Pet-food recall: The morning round-up … and caring for ferals
By Gina Spadafori
April 4, 2007
- If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you’re new to the site, please check out our general information page (includes links to recalled foods).
- If you’d like suggestions on what to feed, click here.
- If you want to report a sick or deceased pet, click here.
- If you want to know what you can do, please read our call to action
- If you want to read all our recall-related blog posts, click here.
The morning round-up:
vetcetera takes a look at The University of Guelph Laboratory Services department’s images of the crystals taken from a cat suspected to have ingested melamine-tainted food
More from David Goldstein at the Huffington Post on how the pet-food recall should be viewed as a wake-up for better safety measures for the human food supply.
Why we import wheat gluten from China, from Slate (thanks, Kim).
Pet-care columnist Steve Dale reports that the final word on the problem with the contaminated food has yet to be heard.
Itchmo gets snarky with a media release from the Pet Food Institute. It would be funny, except it’s not.
Guess I’m feeling a little snarky, too. I’m a media omnivore, devouring everything from the right-wing editorial page of the Wall Street Journal to the left-wing work at Salon and get something from everything I read. But I gotta say, Salon … hmmmm … not a peep (aside from wire stories) about tainted wheat gluten, but by gosh I’m glad you’re all over the free-trade organic latte crisis (requires a day pass to read).
Finally, an excerpt (just the pet-food segment) of the transcript from “Anderson Cooper 360,” that aired on CNN last night. Full transcript is here.
***
Off the pet-food recall beat, but a great read is Dr. Patty Khuly’s take on her Dolittler blog about people who care a little bit about feral cats, but just not enough to help. And then yell at veterinarians.
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Technorati Tags: pet food recall, dogs, cats,veterinarian, veterinary
Thanks so much to CNN and the Pet Connection team for the most detailed interview and news piece on this sad and overwhelming pet food scandal.
It is good to know that a major news station as CNN is giving air time to Pet Connection.com. This gives me hope, and I feel it is an important step forward.
Sincerely,
Pam Williams
Comment by Pam Williams — April 4, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Wait a minute - I just looked at the Steve Dale report and pulled this off from: http://www.horsesass.org/?p=2749 about the Wheat Gluten being human grade - and we know this and had heard it all along. Del Monte said it was.
But the FDA now says it wasn’t and not to worry.
We’ve heard it all before - all is fine - we have it under control, FEMA, FDA, it doesn’t matter what is printed by the official policy makers from the government - it is damage control time and keep the masses ignorant.
Yeah right FDA. Tell us the truth and make it widely public so we can at least make informed choices.
What if children start to die, will it matter then? Pets are disposable personal property so you can investigate and not make public your concerns. Well, you don’t treat MAD COW disease like this….pardon me but there’s something wrong with this picture.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 10:25 am
Well my feral is living like a C.E.O!
as i was upgrading my indoor cats diet ,i’ve
had numerous trials an “refusals” of high quality cat foods? (many she simply wouldn’t eat
could care less for(..thus it went out for the
feral tom.. who i swear will eat anything?
he’s been a very happy cat!
im ready to take him in, and put the other 1 out? it is exasperating to spend $$$ and be ignored.
if anyone has a suggestion on getting a finicky
eatter to reform , i’d love to hear it?
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Hunger will do it. They refuse for a time - like a staged starvation diet - but then they eat.
(I add - just make sure the cat is healthy with no problems that should be treated by a vet.)
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 10:34 am
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 10:25 am
Sorry, I had read the Huffington Post article.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 10:37 am
Regarding getting pets to eat: PLEASE DO NOT STARVE CATS to get them to eat. “Waiting it out” is OK for dogs (well, within reason), but with cats it can trip them into hepatic lipidosis, especially in overweight cats.
Information:
http://www.veterinarypartner.c.....038;A=1455
Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 4, 2007 @ 10:46 am
Thanks for the heads up. My animals have always eaten after a few days, cats too. I never realized that a cat will starve itself literally instead of eating. Amazing what one learns in life. Thanks Gina.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 10:49 am
My pleasure. Just another value-added service here at Pet Connection. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 4, 2007 @ 10:55 am
Some info for everyone. I’ve been on the phone and at the vet today.
