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Pet-food recall: What to do, what to feed

By Gina Spadafori

March 26, 2007

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The Animal Medical Center has prepared a release for the AVMA with common questions and answers about the recall. It’s pretty thorough, although we’d offer in addition to the AMC’s recommendations that although we at the PetConnection agree that commercial pet foods are generally safe and can be recommended, you can indeed prepare well-balanced meals for your pet at home. It’s not about “kibble or canned” vs. “raw.” There are lots of options, and lots of advice from veterinarians. So do your research, and talk to your veterinarian.

It may interest readers to know that among our PetConnection staff, we have families who feed a “house brand” kibble, a brand-name canned (obviously not from the recall list),  a mix of small-company commercial and home-prepared, and a completely home-prepared diet. And not one of us have changed the way we feed our pets! If nothing else, that shows we’re pretty open-minded and agenda-free as a group.

Anyway, the best part of the release is the “how much should I worry” part:

Q: What steps should I take if I think my pet has eaten the recalled food or is not acting normally?
A: Check to see if you have any of the recalled foods. (Go to www.menufoods.com/ recall, and click on Dog or Cat Product Information. If you see your brand listed, click on the name to see what kind of food made by that brand — particularly its UPC code — is being recalled.) If your pet may have eaten some of the recalled foods, take your pet to a veterinarian. The tests to determine if a pet is in renal failure are simple blood and urine tests — they take 24 hours or less for results and have no side effects. Here are recommendations based on three possible scenarios:

1. If your pet has not eaten any of the recalled foods and is normal, you should not worry.

2. If your pet has eaten a recalled pet food, he or she should be seen by a veterinarian, whether or not the pet is sick. Some pets appear well but have abnormal tests. Because the drug found in the recalled pet food appears to affect the kidneys and causes low white blood cell counts in humans, blood tests should be done to check the blood cell count, in addition to blood tests to check kidney function. A urine test is also needed to monitor kidney function.

3. If your pet is sick and has eaten the recalled foods, your veterinarian will make a determination if hospitalization is required.

Q: My animals were on a steady diet of one of the recalled brands. I switched brands approximately six weeks ago. Are my pets still in danger?
A: The time course between eating the recalled food and developing renal failure is currently unknown. Some cases appear to have a rapid onset of kidney failure, while others seem to have kidney damage occurring slowly over time. You should have your pet tested if it consumed the recalled diets.

The entire document is here.

Update: vetcetera gets a letter from Hill’s.

From the PetConnection database (7 p.m. PT): 1,924 deceased  pets (1,095 cats/829 dogs). Remember, these are self-reported numbers.

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Filed under: 2007 food recall,animals: pets,medical,news — Gina Spadafori @ 7:49 pm

16 Comments »

  1. Regarding the mechanics of this recall (and recalls in general)… the shelves of my local supermarket have been cleared of the suspect pet foods, but there is nothing on those shelves to alert people who may have already purchased the suspect batches in past weeks/months to stop using them. Perhaps there should be a regulation that requires retailers to not only clear the shelves of a recalled product, but also notify previous customers — via explicit signage at the point of sale — of any recall… specifically identifying specific brands, flavors, and lots affected.

    Comment by David — March 26, 2007 @ 8:19 pm

  2. Very interesting blog article

    Pet Food and Aminopterin: The irrational application of pesticides by Chinese farmers

    The application of pesticides has been descibed as “irrational” as recently as last October.
    http://stevejanke.com/archives/220396.php

    Comment by Mike — March 26, 2007 @ 8:27 pm

  3. Chinese rodenticides — Not the first time in the news
    http://stevejanke.com/archives/220459.php

    Comment by Mike — March 26, 2007 @ 8:29 pm

  4. A very informative excerpt from another blog
    (for those who are wondering why a wheat product is being imported from China)

    http://www.chinaproductinsider.....the-judge/

    Aminopterin is a 4-amino analog of folic acid and a synthetic derivative of the natural product pterin. It inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase by competing with folate for the binding site blocking tetrahydrofolate synthesis. by doing this it interfers with DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. At one time aminopterin was used as an abortifactant and later as a chemotherapy agent in cancer treatment. The first use went out of favour because of an association with birth defects such as neural tube defects. In chemotherapy its use was replaced by that of methotrexate, less potent but also less toxic. The LD 50 of aminopterin in rats is 2.5 mg/kg. Aminopterin is only used as a research drug in North America today where it is being re-investigated for use in leukemia. It is, however, used as a rodenticide (rat poison) in other countries such as China. Most information on treatment of aminopterin ingestion is rather old as the drug hasn’t been in common use in Canada or the USA for some time. First aid recommendations include administration of activated charcoal or saline cathartic. Sorbitol has also been suggested to promote excretion. The use of 30 mg of folate daily(in rats- obviously higher doses for other animals) has been suggested as an antidote for recent aminopterin ingestion. All of this is probably futile where renal failure has already occurred.

