Pet-food recall: VIN follows up, affirms thousands of pets potentially affected
By Gina Spadafori
April 9, 2007
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Veterinary Information Network, a Davis-, Calif., based independent online service for veterinary professionals, was among the first to point to trends that indicated the number of pets made sick or killed by recalled pet food was far higher than industry and government sources would say.
Today, VIN offered confirmation of its early findings, and also for first time anywhere provided an idea of what pet-owners have spent to treat the affected pets.
On March 26, VIN’s Dr. Paul D Pion, VIN co-founder and a prominent veterinary cardiologist, first reported the anedoctal reports of VIN member veterinarians (here’s our version, and here’s the L.A. Times version’; need a log-in?). On that day, and in an interview on the NBC Nightly News that night, Dr. Pion said the number of dead pets would be in the thousands, and the affected pets more than 10,000.
He said then he was sending out a survey to all VINners – some 16,000 veterinarians, around half of all small-animal veterinarians in the United States – to get more input from practicing veterinarians and, thus, a better idea of the problem.
In a conference call today, Dr. Pion said that as a result of that expanded and still ongoing survey, he now has a better idea of the scope of pet illness and death. Although stressing that the survey still doesn’t answer the answer of exactly how many pets were affected, Dr. Pion said the follow-up survey confirmed the trends noted in the initial reportes from VIN member veterinarians.
To date, more than 1,500 VIN member veterinarians have taken the survey, and of those, 36 percent believe they’ve seen an animal affected by the recall. Further pressed, 17 percent felt confident the case was related to the recall – because the food the pet had eaten was confirmed to be on the recall list – while 29 percent believed the link was likely. Of those with cases they felt were either confidently linked or potentially so, the VIN veterinarians reported 951 sick pets and 313 dead ones.
Extrapolating those figures to all veterinarians, which Dr. Pion did, but grudgingly and while stressing that the numbers needed to be seem as a range, puts the death toll in the thousands. Using only those cases linked with high confidence to the recall, the VIN numbers suggest more than 2,000 dead pets nationally, said Pion. Add in those suspected cases as well, he said, and the number jumps to more than 7,000 nationwide.
“What it shows is that the original reports on VIN – they’re in the ballpark,” said Dr. Pion. “Anyone could argue on any assumption. The point remains that there’s more than 16 [dead pets].”
Dr. Mark Rishniw, another board-certified veterinary cardiologist who works for VIN and was key in building the survey and analyzing the results, pointed out that some foods popped up on the VIN veterinarians’ survey before they were recalled. “Hill’s m/d [a food prescribed by veterinarians for a feline health problem] cropped up in the survey,” he said, adding that when it was recalled the VIN veterinarians’ inclusion of the specialty food in the survey then made sense.
How much did this cost pet-owners? Those numbers, too, will remain achingly difficult to come by. VIN member veterinarians – the more than 1,500 who’ve taken the survey so far — report that their clients have spent $812,000 to treat affected pets, a number that includes figures for animals on whom nearly nothing was spent, except for euthanasia after a grim prognosis was revealed. The average cost of treatment is reported at $925; the median, $670.
Dr. Pion again stressed a range in extrapolating the costs to affected pet-owners, but that range runs from more than $2 million to more than $20 million in veterinary costs, depending, again, on whether it’s based on veterinarians who are confident of the relationship between the illness and the food or merely suspicious. And, finally, all extrapolated figures have to be understood as such, extrapolations.
“It’s not like calling a thousand homes ramdomly,” said Dr. Pion. “This is self-reporting by veterinarians. But it does confirm the earlier trends we saw.”
The bottom line? “We’re not talking millions of affected pets,” said Dr. Pion. “We’re talking thousands to tens of thousands affected. But we’re never going to know for sure. All we can do is get a feel for the range.”
Update: One of the more thought-provoking (for me, anyway) points Dr. Pion touched on was the work of the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration, which he believes has been unfairly criticized.
“They’re not the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control],” he said, pointing out that within the definition of their mandate (which does not include acting as a CDC for pet health) the FDA has in fact put an enormous amount of resources into the recall, including quickly finding the suspected problem with the food and tracking the suspected tainted ingredient rapidly to those manufacturers who received it. Those companies, noted Pion, then called their products back swiftly.
“Maybe you want a CDC from the FDA,” said Dr. Pion. “But that’s not their job currently.”
