to have been the cause. They are the direct cause of death for these animals. The majority of animals eating the food that was directly contaminated have not died of it, and there was only one size of bag (20 pounds) of one type of 8 in 1 food (Ultra-Blend Advanced Nutrition) with one set of ID numbers involved. To top it off, neither normally includes the compounds which can cause the kidney problems BUT they are recalled because of possible cross- contamination since they were made around the same time as ones which do contain those products. Here are the specifics on the one ferret food currently in the recall: The recalled food: 8 in 1 Ferret ULTRA-BLEND ADVANCED NUTRITION DIET, NET WT. 20 LBS, UPC 26851 00413, Code: C7072 and here is where to get very up-to-the-minute info: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html and http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html and here is the info on this recall portion specifically: http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/chenango05_07.html including Chenango Valley Pet Foods is now expanding the recall action to include those pet foods that do not contain rice protein concentrate but were manufactured during periods when rice protein concentrate formulas were processed. The recall of these products is precautionary due to the possibility of cross-contamination. Sukie (not a vet) Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html [Posted in FML 5620]