Comments on: Pet-food recall: Into our database, please! http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/ The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:46:46 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Eilene Haines http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-11159 Eilene Haines Fri, 23 Mar 2007 03:46:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-11159 I reported my dog’s death here, with Menu Foods, and I will contact the FDA in the morning. I was hoping to solicit some feedback from any knowledgeable individual. Bonnie and Clyde are 9 year old German shorthair pointers with a little English in them. Bonnie developed a bad back a few years ago, but other that that both dogs were very healthy. In December she and her brother, Clyde became hesitant to eat their food. I fed them Natural Choice lamb and rice kibble, but I always mixed in a couple tablespoons of wet food as a treat. It is one of the cuts and gravy brands on the recall list. On December 19th I took the dogs to the vets to get some booster shots. Bonnie weighed 57.6 lbs, but weighed 47.8 lbs on January 4th when I realized she was sick and even less the day she died. On December 20th, Bonnie had explosive diarrhea. I wasn’t concerned initially; I just figured she ate a bird or two. That afternoon I came home for lunch to let the dogs outside and Clyde had thrown up all over the floor (Bonnie was crated, so I know it was Clyde.) Again, I just figured they had eaten a bird or something. I boarded the dogs from December 21st through December 26th for the holidays. The Pooch Palace feeds their guest dry kibble, so the dogs were not exposed to the potentially tainted foods during this time. When I returned home I went back to feeding the dogs dry kibble with a little canned food for flavor. On January 2nd Bonnie started throwing up. I tried feeding her a bland diet of cottage cheese and rice, but she continued to throw up, so I got her into the vets on Jan. 4th. Her pancreases enzymes were elevated, but she responded to IV therapy quickly. The diagnosis was pankreatitis. She was sent home a new dog the afternoon of the 5th. That lasted for about twenty minutes, and then she put herself to bed. The evening of the 5th she had know interest in food, but was drinking plenty of water. I hand fed her a 5.5 oz. can of prescription food the vet gave me, but she really did not want the food. The next morning she started projectile vomiting. I started paging the vets. While I waited for no return call, she went outside. She was arching her back like a cat, tip towing around, trying to poop. Only the smallest piece of poop came out. Of course, she had not held much of anything down for 4 days this point. I gave up on my vet and rushed her to the only animal hospital in town. During the 10 minute drive to the hospital, she started wrenching the mucus, then it looked like her insides were trying to come out. She continued this wrenching for the next hour and twenty minutes while we sat in the middle of the lobby waiting to be seen. She was admitted around noon. By 4:30 she was dead. She had gone into cardiac arrest. I did not have an autopsy done. The vet was as shocked as I was. I remember her muttering “They normally don’t die from this (pankreatis.)” The other thing that I remember her telling me was that Bonnie’s enzyme count was 5000 and that a high count would be in the 500’s and she couldn’t believe Bonnie’s count. I stopped using the canned food when Bonnie died. Clyde has lost 5 lbs. Chalk it up to depression and all the long walks we have been taking. But he still is hesitant to eat his food, just like they both were before Bonnie died. He creeps up on it and sniffs, then quickly walks away. Tonight’s dinner has been in the bowl for four hours. This is what I think. I think I was feeding my dogs about 4 tablespoons of toxic canned food a day for a couple of weeks. I think they got a reprieve from the toxic food when I boarded them. Is it a possibility that a consistent low level of a toxin could cause this sudden acute pankreatitis? I reported my dog’s death here, with Menu Foods, and I will contact the FDA in the morning. I was hoping to solicit some feedback from any knowledgeable individual.
Bonnie and Clyde are 9 year old German shorthair pointers with a little English in them. Bonnie developed a bad back a few years ago, but other that that both dogs were very healthy. In December she and her brother, Clyde became hesitant to eat their food. I fed them Natural Choice lamb and rice kibble, but I always mixed in a couple tablespoons of wet food as a treat. It is one of the cuts and gravy brands on the recall list.
On December 19th I took the dogs to the vets to get some booster shots. Bonnie weighed 57.6 lbs, but weighed 47.8 lbs on January 4th when I realized she was sick and even less the day she died.
On December 20th, Bonnie had explosive diarrhea. I wasn’t concerned initially; I just figured she ate a bird or two. That afternoon I came home for lunch to let the dogs outside and Clyde had thrown up all over the floor (Bonnie was crated, so I know it was Clyde.) Again, I just figured they had eaten a bird or something.
I boarded the dogs from December 21st through December 26th for the holidays. The Pooch Palace feeds their guest dry kibble, so the dogs were not exposed to the potentially tainted foods during this time. When I returned home I went back to feeding the dogs dry kibble with a little canned food for flavor.
On January 2nd Bonnie started throwing up. I tried feeding her a bland diet of cottage cheese and rice, but she continued to throw up, so I got her into the vets on Jan. 4th. Her pancreases enzymes were elevated, but she responded to IV therapy quickly. The diagnosis was pankreatitis. She was sent home a new dog the afternoon of the 5th. That lasted for about twenty minutes, and then she put herself to bed.
The evening of the 5th she had know interest in food, but was drinking plenty of water. I hand fed her a 5.5 oz. can of prescription food the vet gave me, but she really did not want the food. The next morning she started projectile vomiting. I started paging the vets. While I waited for no return call, she went outside. She was arching her back like a cat, tip towing around, trying to poop. Only the smallest piece of poop came out. Of course, she had not held much of anything down for 4 days this point.
I gave up on my vet and rushed her to the only animal hospital in town. During the 10 minute drive to the hospital, she started wrenching the mucus, then it looked like her insides were trying to come out. She continued this wrenching for the next hour and twenty minutes while we sat in the middle of the lobby waiting to be seen.
She was admitted around noon. By 4:30 she was dead. She had gone into cardiac arrest. I did not have an autopsy done. The vet was as shocked as I was. I remember her muttering “They normally don’t die from this (pankreatis.)” The other thing that I remember her telling me was that Bonnie’s enzyme count was 5000 and that a high count would be in the 500’s and she couldn’t believe Bonnie’s count.
I stopped using the canned food when Bonnie died. Clyde has lost 5 lbs. Chalk it up to depression and all the long walks we have been taking. But he still is hesitant to eat his food, just like they both were before Bonnie died. He creeps up on it and sniffs, then quickly walks away. Tonight’s dinner has been in the bowl for four hours.
This is what I think. I think I was feeding my dogs about 4 tablespoons of toxic canned food a day for a couple of weeks. I think they got a reprieve from the toxic food when I boarded them. Is it a possibility that a consistent low level of a toxin could cause this sudden acute pankreatitis?