Talked to Menu Foods last night at 11 p.m. to finally file my initial report. Call later in the evening if you need to get through. Some questions they asked seem strange to me: how many pets in the house (we have fish, birds, hermit crabs and a turtle - they just wanted the #), weights of cats before they got sick, ages. I guess it’s just background. Very few questions about the actual food they have eaten but then, I’m supposed to be getting another phone call from them soon.
FDA: spoke for 1.5 hours this a.m. with the Maryland Recall Coordinator. He wanted UPC codes, full food names, dates and other codes off every single can, packet and bag. Turns out that every single thing my cats were eating was recalled :( He asked ages, weights, what exactly happened etc. Just what I expected. Now this part is important: He said specifically that the biggest concern right now is making sure no tainted product is being sold. I explained how there was Priority product on the shelves of our local Safeway last Weds but it was all removed my Monday. He indicated that the extended recall was causing confusion.
My feeling is that all of us as pet lovers and consumers need to take a peek at the shelves at our local grocery and call to report if there are possible recalled items still for sale.
Another thing, I did send an e-mail directly to Safeway, for what good it will do. In my mind, which is admittedly stressed right now, they are ultimately responsible for selling me a crap product. We’ll see where that gets me.
Maui, my cat showing direct symptoms from the tainted food, is doing well. Cleo, my oldest kitty, just came back from the vet with some bad news. She’s got chronic kidney failure, which is apparently common in older cats. Dr said he doesn’t know if this was exacerbated by the tainted food. But anyway, she’s OK, not great, still drugged cause she’s a psycho kitty at the vet. We have a road of meds and special foods ahead of us for her. He also explained to me that the tainted pet food is causing “acute renal failure” which some animals can recover from and some can’t. Just like people who are weaker immunity wise when it comes to some illnesses.
Again, make those phone calls, write those letters and check the grocery store shelves.
God bless.
Comment by Sharon — April 4, 2007 @ 11:25 am
hey linda ? thanks.. i’l keep up the “pressure”?
i’ve just come from a web site that was susposed to be about helping feral cats, ALL they did was complain about their existance ? man…
if pet conection is against feral’s im against pet
connection? here’s why kids. i’ve been here in the woods for most of my life, thats 56years.
i have NO problems with the wildlife? can you give me 1 reason feral cats threaten wildlife?
i have had numerous cats, i’ve got birds. they
eat the dry cat food that the wild cats won’t
the squirels do to, i have NO deaths from cats
killing birds! at any time durring the year, you’l see turkey, 3types of woodpecker, werns
hawks,oreoles, jays, a few owls. also bear, fox,
coyote. and 1 lynx. (this is not a concise list). i suggest most persons reallt don’t know
squat about the enviorment around ‘em? please
leave nature alone.. it’l be fine?
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 11:26 am
My cat’s eating habits changed on 3-17-07. He has eaten a combination of Hill’s dry foods and Special Kitty and Pet Pride cuts and gravy foods for quite some time. I saw the recall mentioned on the local news and immediately checked the list. I was shocked to find many of the unopened pouches I had matched the date codes of the recalled ones. The trash was picked up the previous day so I could only check a few of the open pouches. One of them matched the recall dates. I usually buy these pouches 12 at a time… After numerous calls I was able to actually get through to Menufoods toll free number on Sunday 3-18-07. They advised me to take him to the vet. His initial examination and kidney function blood panel from 3-19-07 was mostly ok. However, by Thursday 3-22-07 he had stopped eating and drinking completely. He again visited the vet who started him in sub-Q fluids. He then suffered an acute urunary blockage necessitating catheterization. How could this be? He was a healthy 3 years old who had never exhibited any health problems before. After many days at the vets he was referred to an internal medicine specialist who performed an ultrasound. It showed some blood clots and “sludge” in his blader. It also showed a slightly enlarged liver. I finally brought him home 3-26-07 and continued the sub-Q therapy along with antibiotics and an appetite stimulant provided by the specialist. His symptoms did not seem consistent with aminopterin poisioning. After reading that melamine was now implicted I found articles indicating bladder ulceration and bladder stones had occurred in male rats given oral melamine. This might explain the urinary problems but would not explain why he was not getting any better. We kept him hydrated via the sub-Q fluids but could barely get him to eat. His final visit to the vet was on Tuesday 4-2-07. There was no more hope so we ended his suffering.
