ohmidog!

A brand of pet food from Australia is being pulled off store shelves in China after reports of dogs being sickened by it, CNN has reported.

Natural Pet Corporation, the distributor for Optima dog food from Australia, ordered a recall, according to the company’s general manager in Shanghai.

Reports of sick animals have been coming into Edis Pet Supply Company in Shanghai, a retailer selling Optima dog food. Veterinarians have told Edis of four dogs poisoned by aflatoxin after eating Optima products, but dozens of other dog poisoning have been reported in the Chinese media.

Aflatoxin attacks the liver in several animal species. Although rare in many parts of the world, the fungi that produce aflatoxins can contaminate cereal grains often used in pet foods.

Zhang said Natural Pet Corporation is aware of the reports of sick dogs and that the products are being tested.

In 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalled more than 150 brands of cat and dog food after finding that some pets became ill or died after eating food tainted with melamine, a chemical commonly used in coatings and laminates, adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Contaminated additives used in the pet food came from China.

Two Chinese businesses, a U.S. company and top executives of each were indicted by a federal grand jury in February in connection with tainted pet food, which resulted in deaths and serious illnesses in up to thousands of U.S. pets.