pet connection

154 Comments »

1. I just knew this was going to happen. This is awful, just awful. Our poor beloved pets. They just don’t stand a chance. It’s sickening and disgusting and I truly honestly wish that Menu Foods was made to consume every single product that they have made.

   Comment by Adrienne Stephenson — March 30, 2007 @ 8:28 am

2. Fox news just cut off the conference while it was still going.

   Comment by Darlene — March 30, 2007 @ 8:31 am

3. Do you suppose the FDA will be forthcoming with the name of the dry food? Or are we going to have to wait for next Friday at 5:00 to learn this? They are just as guilty as the manufacturers in this. They are NOT looking out for the best interest of these pets!

   Comment by Deb — March 30, 2007 @ 8:35 am

4. We are still “at” the press conference (virtually), and will continue reporting.

   Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 30, 2007 @ 8:37 am

5. I can’t say it’s unexpected, but I literally feel cold hearing confirmation that dry food may be involved. Haven’t we all been asking, “If the anonymous wheat gluten supplier ‘only supplies pet food companies’, who else got the (potentially) bad ingredient?” Meanwhile, the mainstream media seems to have an attitude of “What’s the problem? Dry food is FINE.”

   Let’s watch the mainstream media minimize this, too…

   Comment by CatLady — March 30, 2007 @ 8:39 am

6. Darlene it would of been nice if fox news ,cnn would of let the whole press conferance on so they are know how worried all of us pet owners are.

   Comment by margo — March 30, 2007 @ 8:39 am

7. I am watching the news conference live on CNN Pipeline, but CNN Pipeline is a paid service.

   Comment by Elderta — March 30, 2007 @ 8:40 am

8. CNN also cut it in the middle. Is there anywhere we can see the entire conference?

   Comment by Robin — March 30, 2007 @ 8:40 am

9. Why did CNN pull away live TV coverage of the FDA news conference on the pet food recall update? You were the only news network covering the live conference, yet you pulled away as soon as the FDA speaker said he had concluded his written comments and went to the anchor for commentary. Were there follow-up questions? Discussion? I was very disappointed in this sparse coverage. Do you realize how many thousands and thousands (maybe millions) of people are following this tragic developing news story? How many CNN staff members have pets? CNN *could* be a leader in following and reporting this still-developing story or doing an investigative report. Very disappointing coverage….

   Comment by petlover — March 30, 2007 @ 8:41 am

10. What a bunch of crap! CNN stopped the coverage after a few minutes. The head of Cornell University or whoever the hell he was needed to give us the history of Cornell and how wonderful they were.

    Menu food is still only stating that 16 animals have died.

    They’ve now discovered that it might not be rat poison, but melamine that is causing the damage. MELAMINE? The stuff that you make those plastic dishes and cutlery from.

    The wheat gluten does indeed come from China.

    There is a dry foot plant that did get some of this particular batch of wheat gluten, however they are not issuing a recall of that food because they have no evidence it went into the food.

    Bullshit!!!!! Get the damn food off the market shelves. It’s killing our animals.!!!!!!!!

    Comment by Meaghan — March 30, 2007 @ 8:42 am

11. I meant to add that the above post of mine was the email I sent to CNN about their sparse TV coverage of the FDA news conference. The other networks seemed to pull away even earlier… I can’t believe the lack of coverage!

    Comment by petlover — March 30, 2007 @ 8:44 am

12. The wheat gluten does indeed come from China.
    Comment by Meaghan — March 30, 2007 @ 8:42 am

    And there are two U.S. Suppliers MGP Ingredients, Inc. and Archers Midland Daniels.

    Comment by Steve — March 30, 2007 @ 8:48 am

13. FDA testing reveals chemical in pet food
    7 minutes ago
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....JelOWyBhIF

    Comment by Steve — March 30, 2007 @ 8:51 am

14. Well… what is the name of the dry food that *may* be involved?

    Comment by slt — March 30, 2007 @ 8:52 am

15. Pretty horrifying that the wheat glutein *may* have been used in a dry pet food but the FDA won’t release the brand nor state when their investigation results will be released. I agree with the press conference caller who stated that puts consumers in a difficult spot. What a debacle.

    Hopefully, the entire press conference video will wind up on youtube, so we can watch it in its entirety.

    Thanks again to petconnection and other dedicated bloggers for keeping this issue in the forefront.

    Comment by karen — March 30, 2007 @ 8:53 am

16. http://wfrv.com/topstories/top.....01540.html
    The Food and Drug Administration said it found melamine in samples of the Menu Foods pet food, as well as in wheat gluten used as an ingredient. Cornell University scientists also have found the chemical, also used as a fertilizer, in the urine of sick cats, as well as in the kidney of one cat that died after eating the company’s wet food.

    Comment by Cathy — March 30, 2007 @ 8:55 am

17. I was VERY disappointed with the press coverage. Even on those few stations that were airing the conference, they kept pulling away from the speakers so the anchors could give a recap and parrot more of the same misinformation we’ve been getting over the past couple weeks. Not impressed. At all.

    Comment by Gwen — March 30, 2007 @ 8:58 am

18. Comment by karen — March 30, 2007 @ 8:53 am

    I think pet owners will start dying of heart attacks when the truth comes out. If not before.

    Comment by Steve — March 30, 2007 @ 8:58 am

19. Comment by Meagan: “There is a dry foot plant that did get some of this particular batch of wheat gluten, however they are not issuing a recall of that food because they have no evidence it went into the food.”

    Where the hell else do they think it went!!!!!????

    Comment by A.C. — March 30, 2007 @ 9:03 am

20. One thing is abundantly clear now — we cannot trust that the major pet food manufacturers have even a CLUE of what they are putting in our pets food. That’s enough for me to stop buying their products permanently.

    Comment by Elizabeth — March 30, 2007 @ 9:05 am

21. Maybe that is why Nutro came on here. Maybe he knew the hammer was comming down on him next???

    Comment by Meghan — March 30, 2007 @ 9:11 am

22. This is an outrage. If the name of the company with the suspect dry food is not released PRONTO, all dry foods connected with Menu should be immediately boycotted.

    Let the entire industry suffer, not our pets.

    Comment by Empress 60 — March 30, 2007 @ 9:22 am

23. My estimated guess and assumption is that the dry food may be Nutro’s, based on many of the stories I’ve read on this site. But, It could be Iams. What really matters is that it’s Menu Foods to blame, as well as the company that may be serving/selling this poison.

    You know who you are; Come out with it!

    Yet another reason the MSM can no longer be trusted. Back to Anna Nicole!

    Comment by Jaycee — March 30, 2007 @ 9:28 am

24. I agree with Empress. The only thing it seems we can do at this point is to kick ‘em where it hurts.

    Let’s affect their bottom line and boycott, people, boycott!!

    Comment by Jaycee — March 30, 2007 @ 9:30 am

25. I want to state this again. Shortly before the news came out about the problem with pet food, our 4 year old dog died suddenly after defecating, vomiting, and then went into a seizure. Our dog had all the symptom simular to the wet foods lethargy, thirst, lack of appetite, ect. Our dog only ate IAMS DRY FOOD.

    Comment by David — March 30, 2007 @ 9:31 am

26. Several years ago I bought a book by a vet name (Strombeck) called “Home prepared Dog & Cat Diets” to help a dog I had in renal failure at that time. I was shocked to learn of the “standards” used in the production of pet foods. I’d recommend this book for general info and for some ideas of food to prepare at home until this commercial scare is resolved. It’s a little more hassle but my pets are well worth the effort!!!

    Comment by Eileen — March 30, 2007 @ 9:32 am

27. My guess was Iams.. mind you, I’ve nothing to back that up, aside from the fact that many of the dry food complaints I’ve seen over the past couple weeks have been related to Iams dry.

    Comment by Gwen — March 30, 2007 @ 9:32 am

28. quote:”This is an outrage. If the name of the company with the suspect dry food is not released PRONTO, all dry foods connected with Menu should be immediately boycotted.”

    Menufoods does not produce any dry food at all. If dry food is involved, it is a totally different manufacturer getting gluten from the same source as Menufoods.

    Comment by John Pierce — March 30, 2007 @ 9:32 am

29. I agree with Empress on this one: boycot ALL dry foods connected with Menu Foods. THANK GOD my “kids” are spoiled beyond belief - they won’t eat dog food. But believe me, I have tried to get them to eat almost every brand of canned/dry food out there. I also have two feline kids with only one of them eating canned cat food - yes, I did have a box of the 3 oz Priority cat food as a “back up” if I ran out of Fancy Feast. My kids have all made it through this alive…my heart goes out to all those who have lost loved ones.

    I say that until the kids stop dying, DON’T FEED THEM ANY (DRY OR WET) FOODS PRODUCED BY MENU FOODS!! We should DEMAND that the FDA release the company name(which I believe there are more than one of them) that has been using this tainted food base!!

    Comment by Jamie — March 30, 2007 @ 9:35 am

30. Empress… Menu Foods only makes wet pet food in chunk formulas, from what I understand.

    I have also read that dry food does not use wheat gluten, as it’s only a component in chunk-like food. However, of course, some other type of wheat product used in dry food could be a problem

    Also, Gwen, yes, I’ve only read about complaints with Iams rice and lamb in the green bag dog food being a problem. I have no idea about Iams since I don’t use them and have a cat, but all the self-reported things I’ve seen in comments always mention this type of food and emphasizes the color of the bag.

    Comment by Elderta — March 30, 2007 @ 9:37 am

31. oh god now I’m going to have to cook for the cats and the dog…this is insane…

    Comment by Joyce — March 30, 2007 @ 9:39 am

32. Jamie- the thing is, it’s not that easy. Menu only produces wet foods. If this stuff has made its way into the dry food supply, it’s someone else’s doing, not Menu’s. Since they’ve yet to have released the name of the dry food manufacturer that purchased the bad gluten, there’s no way of knowing for certain which foods may or may not be safe. Unless, of course, they don’t contain wheat gluten.. but, at this point, I haven’t seen any concrete verification that the gluten alone is the problem.

    Comment by Gwen — March 30, 2007 @ 9:40 am

33. Iams and Euakanuba are owned by P&G.

    What other dry food brands does P&G make?

    Comment by Kim — March 30, 2007 @ 9:44 am

34. Wheat gluten is used in some dry foods. My diabetic cat’s prescription diet includes wheat gluten. I am running low, and dreading having to go out and purchase a fresh bag in the midst of all this, what with so many questions still going unanswered and all.

    Alas, Thomas doesn’t stay regulated off the prescription stuff, so I’m hoping more information comes out before I have to invest in new food.

    Comment by Gwen — March 30, 2007 @ 9:44 am

35. I purchased a brand new bag of Nutro Dry senior for my 6 cats. Opened it up, put it in their bowls and NO ONE would eat it. Tried it outside for the ferrals and it’s still there from last night! Even the racoons wouldn’t eat it last night. This is insane!!!!!

    Comment by Peg, Island NY Long — March 30, 2007 @ 9:46 am

36. I agree Gwen, I don’t suspect that wheat gluten, alone, is the only problem. How can there be such a difference between the contanimated ingredients - rat poison and melamine? Its probably both. I feel so helpless…there’s got to be more we, as pet owners, can do.