]]> By: nicole http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-10123 nicole Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:08:48 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-10123 Can somebody please tell me what to feed my cats? All were on Science Diet because one has a history of Feline Urologic Syndrome and my vet has always (and still continues to) swear by Science Diet. She says to just avoid the recalled products- but at this point I am terrified to give them anything that has any connection with Menu Foods. Is there a good brand- not made by Menu for cats with a history of FUS but still ok for non-FUS kitties to eat (my 2 other cats do not have the problem) Thanks Can somebody please tell me what to feed my cats?

All were on Science Diet because one has a history of Feline Urologic Syndrome and my vet has always (and still continues to) swear by Science Diet.

She says to just avoid the recalled products- but at this point I am terrified to give them anything that has any connection with Menu Foods.

Is there a good brand- not made by Menu for cats with a history of FUS but still ok for non-FUS kitties to eat (my 2 other cats do not have the problem)

Thanks

]]> By: Linda L. Tinker http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-10048 Linda L. Tinker Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:00:18 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-10048 I just left this information on another blog: CLASS ACTION SUIT: I just talked to the attorney in New York and he is most interested in pursuing a class action lawsuit against Menu Foods. He gave the okay to post his name and e-mail address. I would ask that ONLY those whose animals' illnesses/deaths REALLY are most likely attributable to the recalled foods (and have some sort of documentation to make that connection -- be it veterinarians' statements, lab work, left-over packages of the food with the correct "identifiers") contact him. His name is Alan Sash; e-mail ASASH@mclaughlinstern.com. Obviously, he will be inundated with e-mails; I would suggest you include your name, address, and telephone numbers and a SHORT synopsis of what happened to you. Also, he told me that there will be a segment on ABC News tonight regarding the whole issue. Again, PLEASE only contact him if you really believe you have a case against Menu Foods. I just left this information on another blog: CLASS ACTION SUIT: I just talked to the attorney in New York and he is most interested in pursuing a class action lawsuit against Menu Foods. He gave the okay to post his name and e-mail address. I would ask that ONLY those whose animals’ illnesses/deaths REALLY are most likely attributable to the recalled foods (and have some sort of documentation to make that connection — be it veterinarians’ statements, lab work, left-over packages of the food with the correct “identifiers”) contact him. His name is Alan Sash; e-mail ASASH@mclaughlinstern.com. Obviously, he will be inundated with e-mails; I would suggest you include your name, address, and telephone numbers and a SHORT synopsis of what happened to you. Also, he told me that there will be a segment on ABC News tonight regarding the whole issue. Again, PLEASE only contact him if you really believe you have a case against Menu Foods.

]]> By: Alasandra http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9917 Alasandra Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:18:37 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9917 My cat, Whiskers, died March 9, 2007 of acute renal failure. When they did the kidney function test he has lost 75% of his kidney function. The info is on my blog, but I also filled out the database. I think that an independent source collecting the info is a great idea. My other cat Socks preferred dried cat food to the pouch food, so he is OK. We had a kidney function test preformed just to be sure. And he did throw up after eating the pouch food once. My cat, Whiskers, died March 9, 2007 of acute renal failure. When they did the kidney function test he has lost 75% of his kidney function.

The info is on my blog, but I also filled out the database. I think that an independent source collecting the info is a great idea.

My other cat Socks preferred dried cat food to the pouch food, so he is OK. We had a kidney function test preformed just to be sure. And he did throw up after eating the pouch food once.