Much of what I read suggests that the effect of aminopterin, melamine or whatever additional toxins there may be in the food have yet to be understood. The internal medicine specialist noted that he had read reports of other pets that consumed the recalled food suffering liver damage. I surely hope that collective knowledge will lead to an answer and treatment plan for those pets which are still fighting for their lives.
Dennis
Comment by Dennis — April 4, 2007 @ 11:29 am
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Sounds like you have a nice life with many wonderful animals. I’m envious too as I live in the city but my heart is “pure” country.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 11:32 am
We here at Pet Connection are not against feral cats, not at all. (In fact, there’s a whole chapter on caring for feral cat colonies in “Cats For Dummies,” which I co-authored.)
We’ve long been advocates BOTH for keeping pet cats indoors (ideally with safe access to screened areas) and using TNR — trap, neuter and release — programs to care for and manage feral cat colonies.
Want TNR info? Alley Cat Allies (http://www.alleycat.org/) is a good place to start.
I try to link to pieces that are interesting, provocative and offer a point of view that others may not have.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 4, 2007 @ 11:36 am
Johnny, you did read the problem with cats that don’t eat that Gina posted.
I love cats very much and miss not having them around. My son took ours when he moved out several years ago - now I just have dogs. But I sure miss the kittys.
Gina mentioned that a cat is not like a dog and if they don’t eat - problems can happen. Please read what she posted and the very best to you though. I just love all animals, coyotes too, and birds, and everything wild in nature. It is a great gift bestowed on man and an honor when we can live so close to the animal world.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 11:40 am
thanks for the advice on pickyess.. i’ve fed the finickey eatter her favorite? yea she’s eattin it
an i lost another round, sigh..
anyway, the feral population varies with time.
nature culls the old , and weaker 1’s? i can
have a few 1 year and none by spring. we do
tnr , and it has reduced the size of colonys.
the coyotes are NOT effective cat killers.
you hear about ‘em? its absurd. in 5years i haven’t lost 1 cat, my neighbors haven’t either. i have had coyotes at my back door, they’l howl live demons , i go out an have to chase ‘em away? it’s a pain. i need a big ole
dog? (cat freaks , when dogs are around.)
advice anyone?
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 11:57 am
Coyotes do howl like a demon uh? They come up from the river beds here and go after some goats or something, not exactly sure what, and they have this scary yap or something that when my dogs hear it, they all run inside to mama - the chickens. Coyotes aren’t afraid of dogs though. And they are tough fighters. They kill smaller dogs that people let run free by the river. Very sad.
I love coyotes. They are so misunderstood. Did you see on CNN or was it Fox, this morning that one got inside a store, I think it might have been a coffee shop and just sat there. He blinked at the cameras. I wondered what he wanted - he needed something - and not coffee - something from humans - it was so odd. Animal control took him away. I feel sorry for the coyotes and cried over Hal the Central Park coyote dying, he died from stress of capture, even though they mentioned it was also heart worms - it was stress.
I also love the Native American stories of coyote and coyote spirit. We can learn so much from wildlife if we just stop and listen.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
Johhny, I take two of my large coonhounds to the river and often run into coyotes. They show no fear of the dogs - none. I give the coyotes a wide berth. The coyotes don’t care about me - they are interested in my dogs - mama coyote protecting her nest. I wondered what would happen if she went after my pets, but coonhounds are bred to hunt and can take care of themselves, more so than the average domestic dog, but for sure I would never tempt fate and let them near a protective coyote for any reason.
Just my experience. I was raised on ranches and in the desert and learned very young to not mess with the wildlife.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
It was a sandwich shop the coyote visited and here’s the link if anyone cares to read it:
http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2.....te,00.html
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
Hi Gina,
so you wrote cats for dummys?
well, i’d like to add a chapter?
Dummies with cats.. that’s how effective an “inclosure” is at keeping a determined cat
from escapeing into the wilds? i had a tom who was so smart he’d climb the fence,and over a wood wall,get out and then the following morning
before he was missed return into the compound by the exact same route he’d used the night before? he was eventually discoverted, as he
like many cat burglers made a mistake and marked his trail , as he made his return journey
he was ambushed by the humans who’d finnaly caught on! lesson> keep a determined tom from
exploring the woods is nearly impossible!
1 smart animal!!