The Washington Post makes the same point today in an editorial:
That the FDA can’t confirm the number of animals affected also points up the need for development of an information network. When human food is involved, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gets involved, but with animals, the FDA is on its own. The Senate plans to hold oversight hearings on the investigation into the contaminated pet food, and a cool-headed postmortem on how to improve systems is welcome — as is looking at whether an agency entrusted with such important safety issues as what a nation eats has the resources it needs. That said, criticism that the FDA was slow to respond is an unfair characterization of an agency that acted with dispatch once it was alerted to a problem.
Dr. Pion said the FDA has worked well with VIN throught the recall. “It’s been great,” he said. “Give and take.”
Good point, and in the interests of fairness to a lot of people at the agency who have been working very hard, I wanted it duly noted.
**
We’re pretty up-front about our professional relationships here at Pet Connection, so this is what you need to know about my relationship with Dr. Paul Pion.
I first talked to him more than 20 years ago, when he was at the University of California, Davis, and was reporting a discovery linking taurine defiency in cat food to dilated cardiomyopathy that was killing thousands of cats every year. That discovery was one of a very few veterinary articles to make the cover of the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Science. More importantly, Dr. Pion’s discovery led the the reformulation of cat foods, saving the lives of many cats over the years.
Dr. Pion called me when his newly formed Veterinary Information Network was also running the Pet Care Forum on America Online. He wanted to run my pet-care column in the Pet Care Forum on AOL, which we did, starting in 1994. We later co-authored “Cats For Dummies.”
I left my job at The Sacramento Bee in 1996 to work for VIN, running the Pet Care Forum on AOL for VIN. I left VIN not long after to write more books, and Paul promoted Christie Keith (now a Pet Connection contributing editor; she left VIN a few years ago) to replace me as head of the Pet Care Forum. (VIN is no longer associated with AOL, by the way.)
These days, VIN’s site for all pet-lovers, VeterinaryPartner.com, hosts the Pet Connection archives, and in exchange gets our syndicated pet-care column for free. The PetConnection also uses Veterinary Partner’s pet-health articles as one of our regular features (Pet Rx) on our newspaper pet pages.
The relationship today is mostly one of mutual respect — no financial ties whatesoever. (Except for proceeds Dr. Pion and I share from the sale of “Cats For Dummies,” which is still in print.)
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Gina, Dr. Pion be at the hearings in D.C.? He should.
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
Thank you Dr. Pion and folks at VIN for pushing this. Now that their are some experts that are NOT the FDA that have some numbers other than the FDA’s to report.
Journalists. Please pay attention. You now have new NUMBERS TO WORK WITH to give you SCOPE and CONTEXT to this problem.
If anyone thinks that this story isn’t that big of a deal because of “only 12 (or 16) dead pets”, point them to this. Maybe then they will get it.
In American we love our “offical experts” in the media. What pisses me off is that even if it has been proved that time and time again that they have told the full story, the press keeps calling them.
I want you all to Add Dr. Pion onto your list of experts to call on this. Stop only talking to industry insider experts that can’t be trusted./
Comment by spocko — April 9, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
May all the deceased pets rest in peace, how very sad and heartbreaking. My mind shuts down when i think of the numbers involved. And may the sick pets get better very soon and not have any lasting effects from the poisoning.
Comment by Sandi K — April 9, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Sigh…….I guess I’m not really suprised, but looking at these numbers from vets is still shocking. Thank you to VIN members and especially Paul Pion for keeping on this issue. With kudos to PetCnx, itchmo and howl911 and everyone else who has invested their time.
Comment by CathyA — April 9, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
And don’t forget this.
http://64.79.216.38/~itchmo/forums/index.php
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
When I mentioned to one vet that I was going to cook homemade dog food for my pets, she made a strange face and wrinkled her nose and said I was going to kill my dogs.
I didn’t take my pets back to her again. Besides staying away from known food toxins, I’m doing a pretty good job of home cooking for my pets.
I would even venture to say that perhaps many illnesses etc. are caused not by our meals at home but by the ingredients in the pet food - and getting too many vaccines and listening to people who think they know more, are better educated (so they think) and want to be the end all on the subject of what we can and can’t do for our pets.