    Comment by Jamie — March 30, 2007 @ 9:47 am

37. Does anyone know who makes Kibbles n Bits?

    Thanks

    Comment by Peg, Island NY Long — March 30, 2007 @ 9:47 am

38. While it isn’t connected to the Menu Foods recall list, there’s an article on Itchmo about a new problem, with Iams and Eukanuba diet foods. The FDA also has information on their website. Please read…this affects prescription foods! I feel sorry for our vets: not only are they overwhelmed by the Menu Foods recall, but now food they prescribe may cause problems! On top of the Royal Canin class action lawsuit filed in Canada (that too much Vitamin D in their prescription dry food, I believe it is, has caused pet illnesses and deaths in Canada), now vets have to worry about Iams and Eukanuba prescription foods! And for all the animal owners and pets out there affected by this string of pet food problems, I pray that your pets are safe. Please read this: Iams definitely outright disobeyed the FDA’s ruling on a substance and deliberately put our animals at risk. I don’t know about you, but I now will never purchase any Iams product again. Here’s the site: http://www.itchmo.com/read/fda.....9#more-260

    Comment by Krystal Kubichek — March 30, 2007 @ 9:49 am

39. From http://www.buav.org/campaigns/petfood/facts.html

    1. Nestlé Purina Petcare owns:
    1. Friskies Petcare: Bonio, Winalot, Spillers, Felix, Fido, Friskies, Arthur’s, Choosy, Go Cat, Gourmet, Vital Balance
    2. Alpo*: Mighty Dog
    3. Ralston Purina*: Purina, Edward Baker Petfoods

    2. Mars owns:
    1. Pedigree Petfoods: Pedigree, Cesar, Whiskas, Sheba, Kitekat, Pal, Chappie, Bounce
    2. Royal Canin (majority shareholder): Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved

    3. Colgate-Palmolive owns:
    1. Hill’s Pet Nutrition: Science Diet, Prescription Diet

    4. Procter & Gamble owns
    1. IAMS: Iams, Eukanuba

    So. Which companies got the wheat gluten?

    Reports of deaths from dry food at http://www.itchmo.com/read/vol.....s_20070328

    Number of Specific Cat Food Brand Reported:

    Iams: 17 (ARF: 5 dead, 1 sick)
    Purina: 6 (ARF: 1 dead)
    Science Diet: 5 (ARF: 3 dead)
    Nutro: 4 (ARF: 1 dead, 1 sick)
    Special Kitty: 3 (ARF: 1 dead, 2 sick)
    Royal Canin: 1 (No ARF)

    Number of Specific Dog Food Brand Reported:

    ARF reported:
    Iams: 21 (ARF: 1 dead, 2 sick)
    Nutro: 14 (ARF: 2 dead)
    Ol’Roy: 5 (ARF: 1 dead)
    Eukanuba: 2 (ARF: 1 sick)
    No ARF reported:
    Science Diet: 4
    Pedigree: 2
    Purina: 2
    Authority: 1
    Beneful: 1
    Natural Balance: 1
    Trader Joe’s: 1

    Better question, did any of the major dry food manufacturers NOT get it?

    Comment by Kim — March 30, 2007 @ 9:49 am

40. (P.S. Um, yeah. They all make people food too.)

    Comment by Kim — March 30, 2007 @ 9:50 am

41. I was feeding one young dog Nutro Puppy and he didn’t like it much so I mixed fresh chicken in so he would eat it. I feel so terrible. I stopped feeding it to him two weeks ago and he is being tested tomorrow but shows no signs of problems - a proactive step on my part for peace of mind.

    This is a nightmare!

    Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 9:52 am

42. Thank you for clarifying that point - in my RAGE I seemed to have forgotten that Menu just makes wet food.

    But why not a boycott of ALL dry food brands by all major manufacturers, until the entire industry is forced to press for that information to be released?

    It’s like in grade school when one person does something and noone will tell on them. When the teacher punishes the entire class, magically this information comes out..

    Comment by Empress 60 — March 30, 2007 @ 9:52 am

43. Grade school punishment. Stunningly appropriate. Good call Empress…

    Comment by Kim — March 30, 2007 @ 9:53 am

44. I just spoke with the veterinarian line at IAMS since I could not get through to the other line for customers. I told her that I was very concerned that my dogs eat tons of the Iams dog biscuits, puppy, regular, and less active. They love those in their kong toys. She assured me that they were safe and were not manufactured in the plant that had the contamination. I told her that if I had any idea that they would use wheat glutton that came from China I would never have bought any food from IAMS. China is the toxic waste dump country of the planet. They still use all of the God aweful chemicals that have been banned form this country for years. 90% of their waterways (rivers, streams, lakes) have the highest pollution rating they have. The cancer rate is escalating exponentially there. And I would never feed my beloved pets any food that is manufactured in China. Not when they still sell dogs and cats on the open market for FOOD! They actually skin them alive and sell them with their legs trussed up behind them in agony. These people are barbaric. OUr own department stores, like JC Penney is selling coats with dog fur on them that come from China. Need I say more? We should all be SCREAMING!!! AND we need to all contact the President, our Senators, Congressmen, etc.. to demand the same of regulation we have for people food. They keep cutting the budget and the Bush administration has stopped regulation of the Pet Food industry. This is a tragedy for everyone. Please let your legislators know how you feel. We will not vote for anyone who is not responsible. Thanks for letting me vent….

    Comment by Lynn — March 30, 2007 @ 9:59 am

45. Thank you to all of you for your help. Did you know that melamine is used as a fertilizer in Asia? If the US is the biggest producer of wheat, that just goes to show the relationship with Canada, if they chose to buy their wheat from China…………makes me sick

    Comment by Peg, Island NY Long — March 30, 2007 @ 10:06 am

46. Melamine is used in the process of microencapsulation of fertilers and pesticides (including rodenticides). Basically, a coating which gradually breaks down, for a time-released effect in the various products. So, it would not be unusual to find melamine IN CONJUNCTION WITH the offending chemical.

    Comment by Eva — March 30, 2007 @ 10:06 am

47. For those of you that are new, visit here for a list of food companies that are not involved in the recall, as well as their association, if any, with Menu Foods. As far as I can tell, it’s a good list to start with, although you have to take everything with a grain of salt.

    http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=210

    At this time, no dry foods are involved in the recall, but some are also suspect due to reports from across the country thanks to this blog.

    By boycotting dry foods from companies that bought their wet food from Menu Foods, well, that will send a clear message. My dogs were doing fine on Innova, but am switching because Natura/Innova buys their wet food from Menu. Even though Innova’s food was not involved in the recall, and Natura claims to havestrict standards, the fact remains any money I give to Innova lines the pockets of the greedy at Menu Foods. I am not comfortable with that, and so I boycott.

    If everyone types the full name of Menu Foods, as opposed to abbreviating it “MF”, then perhaps future stockholders or possible investors who are researching on the internet will be reminded of the horrible tactics and lack of business ethics this company has. We should find a way to archive these blogs so they will show up in internet searches forever.

    Boycott Menu Foods and their affiliates! Line the pockets of the greedy no more!

    Comment by Jaycee — March 30, 2007 @ 10:06 am

48. Jaycee
    Thank you, this is what I have been saying all along. I am trying to get everyone to stop purchasing food from ANY company that has products made by Menu, not just recalled products. I also think that we should all try to either email or write these companies, explaining what we are doing and why. It would be the most effective if we could communicate this to the CEO’s/presidents of the companies, but it has been really hard to track them down. I have the name of the CEO of Iams, does anyone else have contact information for other pet food company executives? If we just communicate with the customer service people we really aren’t getting the information to the people who need to know.

    Comment by Joyce — March 30, 2007 @ 10:12 am

49. We have 4 kitties and they were eating iams wet and dry, we are very lucky, they are fine, we took them off all iams products and switched to food by BLUE BUFFALO (www.bluebuff.com)- they do not use wheat, corn, soy, beet pulp, vague fat sources, copper sulfate or by-products. They use people grade ingredients - check out their website for more info. Their canned food looks and smells better than some of the canned people food we have bought. My babies have been on this food for 2 weeks now and they seem to be feeling much better even the 10 year old is acting and playing like a kitten again. We are encouraging everyone we know to not buy any canned or dry food from any companies that are associated with menu foods. One way to make sure that these companies are punished is to not buy their products which will directly affect their income. They all need to step up and take responsiblity for this horrible, needless tragedy, but reading the news reports and checking their websites, it is obvious they are all trying to mitigate the damages as much as possible. I truly don’t believe that any of them will actually come through with any money or assistance for anyone who as been affected by this tragedy. Iams send me a survey to take about the recall and I told them exactly what I thought and I am sure they didn’t want to hear it. Pet foods and other related products are a multi-billion dollar industry, we (the consumers’) have the power if we choose to use it. My husband and I are using our power by not buying the foods and encouraging everyone we know to do the same, so far we know of about 10 friends and family members who are doing the same. PLEASE, PLEASE EVERYONE ELSE THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT DOING THE SAME THING…IF THESE COMPANIES DON’T MAKE MONEY THEY WILL HAVE TO LISTEN TO WHAT WE (THE CONSUMERS’) WANT OR GO OUT OF BUSINESS. I truly believe this will have a much more immediate affect than a lawsuit because they have lawyers whose only responsibility is to make sure the company doesn’t have to make compensation for these kinds of incidents and they have marketing departments to say “How sorry they are.”

    Comment by Deborah — March 30, 2007 @ 10:16 am

50. I have posted this comment before, what about the dog treats???? Nobody can tell me who manufactures the moist dog treats packaged by wal-mart distributing under the Ol’Roy brand, also don’t beleive it is just Nutro and Iams dry food and the other premium dry foods, it is the store brands too. My cockapoo only had Ol’Roy kibbles chunks and chews 3 - 5 days before she became ill and DIED on March 15, NEVER had any of the recalled food! I reported to the FDA March 16th, so they are lying that there have been no official reports of deaths from the dry foods!!

    Comment by Tammy — March 30, 2007 @ 10:25 am

51. PET just had a news conference. They are calling for a criminal investigation and also insisting that the claims of dry food death be fully investigated.

    Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 10:28 am

52. I am with you with the boycott, the only way we can enlist change is through our pockets and dollars. I actually boycotted the day this broke. My dog used to eat Eukanuba but no more. Corporations have to be more responsible and they do not get a second chance from me. I feed my dog biljac now (he used to eat this as a puppy for years). I like it, any thoughts on that brand btw?

    Comment by tess — March 30, 2007 @ 10:28 am

53. Peta said the FDA has received numerous reports of deaths from the dry dog food. They are demanding answers and also that the FDA is not doing a good enough job - FDA blames lack of funds, Congress says we gave you the money.

    This stinks! Tell us what dry dog food company is in question now so we may stop using it until we know more.

    Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 10:30 am

54. FDA is trying to protect big business and to heck with our pets!

    Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 10:31 am

55. If you check on the PETA site they claim it is IAMS dry cat food that is also contaminated.
    While on the PETA site, I also viewed the conditions the animals are kept in, and was thoroughly disgusted with IAMS in general. I’ve tried calling their 1-800 number, but just get a busy signal. One of my cats has been sick since early march. We used to feed her IAMS and did try a few tins of the cuts and gravy early in March. We are now at close to $1000 in vet bills. I will never use Iams again.

    Comment by Cheryl — March 30, 2007 @ 10:40 am

56. Has anyone compiled a list of dry dog foods that contain wheat gluten? I’m curious how proactive the big box stores (ie Petsmart & Petco) are with this. Are they voluntarily pulling these products until the FDA makes an announcement or are they continuing to sell these with their fingers crossed?

    Comment by Deb — March 30, 2007 @ 10:43 am

57. “What other dry food brands does P&G make?”
    I looked at the list on pg.com (there is a drop-down list on the left that lists what appears to be all of their brands), and they only list Iams and Eukanuba. There are a couple product/brand names I don’t recognize, though (Zooth, for example).

    I think the question isn’t what brands does P&G make (or Colgate-Palmolive, or whoever), but who manufactures the P&G branded pet foods, and what other brands are also being made in that facility. We now know found with wet food that a lot of this stuff is farmed out to a private label manufacturer. I bet the same thing happens with dry food. And you know those companies, whoever they are, are going to hide their existence for as long as possible after seeing what Menu Foods is going through.

    Comment by CatLady — March 30, 2007 @ 11:04 am

58. Here is a site that lists ingredients of many dog (but not cat) foods:

    http://forums.dogfoodproject.c.....rd=dogfood

    Comment by Jaycee — March 30, 2007 @ 11:06 am

59. Maybe we should throw a few questions towards Doane Pet Care based in TN that makes and distributes dry dog food!

    It has been two weeks since I lost my beloved dog and my anger and hurt over this recall situation is not getting any better.

    The dog that died was my sons health assistant, notifying us when something was going wrong. Two strokes in two days and we knew about it before it happened. Now I sleep on the floor next to my 23 year old son each night — just incase!

    My heart breaks for each that have lost a beloved pet and the tears that I shed are not just for my dog, but for yours as well.

    I believe this recall thing is BIGGER than the FDA wants to believe!

    Comment by Sunshine — March 30, 2007 @ 11:12 am

60. Here’s a headline posted today on MSNBC:
    U.S. imposes trade sanctions on China
    Bush administration seeking to protect American paper producers… it does seem that the almighty dollar does take presadence over the lives of our pets. I wonder if the president is interested in seeking to potect our pets as much as the American paper producers

    Comment by ken — March 30, 2007 @ 11:12 am

61. Ok let me get this straight. I have been following this very carefully as this happened when I was on my veterinary assistant practicum and I am trying to keep on top of it for my sake and relatives sake. My cats are fine (I feed perscription (Hill’s c/d canned and Hill’s t/d dry) There was only one very specific issues with science diet canned food and it was one specific one which is Hill’s store brand. So it seems from reading all this they found more crazy stuff in the food and there is a dry food suspected but we dont know what??? Possibly Iams? This is getting absolutly insane. Do we know if there are any more links to the probs and the science diet dry foods? I need to make sure people in my family are warned if this is the case. So far their pets have been fine. I wish they would just come out with it. I also find it difficult to find proper information on who owns what foods and which foods are manufactured where and which foods get what from where… they would make themselves seem a lot better and do better for business if the companies just posted this info on their websites. That they would say we work with this company for manufacturing and we get these ingredients from these places.. it would really help. Anyway just me trying to wrap my head around all of this.

    Comment by Xymenah — March 30, 2007 @ 11:52 am

62. I am not boycotting my dogs food company. There are a lot of great brands out there that use Menu Foods for their canned food. My dog does great on the food that I feed her and none of it was on the recall list. Her coat is shiny and white and she’s beautiful and healthy. I won’t switch to something that may not have the same good results as the food I feed her now. You have to remember that not every dog does well on other foods and some dogs don’t do too well with switching to other foods.

    Comment by Eskie Lover — March 30, 2007 @ 12:00 pm

63. DRY Dog Food Products Containing Wheat Gluten:

    Jaycee, thanks for that link. I clicked on “dry food” and entered “wheat gluten” in the search box. Folks, there are 91 products listed. Go see for yourselves. Wheat gluten is used EXTENSIVELY in dry dog food!!! Check out your brand names and products your pets have ingested. You will also probably have the name of the dog food company(s) that used wheat from China.

    Comment by Nadine Long — March 30, 2007 @ 12:09 pm

64. Again, here’s the link for the Dog Food Project:

    http://forums.dogfoodproject.c.....rd=dogfood

    Comment by Nadine Long — March 30, 2007 @ 12:12 pm

65. LAB DIED - Feb. 7, 2007:

    I posted to this blog a week ago and said specifically that I BET MY LAST DIME that the dry food by NUTRO is tainted, too. Let’s see what the FDA finds. My lab died Feb. 7th. The Vet claimed it came on suddently, he refused to eat his food, but ate human food. This dog was smart, we trained him not to eat or drink tainited food or water. He was a highly skilled and trained dog.

    Our family now wonders if we unintentionally poisoned our lab. Today, $850 later we have a new lab. She is wonderful. But, we still are FURIOUS at the lack of accountability and oversight by the US and our food supply from CHINA and other nations that don’t even monitor their drinking water for humans.

    Good grief. Where is the CRIMINAL investigation from this tragedy? We want answers. Not rhetoric or lies. Tell us why we should trust Menu Foods, the FDA and our food supply. An oversight committee is warranted. If they refuse to do it, then resign, move aside and let someone else who cares enough about our pets and food supply take over.

    Angela
    Washington, State

    Comment by Angela — March 30, 2007 @ 12:19 pm

66. No one can make anyone boycott your pet food company. However, if we don’t all act to do something now while thay are all under scrutiny, it will all happen again, guarenteed…If we’re not part of the solution, they we are part of the problem. Just crying and wringing our hands won’t bring our pets back, or make them well. We have to act and do it in numbers….If you don’t want to stop your pet’s food, then join the march on the capitals, or write letters. Do something to help.

    Comment by Joyce — March 30, 2007 @ 12:24 pm

67. http://fancyfeast.com/#title=feast&page=feast
    fancy feast owned by Purina Nestle

    Interesting: no ingred list when you clk on the product . wonder when this happened?

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — March 30, 2007 @ 12:41 pm

68. I am betting and hoping that before the day is out the alluded to dry food company that bought this suspect Chinese wheat will step forward voluntarily. If not, I predict all the rest of the dry food companies will be issuing press releases saying “it ain’t us”. Then, by process of elimination it will be clear who to boycott and what dry food is still relatively safe. What a mess and heartbreak. It’s a hassle but my babies are on fresh chicken and Evanger’s exclusively until this shakes out. How sad that the trusting owners of all the dead pets didn’t have the opportunity to make the choices we are now making in terms of pet food.

    Comment by elizabeth — March 30, 2007 @ 12:44 pm

69. We have lost our beautiful kitten last month to this unspeakable tragedy now are we going to lose our dog too? He eats dry Purina Pro Plan and now I am worried about what he eats too. They need to release all of the names of the dry foods that might be contaminated. These beautiful animals are our family and Menu Foods does not give a damn.

    Comment by Sue N. — March 30, 2007 @ 12:53 pm

70. Not the most helpful, since the won’t tell us who actually received the food but it appears Doane Pet Care might be one of the largest manufacturers of dry for private labels? From their website:

    http://www.doanepetcare.com/products.htm
    Product Types: Doane Pet Care manufactures a full range of pet food products for both dogs and cats, including dry, semi-moist and soft dry foods, soft treats and dog biscuits. Doane’s variety of product meets customer specifications across all retail channels and price points - from super premium to value products.

    Product Categories: Doane Pet Care manufactures store brands for over 200 customers in the United States including the three largest mass merchandisers, the five largest grocery companies and the largest national pet specialty retailer (who is that, Petsmart?).

    The company also manufactures packages and ships dry pet food and treats for four of the six largest national branded pet food companies through co-manufacturing agreements.

    Product Examples:

    including Ol’Roy , Wal*Mart’s store brand and largest selling brand of dry pet food by volume in the United States .

    Grocers: Doane Pet Care also produces pet food for such nationally recognized grocery chains as Kroger, Albertson’s, Winn-Dixie, Safeway, Food Lion, Bruno’s and Bi-Lo, who market the products under their own store brands.

    So, if they make food for 4 of the 6 largest national branded companies, it is conceivable that includes Iams and/or Nutro. Those co-agreements means it’s secret and they won’t tell.

    So I tried searching on the dog project site, but using “wheat gluten” as the search term only resulted in 15 hits, and none of them are among the rumored products.

    http://forums.dogfoodproject.c.....rd=dogfood

    Health Nutrition MAXI- Boxer (Royal Canin) Health Nutrition MINI-Shih Tzu (Royal Canin) Health Nutrition MINI-Dachshund (Royal Canin) Three Dog Bakery - Adult Vegetarian Formula Three Dog Bakery - Reduced Calorie Formula Three Dog Bakery - Adult Formula Dry Food Three Dog Bakery - Puppy Formula Dry Food Kibbles ‘n Bits - HomeStyle Dry Food Pedigree - Healthy Maturity Real Chicken &
    Rice Flavor Food For Senior Dogs
    Pedigree - Lean Small Crunchy Bites Dry Food
    For Adult Dogs
    Pedigree - Performance Small Crunchy Bites Dry
    Food For Active Adult Dogs
    Pedigree - Pedigree Digestive Care With Real
    Lamb & Rice Dry Food For Adult Dogs Dry Food
    Pedigree - Complete Nutrition Adult Small Crunchy Bites Meaty Chunks With Rice &
    Vegetables
    Pedigree - Complete Nutrition Adult Lge/Small
    Crunchy Bites Dry Food
    Pedigree - Healthy Start Dry Food For Puppies

    So who really knows - it sucks they won’t tell us anything. If I were a betting person, my hunch is Doane might just mfg the dry foods for Iams and the others and so it might be in their dry foods….they do make Ol Roy and I thought I saw a couple people who only fed Ol Roy dry and had their pets get sick.

    This all rumors, of course but interesting. I will stick with Flint River.

    Comment by Becky — March 30, 2007 @ 1:02 pm

71. I feed my cat Iams dry only..He’s fine. It is my understanding wheat gluten is not an ingredients in either Iams dry cat or dog foods.

    Comment by Flip — March 30, 2007 @ 1:08 pm

72. http://www.doanepetcare.com/products.htm

    Product Types: Doane Pet Care manufactures a full range of pet food products for both dogs and cats, INCLUDING DRY, soft treats and dog biscuits.

    Doane Pet Care manufactures store brands for over 200 CUSTOMERS in the US including the three largest mass merchandisers (Wal Mart, who else?), the five largest grocery companies and the LARGEST NATIONAL PET SPECIALTY RETAILER (who is this, PetSmart????).

    and the really scary part…..
    The company also manufactures packages and ships dry pet food and treats for FOUR OF THE SIX LARGEST national branded pet food companies through co-manufacturing agreements (now we know those agreements mean it’s secret and they won’t tell).

    Product Examples:

    Doane Pet Care has been the primary supplier of store brand pet food for Wal*Mart including Ol’Roy , Wal*Mart’s store brand and largest selling brand of dry pet food by volume in the United States.

    Grocers: Doane Pet Care also produces pet food for such nationally recognized grocery chains as Kroger, Albertson’s, Winn-Dixie, Safeway, Food Lion, Bruno’s and Bi-Lo, who market the products under their own store brands.

    So…is it just me but since they manufacture for four the six largest brand name pet foods, could it just be Iams and Nutro and who else?

