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Zoo animals sickened by tainted milk

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-26 13:33

HANGZHOU -- The baby formula scandal has spread to animals as two baby orangutans fed by tainted milk powder in a zoo showed early symptoms of kidney stones.

An African lion cub may also be sickened, but the test result is yet to be confirmed, a veterinarian surnamed Shan said, according to Thursday's Youth Times.

The three animal victims in the toxic milk scandal, which had killed four children and left many others sickened across the country, were raised in the Hangzhou Safari Park of east China's Zhejiang Province.

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The two orangutans, 15-month-old Qimao and his brother -- three-year-old Liumao, and the 3-month-old lion were sent to Zhangxu Animal Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, on Wednesday for a medical checkup.

The zoo had fed them with baby formula made by Sanlu Group, the center of the tainted milk crisis, for up to two years, according to animal keeper Zhang.

"We had tried several brands including domestic and imported ones, but Sanlu appeared to be the best as it contains rich calcium, so we kept using it," Zhang was quoted as saying.

"We were astonished to hear about the milk powder was tainted and immediately stopped feeding with Sanlu," he said.

Some crystalline solid of about penpoint size was found in the urine samples of the orangutans, which usually indicated the early stage of kidney stones, according to Shan.

While type-B ultrasonic inspection found that the lion's bladder wall appeared thicker than normal, a sign of early kidney stones.

The vet was waiting for the lion's urine sample for further tests.

Shan suggested that sickened animals take anti-stone medicines.

The zoo would send urine samples of all other animals fed by Sanlu to the hospital for inspection.