I sure hope our fine Congressmen don’t listen to experts who just want to worship these pet food companies.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
QUESTION EVERYTHING
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
Sadly, VIN’s numbers, though useful, and validating, can’t ever begin to reflect the true numbers of dead pets from this horrible tragedy. No one can ever tally all the pet victims who died at home or under a bush in their yards without ever seeing a veterinarian or receiving treatment. And there were many, I know. We must never forget them, either
Comment by elizabeth R — April 9, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
The Pet Food Industry has clearly demonstrated that it can’t regulate itself.
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
And whom in the Pet Food Industry is going to police and monitor the Chinese imports they use in their products? Menu??
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
IF all pet owners stop buying anything menu foods makes from these pet food co.’s i bet things will change real dam fast. not one pet should of died. Wake Up CEO’s if u keep dealing wih Menu Foods your sales will really drop.almost 4,000 pets were KILLED because of menu foods .yes KILLED That is what was did to these poor pets. and so many more are Sick.menu foods needs to be shut down now
Comment by MARY ANN — April 9, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
Dr. Khuly thinks pet food companies have left veterinarians out to dry. She speculates on the impact the food recall might have on veterinary professional liability.
Professional/legal vet stress in the wake of the pet food recall.
One of you raised an interesting point yesterday on the potential effects of the now-infamous pet food recall on the legal industry with respect to pets—and their vets. I’ve thought about it a lot, especially since I’m personally at risk for a lawsuit on this issue.
First, a reprisal of my POV on the malpractice thing:
http://tinyurl.com/2susm6
(from catmanager)
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
Simple question.
Has anybody, anywhere said DEFINITIVELY what has caused the tragic deaths?
I have read the senior VP of the ASPCA state that his findings (as a veterinarian toxicologist) in the necropsies aren’t indicative of the aminopterin being the causative agent.
And I’ve read similar reports on the toxicity value of the melamine.
I am all over the ‘www’ trying to find an exact statement that is showing exactly what is causing the deaths.
Please, has anyone seen anything about this?
What if the problem that has caused the deaths hasn’t been revealed yet??
Has anyone seen a statement that indicates what the exact problem has been??
I have seen subjecture, but nothing substantiated.
Thanks in advance if you can offer help. My heart can barely hold the pain of this any more.
Comment by Evy — April 9, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
I believe ‘they’ are not saying anything is confirmed, but keep leaning yoward melamine as a heavy clue. At least that’s what I’m getting. I’d like to know what they’ve been doing to the WG (and other raw ingredients) and for how long. Could this have just been a bad *batch*?
My trust level with Corp Manufacturers is zero at this point.
Comment by straybaby — April 9, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
There are various universities posting photos of yellow globules of melamine in the kidneys.
Comment by Kat — April 9, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Yellow globules of melamine - I guess it isn’t synthesized - it just sticks there - sound terrible to me.
They can keep all their toxic waste plastic pet food. Eat it themselves!
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
All I’ve read about the melamine is that there weren’t toxic amounts in the food, and then others say that toxic levels for animals have not been established.
Ok, I have kept my mouth quiet about this ‘publically’ for too long, although I have contacted several officials about the issue.
The general public is not aware of a HUGE spike in the ingredient costs that occurred in the pet food industry last Oct/Nov.
If you were manufacturing 60 millions cans of food, how many formulas do you think that represents??
My nutritionist has thought for a long time that the formulation may be what went wrong and that is why a toxin or contaminant cannot be found. But then everything went crazy over the wheat gluten and the melamine.
In the meantime, what if it has to do with the formulation process? Specifically, too much potassium chloride, which helps those little chunks keep their shape in the canned food. It is in virtually every canned product and I have never seen this issue approached.
Price increase.
Quick/poor/uninformed formulation.
Looking for toxins, contaminants, when all along they need to be looking for an excess of an ingredient common to the food.
I am hoping this ends up being addressed in the hearings. God knows I’ve put it out there to them and the FDA.
The thought chills me. It would explain why pets are suddenly having problems on other foods as well, like the dry food problem.
My nutritionist has always been anti-wheat and anti-canned and he is well vindicated by this tragedy THAT I HOPE THE MEDIA GETS A CLUE ON SOMEDAY.
Anyone else dumbfounded to find out that many pet owners don’t realize this is pandemic?
I can’t help but wonder if he is right about the formulation of products being off kilter. He is looking at this from a full broad spectrum view of the industry and I hope to God that NO company is making the same mistakes ‘if’ and I pray it is ‘if’ the problem was with the formulation.
Comment by Evy — April 9, 2007 @ 6:46 pm
Evvy,
I don’t believe the verdict is on the what actually killed our pets. It hinges around the melamine and Wheat Gluten but as yet the final word is unknown.
No one likes this. I can’t understand why it’s taking so long. I’m not only losing faith in Pet Food companies but I’m losing what little faith I had in science.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
PBS NEWSHOUR EXTRA
4.09.07
Owners, Vets Question Regulations As Pet Food Scare Continues
As the list of tainted pet food recalled continues to grow, pet owners and veterinarians across the country are questioning whether new methods are needed for determining the safety of dog and cat food.
The recall has exposed the fact that, although sold under many different brand names, most pet foods are created only a few manufacturers, such as Menu Foods, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The companies that own the brand hire these “contract manufacturers” to make their particular pet food. The contract company owns the processing plant where the food is made and rent out time on their production equipment to make each particular kind of food. Officials explain it is a much cheaper way of making the food because each individual brand doesn’t have to buy the expensive manufacturing equipment themselves.
The manufacturing company purchases the ingredients while the brand often provides the recipe or formula for their particular brand of pet food.
continued
http://tinyurl.com/2rcmsp
Comment by Steve — April 9, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
To one of the Heroes of this Disaster:
Bravo, LindsMS,
I so agree with LindaMS’ comment on her Vets reaction to a “Home made diet” . Let us not forget the pets of our childhood who ate what we ate! There was very little commercially prepared food available so our pets got the leftovers and scraps, frequently including whatever meat or fish we were eating, along with potatoes or rice or pasta and veggies!. For a treat they got to enjoy big bones filled with marrow, removed when they had enjoyed the marrow so they couldn’t break off pieces of bone. And they loved it, and they didn’t seem to have the same overweight issues and complicated sicknesses we see now. Even with all the new advanced treatments and medicines etc., are they living longer and happier lives? Have you noticed how many of our pets become “allergic” to their food requiring expensive prescription diets? Perhaps it’s the garbage and junk and beaks and feet in their current commercial food.
Remember how long they lived? It was not uncommon for our childhood pets (even large breeds) to live to be 16, 17 some even to 19+. What has changed? Giant corporations making big bucks selling us “premium” pet foods which appear to be of the same quality as the local store brand
Granted this could be a huge coincidence. But I grow increasing weary of claims of “1 in a million chance” and “never before”. What, I should believe them now? I remember about 1 1/2 years ago that the pet bereavement site I go to to try to help those with ill and deceased furbabies, suddenly saw a huge influx of kitty-parents whose babies were dying of kidney/renal failure. At the time we wondered what was happening, but we just didn’t think about the food. We just never thought to question it. Could this have been another incident? Who knows?
We have been taught a valuable lesson, unfortunately at the highest cost to our furbabies.
LindaMS, I too cooked for my little ones and they were happy and healthy throughout their long lives, even overcoming cancer, and in the case of my GSD X, a big doggie, even living to the good old age of 15 1/2, (tho it never is enough, is it?). I followed my parents example and fed her what I ate, human food for the last 8 years of her life. And I had tried many of the holistic and Organic and Prescription diets but she would still have digestive problems very frequently. Hardly any of that when I cooked for her. And she loved raw green beans and carrots for a crunchy treat, stir-fry veggies and even enjoyed the meat substitutes I used in the stir fry!
I think very highly of Vets in general, but some are too young or don’t have the common sense to “think outside the box” and, dare I say it? OK then, they make a profit on selling “prescription diets” Enuf said.
I thank you for reading my opinion!
And Thank God for PetConnection! Many eyes have been opened.
I, too call for a boycott, until they come clean, tell us it all. They can hardly look worse than they do now.
And, a last word, if I can. Remember Sen. Durbin of IL. and his brave statements before anyone else in our Gov’t. He stood up and shouted from the rooftops. This man is brave, let us support him and his supporters, let our elected reps know, We Shall Remember! Let this not be a case of “short term memory loss”. We pet people are blessed with an extraordinary sense of kinship and compassion for our furry kids. Let us use that for those who cannot speak!
I just heard on my local NBC news in L.A. Ca. that Banfield has reported 39000 pets have been affected by this tainted food! This from their database of more than 600 pet hospitals! At last! We are starting to get the truth! Kudos to Banfield!! I thought the FDA had silenced them with the report of their coooperating to come up with a true pic of the situation. Wow. I am just sorry this didn’t come to light sooner. How many could have been saved from death and grave illness? We may never know!
Priscilla.
Comment by Priscilla Patterson — April 9, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
WHAT CAUSED THE TOXICITY?
To Evy:
The verdict isn’t in yet. A lot more testing going on; those results will take a long time to get. Bottom line is that it does not appear to be the melamine alone; however, the melamine, when combined with one or more other chemicals, probably creates a toxic mix. What muddies the waters is that today’s biochemical and genetic reengineering is capable of doing almost anything to chemical products - often when it’s too late.
Comment by Lynn — April 9, 2007 @ 7:07 pm
Priscilla, I agree with you so much. God bless you.
I just finished preparing dinner for my doggies - and they are all big too! Fried eggs and boiled hamburger and molasses and mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and carrots and yogurt and a finely chopped apple for good measure.
They gobbled it down and I didn’t have to worry about poisoning from toxic waste garbage Wheat Gluten junk.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....185542.htm
Comment by Kat — April 9, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
39,000 sick or dead, per Banfield:
http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1110143.html
Comment by Kat — April 9, 2007 @ 7:36 pm
And what is so terribly, terribly sad and tragic is that each of those pets represents MORE than one heart. So many people that these pets have touched the lives and hearts of.
I am encouraged to read what Dr. Hodgkins wrote (who will be a part of the hearings) and sat enthralled with her thoughts. I hope and pray that this industry is stopped DEAD in it’s tracks and need to realize there is a difference between profit margins and putting a dollar sign on the life of a pet.
Comment by Evy — April 9, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
Anybody know what the chunks are in cuts and gravy? I’m pretty sure it’s not meat. My kids wouldn’t touch the stuff. Someone asked a while back about ESB protein powder. It’s mycoprotein. A fungus or fungi Fusarium Venenatum strain PTA-2684. It can have the appearance of bread dough and is used to make Quorn. Quorn is essentially veggie burgers. I don’t believe there’s much meat in any commercial food. And all the vitamins pumped in just seem to prove there’s not much real food in the stuff.
Comment by Kathi — April 9, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
THE NUMBERS: 16 vs. ESTIMATED 39,000
Gee - that’s a BIGGGGGGGG difference.
Comment by Lynn — April 9, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
I’m still concerned about GE foods since they use herbicides to enhance the plants genes. Also melamine can be used as a binding protein. May someone confused it with other binding proteins. Language barrier problems. Labeling problems. Fast buck problems.
Comment by Kathi — April 9, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
Comment by Kathi — April 9, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
You are right on all counts.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 9, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Comment by Kathi — April 9, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
There are many links to all that information that many investigated days ago. I agree with you. We’re waiting for the experts who are working around the clock right now to figure it out.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 9, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
How about letting China grow our corn for the ethonol gasoline production and keep
our USA grown wheat and corn in OUR won food chain. That way if China adds poison to the mix
our cars can spit and sputter instead of our furbabies!
It would be cheaper to produce the ethonol mixture in China anyway.
Comment by Mary Smith — April 9, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
39,000 babies lost and so many families hurting and suffering and these fat corporate thugs just want a bonus - and they don’t care about the health of our pets and maybe never have.
I feel sorry for the lab animals dying testing their toxic waste junk pet food. The poor babies.
Jail them all, every last one of them, seize their assets, shut down their plants, and I hope their wives find handsome young lovers too!
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 9, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
the FDA is protecting big business - Menu should be shut down until the cause of so many deaths is honestly and truthfully determined - melamine does not kill - the NYS lab found poison - as did a canadian lab - poison kills -but those findings have been “hushed up” -
the FDA is not doing a responsible job - probably because they’re not being allowed to - it’s all about $ - this government considers $ way more important than life - every effort is being made to put this tragedy off of the front page - the “investigation” is pathetic - pet owners don”t have the clout of Colgate-Palmolive, P&G etc. - shame on all of them
Comment by Caitlin — April 10, 2007 @ 10:12 am
Thanks for a wonderful site, which I have used to keep abreast of this tragedy. My family sends out heartfelt condolances to those victimized by these circumstances.
