Pet-food recall: Anderson Cooper 360 on the story

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Pet-food recall: Anderson Cooper 360 on the story

By Gina Spadafori

April 3, 2007

If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
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If you want to read all our recall-related blog posts, click here.

(Editing to correct tense — the show aired earlier tonight)

Anderson Cooper 360 took a look at the pet-food story tonight. We were part of the show — Christie Keith, the San Francisco Chronicle’s online pet-care columnist and one of our Pet Connection Contributing Editors – was one of the guests. As Itchmo has pointed out, the transcript will end up here.

For my part, I earlier today offered my views on where we go from here to the Washington Post, based on many of the suggestions offered here and on Itchmo and Howl911.com, among others.

We’ve gone on the record earlier at Pet Connection with what we think will help.

Go to the latest blog post | Go to the PetConnection home page

Technorati Tags: pet food recall, dogs, cats,veterinarian, veterinary

Filed under: 2007 food recall,animals: pets,medical,news — Gina Spadafori @ 5:36 pm

Comments (159)

159 Comments »

Thank you for posting this. Let’s keep this one bumped up. Thanks, Christie from http://www.petconnection.com and thanks to Anderson Cooper. Tell everyone to watch! And be sure to go to CNN.com to send a quick thank-you email to Anderson Cooper for doing a segment on the recall. I just did, and I’ll probably send another one tomorrow. The more comments he gets about this, the more likely he will be to do a one-hour show on the topic.

To http://www.petconnection.com: Thank you for this amazing site. I look to you instead of the mainstream media for updates since there has been so much under reporting.

BUMP BUMP

Comment by petlover — April 3, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
I am so thrilled that this worked! Everyone gets a big kudos for e:mailing Anderson Cooper. Finally Pet Connection can be heard & maybe the true “numbers” can come out. Good luck Christie, we are pulling for you! P.S. Maybe 60 Minutes should be the next news place to e:mail?

Comment by Sandi K — April 3, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
Good on you Anderson !

One thing this sickening scandal reveals is how the food industry (of all sectors) is secretive and how government is complacent in this secrecy. It took the investigative sharp eyed work of Pet Connection reader Joy to unearth the name of the Chinese wheat gluten manufacturer and this even after Del Monte confirmed the stuff was marketed as human grade. Still yet, the name of the U.S. importer/distributor was kept from the public and even now we find out it was sold to other distributors that remain nameless and faceless. Which food manufactures this toxic waste was delivered to also remains a well kept secret. They put stickers on cars now that indicates the country of origin of its components, yet we are clueless as to where ingredients in the food we eat comes from.

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
This is going to be the most watched tv show in the Itchmo household tonight. Go Christie! Go Wildcats! :)

Comment by itchmo — April 3, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
WATCH TONIGHT at 10 pm EST on CNN.

We loved you before, and we love you even more now, Anderson Cooper!!

We love you Christie from petconnection.com! Thanks.

Starts 10 p.m. EST on CNN. Everyone watch!

Comment by petlover — April 3, 2007 @ 5:57 pm
Awesome you guys!

Comment by Kim — April 3, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
MODERATOR: Is one of the moderators able to add the words “tonight 10 pm EST on CNN” to the title of the blog thread and also put a blurb on the site’s homepage? It’s still only just after 5 pm on the west coast, and a lot of readers could still be alerted. Thanks.

Comment by petlover — April 3, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
tivo is set. Mr. Cooper, I beg of you to set the record straight and let the pubic know that 16 deceased is a lie & cover-up. What are they covering up?

Comment by Doug — April 3, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
Much Gratitude to Mr Cooper and CNN. Countless Americans and families across the United States of America are suffering great grief, loss, and disruption of their lives since March 16 when this all began. We have set all our differences aside here on this site for a common cause. To help those who have lost their pets to this tragedy, and those will still may, and those who have to provide long term care to disabled pets. There is much work to be done, and it’s not over. Not by a long shot. Job number one is helping people to become aware of the facts, what they need to do, and what they need to look for. This is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. Thanks to everyone at Pet Connection for this effort. And for allowing us citizen reporters to participate in these blogs. It is greatly appreciated.

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
Time added. 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT TONIGHT on CNN. Thanks for the suggestion.

And by the way … we figured out — and fixed, we hope — that problem with the Foxfire browser. It was a long, long URL someone posts that blew out the right-hand column.

So … do us a favor: use TinyUrl.com. :)

Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 3, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
all of our e mails to cnn are working. i hope every CEO WATCHES THIS. i know with everyone watching there will more anger then there is now.i just sent 360 a thank you for doing this show tonite. court tv even did a story on this at 5 pm

Comment by Mary Ann — April 3, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
And by the way … we figured out — and fixed, we hope — that problem with the Foxfire browser.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 3, 2007 @ 6:21 pm

Big thumbs up Gina. You fixed it.

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
Anyone know about how long this segment will be? (And/or when in the show?) I don’t have cable right now, so don’t know how Anderson’s show is structured these days. I’ll be going somewhere else to watch it, and any info will help… thanks!

Comment by Kim — April 3, 2007 @ 6:50 pm
kim,I’M SURE u can see a video of it on cnn.com

Comment by Mary Ann — April 3, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
Okay…So far today I’ve been threatened with a lawsuit by Blue Buffalo (for reporting the truth about their ingredients) and have had to make a vet appointment for my cat, Nikko, for a kidney function test because he is beginning to show some disturbing signs (he ate many of the recalled products), AND now I see all these back-slaps to petconnection.com when it was in fact my site, howl911.com, that posted the call for pet parents to write Anderson Cooper’s “Keep them honest. Not that I want to diminish petconnection’s contributions to this crisis but, hey, howl911, is the first and ONLY site to post Anderson Cooper’s info, thanks to a tip from Sandra…

Comment by Nikki — April 3, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
I do hope the producers ask the right questions on this. Things that I’ve been watching develop here.

Sometime we need to help the media ask the right questions. We bloggers can see patterns they don’t. We need to help ‘em out.

Questions: Why is the FDA constantly holding back or not publicly revealing information in a timely fashion? What is their goal? Who do they work for? The taxpaying pet owners or the companies that sell contaminated feed? What explains their action? Are they really concerned about our food safety?

A few observations about FDA actions:

The FDA didn’t publicly say who sold the tainted wheat from China. Joy, a blogger on Pet Connection found it while digging through the FDA database.

Then after it was revealed the supplier said that they sold it to others. (I dug up their name and name change along with contact info below. Has anyone contacted them this other company? )

The FDA wouldn’t reveal the name of the US Distributor of this tainted wheat, ChemNutra. (Did the AP reporter find it himself or was it handed to him by the Dept. of Homeland Security people along with the instructions to emphasize “it’s not in the human food supply!” They got their AP screaming headline, so that worked.

Then Stephen S. Miller, the CEO of ChemNutra who was the US Distributor, would NOT reveal the names of the people he sold it to.

Why? Was he told NOT to by the DHS? Possibly because Del Monte would be on the list. And even if it is the Del Monte PET Food division maybe they are afraid that people will see it and think ,”It’s in my ketchup!”. So does that justify them holding back this info?

And why does the AP just accept that? Shouldn’t for the health and safety of all the pets be a demand that Stephen S. Miller produce his list?

Of course we have no proof that Stephen S. Miller of ChemNutra only sold it to pet food companies and that the distributor he sold it didn’t sell it to anyone in the human food supply chain. We just have to take his word. It’s a secret. We can all wait a few more days. And then when we find out, be sure to ask the question. What was the hold up? Who held up this info? Why?

FYI Spocko Aside: Did you know that ConAgra cut a deal with the USDA so that they didn’t have to notify the public about the locations of where tainted beef was shipped? Yep, and during our first mad cow scare that meant that a Vietnamese restaurant in Truckee, CA served people mad cow steak. Why? Because the information about where the food was shipped was dubbed proprietary in the “rules” negotiated with the USDA and big Ag. Is something similar going on now?

I point this out with much trepidation. Remember the Beef Industry went after Oprah for criticizing hamburgers. I’m just a brain in a box so maybe they won’t notice me.:-)

This is what happens when you strive for a government small enough to drown in a bathtub, it takes your pet first. Then when we need good government for humans, well thank Grover Norquist and the Neocons. I’m sure Grover will verify your food supply in his spare time.

Why is this downplayed in the media? Maybe if Paris Hilton’s poor little dog died this would get more notice. I hope that doesn’t have to happen, there is too much death.

Hey what food does Barney, the president’s dog eat!? Sounds like a job for Les Kingsolver!
Is Socks still around?

Comment by spocko — April 3, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
Nikki - you’re absolutely right - I got the original information to contact Anderson Cooper from your site. THANK YOU!!!! I never would have done that, or encouraged others to do that , if you hadn’t posted it.

And, there’s nowhere to post comments on your site, so we end up talking amongst ourselves here about things we’re doing (especially contacting press), even if the initial impetus came from you at howl911.com, or Itchmo, or somewhere else.

And, I’m so sorry to hear Nikko is having worrisome symptoms - I’ll keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Comment by Kim — April 3, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
Talk about confusion in the pet food industry:

Nature’s Recipe states: “Over time, even common ingredients like beef, corn or wheat can lead to food intolerance. So choose Nature’s Recipe dog food. Our dog food provides balanced nutrition without beef, corn or wheat.”
Here are the first 3 ingredients listed in Nature’s Recipe Adult Maintenance Lamb and Rice formula on http://www.shopnatural.com:
Lamb meal, ground rice, ground whole wheat. . .

Comment by Kristi — April 3, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
kudos to the entire pet connection team for keeping this alive and kicking! A huge thank for from those of us who lost pets and those of us with healthy pets!

Comment by Robin — April 3, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
For those with an interest in science, Cornell’s advice to vets will be good reading:

http://diaglab.vet.cornell.edu.....etInfo.pdf

I’m trying to keep in mind that thousands of pets die from kidney disease, even without a diet of melamine. It will be tough for the average pet owner to determine if his pet’s death due to kidney failure was related to poisoning.