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
AHL LabNote
Number 15 April 2, 2007
Update #4 on suspected pet food toxicities
Grant Maxie, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP
Brent Hoff, DVM, DVSc, Dip Tox
• The pet food recall has expanded beyond Menu Foods to include single products: Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy, and Hills Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food. Please see the manufacturers’websites for further information.
• Investigations continue in Canada and the USA, and the suspected cause remains melamine, an industrial chemical used as a fertilizer and to make plastics.
• We have detected melamine in suspect wet pet food and in crystals in the urine of affected cats,but have not detected melamine in dry pet food.
• A causative link between melamine and acute renal failure has not been confirmed.
• Given the lack of proof that either aminopterin or melamine is responsible for the renal failure problems, and given our continuing investigation efforts, we will not be accepting samples for
testing at this time, and we are not aware of any other lab that is offering these tests.
• We advise pet owners that we will only accept specimens through veterinarians, and will deal primarily with supporting evidence of renal failure - clinical pathology, necropsy, histopathology.
• We suggest that pet owners or veterinarians hold pet food packaging (pouches, bags, cans, etc.), and freeze food samples, should further investigation be warranted.
• Enquiries from corporate clients about testing pet food or pet food ingredients will be handled though Laboratory Services, Client Services Department: e-mail: info@lsd.uoguelph.ca
• We continue to emphasize that animals can become ill for a wide variety of reasons (usually unrelated to food), and that a thorough diagnostic workup is required to demonstrate that the pet
food that they have consumed is actually the cause of their illness. Please also refer to our previous LabNotes on this topic.
March 30, 2007:
http://www.labservices.uoguelp.....xicity.pdf
March 27, 2007:
http://www.labservices.uoguelp.....xicity.pdf
March 21, 2007:
http://www.labservices.uoguelp.....gation.pdf
If other analyses are desired by veterinarians, please contact us.
AHL-Guelph AHL-Kemptville
Phone: 519-824-4120 ext. 54502 613-258-8320
Comment by Carole — April 4, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Pictures of suspect crystals in cat urine are here…
http://www.labservices.uoguelp.....m#crystals
Comment by Carole — April 4, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
all over the free-trade organic latte crisis Gina Spadafori @ 9:56 am
Good point. But again this is just another example of predatory global capitalism exposing it’s gaping jaws in another attempt to crush any and all competition that gets in the way of profits and domination. The USDA is obviously in bed with the Corporate Conglomerates who have turned it into a tool for their own gain.
The Bottom Line is lurking behind the facade of “Good Corporate Citizens” . . . .well you can fill in the blank with a name of choice.
Get The Facts:
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1
Comment by Steve — April 4, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Domesticated wildlife .. it’s comming, to your town soon. hand raised condors lose all fear of people? 1 pair released in grand canyon , was
found after breaking into a screened in home in colorado , sitting on a couch watching the Tv?
another 1 tried to get inside a mall, same area?
the incidents continue to increase. Coyotes losing all fear of humans, cougars stalking playground? i’ve had a Lynx sit for hours on
tree stump 50ft. from my front door. get used to
to it.. the wildlife is moving in!
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
Caution about Coyotes and dogs:
Coyotes are SMART animals. (Wyle-E-Coyote) They will work as a pack and lure your dog out to be killed. They will use a lone Coyote to entice play, or entice mating, and lure your dog out, thinking there is only one Coyote there, but the others are strategically located around the lone Coyote to surround and ambush the dog when it gets to the lone Coyote. Everyone needs to be very careful with their dogs around Coyotes. But yes, Coyotes are very cool. Very smart.
Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Comment by Sarah — April 4, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
Good Point. Wild animals are wild animals. These are not domesticated house pets. And if they are coming to your house they are not looking for a home. They are looking for something to eat.
Comment by Steve — April 4, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
Linda,
I’l agree the Coyotes are a part of nature, and
a fascinating 1 .. they are however moving in to
the citys, ‘burbs, and basicly anywhere they are
allowed? it is a delimea , as in certain instances they are preditory , and pose a threat
to domestic pets. i beleive that if your way off in the woods , you’l find little trouble
with ‘em? next to me in the town cats are being
eatten, small dogs , and anything they can catch? this is a problem for some town/city folk
you can’t let your pets out , unguarded they can
be killed. 50years ago this wouldn’t have happened. the coyote was shot, hunted to extinction in the east. we’v got to adapt ,otherwise it’s war on the poor buggers?
already they’r hunted , and killed. if people
don’t decide to behave in a responsible fashion’
the coyotes, and other wildlife will end up
being hunted, and killed once again. many
city/town folks don’t like ‘em?
