SCHAUMBURG, Ill.

— The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) urges its members who suspect they have treated animals affected by contaminated pet food to take part in a survey to help generate more information about the ongoing pet food recall. This survey is being undertaken through an agreement between the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

AAVLD will be gathering data on behalf of the FDA, and will use it to define what constitutes a confirmed case of food-induced kidney toxicity, identify common elements among the cases and then establish a clearer understanding and description of the illness. The survey is accessible at http://www.aavld.org.

The AVMA has informed its members who specifically treat companion animals —approximately 30,000 veterinarians—about this survey. The survey asks for information about the brands and lot numbers of pet food ingested, the speed of illness following consumption, the symptoms of the sick or deceased animal, and for additional information, including chemical markers.

Following the online survey, pathologists will conduct further research on the survey data with the goal of developing a verified list of animals affected by this recall, and the common symptoms and aspects of the illness.

From the data generated, they hope to establish valid estimates of the number of animals affected, their ages, breeds and species along with related data.

Members of AAVLD can access the survey in the members-only area of the Web site (http://www.aavld.org). Non-members can enter case data via the public area by clicking on “News” and then on the “AAVLD Pet Food Toxicity Survey” link. The AAVLD site provides a list of accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratories at http://www.aavld.org under “Accreditation” for veterinarians who wish to submit samples.

For more information and current news about the pet food recall and a comprehensive list of recalled pet foods, visit www.avma.org. A complete news story on reporting cases and submitting samples related to the pet food recall is available at http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may07/x070501b.asp.

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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 75,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. AVMA members are dedicated to advancing the science and art of veterinary medicine including its relationship to public health and agriculture. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org to learn more about veterinary medicine and animal care and to access up-to-date information on the association’s issues, policies and activities.