My cat died on March 16th after eating food from the affected batch. I’m still not certain that was the cause, but it makes for an unlikely coincidence…

Comment by Jeff Stieglitz — April 3, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
Comment by Nikki — April 3, 2007 @ 7:00 pm

Nikki, I’m truly sorry about your cat. I hope he’s okay.

But I’m also sorry we’re descending into turf wars at this point. Can’t we just be happy CNN is going to cover it at all?

Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
I keep up with this site and Howl911 religiously for all of the news about the recall. Right now, I think it is important for ALL of us to stick together to see that the right thing is done for our beautiful pets.

I am glad that Anderson Cooper is going to cover this fiasco. He has always seemed to be very fair and accurate in his reporting and I think he is a definite advocate to have on our side.

Comment by Adrienne — April 3, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Nikki … first and foremost, I’m so sorry about your cat.

Second, CNN came to us, probably because our names are out there, signed on every post.

I’m sorry if you feel slighted. You shouldn’t, at least not on our account. You know we’ve linked to your work and your site at every opportunity.

Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 3, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Georgeann Heckman — April 3, 2007 @ 5:02 pm

Whoa there Georgeann… Hold on… PLEASE don’t poison mice or another LIVING animal to suffer the same painful death that your own pet did just to prove to yourself that the food was bad. Your own pets died, isn’t that enough suffering? I can’t believe you would even consider killing another living animal after just witnessing your own pet’s painful death.

You say you can’t get any labs to test the food - I find that very hard if not impossible to believe. If you mean you can’t get anyone to do the testing for FREE, I would believe that. But commercial (not governmental) testing laboratories are in business just like everyone else, and they charge fees for different tests, and if you’re willing to pay for the testing, of course they will test the food for you. They may be swamped right now, but dry pet food isn’t like a tissue sample that would “go bad” by waiting another few weeks to get tested. So look for a certified testing lab, even if you have to look in another state, and find one that can competently do the testing, ask how much they charge for the various tests, ask how they want you to ship the sample (how to package it, how much to send, etc.), ask how long it takes to get the results back, etc., and then send the samples. But don’t send all of your food in case you have to re-test somewhere else.

I believe what you’re asking a lab to do, for free, is to run a huge battery of tests to look for some unknown contaminant. That would cost several thousand dollars and take several days of their chemists/technicians’ time. That’s not how most commercial labs work. In general, when you submit a sample to a lab, you need to tell them what you want to test the sample for:

Example 1: You want to know if there is Lead in your water at your house so you give them a water sample from your kitchen faucet and ask to test for Lead.
Example 2: You want to know if the underground storage tank for your heating oil has leaked, so you give them a soil sample and ask them to test for Petroleum Hydrocarbons.

In neither of these examples would the test results tell you if there was e-coli in the sample, or tell you if there were pesticides in the sample, or tell you if there was melamine or aminopterin, let alone find an “unknown” in the sample. Different contaminants require different kinds of analytical instruments, different sample prep methods, different analytical testing methods, etc.

So if you want to submit some of the food to a lab to test for melamine, you could do that. And/or you could ask them to test for aminopterin. Depending on the lab, those tests might cost as much as $500 or more, and that’s just to look for those two compounds. But keep in mind, it may not be either of those compounds that is ultimately found to be the deadly ingredient. This story is still unfolding.

So I would advise you and everyone else to remain as calm as you can. Hold onto your food samples. Let the story play out and see what the end-story is. When/if they identify the toxic ingredient(s) with certainty, THEN take your food samples to a qualified/certified testing laboratory and have it tested for those specific ingredients. And if you plan on joining any lawsuit with your test results, make sure the laboratory that you use is an accredited/certified laboratory with good quality control procedures so that your lab results will be accepted in court. You may even want to inquire if the lab’s managing chemist can be hired as an expert witness in any pending lawsuit, and inquire about that chemist’s qualifications/CV so that you have an unimpeachable witness, etc. All of these things should be inquired about and lined up before you send your food samples anywhere, so that you’re not wasting money on lab tests that may not be defensible in court.

Everyone please calm down. This wild panic and speculation isn’t productive or helpful. Obviously this is a huge fiasco and there appears there may be some potential serious negligence involved on the part of Menu Foods and potentially others. But crazy, and I do mean crazy, conspiracy theories (including global warming), very poor science, and making assumptions about things we know nothing about - do not help the situation.

Methodical and scientific investigation, reasonable deductions and logical conclusions… that is what is needed here. Please.

Comment by Sarah — April 3, 2007 @ 7:40 pm
Spocko, you’re absolutely right. How irresponsible of the AP to publish a headline like that even after it failed to get the names of other distributors ChemNutra sold it to. If you know anything about the AP, it’s that their stories are syndicated to hundreds if not thousands of other news venues. That damn headline is all over the place now and so can the toxic wheat gluten. This whole fiasco is right out of the Twilite Zone !

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Comment by Nikki

BIG back slap to you! Hey, you were the one “honored” with the “threat”. I among so many others are very grateful for your diligent work. It HAS made a difference. Last but not least, your site has also saved the lives of many, many pets.

And much good wishes for Nikko!

Stand strong… we have your back.

Comment by Laurie — April 3, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
Asking again, anyone have a clue how far into the show this will start? I’m just going upstairs to watch it, but need to working on email (catching up on hundreds!) as long as I can!

Comment by Kim — April 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Comment by Jeff Stieglitz — April 3, 2007 @ 7:22 pm

Jeff, I’m very sorry about your cat.

You’re right - *chronic* kidney disease is very common, and sad to say, a lot of pets would die of it every day, tainted food or not.

But it’s worth noting that acute renal failure, or ARF, which is what’s associated with the food recall, actually isn’t all that common - especially in young, otherwise healthy pets unless they’ve gotten into something toxic - like lilies, or antifreeze, or xylitol, just to name a few.

There are a LOT of things out there that can damage kidneys - a fact the pet food companies, vets, and the FDA have all been quick to point out.

But statistics aren’t backing them up. The most interesting data on this comes out of Banfield (ironic, ain’t it), which has the advantage of being a nationwide chain with a good database. As I read here when this whole thing unfolded, Banfield’s data shows a sizable jump in ARF cases (like 100 a week if I’m remembering right) in the first quarter of this year as compared to last year. Are that many more people buying lilies or breath mints? It seems unlikely.

Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
NIKKI,
This whole deal with BlueBuffalo is awful and it IS going to hurt them, count on it.
Your site and this one and a few others are all that has kept me going. I would not have known what killed my pets if not for people like you.

Just a hint, if that bozo from Blue does sue you, seems like the CEO of every company listed on that same page he objects to and the head of the FDA would almost HAVE to be subpoenaed, in open court, to get all the facts. They might miss a few golf games and be very inconvenienced and then there is the whole perjury thing.
Hope your Nikko makes it.
P.S. Why not take a camera with you to the vet, get it all on film?

Comment by E. Hamilton — April 3, 2007 @ 8:17 pm
http://www.animalhealth.msu.ed.....mpress.pdf

Comment by Barbara — April 3, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
without a doubt - the Blue Buffalo threat has placed the final nail in their coffin - i wouldn’t buy/use their product now if they gave it to me! how dare they!

Comment by chusakaandme — April 3, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
WOW. . .great reporting, and awesome information. I actually got tingles when Christie reported the numbers from this site.

Great work, Christie!

Comment by Jackie — April 3, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
Awe, boo. I stepped out of the room for a few minutes (time for Tyson’s PM sub-Q), and wound up missing most of the report.

Did they report anything new / of interest? (Besides the latest figures.. I caught those.)

Kudos to everyone who helped get the word out and get this story covered!

Comment by Gwen — April 3, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
Good coverage on CNN’s 360. Christe you did great you got in a lot important information. I hope a lot of people saw this.
The couple in the piece that lost their
Boston was feeding NUTRO Ultra Holistic. I know the label well I fed it also to my 4 dogs. What a joke Holistic and poisoned food all in one!

Comment by Barbara — April 3, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
Howl 911 has done an excellent job reporting hard, raw, breaking news since the Website was created on March 17, 2007 in response to this disaster.

I highly recommend it. No doubt they saved a lot of pets lives. I find the BB response over the top. They’ll never get my business.

http://howl911.com/

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
gwen,it will be repeated at 1am est,after larry king at midnite est

Comment by Mary Ann — April 3, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Watched the show. Christie did a great job. Thanks. Which it had been Anderson Cooper on there instead of that guy. But at least the “real” word got out.

For what it’s worth, if anyone feels compelled to contact Menu Foods, right now is the time to do it. I was on hold for less than 2 minutes. They now have my information which I’ve been trying to give them for 2 weeks (was on hold forever).

Thanks again Petconnection folks, Howl911 folks and everyone else for your assistance in every way with this ongoing nightmare.

Comment by Sharon — April 3, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Christie ROCKED!

Comment by Empress 60 — April 3, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Another outstanding partner and humanitarian. Itchmo

Missed Anderson Cooper’s Pet Food Toxin Coverage?
April 3rd, 2007

We didn’t. Here are our live notes:

Hundreds of people sent emails to AC360. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was interviewed.

Menu Foods says they delayed the recall because they were testing. ChemNutra was mentioned as being the company sold the food to the NJ and Kansas plants of Menu Foods.

Christie’s on. Asked the number of deaths. She talks about the lack of system for investigating. Christie mentions 9,000 affected animals. As of 7pm 1434 dead dogs, 1751 cats dead.

If Menu Foods or FDA acted sooner, would it have been less? YES! Better notification system would have saved lives.

Too short. Too short AC360. Great job Christie!