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
A lot of these Animals are being forced out their natural environment by development and increases in human population devouring up natural resources. I don’t see how it can be sustained at the current rate the human “race” is running amuck. There is a concept known as balance which would translate in worldly terms as controlled intelligent growth. Lets hope humanity wises up soon and considers the concept of looking out for number one as a main focus of individual survival as obsolete and faulty dogma.
Get The Facts:
http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1
Comment by Steve — April 4, 2007 @ 1:36 pm
Re: coyotes.. I wouldn’t tempt fate.
My parents’ neighborhood used to be home to a great many rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and feral cats. And then the coyotes and fisher cats moved in. The feral cat populace was decimated, and the majority of cats that had been allowed outdoors suddenly ‘went missing’.. never to be seen again. I can’t remember the last time I saw a rabbit or squirrel on that street- apart from the rabbit I brought to the emergency clinic for euthanasia last summer. His leg had been bitten off by something.. it was gruesome.
The coyotes (some of which are quite large and Shepherd-y looking.. so I’d imagine there’s some dog mixed in the lines somewhere) are no longer fearful of humans.. or of large dogs. My parents’ malamutes can no longer play in their (fenced in) backyard after dark, as packs of coyotes have attempted to fight with them through the fence.
A couple years ago, when the coyote populace was really beginning to explode (and thus become a nuisance), one of the local papers ran an article about a den (I think it was in Cape Cod), where they’d found hundreds of discarded flea collars from cats that had, presumably, wound up becoming some coyote’s dinner.
I wouldn’t trust coyotes around my pets.
Comment by Gwen — April 4, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
sarah,
i’ve seen the “baiting” game. the coyote came right to my door. holwed until i came out ?
it wouldn’t quit? i nearly chased it down the hill (about 1am.) but though better of it?
as i was walking inside , i heard a whole pack of animals howl? it wasn’t coyote either ,it was wild dogs. could it be i was being baited?
(better get my 30.6 outa the closet)?
thats a scarry thought .. the ba$t@rds would’a
jumped me?
Comment by johnypaycut — April 4, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
All the coyote comments:
I agree. That’s why when one was stalking me and my two very large coonhounds - 75 lbs redbone female and 90 lb Treeing Walker - I considered my options and knew if it attacked I’d have to turn the dogs lose, they were both leashed and we were at the river. That Coyote had pups nearby, I later found out from the Park Ranger, and didn’t want us near them - pups were in a field adjacent to the trail. But I was unaware of anything, just taking dogs for a nice Sunday walk. All turned out okay, but it gave me a funny feeling.
Where I live, both my front yard and back yard are surrouded by 6’ redwood fence. So they aren’t getting in. But I hear them and I know they are not to be messed with.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
We also have cougar killing dogs in my area, they climb over fences and eat the dog food and eat fido too! They come up from the river bed.
They suggest not leaving pets out at night in the back yard.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
And P.S. - so right. Wildlife is losing their fear of man - hence the coyote in the sandwich shop. I still feel sorry for it. It’s not their fault.
Comment by Linda — April 4, 2007 @ 2:23 pm
Sarah wrote: “Coyotes are SMART animals. (Wyle-E-Coyote) They will work as a pack and lure your dog out to be killed. They will use a lone Coyote to entice play, or entice mating, and lure your dog out, thinking there is only one Coyote there, but the others are strategically located around the lone Coyote to surround and ambush the dog when it gets to the lone Coyote.”
I agree. Living in Southeastern Arizona, the coyotes here must be smarter than the average coyote because they are experts when it comes to hunting and killing cats and dogs. And larger breeds are NOT exempt. The last dog I heard about was a young rottie (about 1 year old). We don’t have feral or free-roaming cat issues outside of city limits in our county. Coyotes have effectively removed them. The weather, disease, hawks/eagles and cars also take their toll on free-roaming and feral cats and dogs. Nature is a cruel taskmaster.
Comment by Dawn Turner — April 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm