Expertox, a Texas lab, has found elevated levels of lead, chromium, and
cadmium in two Chinese-made pet toys sold at Wal-Mart. But two
veterinarians said the levels found by the lab are not a health risk to cats
and dogs.
The lab was hired by
ConsumerAffairs.com to test two dog toys and two
cat toys for heavy metals and other toxins.
A dog chew toy, a green monster, tested positive for what the lab
categorizes as high levels of lead and chromium. The lab detected lead
levels of 907.4 micrograms per kilogram (almost one part per million).
Chromium was found at levels of 334.9 micrograms per kilogram. Levels of
cadmium, arsenic and mercury were also found in the green monster toy.
The lab said with that kind of concentration, if a dog puts the toy in
his mouth and chews or licks it, he is being exposed to a good amount
of lead and runs the risk of metal toxicity that may shorten his life.
Expertox said a cloth catnip toy also tested positive for a
�tremendous amount� of the toxic metal cadmium. The levels of cadmium found
were 236 micrograms per kilogram.
Two other Wal-Mart pet toys were analyzed, a cloth hedgehog for dogs
and a plastic dumbbell toy for cats. Expertox found cadmium in those two
pet toys, but the lab toxicologist said the levels found were similar
to the amount in one cigarette and not considered significant.
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