    The probable source of the contamination, according to the latest news, is wheat gluten imported from China. This product is made by washing dough made with wheat flour with water until the starch is rinsed away. The product was orginally developed in China where it is known as “seitan” (pronounced SAY-tahn). It is an alternative to soy products such as tofu (ICCCH- Molly) because of its texture which more closely resembles that of meat. Its original use was as a meat substitute for Chinese vegetarians such as some Buddhists. The texture is probably why it was initially considered as an additive in pet foods. For its use in pet foods Molly advises that the reader consult the Royal Canin article on the matter at http://www.royalcanin.us/articles/wheatgluten.html . Gluten is actually a highly digestible source of protein even for animals such as cats. Where the use of this product has previously been associated with problems in animals it has generally been in association with Irish Setters who have an intolerance (NOT allergy !!) to gliadin found in wheat, barley, oats, etc.. This is somewhat similar to celiac sprue in humans. (Molly note: Molly has occasionally come across animals who seem to have a similar problem, though I must admit that they have never been fully diagnosed, ie a “gluten intolerance”. They are very occasional, never Irish setters-Molly sees very few of those- and often require the owners “cooking for the pet”. Quite OK if you like the cat or dog enough and have the time. Some people do indeed love their pets enough). Wheat gluten is actually an excellent source, perhaps the best, of the amino acid glutamine.

    Gluten is actually very much underproduced in North America - for those who are wondering why a wheat product is being imported from China. There are presently only three major US producers of gluten, MGP Ingredients of Kansas, Manildra, also of Kansas, and Archer Daniels of Illinois. Over 50% of the US supply of gluten is actualy imported, some from China but also some quantities from the EU. MGP Ingredients has stated that they have done business with Menu Foods in the past, but that it has been 18 months since they made any shipments as they have curtailed production in the last two years due to inability to compete with cheaper imports. The company has also moved increasingly into the biofuels industry in the recent past.

    MOLLY ASIDE: The ethanol industry has been implicated in a number of problems recently of which the rising cost of basic foodstuffs in Mexico and other Central American countries is the most prominant. There is considerable dispute about whether ethanol production is energy efficient without government subsidy, let alone whether it is “carbon efficient”. The general principle would be, in Molly’s opinion, that government subsidies that distort the market should be withheld if at all possible and that the most desireable form of ethanol production would be localized and small scale. Several initiatives are underway here in Manitoba around the latter matter. The growth of “biofuels” in popularity has raised commodity prices considerably in the past few years, something that can easily be applauded from a farming perspective but may have other, wider implications. The pet food problem may be one of them, though it pales in importance to the cost of corn in Mexico where corn is the food of the poor. While sugar cane is the primary feedstock in Brazil’s highly successful biofuels initiative corn is the basic ingredient of the American program. What this means in terms of prices can be seen from what Molly has gleaned from a comparison of commodity prices at one brokerage firm here in Canada. The price of corn has risen from a final average in 2004/2005 of 101.73 (prices in Can $ per tonne) to the present price of 183.13 as of March 16th, 2007. Because of this effect the price of feed wheat has risen in tandem from 103.09 to 181.00 as acreage is diverted to corn production in the USA. The price of human consumption grade wheat such as # 1 of various varieties has risen nowhere near as dramatically, and prices of such have been such that Chinese competition can overtake the American and Canadian supplies for speciality products such as gluten. Most of China’s wheat is produced on the North China Plain in three provinces, Henan, Shandong and Hebei where it is often dependent on irrigation for successful crops. Premium prices are paid in China for high gluten wheat, and government policy has been successful in lowering China’s dependence on imported wheat, though less so in establishing reliable grading systems. anyways, back to the main thread…

    Aminopterin is used as a rodenticide in China. China is a major exporter of gluten to other East Asian countries such as Japan and Vietnam. Before the recent increase in wheat prices gluten was only available in North America in Asian food markets, health foods stores and other outlets that catered to cults diets. It has been popular, despite the prevalence of celiac sprue, in cult diets such as macrobiotics and has been a common ingredient in vegetarian fare served at “fashion food” restaurants in various countries.

    Final Molly Note: Molly would not be surprised if human cases were diagnosed in the near future amongst that segment of the population given to food faddism. It’s possible that various agencies are looking as we speak. Keep tuned for this.

    Comment by Mike — March 26, 2007 @ 8:40 pm

  5. I can see right now it is going to be another long and dreadful week.

    Follow the most credible advise you can find and DO NOT DELAY taking your pet to your Vet if symptoms occur. Stay on top of the news releases as this week unfolds. This site in particular.