A transcript will be posted here.

http://www.itchmo.com/read/mis.....e_20070403

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
Thanks Sandro — Sadly the AP headline will convince a lot of people to move on to something else. And that is by design. Clearly their is someone with in DHS that doesn’t trust the American People with the truth. (We can’t handle it?)

The reason that we needed updated numbers is because without them people minimize the scope. Just telling people this is the LARGEST pet Food recall EVER, isn’t enough for some people. The reason we need better investigation is that people will go back to sleep if they don’t have pets and they think it’s just a few.

I just read a blog post from some jerk who thought it was cute to make fun of the coverage which he felt was over blown. In his defense he cited the FDA information. Without context, without understanding that they were the TEST animals.
(with something like a 35 percent mortality rate, I might add!) The jerk thought he was getting his facts right and gave the person he mocked grief for challenging him.
Jerk who got his facts wrong relying on FDA

And I guess Rosie O’Donnell also got into trouble because she thought that there were only 14 and she compared the people’s response to their dead pets to the recent 29 dead soldiers.

Now I don’t want to get into pets v. humans, and it doesn’t have to be that way. But the scope of the situation needs to be constantly pointed out as clearly as possible. Remember the FDA and the pet food companies want to push this down.

I’ll recommend that if you have blogs keep a post to the unofficial death toll. So that way when people look up this number they will see over 3,000 and not 14.

If our authorities don’t tell us the whole truth and the media don’t ask the right questions we need to help the media, who still have some reach and some sense of duty.

Along those lines I think people should put up questions that you feel still aren’t asked.

Mine is about timing. Lots of timing questions.
When did people know?
Who knew?
Who did they tell?
When did they tell them?
What were their actions?

I’d like to know how the AP reporter got the name of ChemNutra. Was it handed to him by the FDA? Department of Homeland Security?

Where is the list of companies that bought the wheat gluten? What reason did Miller give for not giving it? Have you seen it?

What about THE OTHER COMPANY!

Geng Xiujuan, Xuzhou Anying’s sales manager, said the company was aware of the FDA’s import alert and was looking into it. However, Geng said the company, based in the eastern province of Jiangsu, had not manufactured the wheat gluten but had instead bought it from companies in neighboring provinces.She said Xuzhou Anying sold it onward to another Jiangsu company, Suzhou Textile Import and Export Co.

Now this , Suzhou Textile Import and Export Co company has a new name

Suzhou Textile’s new name

Suzhou Hengrun Import & Export Corp., Ltd. Was founded on the basis of the recorganization of its predecessor-Suzhou Textile Import & Export Co. Which was set up in 1978 as a trade company of textile products and has become one of the 500 largest foreign trade enterprises in China since 1991. It has been awarded the Certificate of ISO9001(2000)for Quality Management Authentication by the China … [ Click for details ]
Contact Details

Suzhou Hengrun Import & Export Corp., Ltd.

Company Name: Suzhou Hengrun Import & Export Corp., Ltd.

Company Address: 201 Zhuhui Rd., Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

City/Province: Suzhou/Jiangsu

Country/Region: China

Zip/Postal Code: 215006

Telephone Number: 86-512-65595569,67173223

Fax Number: 86-512-65298929,65188511

Contact Person:Aisha Huang/Allen Wang

Comment by spocko — April 3, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Thank you, Christie and all who made the Anderson Cooper thing happen!! There must have been thousands of people trying to get here right after the piece because when I tried the blog was unavailable. The word is definitely getting out!

Comment by Therese — April 3, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
Great Job Christie!

Keep getting the numbers out, “we have had over 3,000 self reported DEATHS of cats and dogs across the country due to the recalled foods.”

Comment by Ron — April 3, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Excellent job Christie! David Goldstein also raises important issues on HorsesAss.org

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
watched the presentation on CNN tonight. Really wish they would have dedicated more time to such a serious event. I felt they just brushed the service. I think that more time should have been given to how long it took to report to the FDA, what is being done now with developing new procedures. Also addressing some healthy food options. There are many Organic foods on the market , that don’t have wheat gluten.
Thanks, PS. Christine did a great job.

Comment by elle — April 3, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
Great new article by David Goldstein now at the Huffington Post,
“Does FDA Spell FEMA?” http://tinyurl.com/2tja7h

Comment by Melissa — April 3, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
The Pet Food Industry. The Lobby Arm of The Pet Food Industry has this to say today about the “deaths of 16 pets”

The Pet Food Institute Releases Pet Food Facts

WASHINGTON, April 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Pet Food Institute,
the trade group representing companies that supply more than 90 percent of
the pet food on store shelves today, issued the following facts about the
current concerns over pet food following the deaths of 16 pets.

continued. . .
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-.....#038;EDATE=

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
Mr. Blue Buffalo, give me a break. Open and honest will improve your product if you listen. You the pet food industry have given us more choices than makes sense to me. We will talk about what is good, what is not and what could be better, all from our perspectives. I thought I read labels before, but now thanks to sites like this one, I am beginning to learn just exactly what I am reading and whether it will benefit my pet for the long haul. Marketing sold me once, but not anymore, just solid nutritional value that will not harm my pet. So all of you in the pet food industry, listen up: give me that product with tight quality control around it and I will spend money on you. Don’t and I won’t!

Comment by Shawn — April 3, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
Good evening fom Germany…where I have just witnessed the Cooper 360 special that you cite. My wife and I have 2 cats which have brought us immense joy over the years. I wonder to what extant the animal food chain here is tainted. Corporations, especially in the U.S.( I am American) enjoy rights that were not always assumed. These rights that result in decreasing transparency are the focus of some awesome work done by concerned folks at POCLAD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POCLAD

at the following links

http://www.poclad.org/

Regulatory agencies, when seen from their historical development perspective, actually seem to disperse public attention as opposed to allowing it to focus on corporations directly. Take a look at the sites and you will never see regulatory agencies as you once did. Today your pet..and tomorrow ???

Comment by T Pooler — April 3, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
Comment by Sarah — April 3, 2007 @ 7:40 pm

So, Sarah, who decides which conspiracy theories are crazy? The FDA? Which, by the way is refusing to reveal information that is a matter of public record …and let’s hope USA Today or CNN is slapping them with a big ol’ Freedom of Information Act request even as we speak.

And why did the FDA say they had no information on the source of the contamination Friday, *after* posting a document deep within their site that NAMED the source they “didn’t know”?

For the record, I’m a seasoned reporter (not on this story, though) who’s seen plenty of conspiracy theories come and go over many years. When they do go, it’s usually because officials open up their records for public scrutiny. That hasn’t happened here. Every sign points to a cover-up.

Why? Well, if you think we’re hysterical, imagine how bad it would get if it happened to be true that the tainted food got into the human food chain. Think baby food, or Campbell’s soup. If the FDA can prove that that hasn’t happened, they would release those documents to allay any possible public hysteria. Seen ‘em yet? No, you haven’t. In fact, you haven’t even heard the FDA say yet they’re sure it hasn’t hit human food production. The only word we have is fron the guy who distributed the stuff, but didn’t admit it till he was forced to. That’s a credible source, right?

I’m not disagreeing there are some theories here that are over the top. But nature abhors a vacuum - and that’s what you get when your own regulatory officials are hiding facts. The longer they refuse to do their job - ie protect consumers, not corporations - the worse the vacuum gets.

Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
Everyone,

The matter must be taken to each State and to Congress. They are the only ones who can effect the release of all the information we are asking for.

For instance, the states issue licenses which can be withdrawn for noncompliance with the law. Congress can effect the release of this information.

In my opinion, this is the next step.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
Great work all around Pet Connection getting the truth to the public and esp. on CNN tonight.

As promised several days ago I finally heard back from an analytical lab in San Francisco. I first contacted them about a test for aminopterin, which they cannot test for, but they can finally test for melamine.

Here’s the info for those of you who are interested:

We’ve just confirmed a method to test for melamine. We can finally offer this test - it is $350/sample and we’ll need 500g. The procedure is to complete the attached form and for first-time customers, a check must be sent too.

Please give me a call or email me if you have any additional questions.

—
Charleene Min
Anresco Laboratories
1370 Van Dyke Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94124-3313
phone: 415-822-1100, x17
fax: 415-822-6615
http://www.anresco.com

They require a Chain of Custody Record be completed. I’m going to forward their email to petconnection.com because I cannot see a way to post the Chain of Custody Record here.

I hope this is helpful to someone.

Comment by Lois Kimball — April 3, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
The U.S. distributor of the poisoned wheat gluten is indeed ChemNutra. They have a press realease on their website: http://www.chemnutra.com/index.htm
Although they’re just now coming out with their press release, they included more information that Menu, the FDA or anybody else for that matter.

Comment by Big Ron — April 3, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
Christie you did a fine job - kept your cool and sounded so professional. So many people will feel encouraged when they visit this wonderful site.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
Anderson Cooper airing again right now.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
The FDA webiste listed also how to do the test - it is rather technical - it was put on there today. I’m not very scientific but that’s what the doc looked like to me.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
I believe that my cat died because the pet food is billion dollar BUSINESS$$$$$$$ and all they care is the profit. We should boycott all the pet food companies so they will be more competition on the market and for now we should start giving our cats and dogs good quality human food as they do it in Europe, so we do not suffer from the loss of our beloved pets just becuase we are lazy…….these are our babies!! Ava.

Comment by ava — April 3, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
Comment by Sarah — April 3, 2007 @ 7:40 pm

There are no conspiracies at work, just stunning and startling coincidences.

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
Linda, Do you have that FDA link for the melamine test?

Comment by Lois Kimball — April 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
The FDA is testing the food supply for this poison because this unknown local Chinese company manufacturing it may still be selling it to Chinese suppliers who in turn are exporting not just to the U.S. but to other countries as well.

And they in turn can sell food goods to the U.S. and elsewhere and then the problematic wheat gluten gets past the Chinese/FDA scrutiny.

We need better labeling so at lease we know what is in the foods we buy and also what we eat in resturants. So we can at least make informed choices.

Gluten free sounds very good to me!

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Lois - I’ll get it now.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
I’m finding a developmental quantitation but not a confirmed testing methodology for sample submission. Thank you very much indeed, Linda, for your help.

Comment by Lois Kimball — April 3, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
When speaking with the FDA today, I shared that their obvious silence was creating great concern, and communication with the public would be helpful. Their hands are tied. They would like to but can’t.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
What the heck is this from ChemNutra’s press release? They’re saying that as a supplier of raw materials to food manufacturers they didn’t test their products! This is just horrible, the entire system is out of whack."ChemNutra wants to ensure its products are safe. Consequently, in addition to its ongoing cooperation with the FDA, ChemNutra will be conducting its own independent, analytical tests of wheat gluten from all of its suppliers."

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
Lois: Here’s one http://www.fda.gov/cvm/MelaminePresence.htm

and I’ll get the others too - one tells the method to use.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
Lois: Here’s the other:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/melamine04022007.htm

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 9:49 pm

Did they say why their hands are tied? Or by whom?

Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 9:54 pm
Lois, I hope that was helpful. Maybe not.I’m not science minded - never studied it not even biology.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
Ridiculous Press Release: Pet Food Institute Edition

Here’s more spin control from The Pet Food Institute. It’s clearly aimed at pulling the wool over the public’s eyes.

Line by line breakdown after the jump. It’s *snark* time. Again.

Them: …issued the following facts about the current concerns over pet food following the deaths of 16 pets.
Us: We would have settled for “deaths of more than 16 pets.” Two words that acknowledge the severity of our pain. We’re saving the better snark for later.

Them: The pet food industry and the [FDA] have worked closely together since the very first reports occurred about possible adulteration in pet foods.
Us: Not true. Menu Foods, by their own account provided bad information to pet parents for at least a week. Perhaps you are suffering from acute recall failure.

Them: …and work to ensure that it never happens again.
Us: We’ve scoured the Web and we’ve read nothing that would indicate any real change in the way the industry would do business (with some exceptions).

Them: …if only one pet dies, then it’s one death too many.
Us: Then stop testing on pets. Try the food yourself.

Them: Consumers can buy with confidence the pet food that is for sale on shelves today.
Us: Isn’t the FDA still investigating who else might have used the toxic wheat? Do you want more dead customers?

Them: …pet food industry and FDA regulators are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
Us: For real? You serious? Please do tell us what you are doing other than writing stuff like this.

Them: [The Pet Food Institute] is a clearinghouse for information about the current recall.
Us:Itchmo laughs in your face. If we wanted crappy propaganda, we’d move to Cuba.

http://www.itchmo.com/read/rid.....mment-2826

Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 9:56 pm
Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm

FDA told me that Menu Foods plants have been inspected. I’m sure that’s why they closed down for as long as they did. Apparently, they’ve passed inspection and the wheat they are using now is from a different source and has been tested by the FDA.

What concerns me is the question that remains: was the melamine causing the sickness and deaths? Melamine is not in their little FDA book, so they have to do tests to prove/disprove, and meanwhile keep looking for other contaminants in all of the many samples.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
Linda,

The second one is developmental. The first one is more like a guideline, but they are not accepting samples from the general public. Oh that it should be that easy. They are giving a “benchmark” guideline to analytical labs for how the test should be done.

Comment by Lois Kimball — April 3, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Sandro. You are right that press release is very interesting. In what it days and doesn’t say and which points it’s trying to make. We should compare their timeline to the Itchmo timeline.

It looks like they have known for weeks about this.

And the issue that STILL needs to be addressed is the comment from Geng Xiujuan, Xuzhou Anying’s sales manager,

the company was aware of the FDA’s import alert and was looking into it. However, Geng said the company, based in the eastern province of Jiangsu, had not manufactured the wheat gluten but had instead bought it from companies in neighboring provinces. She said Xuzhou Anying sold it onward to another Jiangsu company, Suzhou Textile Import and Export Co.

THIS is the company to look at. And based on my research it has changed it’s name. Pay attention. This company might be shipping the same wheat gluten to others.

Suzhou Hengrun Import & Export Corp., Ltd. Was founded on the basis of the recorganization of its predecessor-Suzhou Textile Import & Export Co.

Comment by spocko — April 3, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
Nadine:

What little book?

It is listed on the FDA site as a substance not permitted in human/pet food - as not being edible.

My vet didn’t think it was just a Melamine problem - I think many are wondering about this and equally concerned.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
Still - who is the producer selling this melamine to the supplier(s) in China who are then shipping to the U.S.?

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
Nikki of Howl911.
I wrote you but I also want to make sure you see this. Please send me the Buffalo Blue threat letter. When Disney/ABC sued me for a bogus copyright violation I got help from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. I’m happy to introduce you to them. I’m also curious what they used as a basis for their threat.

I wrote the advertisers of right-wing radio hosts from KSFO pointing out the violent rhetoric that they were sponsoring. Major advertisers pulled their ads. The people at ABC/Disney threatened to sue me. It’s very scary, but I can connect you with smart people with resources.

Comment by spocko — April 3, 2007 @ 10:09 pm
Must leave for the evening. Time to hug some puppies etc. Bye all. Keep up the good work.

Nadine, your message must have touched this woman’s heart from the FDA - so good to hear she was a pet owner too - the more people that love pets on this tragic affair, the better.

Comment by Linda — April 3, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
Those are my words…hands tied. When you are a government employee, you’d be fired in a heartbeat if you were to divulge any information. I think our Congress needs to press for all answers. We need that “system” in place.

The organization of this crisis and lack of information/communication from the Human Health & Services Department of our government does not bode well for a future human threat. It’s the same agency—-FDA—-that’s working on the pet food! Don’t wait to find out what would happen in a human crisis…lets get a working system in place. We may already need it; no one can tell us that at this time.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
Hot dang, I spewed all over my monitor :)

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 10:13 pm
Linda, I guess that melamine is not listed as a toxin, just inedible. It is unacceptable but probably not on their major crisis list, or whatever they call it.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
That was in reference to Steve’s last post by the way :)

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 10:14 pm
Linda—-Still - who is the producer selling this melamine to the supplier(s) in China who are then shipping to the U.S.?

The FDA is tracing it all, according to the conversation. They are being very thorough and since there’s so much to trace (and not to mention that all the paperwork is in Chinese), it takes time.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
Would someone please tell me what’s the problem with Blue Buffalo food? I’m currently using it and am very worried. I’ve had no problems but need to know what’s going on. I just went to howl911 and can’t find anything on Blue Buffalo. A link please.

Thank you.

Comment by Shanon — April 3, 2007 @ 10:19 pm
Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 10:13 pm

Whew. I thought it was my fault.

Comment by Nadine Long — April 3, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Regarding Blue Buffalo info on howl911; I went back and found it. Geez. What next?

Comment by Shanon — April 3, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
I’ve been gone from home for 2 days & getting behind. Has anyone seen this link from ChemNutra — today’s post:

http://www.chemnutra.com/pr.pdf

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
THEY KNEW ON MARCH 8th!!!!! Hopefully we’ll see the executions on TV!!!!! Hang ‘em high!!!

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Kat, it’s been posted twice on this page but thanks, the more the merrier :)

Comment by Sandro — April 3, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
OOOPS! Ok. I had started reading from the top & found the name & went right to the site. I then skimmed down the page looking for a link that someone might have posted. I couldn’t believe what I was reading!!

Well, anyway — OK. I want to know WHO’S HEAD IS GOING TO ROLL FIRST!!!??? The FDA Director?? Any of the various CEO’s of these money-gubbing companies?? Every single one of them — who contributed to the cover-up — for so long — need jail time!

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 10:55 pm
The link provided above is from the pathologist at Michigan State University (Dr. Agnew). The photos are from my 4 month old baby’s necropsy (Pekingese passed away on March 9)! I spoke to Dr. Agnew this evening. he said that he is asking for help from other labs as he cannot make the connection to either melamine or the rat poison. They have been investigating this for more than two weeks and cannot come up with anything! Our pets are not sick and dying from melamine! Please, please, please - If you are in Michigan, I really need to hear from you! We need to unite in this state too! I am getting no where on my own. The media has ignored me. The pet food manufacturers won’t return my calls. Even the FDA cancelled an appointment THEY scheduled to pick up two cans of the tainted food and they are in no hurry to reschedule. My baby cannot die in vain! I miss him so much. I don’t know what to do next?!?! n.sharpes@sbcglobal.net

Comment by Natalie Sharpes — April 3, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
oops! Here’s the link to Michigan State University Pathology: http://www.animalhealth.msu.ed.....mpress.pdf

Comment by Natalie Sharpes — April 3, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
For anyone who missed the A/C 360 program tonight, the transcript is posted at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA.....cd.01.html

Also it about to be repeated, starting now in fact.

Comment by Laurie — April 3, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
I wonder what the half-life is for each: aminopterin & melamine — in the body? That could be why they’re not finding anything.

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 11:13 pm
Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 9:56 pm

Thanks, I needed that.
LOVE it.

Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
Nadine, re your question regarding who is supplying melamine to the Chinese exporter of wheat gluten? Check out this link and let your imagination go wild:
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/ab.....0084j.html

Comment by Lynn — April 3, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
It looks like the half-life for aminopterin is between 7-12 hrs:

http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/full/272/3/1935

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
Natalie, So very sorry about your puppy. Most of us here posting have also had a loss. Keep networking and posting on different sites. Many people viewing posts here, so I think you will find them yet. Our babies WON’T die in vain. We are a real determined bunch around here!

Comment by Laurie — April 3, 2007 @ 11:33 pm
MedScape says nearly 4 hours.

http://www.medscape.com/medline/abstract/9552052

I wonder if the necropsy reports aren’t finding anything because of the short half-life…

I wonder if the liver would be a good source for dx? I’m sure they have already checked that. And, glands.