    That they are (potentially) withholding information that might save thousands more pets from suffering the same fate is criminal. There has got to be someone who will speak out from within one of those companies who actually cares more for the pets than their bottom line.

    Comment by Becky — March 30, 2007 @ 1:23 pm

73. WRITE CONGRESS:
    I am writing letters to my Senators and Representatives requesting a thorough and complete investigation into the U.S pet food supply-chain. If China can’t get clean drinking water, why are we buying gluten from them (trade balance agreement) for our pets?

    If Congress can’t act on our food supply for animals, how would they handle a human supply chain disaster.

    Demand accountability.

    Angela

    Comment by Angela — March 30, 2007 @ 1:38 pm

74. My dog was ill for a long time. They are not accurate in how long this has been going on. My mom figured it out over a month ago (everytime we ran out of dog food she got better), took her off dog food and she is recovering. I am $7,000 in debt for vet and emergency room bills but my dog survived.

    Comment by Cathy — March 30, 2007 @ 1:57 pm

75. Cathy if you have any food left don’t send it to Menu Foods to test, send it to Iams or Eukanuba, or Nutro. They seem to be more helpful. They have a can of mine they are testing and they said to call again this next week to find out the results of the test. They also have my vet bills and blood tests and a woman I talked to seemed to think I would be reimbursed for my vet bill. I will let you know on pet connection. Thank you for helping us all out pet connection! My kitten died last month and I am in shock that something this horrible is what caused his kidney failure.

    Comment by Sue N. — March 30, 2007 @ 2:05 pm

76. If there is anyone that got their food from Petco make sure that you check your food. That is where I got mine and my kitten died last month.

    Comment by Sue N. — March 30, 2007 @ 2:09 pm

77. I have 3 cats that I feed Iams Dry food, even though they weren’t showing any symptoms I took them in and had them tested. My smallest cat had a “higher than normal” kidney level and had an IV fluid treatment done. This is a 5 yr old indoor otherwise healthy cat. My vet had us come back to recheck his levels the following day and they were dropping. I wanted to be sure his elevated levels were not do to a infection of some kind so I brought him back 3 days later and had a urine test done which came back completely normal. On Monday 3/19 when I heard about the recall and had read several reports about dry Iams dog food making pets sick I quit feeding Iams to my cats. I assume that the smaller cat could not flush out toxin (whatever it is) and if it wasn’t for switching their food and blood test my cat(s) might of died. I will no longer use any of these products and have switched to human grade natural products. Do not believe them when they say dry food is ok!

    Comment by Rose — March 30, 2007 @ 2:13 pm

78. I have switched my baby to Solid Gold dry food. I am making my own wet. I called Solid Gold pet food Company. They have assured me that they do not have anything in common with Menu food nor do they use any wheat in their dry food or canned food. I have to trust someone, they say their food is completely natural

    Comment by Dar — March 30, 2007 @ 2:14 pm

79. Just got off the phone with Purina on their 800 cust serv number.

    They refuse to give country of origin on any ingredient in their dry food. Their response was obviously written by their legal dept.

    The FDA Dr. says pet food is handled just like people food. People food requires country of origin info.

    From the response of the very rude Purina employee, I can only surmise they are the ones selling the poisoned “kibble”.

    Please call them yourselves to verify if you use purina products.

    I will be spending the weekend writing my congressman and the FDA.

    Comment by Bill — March 30, 2007 @ 2:18 pm

80. My dog (pug) just got out of the vet late Wednesday; Syptoms: Vomitting; bleading (including internal)and lethargy; KIDNEY FAILURE RELATED Treatment: IV fluids and steriods; Went back in this morning to be monitored after a petit mal seizure….ONLY ATE DRY IAMS….I want it pulled off the shelves now…not when hundreds (if not thousands) more animals are affected. On a good note, Iams did contact my vet as they said they would and have received all my vet’s reports.

    Comment by Tanya — March 30, 2007 @ 2:20 pm

81. This is all getting too weird…the pet food industry is consolidating to the point it’s almost incestuous…

    http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....701/?pg=20

    I was looking at the 2005 financial statements for Doane and came across this blurb in my search. Mars (aka Pedigree) bought Doane out in Jan 2007.

    Comment by Becky — March 30, 2007 @ 2:30 pm

82. I have been reading the blogs, a friend of mine told me about it after she told me her dog was in the hospital. My heart goes out to all who have lost a pet or who has one in the hospital. My two girls, cats, are okay and I am very fortunate. They get fancy feast wet canned food, and they only eat ScienceDiet Senior 7+. I have to admit that my older cat, who was a stray, is a junkie for Attacat and Whiskas dry food. I agree that something has to be done, boycott, I plan to write a letter to my senator. This whole situation is just horrible…….

    Comment by Helen — March 30, 2007 @ 2:32 pm

83. OMG I came so close to buying some Pedigree puppy dry food last week but the store was out. Now I see that it is one of the dry foods that contain Wheat Gluten.
    Right now I trust no food and no vets :( My dogs tested a little high in some of the kidney values but not high enough for fluids according to the vet. When I checked all their values on line at different lab sites they had no high Creatinine levels and according to the lab sites their BUN levels in conjunction with their Creatinine level shouldn’t have been a concern for kidney problems. Also I wasn’t told to fast my dogs before the blood tests and that according to the lab info is the main reason the BUN is high without a high Creatinine. Also they had been eating ground turkey and vegetables so they were on a high protein food another cause for elevated BUN and the vet was informed of this. I can see being safe and perscribing them some foods with lower protein and phosperous levels but my vets associate instead gave them food for dogs in end stage renal failure. One of my dogs is still a puppy. I’m sick trying to decide what is safe to feed them. I’m also sick thinking the vet we saw wanted to sell us cases of expensive food that might have starved my dogs in the next 30 days. Currently I’m mixing the kidney food with some natural canned food.

    Comment by Maureen — March 30, 2007 @ 3:06 pm

84. Someone want to show me where wheat gluten is listed in these dry foods. corn gluten and whole wheat are listed which are two diferent things

    Comment by Jim — March 30, 2007 @ 3:13 pm

85. Here’s a link to the Iams website stating that their Iams and Eukanuba dry food contains NO Wheat Gluten. Let’s get our info straight!!

    http://us.iams.com/iams/global/Product_Recall.htm

    Comment by Flip — March 30, 2007 @ 3:14 pm

86. Nutro’s website claims that all their food on store shelves is safe. After scanning dry food ingrediants on several of their dog and cat dry foods and their dog treats, I found one that listed wheat gluten, the lamb and rice sticks. Fortunately I haven’t fed those to my dogs for months, as my pet store had pulled them voluntarily after they received complaints that the sticks were “dry and sticky with a white coating”. Kind of makes you wonder. I think it is appalling that the FDA say that a dry food manufacturer received the suspect wheat gluten, and not tell us who they are!

    Comment by Sandy — March 30, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

87. people wake up… it’s the almighty dollar, and greed working overtime at the expense of our pets and who knows…us humans.

    Buying deadly so called “FDA checked” ingredients from places like China, to satisfy big corporations greed, while our failing government, stands by and looks the other way is an outrage but unfortunately nowadays a much to common policy.

    Those responsible for this crime I consider murders…those that have willingly allowed such a process to go on, and “profited” from it in one or any form, I consider just as guilty.

    Regulated by the FDA… what a joke!

    While CEO’s receive millions, our government fails us again and again, we are pretty much helpless.

    I’ll make my own wet & dry dog food from now on. Perhaps we were wrong all along by not feeding our pets “table scraps” and put our faith in big corporate greed machines, buying one new pet food afetr the other while killing them slowly.

    I really hope in the “end” there will be justice, and let all those pets that have died be “the judge & jury” of those responsible.

    Comment by John A - Maryland — March 30, 2007 @ 3:22 pm

88. I’ve found some Purina One dry cat foods that contain Wheat Gluten:
    Purina One Healthy Kitten Formula
    Purina One Total Nutritional Chicken and Rice Formula
    Purina One Healthy weight Management
    Purina One Advanced Hairball and Weight Management
    None of the Purina One dry dog food contains wheat Gluten according the the Purina One web site and no other purina one cat food contains wheat gluten.

    Comment by Maureen — March 30, 2007 @ 3:25 pm

89. Flip, like I pointed out in the earlier post….wheat gluten is appearing in products that HAVEN’T been reportedly making animals ill. Unlike Iams and Eukanuba and Nutro dry, which have had numerous complaints from pet owners as the food that made their pets ill. And since they have come up with 2 different toxins, and no clear answers, how do you know it’s the wheat gluten? We don’t know but I do know if it were my pet, I wouldn’t be feeding any food from the company that had recalled food. Not playing roulette with my pets and I don’t think it’s fair that the FDA isn’t telling us who the dry food manufacturer is.

    You don’t need to shout either, you appear to have a strong interest in supporting Iams/Eukanuba. Fine, but don’t try and tell the rest of us we should feel the same.

    Comment by Becky — March 30, 2007 @ 3:26 pm

90. Show me where the wheat gluten is in this list

    Purina ONE - Total Nutrition Chicken & Rice Formula

    Caution:
    This product is not a “chicken only” formula!

    Ingredients:
    Chicken, brewers rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), non-fat yogurt, animal digest, dicalcium phosphate, salt, malted barley flour, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

    Comment by Jim — March 30, 2007 @ 3:35 pm

91. Companies of foods NOT recalled also have to be asked WHERE they get their individual ingredients. They are quick to distance themselves from the actual manufacturing plants of Menu Foods, but WHERE do they source their individual ingredients from such as wheat gluten? The link companies not on the recall list are making is that it’s the plant itself and just the foods made at the plant. I’m concerned about each single ingredient. We need to force companies who are right now “off the hook” to disclose this information. They don’t have to say who the actual supplier is, but they need to say that their supplier is safe.

    Also, should the investigation shift from wheat gluten to, let’s say, a “filler,” companies need to let us know that that particular filler is from a safe source. Look at the Mars PetCare US website about the recall. Several paragraphs down, they at least state that they’ve verified that their wheat gluten did not come from a supplier that is under investigation. Don’t you think ALL companies should follow suit to reassure the consumer each time the investigation shifts? Start calling and emailing. I did.

    Comment by petlover — March 30, 2007 @ 3:45 pm

92. I TOLD PEOPLE, IAMS AND FDA AND SPCA WEEKS AGO MY DOG DIED FROM IAMS DRY MINI CHUNKS AND IAMS BOTTLED SAVORY GRAVY SAUCE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST? YET IAMS TOLD ME TO GIVE THE DRY FOOD TO MY NIECE’S DOG. NO WAY I SAID I CAN’T TRUST ANY OF THERE FOOD RIGHT NOW. THEY KEPT TELLING ME THE DRY MINI CHUNKS AND THE BOTTLED SVAORY BEEF GRAVY IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, YET MY AIRDALE TERRIER 6 YRS OLD DIED? THEY TOLD ME ITS OK? LIKE HECK IT IS? IF I WOULDN’T EAT IT ANY DOG SHOULDN’T EITHER. KEEP ON CALLING FDA I KNOW THEY WILL FIND THE CULPRIT.

    Comment by Georgeann Heckman — March 30, 2007 @ 4:03 pm

93. I knew this was going to happen, I posted this a week or so back, but I thought I would share again.
    _____________

    Almost 3 weeks ago my 7-year old cat died…she was perfectly healthy. My husband found her curled up in a ball in our bathroom in the morning. I was devistated and could not imagine what had happened to her. We took her to the vet and she suggested she may have had a weak heart. I was shocked by it, and thought it was just a health problem that we never knew about.

    A few days later we heard about the pet recall. My 2 cats (brother & sister) and dog did not eat wet food, but they both ate Nutro Dry. I started to think it was a strange coincidence that my perfectly healthy cat died right before a pet food recall. They kept saying it was only the wet food, but I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to this story.

    To be safe, I took my other cat and my dog to the vet for blood tests. I just got the results. Cat was fine…dog has an increased enzyme count in his kidneys - exactly what was happening to the pets that were eating the tainted food. Where this all ties in is, the day before my cat passed away, I saw her eating the dogs food, something she NEVER does.

    It this a strange coincidence? Maybe. But I can’t help to think that they may be more to this story…maybe the dry food isn’t safe either. I don’t want to scare anyone or make false accusations, I just want to let others know what happened to my family. I miss my little furbaby, and hope my pup is ok.

    Comment by Shannon — March 30, 2007 @ 4:20 pm

94. I was feeding a young dog Nutro Dry Nature’s Choice or something like that. He’s being tested tomorrow. I don’t trust any of them now.

    Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 4:22 pm

95. Jim I checked Purina One’s web page and searched wheat gluten and the products I listed were listed as containing wheat Gluten on that web page.
    http://www.purinaone.com/products_tool.asp
    I clicked on wheat gluten and it gave a description of wg and then I clicked on Purina One products containing wheat gluten and that’s where I found the listed cat foods.

    Comment by Maureen — March 30, 2007 @ 4:39 pm

96. This is Purina One’s listed ingredients for the cat formula of Total Nutrition chicken and Rice again from the Purina One website
    Ingredients

    Chicken, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, poultry by-product meal, wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), wheat gluten, whole grain corn, non-fat yogurt, fish meal, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, phosphoric acid, animal digest, caramel color, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, calcium carbonate, salt, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, taurine, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.
    E-4153

    Manufactured by: Nestlé Purina PetCare Company, St. Louis, MO 63164

    Comment by Maureen — March 30, 2007 @ 4:41 pm

97. The confusion could be that the dog Purina One Chicken and Rice does NOT contain wheat gluten!!

    Comment by Maureen — March 30, 2007 @ 4:43 pm

98. Just print a menu we can prepare for our animals made from our (hopefully) safe food products!

    Comment by joan — March 30, 2007 @ 5:03 pm

99. Purina Pro Plan dry for cats contains wheat gluten. Purina Fancy Feast (some varieties, read the can) also contain wheat gluten. Who knows if it’s from China - I’m not taking the chance. I put all this food aside and feeding my cats Blue Buffalo. Next trip to the supermarket, I will be checking some of the non-Menu foods such as 9lives to see if they have any varieties of canned/dry with no wheat gluten.

    I hope they at least have it narrowed down to the wheat gluten!!! This is getting crazy.

    Comment by catlover — March 30, 2007 @ 5:37 pm

100. All these comments are very informative, but how do we trust the companies ever again, who regulates these companies? how long did they know about this problem? A little to late for my 13yr old cat, her brother misses her lots. How do you lose 1 cat and not all 4? She had a little virus, but had recovered nicely and was on a road to recovery, was that why? only god knows why. My prayers to anyone who has lost someone special, some getting better, anyone not sick !! Linda

     Comment by Linda N. — March 30, 2007 @ 5:43 pm

101. This scandal does not end when we switch foods.
     It does not end until the petfood and pharmaceutical conglomerates and their marketing poster boys in the veterinary business start telling us the truth, the whole truth about the abuses in the pet care business. Too many pets have suffered. For years and years and years. This didn’t just happen. It’s been happening all along. I hope people stay mad enough to do the legwork to find out the facts.

     Comment by 4lgdfriend — March 30, 2007 @ 5:48 pm

102. IAMS EUKANUBA: Our dry dog and cat foods are made exclusively by P&G Pet Care and not by Menu Foods. P&G= Proc & Gamble. About as trustworthy as any company who used MENU, if you ask me…….and p&G may have been one of the big $ interests implicated in the widening
     investigation…..per speculation on other blogs.

     Comment by 4lgdfriend — March 30, 2007 @ 5:52 pm

103. WE THOUGHT WE WERE SAFE WITH “HILLS” RD FOOD. WE STILL HOPE WE ARE. IF NOT THEN,AFTER ALL THAT IS GOING ON, WE WILL JOIN ALL CLASS ACTION GROUPS AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SEE A TOTAL DEMISE OF THE MURDERERS OF OUR LOVED FAMILY (PETS). WE SUGGEST THEY FIND THE MURDERERS IMMEDIATELY AND FOLLOW UP CONSTANTLY AS TO CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT .

     Comment by R&L JAMES — March 30, 2007 @ 6:02 pm

104. It really makes me sick that we have to intrust our animals to monsters like this,we really have no choice I lost one black lab and 5 Hemmingway cats to this and I do not care to hear their sorry explanations as to how this happened and I do not want to hear thier even sorrier apologies all I want is to hear that they will prosecute if ndeeemed found that this was intentional the fact is it is not only the wet foods any idiot should know it is also the dry food THAT IS WHAT KILLED MY ANIMALS not the wet but I can do nothing because my animals died before I could get them to a vet….

     Comment by Tammy H — March 30, 2007 @ 6:07 pm

105. I lost a beloved pet - even though not “officially” counted - as yet - or if ever. I spoke with our vets this afternoon (who are members of the AHA) and they are absolutely livid. They say they are being left “totally in the dark” - and that “the pet food companies have circled the wagons. We can’t get any information at all.” She went on to say that the vets in their practice are absolutely frustrated with the lack of information - and horrified that (long-term) many of their patients will be suffering effects for years to come. She stated “we may never know how many pets actually end up dead because of this.” As she put it, “they are tying our legs together and telling us to ‘go treat your clients’ - with no information or clinical guidelines - nothing.” She says the vets in her group are ready to “pop from frustration.” This is all about money, money, money - and our pets are the victims. And we don’t even know how many more are to come. Why would anyone TRUST ANYTHING these people have to say at this point?????” Where is the PROOF that their products are safe???

     Comment by Chana Campos — March 30, 2007 @ 6:14 pm

106. I wrote on another blog of my pet 6yr old dog who died on March 11,07. She ate IAM’s mini chunks, dog bones and tartar treats. She died suddenly and the vet wasn’t able to save her. She had kidney and liver failure. This happened before the recalls came out. I believe it was the food. Why can’t these companies just be truthful and tell us what happened? Can’t they see that we still have pets to feed and are at a loss as to what’s safe.
     I have written to IAM’s and they sent me an email that they wanted my phone number but they never called. I doubt I ever will.

     Comment by Ruth — March 30, 2007 @ 6:15 pm

107. My Golden retriever died on Tues night. The dog was as strong as a bull. All of a sudden he stopped eating his dry food which was I believe Partner from Agway. He was a chow hound! We took him to the vet . The vet said he had hook worm. 450.00 dollars later with antibiotics shots and pills , he died. THis otherwise extremely healthy and strong dog is dead! I called the vet to inform him and the next day he called to say that the bloowork said it was his liver. He blead out. He called some sort of syndron. I still can’t help but wonder if the food was the problem. They wouldn’t know for sure unless he had a liver biopsy. He was sooooo healthy and soooo strong and out of the blu is gone!

     Comment by georgia yeamans — March 30, 2007 @ 6:16 pm

108. Shannon, something similar happened with my two cats. I switched to dry Nutro food from dry Science Diet back in February. Right around the time they first announced the pet food recall my boy cat had taken an abrupt turn for the worse. He was lethargic, wouldn’t eat, drink, or use the litterbox, and had lost 8 to 10 pounds (he was a big cat and a little overweight before that happened). I got him into the vet and he was diagnosed with severe acute renal failure. He had to be put to sleep. I got my other cat tested and she’s fine. She is behaving normally and her kidney screen was perfectly normal.

     Nutro needs to recall dry food too, plain and simple. I’m still trying to find out whether the e-mail I got about Nutro recalling dry dog food is legit - can’t get any answers from anyone! With the way things have turned out, though, I won’t be surprised.

     Comment by Andrea D. — March 30, 2007 @ 6:32 pm

109. we are feeding our pets, 2 dogs and a cat table food from now on. My greyhound ate stop and shop companion for quite awhile and my cat ate dry food from purina, little friskies. I’m very paranoid with this recall, my 10 year old pom is really the only one that i’m not that worried about at this point, she never liked dog food of any kind. she did eat some of the stop and shop companion treats, so we will wait and see . This is all about big business ,moneymaking corporations that don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves!!

     Comment by ann gates — March 30, 2007 @ 6:43 pm

110. I have two young cats that have eaten a little of the recalled food, but very little. They seem fine, but I am still worried about any long term effects of even a little toxins. Do any of you know where I can find out more about this? Thanks.

     Comment by Chris — March 30, 2007 @ 7:36 pm

111. Why I Suspect that some DRY PET FOOD IS INVOLVED in this pet food poisoning,

     and also how I found out that the petfood recall site http://www.menufoods.com/recall ISN’T even LISTING all on their web site, that they ARE telling you when you call their PHONE number (866) 895-2708 !

     and a product they told me was on phone recall list, that does not have wheat gluten
     (not listed on their web site though

     Before you read my cats situation, I want to add that the NY study found rat poison in their study, but the government study found (Friday March 30, 2007) no rat poison and they SUSPECT the contamination is in wheat gluten, from ‘melamine’, a chemical used in fertilizer, used in China, though they said today that they are not sure of that yet either, and that at least one dry cat food brand is contaminated but they will not tell which one yet.

     I feed 8 indoor cats & several outdoor ones.
     The indoor cats are ‘ONLY’ fed DRY CAT FOOD and NO wet or canned food.
     The outdoor cats are fed dry cat food, and sometimes canned food.
     I buy large 18 lb bags of dry cat food, and use 3 or 4 bags a month, alternating between 2 brands, but using only 1 bag at a time.

     Recently I noticed that they all were having excessive urination. Since I have the 8 indoor cats in 4 separated groups of 2 each, I could see this.
     I use a very good cat litter & normally change 4 boxes (1 box for each group of 2 cats) every 2 days. I ‘could’ go 3 or 4 days without a litter box change, if I wanted to.
     Because these cats are in separate groups, it is easier to monitor some of their routions and the amounts they eat individually. Recently all the litter boxes were getting unusually wet, changing them even once daily was not really enough! I have had cats for years & this has never happened.

     Since the ‘governmental’ cat recall news said that they “didn’t really know what had tainted the food”, I thought, then how can they say that it is ‘only’ the ‘cans’ & ‘pouches’ with gravey?
     Also since they said that the symptumes of the cat food poisoning included EXTRA URINATION due to organ damage, I wondered if the excessive urination of my cats was DUE to the DRY CAT FOOD I was feeding them!

     At that time my cats were into their 2nd bag (of the month) of:
     PURINA’S CAT CHOW INDOOR FORMULAR, marketed by Nestle Purina, St Louis, MO
     contains corn meal, poultry by-product meal, corn gluten meal, soy flour, animal fat, salmon meal, soybean, brewers dried yeast, animal digest (NO WHEAT GLUTEN)

     I switched to the other brand I use
     SPECIAL KITTY GOURMET BLEND SEAFOOD & CHICKEN
     marketed by Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AZ
     contains ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, animal fat (NO WHEAT GLUTEN)

     ALL of the indoor cats heavy urination stopped, so I assume that the cause was the Purina Cat Chow Indoor Formular, for whatever reason, a brand I have used for over a year, ‘without’ the urination problem ‘untill recently’!

     But I am still concerned. I have been using the Special Kitty Goumet Blend this week, and the indoor cats have suddenly all been eating ‘less’, though the urination seems better. They suddenly don’t seem too hungry and I wonder if this is a sign they might be getting some problem. I am on a very limited income and take the cats to the vet when they really need it but cannot really afford to take them unneccessarily. Also I do not have a car and when I do take them, I must find transportation first. Otherwise I would have taken them to the vet for testing.

     And now, the news this morning announced that the government has said that some DRY CAT FOOD is involved in the pet food poisoning, BUT THEY WILL NOT YET ANNOUNCE WHICH BRAND! ! !

     I went online to the http://www.menufoods.com/recall web site, which still listed only cat food with sliced meat with gravies.
     BUT I ALSO CALLED THEM about my concerns. Besides, though it is harder for me to monitor the cats I feed outdoors, I had fed those cats some canned cat food, though not any of the gravey ones.
     AFTER THIS PHONE CALL, I became more disturbed, now about the pet food recall web site and how they are handeling their information.
     They did say that some dry food was involved but said they were NOT given the name of which ones!

     But maybe even worst, when I told them which canned cat food I have been buying, and the date on the bottom - they told me that one of the three types ‘WAS’ BEING RECALLED, though it was ‘NOT’ any of the gravey ones, AND was ‘NOT’ listed on their web site recall list!
     Which means if someone only checked the web site recall list, they would never learn this!
     Another one of the 3 types I was feeding the cats, they didn’t even have any information about, because they said some of the companies were handeling their own recall phone numbers and I would have to call that company to find out if that food was being recalled. BUT THIS INFORMATION WAS ALSO NOT ON THEIR WEB SITE, so if I had only check that, I would never have known that either!

     Anyway, I was feeding the outdoor cats …

     1st, the one I was told by phone, IS BEING RECALLED, though not on the web site list:
     PetPride Chicken & Tuna Dinner, 5.5 oz, dated Oct 27 09
     marketed by Inter-American Products, Cincinnati, OH
     containing: meat by-products, chicken, poultry by-products, fish, tuna, rice flour, guar gum (NO WHEAT GLUTEN)

     2nd, the one I was told by phone, is not yet being recalled
     (but she said she needed to know the date on the bottom before she could tell me):
     Special Kitty Chicken & Tuna Dinner, 5.5 oz, dated Jan 31 10
     marketed by Wal-Mart, Bentonville, AZ
     containing meat by-products, chicken, poultry by-products, fish, tuna, guar gum (NO WHEAT GLUTEN)

     3rd, one I don’t know about yet. I could not call their recall #, they were closed:
     Purina Friskies Ocean Whitefish Dinner, 5.5 oz, dated Jan 2009
     marketed by Nestle Purina, St Louis, MO
     containing ocean whitefish, meat by-products, chicken, poultry by-products, brewers rice, guar gum (NO WHEAT GLUTEN)

     If we are told to switch foods, but not told all the suspected tainted foods, how can we know what to use ? ? ?

     AND SOMEONE LIKE ME, FEEDING SEVERAL CATS, I can’t feed them all homemade dinners, it would be too expensive, since that would be alot of meat or poultry to buy for a large amount of cats.

     I feel that we are not being told enough yet, and by the time we are, it might be too late for some pets!

     Comment by LianaRose Goodman — March 30, 2007 @ 7:48 pm

112. A couple of days before they announced the pouch and canned food recall, I returned 4 35.5lb bags of Dry Nutro Max senior and Dry Nutro max for big dogs. I have five dogs. One (terrier mix) got sick and threw up for two days. She had eaten 1/2 a bowel. The other 4 dogs ate a few bites and refused to eat any for two days. At first I thought because it was new, but it occurred to me later that they had never done that before with any dog food. So I threw out what was in their bowls on the second day and returned all the food to Petsmart. They took it back without hesitation, which was also unusual. The food had been put on sale because of their anniversary. It would seem there is a cover up by a number of parties that are involved. I’ve filed a complaint with the FDA. I suspected dry food contamination. I would bet there are a lot more products and brands that will not come out about the contamination unless forced to. I for one will be contacting our representatives.

     Comment by Johnnie — March 30, 2007 @ 7:50 pm

113. There is another culprit here as well, which is genetically modified corn made by Monsanto. This stuff is made to specifically combat cutworm, and unlike the other brands that are merely made to resist specific herbicides, this affects insects, which have enough of a similar physiology to also… yes, affect all of us and our pets.

     Read about it:
     http://www.organicconsumers.or.....e_4518.cfm

     This is the #1 culprit IMO. Plastic doesn’t cause liver and kidney failures. But this corn does. Just slower than the contaminated gluten. The combination of GMO corn and toxic gluten was likely enough to cause all of these deaths. Just not in months or years, but days.

     Get them food without corn or wheat in it ASAP. This stuff is filler and to their digestive systems, like eating plastic or paper would be to us. No nutritional value that more meat won’t do a better job of providing.(of course, real human-grade meat is $$$ for the producer)

     Comment by Joseph — March 30, 2007 @ 7:51 pm

114. People who have lost their beloved pets to contaminated pet foods have been informed that, legally, nothing can be done, as pets are considered “property”. On the other hand, cruelty to animals is, now, considered a felony. The fact that the pet food industry has been aware of this situation, for months, before it was reported, sounds like an enormous amount of “animal cruelty”, not “property cruelty” to me. Why do corporations always seem to benefit from double standards? An individual who would do this, would be charged as a felon, so why not a corporation? How else are we going to prevent this nonsense in the future? I’m really tired of watching, brain wash styled, commercials, which are full of lies about how great a product is, whether it’s for pets or people, and hearing within several months, that this same product contributed to the cause of deaths. It’s already gone too far.

     Comment by Diana Barnum — March 30, 2007 @ 7:56 pm

115. IAM’s says on their website that the dry food doesn’t have wheat gluten but the tartar treats have that listed on the first line of ingredients. Thats what my pet ate. She also ate the IAM’s mini chunks and dog bones. She suddenly got sick. She didn’t want to eat this new batch of dry food. I thought she was being spoiled and picky. Now I think she knew better. I just wish I had. She would go for days not wanting the dry food. I would finally cover it up with chicken and rice I would make for her.
     I really think the dry food make her sick.

     Comment by Ruth — March 30, 2007 @ 8:21 pm

116. My kitty ate Science Diet dry and wet for years. In January she suddenly became so sick and stopped eating it. The vet diagnosed kidney failure and advised she would die soon. I almost put her to sleep.

     But I held on and did a regimine of subcutaneous fluids and Whole Foods brand 365. My kitty, Miss Neena, is alive and thriving almost three months later! She had gone down to five pounds but is now gaining weight and playing again.

     Was my cat poisoned? Why didn’t we hear about this tainted food in January? Who is going to expose this mess and get justice for this suffering animals?

     Comment by Janelle — March 30, 2007 @ 8:40 pm

117. My cat “blocked” after eating 365-WF last year. I’m also scared of that food.

     Comment by kim — March 30, 2007 @ 8:42 pm

118. At this point I don’t think anymore pet food companies will come forward and admit their mistakes. Too many lawsuits will be coming soon.
     Why did they buy grain from China? Doesn’t the U.S. have enough grain for the pet industry to use here? Guess its all about the money. Pet sales are in the billions of dollars.
     It just makes me sick to think about all the poor animals who have suffered because of their greed for making money.

     Comment by Ruth — March 30, 2007 @ 9:00 pm

119. This comment is to RUTH@6:15pm. Our 4 year old dog died the same way just before any news had come out about poisoned pet food. She only ate IAMS MINI CHUNKS(DRY FOOD).

     Comment by David — March 30, 2007 @ 9:01 pm

120. RUTH

     MY AIRDALE DID THE EXACT SAME THING. HE DIDNT WANT TO EAT THE IAMS MINI CHUNKS AND I THOUGHT HE WAS BEING PICKY. HE WAS SMART HE DIDN’T WANT TO EAT IT EITHER. BUT BEFORE THIS CAME OUT IN THE NEWS I FORCED HIM TO EAT IT BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT TO WASTE GOOD DOG FOOD THAT I JUST OPENED AND LET HIM STARVE UNTIL HE DID EAT IT. I FEEL JUST AUFUL THAT I MADE HIM EAT IT. BUT HOW COULD I KNOW THIS IF IT CAME OUT IN THE NEWS LATER. MY DOG DIED FEB 19TH AT 6 YRS OLD.
     I WILL NEVER TRUST AND I MEAN NEVER ANY DOG FOOD COMPANY AGAIN. I LEARNED A VAULABLE LESSON HEAR. I WILL NEVER BUY ANY DRY OR WET OR ANY DOG FOOD OR PET FOOD PRODUCT ON THE RECALL LIST. I WILL FEED MY DOG IF I GET ANOTHER ONE PEOPLE FOOD. MAYBE SOME NATURAL FOOD WITH IT.
     I WILL FROM NOW ON ALWAYS TRUST A PETS INSTINCTS AND NEVER FORCE THEM TO EAT ANYTHING THEY DON’T LIKE. WHEN I CALLED IAMS TO TEST THE IAMS MINI CHUNKS. THEY SAID NO THEY DIDN’T HAVE TOO. OH THEY SAID THEIR OK TO GIVE TO MY NIECE’S DOG. EVEN WHEN I TOLD THEM MY DOG DIED AFTER EATING THEIR DRY MINI CHUNKS DOG FOOD AND SAVORY GRAVY ON TOP? YOU KNOW, I WOULD TELL THE CUSTOMER AND VOLUNTARILY TEST ANY OF THEIR FOOD THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD MAKE THEIR DOG SICK? WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND I JUST WANTED IT TESTED BY A LABORATORY, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO TEST IT AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANYTHING ANYMORE. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TOO. WELL I KNOW WHAT KILLED MY DOG AND THEY KEEP ON TELLING ME ITS SAFE, BUT I WILL TRUST WHAT I SEE AND THE INSTINCT OF AN ANIMAL FROM NOW ON. WHEN THE PETS DON’T WANT TO EAT THEIR FOOD DON’T FORCE THEM. THROW IT AWAY AND NEVER BUY IT. I HOPE THEY DO BETTER TESTING ON OUR FOOD BECAUSE I AM REALLY SCARED ABOUT THIS AND IT IS MYSTERIOUS.
     THEY TOLD ME NONE OF MY DOG FOOD WAS ON THE RECALL LIST SO IT WAS OK? (BUT MY DOG DIED?) DOESN’T THIS TELL THEM THEY SHOULD TEST MY FOOD RIGHT OF WAY BEFORE OTHER ANIMALS OUTTHERE ARE GOING TO DIE. THIS IS SERIOUS THEIR GOING TO GET SICK AND EVENTUALLY DIE. HOW COULD THEY DO THIS? A REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD HAVE CALLED ME IMMEDIATLEY BACK AND SAID TO ME THEY WOULD TEST IT SO THEY COULD TELL IF THEY NEEDED TO TAKE THE DRY OFF THE SHELVES. OH THEY DON’T BELIEVE US EVEN IF OUR PETS DIE. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? I HOPE OTHER WILL COME FORTH WITH THE DRY DOG FOOD? ITS NICE NOT TO SEE ME AS BEING THE ONLY ONE WITH THE DRY DOG FOOD PROBLEM? OH I FORGOT THIS 40LB BAG OF DOG FOOD WAS ON DISCOUNTED PRICE. WHY?

     Comment by Georgeann Heckman — March 30, 2007 @ 9:01 pm

121. It just makes me wonder how many other pets have eaten the dry dog food and have died without us knowing why they died. My husband spoke to another vet and he said he had a case of a pet death and told him the same thing our vet told us. The symptoms and diagnosis was the same. Our pet had kidney and liver failure. The vet ran all the usual tests but only guessed it was caused by an auto-immune problem and might have an unknown infection and put her on predisone and antibotics. Her blood levels were not normal either. A vet wouldn’t run a routine test for poison’s and if so would have to be specific in doing so. So the easy answer is an immume problem.
     My dog was 6yrs old and in good health.
     All this has come to light because of the recalled wet food but I really believe this has been going on a lot longer. I fed her IAM’s for a long time but it was just this new batch that she didn’t want to eat. I always bought the small 8pound bag because I wanted it fresh than buying such a large bag since she was a Chi/terrier mix. Boy was I wrong.
     All this has left me so heartbroken that I will never get another dog. I don’t trust the pet food industry or vet’s.

     Comment by Ruth — March 30, 2007 @ 9:34 pm

122. OH MY GOD! I did not pay attention to what’s going on because my dogs ate only dry dog food. I just put my cocker spaniel down today and he had every symptom and he only ate IAMS MINICHUNKS. If this is what did it I will see them burn in hell, that is my promise.

     Comment by alex — March 30, 2007 @ 9:37 pm

123. A few points:
     Major pet food companies which use a contract manufacturer (such as Menu or Castor & Pollux or others) typically give the contractor their own “recipes” to be made, test the foods, have inspections of the facilities and the product making. So not all the products coming from Menu (or similar contractors) are exactly the same. Many of major pet food companies have some expensive ingredients added to support a pet’s overall health.

     You are not buying 4D meat from a company like this.

     Menu Foods does not have a connection to dry foods. If there are dry foods using wheat gluten from the contaminated supply, it is because the manufacturer purchased the gluten from the US supplier who purchased it from China, or directly from the China supplier. Hills Feline m/d is the only one announced so far.

     This situation is extreme and tragic, but does it really mean swearing off commercial pet foods (decent brands, not those Dollar Store bone-meal containing things)? We risk damaging our furchildren more by creating unbalanced or under/oversupplemented food. (Does anyone remember E coli contaminating the spinach supply - 29 cases of kidney failure? Did we all stop eating spinach forever?)

     I do consider myself one of the lucky ones, my pets did not have any adverse effects though fed at least one brand and one lot code within the affected products. My sincere and heartfelt sympathies to those who were not as fortunate.

     Comment by Ann — March 30, 2007 @ 9:38 pm

124. One question. Many of these recalled foods were so-called “Premium” foods such as Nutro, Science Diet, etc. There were also “less than Premium foods” such as Wal Mart’s Ol’ Roy included in the recall. As I understand it, all of these foods were manufactured by a company called “Menu Foods.” Now, can someone tell my why I’m paying a Premium price for a pet food that is manufactured alongside so-called inferior products? ATTENTION MANUFACTURERS OF ANYTHING: CONSIDER YOUR REPUTATION BEFORE YOU OUTSOURCE YOUR PRODUCT AND THEREBY SURRENDER OVERSIGHT OF ITS PRODUCTION AND QUALITY.

     Comment by J Puckett — March 30, 2007 @ 9:42 pm

125. Ruth, I know, there has been a lot of kidney disease for a number of years now. I had two kitties in 2003 and 2004. They attribute it to old age but why so many? There has always been the suspicion in the back of my mind it was these corrupt and immoral companies and what they put in the food.

     It’s terribly unfortunate there is no strict oversight of these gang of renegades doing whatever they want. You just can’t let anyone do anything they want because it always boils down to corruption as we see today. A great fault lies with the government past and present where corruption is rampant too.

     Gary

     Comment by Gary — March 30, 2007 @ 9:43 pm

126. This is really sickening, but maybe now that it’s being reported that dry food is also tainted, my parents will listen to me and take Rosie off Iams. I hope people take this as a lesson about the mainstream media in general. It’s not the first time there has been negligence on their part. The truth is that the media is largely controlled by PR firms, which are employed by major corporations for a variety of services. One of the services they provide is burying evidence of corporate wrong-doings. For example, in 1962, Rachel Carson released “Silent Spring,” a book about the effects of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals on the environment and on human life. The PR firm that represented the chemical industry consequently had book reviews printed in thousands of papers, trashing Carson’s work. Similarly, when David Steinem published, “Diet for a Poisoned Planet,” the PR firms sent pro-pesticides spokespersons to towns before or during his scheduled appearances. They made sure few people read the book by threatening television stations on which he was supposed to make an appearance. You know when you’re watching the news, and they start talking about some miraculous new drug for cancer, depression, AIDS… whatever??? Those are not actual news reports, but commercials geared towards selling you this awesome new product of the pharmaceutical industry, cleverly disguised as news. If you want to find out more about the PR industry and its role in the death of your pet, the degradation of your health, and the destruction of our environment, you can check out the book, “Toxic Sludge is Good for You: Lies, Damn Lies, and the Public Relations Industry,” by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton. “Silent Spring,” and “Diet for a Poisoned Planet,” also come very highly recommended, if you’re in for a good scare. Stephen King couldn’t write anything scarier, because every terror in those pages is true. Before I finish, I also want to remind you that NAFTA (The North American Free Trade Agreement) was passed while the country’s back was turned, during the OJ Simpson trial. Most of you probably haven’t read this horrid piece of legislation, but Chapter 11 of NAFTA states that a corporation has the right to sue a government for loss of profit; a right that was exercised by Canadian corporation Methanex (manufacturer of MTBE fuel additive) when the state of California banned the use of the additive after it was found to cause cancer in lab rats, and found in the water in the Lake Tahoe and San Francisco Bay areas. Although the case was eventually dismissed, and Methanex was ordered to pay all US court fees, the fact remains that Chapter 11 of NAFTA still exists, and states plainly that corporate interests are held in higher regard than public safety.
     http://www.state.gov/s/l/c5818.htm
     I know you probably think this has little to do with your pets and their welfare, but the sad truth is that this country is run by dirty, crooked corporations. The greed and tyranny of those at the top knows no limit. Wal-Mart actually owns human slaves in China, forced to work in abhorrent conditions, and subject to countless rights violations. Wal-Mart doesn’t care if the pet food they sold you is poison… Activists basically had to force them to give their own US employees health insurance! All they want is for you to continue to blindly support their tyrannical greed.

     I’m sorry to be so preachy, but what we’re facing right now has deep roots in the history of capitalism. The only way to solve this problem is to make a personal change in what products we buy. I know it seems like a lot of work, to research every company before purchasing any products, but it’s not as hard as it sounds. The internet provides us with vast resources on any topic you can name… Information on a company’s ethics are just a point and click away. It would really make a huge difference if everyone decided we’re only going to support corporations with ethical policies. I strongly urge anyone who might be interested to check out The Better World Handbook. http://www.betterworldhandbook.com/2nd/

     Becoming a conscientious consumer could be the only means of saving a world in chaos. It could give this tragedy meaning, and turn a crisis into a revolution. It’s time we stopped living on what’s convenient and started thinking about the consequences of corporate greed worldwide.

     Really, it’s the worst threat this world has ever known.

     Comment by Ginger — March 30, 2007 @ 9:46 pm

127. I feel so sorry for everyone who lost part of thier family. This is a tragic situation. I have one dog that I feed Iams dry dog food and one cat that i feed friskies canned food. I believed these foods were still O.K. but now I don’t know what to do. Also any word on milk bone dog biscuts are they O.K.?

     Comment by donna — March 30, 2007 @ 9:47 pm

128. I think everyone needs to contact their petfood’s customer service to see if they use wheat from China (or other grains?).
     Apparently, the melamine is used as fertilizer over there! So, it may be in ALL of the grains from China.

     Why can’t they use American wheat??

     Comment by Val — March 30, 2007 @ 9:48 pm

129. to Rose whose cat(s) had elevated kidney values and had only been on dry food … retest in 6 months. And continue to test at regular intervals - typically once every 6 months if values are not completely normal then once a year.

     There are so many dogs and cats with undiagnosed health issues, which are often found on a routine health screen. That’s one reason your vet wants to do bloodwork before they anesthetize your pet, no matter what your pet’s age is - young or old.

     Best wishes with your cats’ continued health.

     Comment by Ann — March 30, 2007 @ 10:04 pm

130. My previously healthy 6 year old cat was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure. 1 week after this diagnosis the news broke about the Pet Food Recall for wet food. My cat has been fed Nutro Max Gourmet Classice Adult Roasted Chicken DRY food exclusively! I contacted Nutro Max to make them aware that my cat has suffered Kidney Failure & was eating their DRY food and asked them to look into this matter. They responded & asked me to send my pet’s blood results with samples of the food. Unfortunately, I threw out the food because my cat had to go on a prescription kidney food diet. I am going to contact the FDA tomorrow as advised by this site - also I have a follow up visit scheduled with my vet & I’ll ask her to contact the state veterinarian. This is soo scary - I hope my cat’s prescription food is not contaminated.

     Comment by April — March 30, 2007 @ 10:13 pm

131. One short question…. Hill’s is recalling the one brand of dry cat food they suspect may be contaminated by the same wheat gluten, and other companies are saying they don not use the same supplier of wheat gluten as Menu Foods did.

     How do they know who the supplier is since the FDA is refusing to release that information?

     Why is there no information on this supplier and the other manufacturing company that supposedly makes both wet and dry food? Do we have to wait for more deaths, or will this just be swept under the carpet.

     Comment by Mal — March 30, 2007 @ 10:17 pm

132. I can only imagine that each company is being contacted on the QT.

     They should have told us immediately that dry was suspect and name the companies so we could have immediately stopped buying the poison toxic junk.

     Who makes policy for the FDA - maybe FEMA’s big wigs got jobs there…..

     Comment by Linda — March 30, 2007 @ 10:20 pm

133. My dear Sadie (mini poodle) refused to eat the Ol Roy cuts with gravy that she had been eating for the past 3 years. She was sickly and would only drink water. She lost 2 of her 10 pounds in less than a week. I took her to the Emergency Animal Clinic and she had progressive kidney failure. She was just fine until that last week. She was almost 18 years old and in good health, but the vet didn’t think she would tolerate the harsh treatment of pushing liquids and antibiotics through her system for 3 or 4 days and even after the treatment, they could not assure me she would survive. It took everything in my power to have her put down. She was the love of my life and will forever blame myself for not preparing proper food for her at home instead of buying commercial dog food. My heart is heavy and my thoughts go out to all who have lost their pet to this terrible criminal event that has come to be in our society. If I knew what I know now, I would have started her on a home prepared diet right from the moment she stole my heart. If I ever have another dog, it will not eat commercial dog food. Menu Foods…go to h_ _ _!!!!!!