]]> By: kat http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9731 kat Wed, 21 Mar 2007 04:19:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9731 i thought i was doing my puppy lucas good by buying him the "good" stuff nutro, but now i see that they use the same stuff as walmart and other cheaper brands. now he is sick and he's too young to suffer. only 8 months. does anyone know if munu foods is going to do anything about vet expenses? i thought i was doing my puppy lucas good by buying him the “good” stuff nutro, but now i see that they use the same stuff as walmart and other cheaper brands. now he is sick and he’s too young to suffer. only 8 months. does anyone know if munu foods is going to do anything about vet expenses?

]]> By: Janette Lawrence http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9711 Janette Lawrence Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:36:42 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9711 My cat Charlie died January 2007 from Kidney failure. December 2006 he was a healthy 22 lbs. When he died he weighed 7 lbs. In just a month He went from being a very active cat, to hardly being able to walk down a flight of stars, or the ability to jump on the sofa. I've had Charlie for 15 years and I'm very angry that the preminum food I fed him which I thought was better for his health actually killed him. My cat Charlie died January 2007 from Kidney failure. December 2006 he was a healthy 22 lbs. When he died he weighed 7 lbs. In just a month He went from being a very active cat, to hardly being able to walk down a flight of stars, or the ability to jump on the sofa. I’ve had Charlie for 15 years and I’m very angry that the preminum food I fed him which I thought was better for his health actually killed him.

]]> By: K. Clarke http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9709 K. Clarke Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:47:10 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9709 Our wonderful ten year old black labrador dog named "Crayon" died on March 6 from chronic renal disease. She was a perfectly health dog, at her last Spring check up. In December we started feeding her canned Gourmet Beef Science Diet and canned Eukanuba for Seniors, thinking she might like a change from dry food to wet food. Within a few months, we saw signs of lethargy, lack of appetite. In the last few weeks, she was losing to much weight and vomiting. We took her to our veterniarin and he injected her with fluids, to keep her from dehydrating. We finally took her to the animal hospital and tried to save Crayon by injecting fluids and vitamins into her. They took ultra-sounds, and x-rays, but it was to late, her kidneys had completely failed. My children and I were so saddened by this. I could not understand what had caused our pet's illness. Well, I know now, and am shocked, saddened, disappointed with the Science Diet and Eukanuba pet food companies for not letting everyone know there was a problem with their pet food. I would appreciate any advise from you on what steps I should take, so this never happens again. Our wonderful ten year old black labrador dog named “Crayon” died on March 6 from chronic renal disease. She was a perfectly health dog, at her last Spring check up. In December we started feeding her canned Gourmet Beef Science Diet and canned Eukanuba for Seniors, thinking she might like a change from dry food to wet food. Within a few months, we saw signs of lethargy, lack of appetite. In the last few weeks, she was losing to much weight and vomiting. We took her to our veterniarin and he injected her with fluids, to keep her from dehydrating. We finally took her to the animal hospital and tried to save Crayon by injecting fluids and vitamins into her. They took ultra-sounds, and x-rays, but it was to late, her kidneys had completely failed. My children and I were so saddened by this. I could not understand what had caused our pet’s illness. Well, I know now, and am shocked, saddened, disappointed with the Science Diet and Eukanuba pet food companies for not letting everyone know there was a problem with their pet food. I would appreciate any advise from you on what steps I should take, so this never happens again.

]]> By: ghostrider http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9707 ghostrider Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:43:39 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9707 The "So go to the database" link in the entry above, which I presume is supposed to lead to the actual database, in actuality just leads back to the petconnection.com/blog page. It's a loop. Please repair. The “So go to the database” link in the entry above, which I presume is supposed to lead to the actual database, in actuality just leads back to the petconnection.com/blog page. It’s a loop. Please repair.

]]> By: John Pierce http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9704 John Pierce Wed, 21 Mar 2007 01:28:45 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9704 Petconnection really needs to get a starting tally up on their website listing number of deaths/illnesses as quickly as possible and report to as many news agencies as will listen. News outlets all over the country are still saying only 10-14 deaths from the tainted food. I think everyone knows that is incorrect. If you post your results, it will cross the internet like wildfire, please do this as quickly as possible. thanks, John Petconnection really needs to get a starting tally up on their website listing number of deaths/illnesses as quickly as possible and report to as many news agencies as will listen.

News outlets all over the country are still saying only 10-14 deaths from the tainted food. I think everyone knows that is incorrect.

If you post your results, it will cross the internet like wildfire, please do this as quickly as possible. thanks, John

]]> By: Gwen http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/comment-page-1/#comment-9698 Gwen Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:44:19 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2007/03/20/pet-food-recall-into-our-database-please/#comment-9698 Re: Sampson's post.. information previously posted on Menu's site can also be accessed through the Wayback Machine, for those interested. Unfortunately, most of the cached information available there is from 2002-2005 (nothing from late 2006 or 2007), but it does allow you to access quite a bit of company info that appears to still be pertinent. Re: Sampson’s post.. information previously posted on Menu’s site can also be accessed through the Wayback Machine, for those interested. Unfortunately, most of the cached information available there is from 2002-2005 (nothing from late 2006 or 2007), but it does allow you to access quite a bit of company info that appears to still be pertinent.

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