I’m so sorry for your loss, Natalie. I can tell you were a wonderful pet-mommy. :)

kat

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 11:41 pm
Hmmmm. Don’t know if this really has anything to do with the melamine findings —

formaldehyde — used in MAKING melamine — and used in SHIPS & STORAGE HOUSES!!

http://www.speclab.com/compound/c50000.htm

not sure if this is significant, but will stick it out here anyway.

Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 11:53 pm
Kat, aminopterin is similar to methotrexate. In MTX, the half-life in humans is 3-15 hours, however it is dose-dependent. MTX is stored in the liver and over time shows up in the form of graduated liver Transaminase levels, which may rise for a few days and then fall. [MTX in humans is generally taken once a week, so often by day 6 post MTX treatment, liver enzymes may be back to normal.] If scarring of the liver occurs, it generally would take some time [years, depending on dose].

I’m not a biochemist but if I were, I would be looking for antibiotics added to the food by the manufacturer. [Do they do this in dog and cat food???] Certain antibiotics and methotrexate make for greater toxicity.

I’m still not convinced aminopterin didn’t play a role in this.

Comment by Lynn — April 3, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
I’m trying to figure out why the toxins aren’t showing up on necropsy reports. There have been lots of news statements that nothing was showing up as the reason for the renal failure.

If the toxins have such a short half-life, both aminopterin & melamine are short, then the tests need to be done right away.

half-of a half - of a half - of a half - doesn’t amount to much nearly one month later, as Natalie posted above.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 12:18 am
I THINK the posting of antibiotics would be mandatory….as in chicken feed. It’s posted loud & clear on those bags. Years ago, I was looking for clean chicken food & I just couldn’t find it. But, that is a good point.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 12:23 am
Another thing are the paper bags the wheat gluten was shipped in…. what about the resins used in making THAT particular paper. Maybe Xuzhou Anying really had clean wheat gluten, stuck it into the bag & 3 months later — dead animals?

The time line: first product date code 20061006, ChemNutro shipping Nov 9, 2006, then reports from January of pets getting sick & dying.

Just another sleepy-headed ramble…

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 12:33 am
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you a thousand times over for all you have done, Pet Connection, and now CNN! I have felt for weeks now that our Tommy would be forgotten by all but us, but now the stories of all our precious pets who were murdered will be heard, at least somewhat, we may never get compensated for the loss of a beloved family member, even though he was a cat, he was still a member of our family and is greatly missed, but at least now he will be remembered with the thousands of other pets and pet parents who have suffered over this atrocity. At first we thought he just somehow became very ill over a week, but then we learned he was actually murdered by someone probably by negligence, but by someone who was involved in making his cat food, and I and the rest of my family was just devasted by this, but now that people are listening to us, I at least feel some small vindication.

Comment by Darlene — April 4, 2007 @ 12:36 am
Kat, your thoughts are hardly a sleepy-headed ramble… It’s these “rambling” sessions that make the light go on in someone else’s brain.

I’ve been “stuck” on aminopterin. I would really like to know the real manufacturing process; a flow chart of the production system that starts with the purchase of raw products, right down to putting the food on the grocery store’s shelf. Only by “walking through” the production process step by step will someone discover opportunities for contamination.

Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 1:00 am
I agree Lynn — it’s called “brain-storming”. Not all great minds think alike! We’d never get anywhere, and it’d be pretty boring…hahaha!

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 1:09 am
Darlene,
So sorry for Tommy. So many of us have lost dearly loved pets and found our way here. And yes, we are beginning to be heard in a big way…

And just look at the amount of research work that some of these folks are doing. The hidden FDA import restriction was actually found by one of them. Lots of connections have been and are being made in this scandal which are then picked up by the major media. I stand in awe of this entire community including Ichmo.com and howl911.com

Comment by Laurie — April 4, 2007 @ 1:13 am
I just found a couple of interesting links — I just can’t go to bed — but NEED to!

A list of “safe” pet foods — as deemed by the producers (I use that term VERY loosely):

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

They are mostly stating nothing is made by Menu — but WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 3 RECIPIENTS WHO RECEIVED THE CONTAMINATED WHEAT GLUTEN????

“They” should really STOP dilly-dallying around & just SAY THE NAMES! That way a company would know if it got a bad batch — and killing animals, as a result.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 1:14 am
Yes, I come here for my news, since I hear things here before they are even announced on the news channels, (who seem to be stuck on Anna Nicole Smith right now.)

Comment by Darlene — April 4, 2007 @ 1:19 am
Laurie thank you for your kind words.

Comment by Darlene — April 4, 2007 @ 1:23 am
POSTED: 7:24 am MDT April 3, 2007

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recalls of keychains and kids’ bracelets that have a high level of lead paint.

Additionally, about 396,000 metal key chains made in China and sold by Dollar General stores from December 2005 through January 2007 are being recalled.
http://www.thedenverchannel.co.....etail.html

WASHINGTON — About 7,200 stuffed Fun Balls are being recalled due the balls contain lead paint, which is toxic if ingested.

http://www.thedenverchannel.co.....etail.html

“sold from 12/05 to 01/07”, “high level of lead paint” and just printed in this newspaper 04-03-07. Lead poisoning can be fatal or permanent damage can remain. It is so much more than our pet/people food. It’s toys, medicines…..

Comment by DeeAnn — April 4, 2007 @ 1:25 am
Steve, I think you are right about all the new illnesses being caused by our food, and all. I was in my early to mid twenties when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, although it is a mild case, then in my thirties it was asthma, and Adult ADD and sun allergy, although I’m sure both the asthma snd ADD went undiagnosed until my adult years, as I know I had both in my childhood, but they didn’t know as much about things then. I know all three are interconnected somehow, but not sure how yet. I can’t afford medications, so I am trying to get symtoms under control with vitamins and supplements, but after this fiasco, I’m not even sure I trust my supplements and herbs anymore, if they are imported from China, at any rate. It really makes you wonder. I have worked with a lot of children with special needs and I’ve done some research into ADD and also autism. I can tell you some people think autism is related to childhood shots. I don’t know enough about it to say one or another, but I know it is possible. Also, asthma and ADD are on the rise. Asthma from all the pollution in our air and ADD, well, who knows why! By the way, some also think ADD and autism is related. Most things are preventable, but with all the pollution in our water, air and food, I am beginning to think that it is impossible to avoid.

Comment by Darlene — April 4, 2007 @ 1:40 am
There are some interesting updated tidbits on the FDA FAQ for the recall here:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/MenuFoodRecallFAQ.htm

Including stating that they are still tracking where all of the wheat gluten went in the pet food chain, whereas they also say it is not in the human food chain. I wonder how it’s possible to know with certainty that it isn’t in the human food chain if they haven’t yet found where all of it went. That seems a tad illogical to me.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 1:45 am
Oral aminopterin was being used in late 2005 in clinical trials [Stage II] for adults and children with refractory acute leukemia. Who made the pills, I wonder. How did they dispose of pills left over?

http://clincancerres.aacrjourn.....11/22/8089

Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 1:51 am
Comment by Laura — April 3, 2007 @ 9:23 pm

Take a deep breath Laura. You said yourself there are some theories here that are over the top. Those are the ones I’m talking about, not the reasonable ones. All you had to do was ask what I was referring to. I’m a scientist and I know how to do an investigation, and crazy and irrelevant theories only DILUTE the facts and the effort to get to the TRUTH.

Connecting the dots is one thing. Grabbing things out of people’s um, hats, is another thing. I mean come on, Global Warming caused this? (Someone posted that.) Let’s stay on this planet and follow the trail of evidence. It’s complicated enough without saying aliens did it.

This group, which has passion, dedication, and time to sleuth out things that the MSM is not telling us, is a valuable and useful resource for us all. But “those crazy animal people” lose credibility with the people we are trying to convince when they/we go off the deep end. Yes, there is a huge elephant in the room. We want them (the regulatory agencies, the mainstream media, the corporate giants who perpetrated the delayed notification, etc.) to know there is an elephant in the room. But screaming that the elephant was dropped here by aliens, or global warming, or any other crazy theory brought will only discredit us and it won’t help our cause. That’s all I’m saying — this is complex enough, and there is enough TRUE conspiracy to go around here, so we don’t need to invent CRAZY stuff.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 1:57 am
An article on how bad China’s own use, production and regulation is on chemicals.

[Snippets from article]
Of all the pollutants released into the environment every year by human activity, POPs are among the most dangerous. They are highly toxic, causing an array of adverse effects, notably death, disease, and birth defects, among humans and animals. Specific effects can include cancer, allergies and hypersensitivity, damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, reproductive disorders, and disruption of the immune system.

A large amount of discarded PCBs, which are mainly used in electric appliances and production of paints, has not been disposed of effectively and leaking has been reported in some storage sites causing serious pollution.

“China can produce some alternatives to POPs, but farmers or enterprises are reluctant to use them, because the prices are too high,” said Zhang Qingfeng, an official of SEPA.

And it is also very difficult to make a list of or locate the sources of POPs , he said, estimating that it could cost at least 400 million US dollars to get a clear picture of POPs in the country.

Another major challenge is the lack of public awareness, because most people in the country have little knowledge of what POPs are, he said.

http://english.people.com.cn/2.....63497.html

Sarah I am with you.

Comment by DeeAnn — April 4, 2007 @ 2:01 am
Re the FDA FAQ Sarah posted:

Good grief? This left me with more questions than they had answers for.

My personal favorites:

Q: What should I do if I have cat and/or dog food included in the recall?

A: Do NOT feed the pet food to your animals. Return the pet food to the store where you purchased it and ask for a refund. Stores generally have a return and refund policy when a company has announced a recall of its products. If you cannot return the pet food immediately, store the food in a secure place where pets and children cannot get to it.

Q: How do you dispose of the wheat gluten and contaminated pet food?