     Comment by Dee Phoenix, AZ — March 31, 2007 @ 9:29 pm

134. Menu Foods says its pet food is now safe
     Lionel Perron, Reuters
     Published: Sunday, April 01, 2007
     TORONTO — Menu Foods Income Fund, maker of the tainted pet foods at the center of this month’s massive recall, said on Friday it is no longer using a Chinese supplier of wheat gluten after U.S. officials found the chemical melamine in some of the recalled products.

     Menu Foods stopped using the supplier on March 6, 10 days before the recall was announced, Paul Henderson, Menu Foods’ president and chief executive, told a news conference in Toronto.

     He said all pet food manufactured by his company after that date is safe.

     Comment by Sharon — April 1, 2007 @ 8:24 pm

135. The above was just released by Menu Foods…..

     Comment by Sharon — April 1, 2007 @ 8:25 pm

136. I will never purchase any food on that list that Menu Food produces and I will check any food I purchase to make sure it isn’t from Menu Foods.

     Comment by Linda Sams — April 1, 2007 @ 9:08 pm

137. This is on PETA:

     After Pennsylvania resident Yvette Faulkner contacted PETA about the death of her cat, Sassafras, who she reports suffered kidney failure and had to be euthanized although “he was fed only dry Iams food that I had just recently purchased,” PETA has called on the FDA to issue an emergency expansion of the pet-food recall to include all dry food subject to complaints until it is chemically tested for safety. In addition, PETA is asking the FDA to investigate whether Iams may have known about the contaminated food as early as February 20, even though the recall wasn’t issued until March 16!

     http://www.peta.org/feat-iams.asp

     I have been reading different blogs & there are more & more reports of cats sick from eating Meow Mix.

     Comment by Kat — April 1, 2007 @ 10:13 pm

138. I STILL WANT TO KNOW WHY COSTLY “PREMIUM” FOODS (SCIENCE DIET, NUTRO, EUKANUBA, AND MANY OTHERS) ARE PROCESSED IN THE SAME FACILITY, USING MANY OF THE SAME INGREDIENTS, AS THOSE SO-CALLED “INFERIOR” PRODUCTS (WALMART, PRICE CHOPPER, WINN DIXIE, AND MANY OTHERS)! COME ON PEOPLE, WRITE THESE MANUFACTURERS OF PREMIUM FOODS AND ASK THEM WHY THEIR “SUPERIOR” PRODUCT IS MADE WITH THE SAME CONTAMINATED WHEAT GLUTEN AND OTHER INGREDIENTS AS THE CHEAPER BRANDS! THEY AREN’T ANSWERING THAT ONE!!! OUTSOURCING HAS PLACED THESE PREMIUM DOG FOOD COMPANIES IN A POSITION WHERE THEY HAVE LOST OVERSIGHT OF THEIR QUALITY CONTROL! NOT ONLY ARE PEOPLE’S PETS BEING KILLED AND SICKENED, THEY ARE BEING LIED TO ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE PET FOODS THEY PURCHASE! WRITE AND CALL THESE COMPANIES AND DEMAND ANSWERS!

     Comment by J Puckett — April 1, 2007 @ 10:58 pm

139. DEE, soory to hear about your Sadie.. Like my Miss Cuddles, I had no one else.. My place feeeels so Empety and lost.. This is the only thing I can relate to.. god blees you and all the pets and Owners.. I hopwe All the Truth Comes OUT!!! Take CARE…

     Comment by kelly B — April 1, 2007 @ 11:10 pm

140. If you think the dry food caused your pet to die. Call that company and make your complaint heard.

     Comment by Ruth — April 4, 2007 @ 3:06 am

141. Kelly B…
     Thanks for your kind words. My thoughts are with you in your loss of Miss Cuddles. By the time the truth is determined, many of us will have already experienced the devistation of loosing a dear friend in our pets. I am thankful each day that I had such a wonderful companion for as long as I did. She will live in my heart forever as I’m sure Miss Cuddles will live in yours.
     Ruth…I’ve reported my loss to the FDA AND Menu Foods. Do you have a pet?

     Comment by Dee — April 4, 2007 @ 5:01 pm

142. Dee, I did have a pet Chi/terrier mix 6yrs old and healthy until March 11,07 it died. I believe the dry food she ate made her sick and died.All this happened before the recalls came out. I reported it to IAMs and the FDA.
     But that leaves little comfort. It happened so fast and sudden.
     I just hope that if there is a problem they will come out and say it now and not wait 4 months like they have done with the wet food.
     Yeah, they are sorry but way to late for an apology.
     I feel it was the last bag of food that my have caused it. She was never one to turn down food. I just thought she was being spoiled and picky. But she knew better. I am devastated about it.

     Comment by Ruth — April 4, 2007 @ 5:41 pm

143. Ruth…am so sorry about your lost. I guess we have learned much since this all came about. If I ever have another dog, I’ll be more in tune to what they do, as my Sadie was not eating either. I should have known, they are usually smarter than we are because they can’t speak in words, but their actions are sometimes much stronger than words. Yes, no apology can ever bring them back and the manufacturers should be dealt with accordingly. I would have spent every penny I had to save my pet, but I could not put her through the pain and isolation it would cause her, and I made her a promise years ago, I would never let her suffer. Reimbursement can only replace our vet bills, not our beloved pets. Where will this all end and more important, when. I hate to think of many people that may not have heard about the food that might still loose their best friend to this criminal act. Again…so sorry for your loss.

     Comment by Dee — April 4, 2007 @ 7:16 pm

144. Another recalled came out today on the news. Sunshine dog treats made for Ol’Roy brand dog bone treats.

     So who else is next?

     Comment by Ruth — April 5, 2007 @ 5:50 pm

145. I believe that two of my dogs were affected by this containmination. Around Mid march both of our dogs died within in a one week period. They both showed symptoms that have been released. I was wondering if their was anything I could do???
     Please Help!

     Comment by Mike — April 10, 2007 @ 1:16 pm

146. Mike…So sorry to hear of your loss of both pets. My loss was just one but one caused by criminal neglect as far as I’m concerned.
     There is a number at Menu Foods, 1-866-895-2708, you can now call to report your loss and they will refer your call to one of their representative groups that are contacting the pet owners about filing a claim. I contacted the above number on Saturday, April 6th at 5:30 p.m. Arizona time and the representative group called me back today April 10th at 2:30 p.m. They are very helpful and will explain what you should do. Call this number and have all the details, dates purchased the food, where purchased, symptoms your dogs displayed, date first noticed, vet name, etc. The representative group will either mail you a claim form and give you a claim reference number. Hope this will be of some compensation to you though nothing can bring them back.

     Comment by Dee — April 10, 2007 @ 4:20 pm

147. Nestle-Purina just updated their website with information on some of the questions here:

     Updated FAQs – April 19, 2007

     Q. Do you use rice protein concentrate in any of your products?

     A. * No. Nestlé Purina PetCare Company does not use rice protein concentrate in any of its U.S. or Canadian pet food products.

     Q. Do you source any other ingredients from the Chinese supplier of the rice protein concentrate in question?

     A. * No.

     Q. Where do you source rice used in Purina brand pet foods?

     A. * All rice used in Purina brand pet foods is sourced from North America.

     Sharing the above, hoping it’s TRUE and not just double-speak… ;-(

     Shea

     Comment by Shea — April 20, 2007 @ 9:48 am

148. So if the rice is sourced in North America why does Purina have a company in China?

     I cant beleive that they would import rice from America to their China plant.What is made there?

     Did they say anything about the plant in China?

     Comment by Ruth — April 20, 2007 @ 4:45 pm

149. I use to have 5 cats and 2 dogs, now I have 3 cats and one dog..all within the last 3 months they died. I fed them Innova Pet food for a year and a half. BUT WAIT..I fed them Walmart brands (Menu foods) Up until then. Could this just be the effects of them being sick previously? I called Innova and they said they just RECENTLY switched their suppliers (When I asked about where they get their vitamin supplies.) I spoke good about their company and do trust them in providing me the right kind of information! I told her that I truly want the best for my pets and switched to Innova because I know they want the best for our pets too. I totally blame China! That is where the vitamins WERE coming from. I believe that this is a terrorist attack on our foods..Pet food and people food! So stop and think about who to blame. I really don’t think it’s anyone in our country that has done this. I miss my 2 kitties and dog and now another one is suffering from blockage too. My heart is gone. Being a single mother with nobody else there to help, me and the kids always had the love and compassion of our pets.That is our only family. My heart goes out to all the others that are dealing with this too. No words can describe the pain of these evil people murdering our pets right in frount of our eyes. We PAID China so much money in all their products, why would they do this to me and my family? We aren’t cold people that even want any violence or war etc..We live a quiet life and thought their country was nice until now. I’m trying to stop buying anything from out of this country, and that’s a hard thing to do. I can’t beleive I lost 3 of my best friends and possibly more soon. God have mercy on us all.

     Comment by Wendysue — September 6, 2007 @ 5:08 pm

150. HEADS UP, GANG! Here we go again!!

     I just got a case (24 cans) of Wysong Au Jus Duck for my aging and alergy prone Newfie. All the cans seem to be contaminated with some black, mouldy looking substance…on the top and around the top seam…and the contents of the can are dark and mushy.
     This may be a “bad batch” (all say: BEST BY OCT 24 09 17DKS1 10:31) since I have been feeding Wysong Au Jus Duck for some time and my companion has been doing well. However, previous shipments did NOT look like this and I’m afraid to feed it.
     Wysong representative sent me the “corporate line” about how “occasionally, due to high pressure canning techniques, a liner will crack and the can metal will react with the meat juices…..blah, blah, blah,…not harmful.”
     Maybe not, but it sure LOOKS deadly.
     Anybody else out there having any such problems?

     Comment by Peg Fowler — September 12, 2007 @ 11:53 am

151. my 11 yr. old rat terrier has diabetis and he will not eat the w/d or i/d . i fixed him a home made food with white skinless chicken breast ,long grain brown rice, mixed veggies, old fashion oats (uncooked) and blended it all together and he likes that. what about pedegree dry for diabetic dog . he is also started on the pro-pet vitamin . thank you ! trying to get him regulated has been a nightmare. his glucose level was 380 2 wks. ago . hopefully on the 7th of sept when he gets rechecked it will be in a better range. thank you . connie

     Comment by connie probasco — September 5, 2009 @ 6:22 am

152. Connie- I would not use Pedigree or any product made by Mars/Masterfoods. There are over 1000 complaints about Nutro[another Mars food] at http://www.consumeraffairs.com,as well as a recent recall & many salmonella problems.

     Comment by Leslie K — September 5, 2009 @ 7:09 am

153. Sorry typo above,should be http://www.consumersaffairs.com.

     Comment by Leslie K — September 5, 2009 @ 7:10 am

154. hopefully 3rd try is the 1 that works[need my glasses on] http://www.consumeraffairs.com

     Comment by Leslie K — September 5, 2009 @ 7:11 am

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