    Personally I do not like or trust the direction this recall began taking in the media today. It reeks of “Let the stonewalling begin.”

    Q: I believed that I was buying my pet a premium food. Are all of the brands being made from the same ingredients?
    A: At first we were surprised that premium foods were affected, since we incorrectly assumed that premium food manufacturers had their own plants and manufactured all their own foods. This assumption was wrong. Now that we understand the manufacturing process better, it is simple to see how this problem occurred. The company provides a recipe to the plant and the plant “cooks” the food according the company’s specifications. This accounts for the difference in premium and non-premium food. But since all the affected foods seem to have come from 1 or 2 plants, the diets are likely all affected by an ingredient or piece of equipment common to the recipe or manufacturing process. In the recent contaminated spinach disease outbreak, this is exactly what happened. Multiple brands of spinach were affected because the spinach came from the same source and was simply packaged under different brand names.

    This does not inspire much confidence. What it basically says, the bottom line is, “we really don’t honestly know if it’s safe.”

    I have completely lost my trust and faith this past week in anything any of these pet food brands and their people say. They have given us ZERO GUARANTEES that we can safely feed our pet companions this food while in this crisis.

    How in the HELL are people supposed to feel at ease feeding a premium brand “not affected by recall” product produced in a Menu plant? Do you really think people are that naive?

    Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 8:59 pm

  6. MGP Ingredients’ Wheat Gluten Not Linked to Major Pet Food Recall
    Wednesday March 21, 5:18 pm ET

    ATCHISON, Kan., March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Tim Newkirk, president and chief operating officer of MGP Ingredients, Inc. (Nasdaq: MGPI - News), a leading U.S. producer of wheat gluten, today issued a statement emphasizing that the company has no link to the pet food recall involving Canadian-based Menu Foods. Although tests are still underway, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has reported that it suspects contaminated wheat gluten to be the possible ingredient that has led to the recall.

    http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/07.....html?.v=51

    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/.....8;refer=us

    Comment by Steve — March 26, 2007 @ 9:18 pm

  7. Re: Food still being sold—repeating to this thread.
    Take your digital cameras to the store. Tell the store Manager that you are documenting the fact that recalled food is still on their shelf, and you will provide any Attorney with the proof (buy a package if need be and keep the receipt). Then ask for the phone number to their Corporate Headquarters. Call Corporate and explain what you did and why. Take action and it may pay off. Businesses have owned us for too long now, lets change that.

    How do you prove the date—use a current newspaper with the date in the photo.

    Comment by DeeAnn — March 26, 2007 @ 11:04 pm

  8. Something to remember, switching brands can cause vomiting and other digestive distress. Go slow, if there is no reason to suspect a brand you are switching from (as in you still have a bag of someone’s kibble but you want to toss it all because they get canning done by MFs, just a possible reason of many), don’t toss it out. Mix it half and half or even 3/4 to the new kibble and give your pet time to adjust to the new ingredients.

    Comment by Traci — March 26, 2007 @ 11:19 pm

  9. For perspective - the brands in this recall are NOT premium brands, and haven’t been for at least 10 years. With the advent of human-grade quality ingredients in kibble and canned, and the need for higher profits from the big conglomerates, the brands that you purchase from a grocery store or local chain discount store fell behind in keeping up with quality ingredients. The widespread use of “fractionated” ingredients listings (dividing an ingredient up into parts to make it look like there’s less of the whole ingredient in the product) made it easy for companies to tell little white lies on their ingredient labels, spend less on ingredients and more on advertising to convince people that the foods were still premium.

    Look at the no wheat, no corn formulas such as Innova, California Natural, Fromm, Eagle Pack, plus the human-grade ingredients available in products such as Back to Basics, Canidae, Wellness, and much, much more. It’s all out there - higher quality foods without fillers, without chemicals, without fractionated ingredients - but with whole foods, whole grains besides wheat and corn, more meat than carbs, and a quality you won’t find in the grocery store.

    These types of foods are readily available, if you just look beyond the grocery store shelves.

    And, beyond what vets will tell you these days, it is more widely recommended now to rotate foods often - a dog or cat shouldn’t have huge digestive upheavals from switching foods IF you’re using high quality stuff to begin with. It may actually be BETTER for them to change foods every couple of months so that they get a wider variety of nutrients that they may be missing if they’re fed the exact same food day in and day out.

    Yes, find something that works well for your dog or cat! But better yet, find a FEW somethings and rotate between them . Here is more information on better food choices, as well as why there is a need to rotate foods:
    http://www.dogaware.com/dogfeeding.html

    There are more choices out there today than there have ever been - including home cooked and raw as well. All are viable options for getting away from relying on these big conglomerates who obviously don’t seem to give a hoot about poisoning the pets who keep them up and running!