My comment is that Dr. Pion was very nice to his associates at the FDA; in stating that is not their job or within their capacity to track the data with respect to pet deaths/illnesses, because the FDA doesn’t do that, but CDC does for us humans. So it’s not their job, but isn’t it their job to find someone who can? If the FDA is responsible for oversight of the pet food industry, but in no way has the ability to track pet illnesses & deaths, and obviously have made no effort to do so, is pathetic and negligent.
I’m sure there are hardworking and well meaning people at the FDA, but sadly the FDA is a facilitator to the Food and Drug industries first and foremost.
Comment by Rei — April 10, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
What can we do? I lost my BELOVED FRIEND, COMPAINION AND PET due to this tainted pet food. She was at the vet 5 days prior and she was fine and 5 days later she went into respitory failure resulting from kidney failure. what I would like to know is what are they going to do about this? Animals are being looked at as a property, no more important then your car, couch or so on. I ask, Is this right? I don’t beleave so. I have contacted my state Senate and Govenor to change the laws. I encourage anyone that is going throught the same thing and has lost a best friend, to contact your stated senate and demand that things be changed for pets.
Comment by KIM — April 12, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
Kim, My deepest sympathy to you and your baby. Please contact Senator Durbin of Illinois. He is leading the movement to hold these food companies accountable for their contribution to these many tragic deaths.
One thing I really want to mention is to ALL CAT OWNERS, please do not think that dry food is the solution. Dr, E. Hodgkins, who was asked by Sen. Durbin to testify today at the Sen. hearing, CURED my cat’s diabetes and many others by explaining the physiology of cats & showing me that the DRY FOOD was most likely the cause of my cat’s diabetes. Unlike dog’s, cat’s do not need GRAINS or Vegetables, they are Obligate Carnivores. The carbs in the cat food are a big problem. They cause allergies, skin problems, digestive problems and I could go on forever about the bad things. By the way, Wheat Gluten is HIGHLY ALLERGENIC to cat’s. Cat’s don’t eat corn and veggies in the wild, so why feed it to them now. They’d rather have a nice mouse or bird! After removing my cat from dry food and putting all of my cat’s on a “LOW CARB” wet food, and they also eat raw (Oma’s & Feline’s Pride/check out their websites), Harley was cured in 2 weeks and doesn’t need Insulin shots anymore. Also they have NO DIGESTION problems now, no bouts of diarrhea and their coats are so shiny and silky.
By the way, a home prepared meal CAN be nutritionally complete. Check out Platinum Performance’s website. They have, conveniently all in one, vitamins that are essential to dog’s and cat’s. You add it to whatever they are eating (my cat’s actually liked it) and then it will be balanced. http://platinumperformance.com/
If you want more info on feeding cat’s properly, please look at Dr. Hodgkin’s website, http://www.yourdiabeticcat.com as well as http://www.catinfo.org which is also run by a vet, Dr. Lisa Pierson. These websites explain the physiology of cats and explains the problems they have with digesting the dry foods.
One last thing, Dr. Hodgkins does feed her cats RAW and has for over 10years with NO food poisoning incidents!
Thank you to everyone who is getting involved to make our pets’ food safe.
Comment by Lisa — April 12, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Keeping the kitty vigal…I dont understand how companys can be so heartless, and shareholders setting in ease, while the poisoning continues..I dont think its over yet..My Boy is hanging in there, but its rough. I pray every day and then some…These are fox hole prayers for our furbabies.
Comment by Busters Mom — April 12, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
My beautiful yellow lab died a year ago at the age of 7 from cancer. I am convinced that this all happened as a result of him eating a prescription diet from Science Diet which is laced with BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin. I contacted the CVM ombudsman which is the Center for Vet. Medicine division of the FDA. Of course they denied that these poisonous preservatives which my dog ate for 4 years could have anything to do with him getting cancer. Yeah, right. You all should contact this division with your concerns over pet food. My vet pushed this food on me due to some skin allergy issues. What it really boiled down to was the vets make a 30% profit on every bag of food they sell. And the Hill’s reps come in and put on a luncheon for the vet. clinic employees several times a year to keep in their good graces. Gee, never mind that this food is killing our beloved pets. The email address for the CVM Ombudsman is http://www.fda.gov/cvm/when.htm.
Please send your comments to him regarding pet foods and how they are killing our beloved pet family members.
Comment by Barbara — April 15, 2007 @ 8:35 am