A: With recalls, the firm will propose what to do with the product. Disposal options may include landfill, incineration or industrial uses.

…..And then there’s the subject of aminopterin:

Q: What about the aminopterin? Is this latest finding in addition to aminopterin?

A: FDA has not been able to confirm aminoptrein in samples it has tested.

Q:How do you account for why NY State found aminopterin but FDA didn’t?
Our labs were not able to verify aminopterin.
A: At this time, we cannot comment of the methodology or findings of NY State.

Well, gee, folks, if you can’t personally confirm it, it doesn’t mean it’s still not a viable possibility.

Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 2:06 am
I’ve read [where?] that aminopterin is costly to manufacture. Curious. It’s so similar in composition to methotrexate; MTX is VERY inexpensive.

Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 2:11 am
Comment by Steve — April 3, 2007 @ 9:45 pm

Steve, you are rational and methodical. You are following the dots, and you are able to stay rational in your brain and to ignore the irrational things that some people are posting here. Not everyone is capable of differentiating between the truth, the facts, what is relevant, what is not relevant, what are assumptions, what is heresay, what are opinions, what are rumors, etc.

Very few people cite their sources, they just say “I heard…” without saying where they heard it. People here are getting basic facts wrong, or they are quoting people who have their facts wrong. People are stating opinions as if they are facts, etc.

As you have stated, we have a responsibility to get it right because many people come here for information. If everyone would simply preface their posts with “In my opinion…” instead of stating flat-out that “Elephants are purple,” it would go a long way to minimize the rumor and panic.

There are people posting on this site who are very emotional and getting very worked up. Some people are not able to differentiate fact from rumor, relevant from irrelevant. I just think it would be good if people would think a little longer before posting, and be very careful about phrasing opinions as facts… because thousands of people are reading these blogs, and everyone who posts has a responsibility to not perpetuate panic. The TRUE problem is severe enough without adding additional and unnecessary panic.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 2:25 am
I wanted to say in Jan 2007 I attempted to give my cats IAMS MEAT & GRAVY CANNED FOODS. They began vomiting then refusing to eat.***Thank GOD they refused the food. I took it back to Pet co and asked for another flavor. I noted ONLY THE CUTS & GRAVY WAS THE ONLY EFFECTED FOOD. I have used IAMS for over 20 years and was a very big fan of it.In the past I raised Min Pins for a while on Eukanuba and they would have 4 MOST HEALTHY PUPS EVER SEEN! (1-2 is normal!)(I have newspaper photos of one litter that steals hearts!)THE MOTHER WAS NEVER THIN OR OVER WORKED! My pets coats were like rabbit fur w/ a shine even when dirty!
Then about a year ago I noted my dog and 2 cats coats started loosing the shine and became “sticky”. (I think this was when IAMS began first shipping in from China - though not a tainted batch)
**In Jan 2007 I became upset enough to CALL THE 800 NUMBER for IAMS AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM OF VOMITING. The woman answering my questions seemed VERY RUDE and went into a FAST DENIAL of ANY PROBLEMS OR CHANGE IN INGREDIANTS.(I THINK THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BACK THEN!) I had done my part is notifing them somethig seemed wrong. I took my pets off the canned food. I ignored the problem after that thinking my animals were “just sensitive” to the food. (some pets are)
Then when this info came out I WAS SHOCKED! I KNOW FOR A FACT IAMS WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IN JANUARY! I MADE THE CALL TO INFORM THEM MYSELF! IT APPEARS THEY WERE “RUDE” BECAUSE THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM BUT HAD NOT MOVED TO REMOVING THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENED!
I have heard OTHER PET OWNERS CALLED THESE COMPANYS ALSO!
My vet is fully aware of this problem because I expressed the problem several times and I got advice on meds. to calm the vomiting down. (I was a ex-vet tech and have great connections w/ my vet.)He did not know of any food problems at that time.

It makes me mad so many pets have died when THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM WAS THERE!ALL DEATHS could have been PREVENTED!!

I am scared that they are still UNSURE if the wheat glutan is really the problem and foods W/O this is SAFE! What can I feed them?
I am disabled and can not cook for myself let alone three animals!

I will NEVER RECOVER if any of my pets die. They are service animals that have kept me alive for years.I have epilepsy and one of my cats can “sence” when a seizure is coming! My dog is usefull if I have to leave the house during a seizure outbreak. I tell people “no one will harm you when you are out cold when a rotwieler is tied to your wheelchair!”!)
My other cat is disabled. I bottle feed orphans and she came to me at 4 weeks. Her owner ancidentaly stepped on her and injured her back. We had to amputate her 2 back legs.Her name is “Scooter”! She gets around JUST FINE! She CAUGHT A MOUSE and was in the news. She also was in the paper showing disabled animals do not “suffer” and need to be put to sleep! She was on the front page of the local paper showing what carts for disabled animals look like. She is a HUGE SUPPORTER of myself. I too have a back injury and her strength gives me hope and strength!

I WOULD LOVE TO SEND YOU HER PHOTO FROM THE PAPER. It has been used on another website that aid in handicapped pets. Would you like a copy of this? Tell me how I can send it to you.

I hope they can find the REAL PROBLEM BEFORE MORE BABIES ARE KILLED! Please keep up the push for this.
Thank you

Comment by Kay — April 4, 2007 @ 2:28 am
Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 2:06 am “Well, gee, folks, if you can’t personally confirm it, it doesn’t mean it’s still not a viable possibility.”

Lynn: FDA’s statement that they can’t confirm the aminopterin is actually saying the same thing you said, but it’s in legal-ese and it’s the best statement you can hope for in this case.

Their only options were:

1. Finding aminopterin: “We can confirm…”
2. Not finding aminopterin: “We cannot confirm….”
3. Finding, conclusively, something ELSE that is definitely causing the deaths: “We can conclusively rule out aminopterin because we have identified the actual toxin…”

Since their tests were not #1 or #3, they can only say #2… which leaves open the possibility that there may have been some aminopterin in some of the batches.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 3:01 am
Something I haven’t seen mentioned yet by any of the Chemists, Vets, Toxicologists, FDA, or anyone on this blog:

The possibility of “drug interaction” (ingredient interaction). You’ve all seen TV commercials for Pharmacists who review all of your medications to make sure there aren’t any potential drug interactions.

I wonder if the chem labs have considered the potential for two independently-inert ingredients that, when combined together (and perhaps cooked at X temperature), may induce a toxic reaction in the body.

In layman’s terms, if ingredient A is ingested it does no harm. If ingredient B is ingested it does no harm. But if BOTH ingredient A and B are ingested together, they produce a toxic effect/reaction.

I hope some of the scientific brains who are working on this mystery have considered this possibility.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 3:19 am
Comment by Kat — April 3, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
Regarding the half life of aminopterin
http://www.jbc.org/cgi/content/full/272/3/1935

These were in vitro experiments on human cells. Unfortunately you can’t necessarily extrapolate to dogs and especially cats.

The problem is that there is NO data on cats and dogs.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 3:31 am
Comment by Nikki — April 3, 2007 @ 7:00 pm

Nikki, take a break and take care of your kitty. At this point everyone’s running on fumes. I’ve been posting links to your site in other places also so people can get the most up to date info. Since you don’t have a comment section you’re not getting as much feedback…..except, I’m sure for tons of emails.

Fingers and paws crossed for your kitty. Let us know how it goes.
I appreciate your work.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 3:36 am
Comment by Lynn — April 3, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
” I would be looking for antibiotics added to the food”

I read something about the amplification of damage in conjunction with antibiotics a few days ago when looking at drugs used for cancer treatment. I’m sure the lab folks have tested for all the usual suspects, which would include antibiotic adulteration. I think you’d more than likely find antibiotics in meat than grain.

When CDC reports on people sickened by E. coli or Salmonella, they never tell us the percent of people were on antiacid preparation (which lowers the pH of the stomach so bacteria are not killed as readily), or are on immune suppressing drugs such as corticosteroids, which lowers the body’s defense system, or have diseases which are immune mediated. All these would have the effect of making the body more susceptible to opportunistic “bad” bacteria.

My point is that perhaps there might be clues in what the individual animals were taking - such as antibiotics.

For that information we’ll have to wait until the FDA has all the information from the pet parents.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 3:52 am
Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 3:19 am
I’m sure they’re looking at everything. That’s what they do - they’re scientists! I think the major problem today is that we really don’t know the synergistic effects of a slew of chemicals. And haven’t for quite some time.

I know people wish they would say something, anything, but it’s just not the name of the game to talk before all the facts are in. Irritating, I know, but in some ways it’s not really useful to give people a sound bite that leads them off in perhaps the wrong direction.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 4:03 am
***Mercury Poisoning???

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-96416600.html

http://lib.bioinfo.pl/meid:55794

Comment by Nadine — April 4, 2007 @ 4:47 am
“TRADE SECRETS” Transcript of Bill Moyers’ PBS Investigation

http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/transcript.html

Comment by Nadine — April 4, 2007 @ 4:52 am
“TRADE SECRETS”
Transcript of Bill Moyers’PBS Investigation

http://www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/transcript.html

Comment by Nadine Long — April 4, 2007 @ 5:00 am
MERCURY POISONING???

If I read correctly, in some forms of mercury when ingested and processed through the body, the mercury becomes a vapor, so it would be difficult to find. Also, it comes in a white crystallized powder.

These links will explain the types of mercury and effects.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-96416600.html

http://lib.bioinfo.pl/meid:55794

Comment by Nadine Long — April 4, 2007 @ 5:52 am
NATIONWIDE WHEAT GLUTEN RECALL

CLASS 1 (LIFE THREATENING)

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company. This listserv covers mainly Class I (life-threatening) recalls. A complete listing of recalls can be found in the FDA Enforcement Report at: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/Enforce.html

ChemNutra Announces Nationwide Wheat Gluten Recall

Contact:
Devon Blaine/Lisa Baker
310-360-1499

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —Las Vegas, NV — April 3, 2007 — ChemNutra Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada, yesterday recalled all wheat gluten it had imported from one of its three Chinese wheat gluten suppliers – Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd.

The wheat gluten ChemNutra recalled was all shipped from China in 25 kg. paper bags, and distributed to customers in the same unopened bags. The bags were all labeled “Wheat Gluten Batch No.: _______ Net Weight: 25 kg Gross Weight: 25.1 kg Made in China”. The batch numbers included in the recall are 20061006, 20061027, 20061101, 20061108, 20061122, 20061126, 20061201, 20061202, 20061203, 20061204, 20061205, 20061206, 20061208, 20061221, 20070106, 20070111, 20070116, and 20070126. Each ChemNutra shipment had the certificate of analysis information from the supplier, including batch number and the supplier’s content analysis and test results. ChemNutra shipped from its Kansas City warehouse to three pet food manufacturers and one distributor who supplies wheat gluten only to the pet food industry. ChemNutra’s shipments commenced November 9, 2006 and ended March 8, 2007. ChemNutra did not ship to facilities that manufacture food for human consumption, and the distributor ChemNutra shipped to supplies wheat gluten only to pet food manufacturers. The total quantity of Xuzhou Anying wheat gluten shipped was 792 metric tons.

ChemNutra learned on March 8 from one pet food manufacturer that the wheat gluten it had sold them – all from the Xuzhou Anying - was among ingredients suspected as a potential cause of pet food problems. ChemNutra immediately quarantined its entire wheat gluten inventory and assisted this customer’s investigation.

After that manufacturer issued a pet food recall, the FDA immediately commenced a thorough investigation of ChemNutra’s wheat gluten, including documentation analysis, inspection, and laboratory testing. ChemNutra cooperated fully with the FDA and immediately notified its other three wheat gluten customers about the FDA’s investigation. Those customers had all purchased smaller amounts of the Xuzhou Anying wheat gluten commencing in January, 2007.

On Friday, March 30, the FDA announced they had found melamine in samples of the wheat gluten ChemNutra had imported from Xuzhou Anying. The FDA did not inform ChemNutra of any other impurities in the Xuzhou Anying wheat gluten, nor of any impurities in the wheat gluten from ChemNutra’s other two Chinese suppliers.

The toxicity of melamine is not clear. However, since melamine is not approved by the FDA for pet food, it should absolutely not have been in wheat gluten. ChemNutra is extremely concerned about the purity of all of its products. The company is particularly troubled that the certificates of analysis provided by the above-named supplier did not report the presence of melamine.

ChemNutra wants to ensure its products are safe. Consequently, in addition to its ongoing cooperation with the FDA, ChemNutra will be conducting its own independent, analytical tests of wheat gluten from all of its suppliers.

Yesterday ChemNutra sent recall notices to all four of its direct customers. If any other company received bags of recalled wheat gluten from the lot numbers referenced above, please call ChemNutra at 702.818.5019.

Consumers who have questions about the pet food they should go to the FDA’s website at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/.....01590.html. This website lists all brands of petfood involved, with links to the manufacturer who should be contacted with questions.

####

FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html

___________________________________________________

Comment by Nadine Long — April 4, 2007 @ 6:03 am
Thanks for the link to the ChemNutra press release. I have to say, now THERE’s the way you do a press release, by actually issuing information and sounding dutifully contrite, too. Of course, it doesn’t excuse the entire debacle, but at least their PR firm has a brain.

So, ChemNutra was told on March 8 that the wheat gluten was bad… and how long did it after that for Menu Foods to issue a recall? March 16. If I hear Menu Foods say they issued a “precautionary recall” one more time, I’m going to rip my hair out.

Anyway, just an observance. Thanks, petconnection, for speaking on AC360… even if AC wasn’t there last night. I’m glad the word got out about how many suspected deaths there are.

Comment by Elderta — April 4, 2007 @ 8:18 am
There’s been mention of “combinations” possibly causing renal failure. And, mentions of the required postings of antibiotics were ADDED. Well, here’s the fresh, just emailed ALERT from FSIS for residue contamination of animals found during inspection. Most are dairy cows, a few beef cows & lamb:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/R.....s_List.pdf

The chemicals don’t have to be ADDED to be there — as most everyone knows. The mfgr says categorically “no blah, blah, blah” added, because THEY didn’t add it.

It is the piece-mill production, in my opinion, that is causing the problems — in numerous areas. A company buys a product from one company, then another product from another, then another — from all over the world.

Of course, all this is “proprietary” information. (They are hiding behind the proprietary term.) There are way too many middlemen. And, that is a FACT — not just my opinion. I saw it day-in and day-out all across this country, when I was driving OTR.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Thanks, Christine, for appearing on Anderson Cooper 360. You did a great job, speaking professionally and authoritatively with measured words and emotion, just the image we want to get out there.

I wrote to CNN (AC 360) commending them for airing the short segment and suggested that it be aired several times. I’m also suggesting that thousands and thousands of people would certainly look forward to an entire one-hour, in-depth look at the unfolding issue in the very near future.

Also, thanks again to petconnection.com. I also want to mention the excellent work done by howl911.com and itchmo.com. I’m relying on all 3 sites for breaking news. I’m sure I’d post messages on the other two sites as well, although I haven’t been able to figure out how to do so (if it’s possible). So, thanks to each of the main 3 sites for their excellent work. I hope all three sites receive credit for helping to inform owners and save pets.

Comment by petlover — April 4, 2007 @ 8:35 am
For those wanting to “hear” it, straight from the horses mouth (so-to-speak), here is the ChemNutra press release — from their website, announcing the wheat gluten recall:

http://www.chemnutra.com/pr.pdf

792 metric tons worth of poison….

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 8:44 am
I don’t have cable, but wonder if they’ll post the video clip online. That would be very nice. I’ll watch for it.

Thanks CNN & PetConnection for the “voice”.

Thanks for the transcript!

kat

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 8:47 am
Christie…great job on 360 last night! Thanks to everyone contributing to PetConnection. You’re all doing a great job keeping us informed!

Comment by Sherry — April 4, 2007 @ 8:59 am
In regards to accountability — I think something similar to the “truth-in-lending” needs to be implimented.

1) Country of origin (with multiple countries listed) -All pet food packages I’ve seen just print “package by” or “distributed by” & then that company/country listed.

2) Minimum & maximum ranges for fat, protein, etc. -Most mfrs just list minimums.

3) Use by dates should NOT be coded so that consumers have no idea how long the product is good — or even how long it’s been on the shelf.

I think those are mandatory changes that should be met — immediately.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 9:01 am
This link is gives us an idea of conditions in areas where this material may have come from. And yet we are depending upon self-regulation by the supplier of the ingredients in foods we buy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/chin.....e_continue

Comment by David Boothman — April 4, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Fancy Feast (made by Purina, which has already recalled some of its pet food) has WHEAT GLUTEN in some of its flavors: Fancy Feast Minced Turkey Feast in Sauce, and Fancy Feast Grilled Chicken Feast in Gravy. (And, most likely, there is WHEAT GLUTEN in the Grilled Turkey Feast, too.) Please don’t feed these to your pet. It could be made with the contaminated wheat gluten.

Comment by Mike — April 4, 2007 @ 10:09 am
I posted this on a different blog — this is a new update, today, from FSIS about residue violators. These are mostly dairy cows, but beef cows & lamb are listed also. Multiple or compounded toxicities, as many are mentioning or are concerned about, could be a factor:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/R.....s_List.pdf

So, what’s additionally added to the meat — for people & pets — could be more insult to injury.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 11:00 am
I just wanted to post the email that I sent Blue Buffalo yesterday so all could see - I have been following this from the beginning and I just want to thank everyone for their dedication to the safety of our pets and the truth of this situation. I have 4 cats and fortunately none of them have become ill. Thanks

“I was very distressed to read your letter addressed to the Itchmo.com website. This is a very scary time for all pet owners. Personally, I just switched to your food as well as having several friends and family switch to you as well. I chose your company because it appeared to be more dedicated to pets as opposed to the huge corporations, but your threatening letter speaks differently. Pet food consumers have been involved in an enourmous amount of research about pet food since the the recall. Don’t you think that you could give the consumer the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their intelligence and just answer to concerns. I don’t know if I will be staying with your company or continuing to reccommend you to others. Next time, a better tact to take during such a high stress time for pet food consumers, would be to say “sorry for you concerns in such s stressful time. Our company is dedicated to the health and safety of your pets. Please allow us to address you current concerns.” Not a cease and desist or else letter. I am very dissappointed in you.”

Comment by Chelsea — April 4, 2007 @ 11:44 am
Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 4:03 am

Thanks CathyA. I actually posted that to give some of the people here some food for thought about how the cause may be very complex and not a simple fix. I realize the scientists are (probably) covering every angle, I’m a scientist myself. But I also know that when a ton of momentum sends you down one path, human beings do sometimes act like Lemmings and fail to see another option until “fresh eyes” step in the room and point it out. But mostly, I wanted to make note for everyone here that it could be a very complex set of chemical AND biological factors at work here, so it may not be as simple as “they knew there was melamine in the product and they didn’t do anything about it.” EVERYTHING that EVERYONE is reading says that melamine, in and of itself, is not toxic. So unless the basic chemical formula for melamine has changed since those studies were done, there MUST be some other factors at work here… either a combination of other chemical toxins, or a biological component, or both.

Everyone is just so ready to hang everyone else when there are so many scientific unknowns and so many facts yet to uncover. What is known, however, is that dogs and cats died and Menu Foods knew about problems long before they acted. So I definitely I agree that there appears to be clear negligence in the timeliness of issuing the initial recalls (and perhaps subsequent recalls), and I also believe that downplaying the severity of the issue makes a number of parties complicit in the unnecessary deaths and illnesses of THOUSANDS of pets. But I don’t believe the science is nearly as cut and dried as everyone would like it to be, so I can’t find a reason to fault them on that front, at this stage of the puzzle.

Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 11:59 am
Sarah, regarding your message to me timestamped 3:01AM on 04-04-2007:

Yes, I am fully aware of what legalese is and the rampant use of it in government and business. Many people have a tendency to make gross inferences when reading legal-speak. My posting was intended to drive home the point that aminopterin had not been ruled out.

Comment by Lynn — April 4, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
I too was very disappointed to hear about Blue Buffalo. I read something of it on howl911. I’m just getting to know some of these websites a bit more.. I think it was there. At any rate, I was quite surprised at their reaction and agree with the letter written above by, Chelsea. My dogs were on their dry along with some home cooked meals. I also got both my parents dogs on Blue. I’m not sure how I feel now with what I’ve read. I’m highly disappointed in them. Currently, I’m home cooking for both my dogs as I’m just so fearful and disgusted with commercial pet foods.

Comment by Mary — April 4, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
I agree — if NY & Cornell say they found aminopterin — then, it was there. At this point — I would believe just about anyone told me — except the FDA. They are failing miserably, on numerous counts - all fatal.

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
If anyone is interested in the presence of phenobarbital in pet foods here are links to the FDA reports:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/DFappend.htm
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/dfchart.htm
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/Policy_.....report.doc

High concentrations of phenobarbital can cause liver failure and ultimately kindney failure in humans:

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec10/ch135/ch135h.html

“Ultimately, liver failure is fatal if it is not treated or if the liver disease is progressive. Even after treatment, liver failure may be irreversible. In terminal cases, the person may die of kidney failure (hepatorenal syndrome), because liver failure can eventually lead to kidney failure. “

Although they say the amounts are not enough to
be of concern, should this substance be there at all???

Also what other substances are in pet foods that we are not aware of??

Is there more to the story than melamine??

Comment by mal — April 4, 2007 @ 2:08 pm
I just found this on the FDA’s site: procedures for detecting melamine:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/MelaminePresence.htm

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 2:14 pm
I guess most know about the FDA’s new Q & A page:

http://www.fda.gov/cvm/MenuFoodRecallFAQ.htm

Comment by Kat — April 4, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
What happened to the daily updates on total number of ‘reported’ pet deaths petconnection was posting each day? Last update I saw was this one from yesterday morning - Update 4/3 (5:31 a.m. PT): More than 3,000 pets have been reported as deceased to our PetConnection database. Any reason you are not posting this info anymore?

I too wrote to both Anderson Coop and Lou Dobbs yesterday after Lou Dobbs reported only ‘a dozen’ pet deaths just 3 hrs. before 360’s report asking them to please report accurate numbers (referred them to petconnection.com) I was thrilled to see you being interviewed and your numbers being aired. Thank you, thank you!

Comment by Barb — April 4, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
Sample from the website Kat posted. Page 16 for example, left column.

CA

SOUSA, MANUEL AKA SOUSA AND SOUSA DAIRY TIPTON, CA 93272 P.O. BOX 669

Collection Date: 10/09/2006

Sample ID: 472000

Animal: COWS - DAIRY

Residue: PENICILLIN

Tissue: KIDNEY

Value: 1.74 ppm.

Tolerance: .05 ppm

It appears the values found were at 1.74ppm; tolerance is .05ppm.

Can someone with authority confirm that the drugs being used are over the top (as well) of the recommended dosage, because those type of figures are numerous on that FDA page. What does it mean?

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/R.....s_List.pdf

Comment by DeeAnn — April 4, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
I switched my cat to Blue Buffalo Spa looking for something without wheat gluton and she loves it. When I first read the information about menandione it caused me great concern. I began the task of reading labels again…my eyes ache from reading labels looking for wheat, now this ingredient…what’s next?

When I started pulling up pet food after pet food to find what did not have this supplement added - from Purina to Holistic pet foods and found that this is a component of a great many of them, not all but many. So, anyway I am wondering why Blue Buffalo was singled out by the dog food project? I am not saying that it is bad or not bad…I am yet to make that decision. I am just wondering why they were singled out from all of the others that use this supplement.

I agree the letter was over the top. If they were in disagreement, a polite letter could have been issued without resorting to threats.

Comment by Lisa — April 4, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Comment by Nadine Long — April 4, 2007 @ 5:52 am
WRT Mercury poisoning:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/.....211900.htm
Mercury poisoning usually results in CNS symptoms first, not kidney failure at the outset.
http://www.state.nj.us/health/.....ercury.htm
Mercury can be measured in urine, blood, and hair.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Comment by DeeAnn — April 4, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
DeeAnn, I am NOT someone with authority, but it’s perfectly legal to give antibiotics to cows. They’re supposed to lay off a certain time frame though before sending to slaughter so they clear the system. Since this was a dairy cow, it’s possible she was being treated for mastitis, failed to respond appropriately and he decided to send her to market, apparently without thinking a whit about the necessary “off antibiotic” time.

Cows are also innoculated for rabies. If this is all new to you, I’m sure it freaks you out. I hope people aren’t getting too carried away. None of this stuff is new and I doubt it has anything to do with the current situation. Be glad the cow was rejected for antibiotic residue. The biggest danger to eating meat with antibiotic residue is fostering antibiotic resistance in the population.

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 3:52 am
Nothing like talking to myself! I meant to say antacids RAISED the pH of the stomach….many bacteria are not acid resistant and don’t get past the stomach - like Salmonella

“When CDC reports on people sickened by E. coli or Salmonella, they never tell us the percent of people were on antiacid preparation (which (lowers) the pH of the stomach”

Comment by CathyA — April 4, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
I just sent an email to Blue Buffalo’s general counsel, and forwarded it on to them. Obviously, they need to look for better counsel. You know, they could sue HIM for legal malpractice.

Comment by Joyce — April 4, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Lisa, I agree with you re: the Blue Buffalo. I have also been trying to find out what’s wrong with the menadione, and I can’t really find any info. I would like to learn more, but there is not much on google. For now I have switched to this food and my cats like the dry, and are just getting used to the canned. It seems to have much better ingredients than, say, DeliCat or other supermarket brands that areloaded with food colorings & additives. I also noticed on google that many of the holistic pet food brands have this ingredient.

Anybody have any hard info on the Meladione? Thanks.

Comment by catlover — April 4, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
I am also very curious as to why the Dog Food website singled out Blue Buffalo when so many other pet food companies have Menadione listed as an ingredient. Maybe there’s more to this story. Perhaps the original poster has stock in a competitor’s co or some kind of grudge? I believe Blue Buff. is a small company, and they were probably afraid that being lumped in with the recalled pet food co’s unfairly could put them out of business, especially considering how many people are now visiting these websites. The letter from the lawyer was not a good way to address this, though!

Comment by catlover — April 4, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
Catlover, I know, I felt really good about getting my kitty off the food with all the additives - she ate Purina One dry and Meow Mix wet in the packets.

I just switched my cat to Blue last week to get her off a product containing wheat. Others also show this supplement including the Purina One she was eating. I really don’t want to switch her food again so soon if I don’t need too. From what I understand, it can be hard on their systems to keep switching their foods. She really likes their dry but not the wet. She was a meat and gravy packet kitty. She doesn’t like the mushy stuff. Also hearing some foods have to much Vit D in them. I think the main thing for the short term is to get her off wheat and educate myself more on available brands and what is in them before I decide if another switch is needed.

I think this extremely sad situation has resulted in all of us taking a harder look at what we are feeding our pets. We are becoming more informed. It breaks my heart for all the pets lost to this horrible situation. I do hope that it does bring changes to the industry.

Comment by Lisa — April 5, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
I wanted to share Blue Buffalo’s reponse to my email as well as my response to their response :) Their reponse to me is the second letter and my response to that is the first letter. I think everyone is just feeling so much emotional pressure right now with this horrible situation. Thanks,
Chelsea

Thank you for your quick and thorough response to my concerns. I don’t know if you are an attorney Ms. Wuhrer, so I apologize for any insult, but I often find that when attorneys are speaking to non-attorneys, the language often sounds harsh and intimidating as opposed to attorneys speaking with other attorneys. This may have been the issue with your company’s letter. Your explanation to me in your email was specific, to the point and addressed all my concerns. I now feel better about my decision to change to your product. However, in this time of such anxiety and loss for so many pet owners, I think trying to be gentle with each other is the best policy. We all have the same goal, the health and safety of our pets. Fortunately, I have not lost any of my 4 kitties, however, I think that if I had, I would be a complete wreck and maybe make poor choices in my dealings with others. We should try and be more understanding of each other, both the consumers and the higher quality pet food companies who are trying to both maintain their company and their humanity at the same time. Thanks.

Chelsea Blackburn-Roback
——- Original Message ——-
From: Info
To: chelseaskye123@msn.com
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 5:10 PM
Subject: RE: Contact Form Blue Buffalo Company Site

Dear Chelsea,
Thank you for taking the time out to write us. And thank you for your interest in BLUE. We apologize for what those may have gotten out of that letter. All that was, was to ask to please not mix up all the menadione controversy with all the recalls. BLUE was not affected by the recall and many people have been led to feel that way do statements that have been made. We have taken the Menadione out of our formulas as of Oct 06. We are currently in the middle of a transtion with our bags and that is why you may still see it listed on the ingredient list. However, we have been made out to be lying and decieving when we have truthfully answered everyones questions regarding this entire situation. We simply wanted to make sure that this menadione controversy was not put in with all the mix of all the foods that have been recalled.

Please feel free to contact me with any further questions.

Best regards,
Samantha Wuhrer
The Blue Buffalo Company

Comment by Chelsea — April 5, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Totally didn’t mean to leave my email address in there - please don’t spam me - sorry:(

Comment by Chelsea — April 5, 2007 @ 7:05 pm

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