    Comment by Tammy K. — March 27, 2007 @ 11:10 am

  10. For those who feed many cats daily like I do, about 50 including 21 house cats on a limited budget, I feel much better since I found out that Wal-Mart’s Special Kitty 5.5 oz cans is 100% produced by Del Monte Foods( per phone call). Besides dry food( Purina One type) I use 18 cans daily. I have no sick cats. Last month, I asked my husband to pick up 30 Special Kitty pouches and he brought home 30 pouches but the cat treats(also made by Del Monte). Gave him hell but feel so lucky now. I feel terrible for all pet owners with sick or dead pets.One more remark on Ol’Roy canned dogfood. The 13 and 22 oz size is made by Del Monte. The pouches and 5.5 sized cans by Menu.

    Comment by Serijna — March 27, 2007 @ 2:25 pm

  11. Tammy K. is right, those haven’t been premium foods for a long time but unless consumers do the research, you are going to be swayed by brand recognition, it happens all the time.

    There are however, safe and reputable foods out there and most have been mentioned. Nature’s Variety is grain free kibble and their President posted on here (somewhere) in answer to whether their food was affected - it wasn’t in any way.

    Merrick’s is a great choice, you can buy at specialty food stores, but not your typical Petsmart. In Sacramento, Wagger Spa sells the good foods as does River Valley Feed.

    Flint River Ranch is another excellent product. I’ve been in almost daily contact with their owner as I was pestering him to death with all my questions and he has been upfront all the way. Nothing is imported, no one else manufactures for them, AND they buy their foods and grains from human grade suppliers, which means, at least, the FDA has inspected their suppliers and supplies. My dogs thrive on their food and they have an excellent dry food that is designed to be served with warm water to make a wet food. Great for older pets with teeth problems. http://www.frrco.com - I have no hesitations recommending this food, at all.

    Diamond Foods makes the food available at Costco and I have an email from their veterinarian confirming they do not use wheat or corn products in the food, nor do they use Menu Foods. The Kirkland Signature food is a reasonable quality food at a reasonable price.

    So there are options out there, if you’re not
    inclined to cook the food yourself (as my pets are probably begging me not to do!). Be safe, check out some of the not-so-well-known companies.

    Comment by Becky — March 27, 2007 @ 6:48 pm

  12. my 15 year old cat last summer and fall had renal issues. What’s interesting is the vet asked specifically if my cat could of come in contact with any toxic substances. I’m wondering if it’s possible this problem may of actually started much earlier. Now it turns out he is having the symptoms again. It’s possible he may of eaten some of the recalled foods. I just gave him 300ml fluids (had some left over) and a dose of marboflox. Here’s hoping he gets better….
    I don’t have the ability to get him to a vet..
    very upset

    Comment by daniel — March 27, 2007 @ 10:33 pm

  13. Just want to add my comments and concerns to this recall horror. I bought Organix canned food for cats. When I opened the can, not one of my 6 cats would eat it!!

    I put the food in a paper bowl for the outdoor abandoned cats and they would not eat it!!

    I left it out overnight and not even the racoons would touch it.

    I fear that this tainted food issue will become enormous and I am worried for all the cats and dogs nationwide.

    Comment by Peg — March 28, 2007 @ 10:53 am

  14. I have a 5 year old Golden Lab. She has had a very healthly life. I have always fed her Science Diet Dry. About 3 months ago, she began throwing up. Alot! Her vet said she has renal failure. A coincidence??? I have now been making her dog food via a low protein recipe. She is still throwing up, but not as often. Her vet said the damage has been done. She has gone from 80lbs t0 62lbs. Unfortunately, it is just a matter of time for her.

    Comment by Teresa — March 28, 2007 @ 11:05 am

  15. Teresa,
    I have posted this before but I will say again my cat died in Febuary after being told she had Acute Kidney Failure. She had all the systems that has been described and this began only a few days (maybe a week) before having to have her but to sleep. She had been eating the Sciene Diet dry food about a week and before that the Iams Dry since December. We had been trying to get her to loose some weight.
    The thing is they are still not certain what has caused this and are still doing testing. If they can’t say for certain what has caused it how can they say for certain it has not affected the dry????

    Debbie J

    Comment by D Jackson — March 28, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

  16. Debbie and Teresa - you’ll want to read this over at itchmo - http://www.itchmo.com/read/vol.....s_20070328

    He’s been collecting reports of dry food illness/death, and has posted the results today.

    While it may not be scientific proof, it’s certainly enough for me to be convinced.

    Comment by Kim — March 28, 2007 @ 2:49 pm

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