Pet-food recall: Monday morning food for thought
By Gina Spadafori
April 16, 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.
I’m not sure why it has taken a month for a lot of people in the media to get that having the pet-food recall isn’t “just” a pet story, you know, something to fill space with “what are those silly pet-loving people doing now?” between the latest Anna Nicole Smith is still dead update and whatever the Runaway Bride or Diapered Astronaut is doing now.
As we’ve pretty much said from Day One here on the Pet Connection, this is a story about what consumers have a right to know, about how veterinarians deserve to be respected and better integrated into the public-health system and, finally, it’s a story about global imports and food safety.
The Associated Press takes up the last thread (thanks, several readers):
WASHINGTON – Just 1.3 percent of imported fish, vegetables, fruit and other foods are inspected — yet those government inspections regularly reveal food unfit for human consumption.
Frozen catfish from China, beans from Belgium, jalapenos from Peru, blackberries from Guatemala, baked goods from Canada, India and the Philippines — the list of tainted food detained at the border by the Food and Drug Administration stretches on.
Add to that the contaminated Chinese wheat gluten that poisoned cats and dogs nationwide and led to a massive pet food recall, and you’ve got a real international pickle. Does the United States have the wherewithal to ensure the food it imports is safe?
Food safety experts say no.
With only a minuscule percentage of shipments inspected, they say the nation is vulnerable to harm from abroad, where rules and regulations governing food production are often more lax than they are at home.
Here’s the rest.
Update via Howl911.com, from the Natural Balance pet food company website:
We are receiving consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems.
Please discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.
We are working closely with the FDA.
We’ll update this post with more news stories as we work through our e-mail and news feeds.
Go to the latest blog post | Go to the PetConnection home page
|Technorati Tags: pet food recall, dogs, cats,veterinarian, veterinary
“Just 1.3 percent of imported fish, vegetables, fruit and other foods are inspected — yet those government inspections regularly reveal food unfit for human consumption.”
No further comment.
Comment by Steve — April 16, 2007 @ 7:30 am
On another note - that there’s some dog food out where dog’s only go pooh once a week and little pellets - ?
http://www.petville.com/pet_community/
A Dutch firm produces it - expensive - twice the amount of regular dog food (doesn’t tell us much) and is named Energique.
No waste dog food. Science - now is that good for a dog?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 7:34 am
Not just unfit - but foul, infected, purtid, gag a maggot stuff.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 8:13 am
They think all we, as consumers, care about is prices. WRONG. I am willing to pay more for US grown food in order to support US farmers and to get food that is regulated and tested. Give us the option!
Comment by slt — April 16, 2007 @ 8:15 am
I agree slt. We need the option so we can at least sleep at night. I think the pet world of cats and dogs are really upset about this too -with so many dying I believe its creating some very bad Karma out there.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 8:18 am
I would suggest that in addition to contacting elected officials, one also takes the time to contact the HQ’s of the regional and national grocery food stores. Let them know that you will not spend a single dollar on any food item produced in those countries with questionable quality controls in place.
Comment by Lorraine T — April 16, 2007 @ 8:54 am
Oh My Goodness. This is sickening and who here new???
http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....115746.htm
Source: American Chemical Society
Date: April 10, 2007
Arsenic In Chicken Feed May Pose Health Risks To Humans
Science Daily — Pets may not be the only organisms endangered by some food additives. An arsenic-based additive used in chicken feed may pose health risks to humans who eat meat from chickens that are raised on the feed, according to an article in the April 9 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society.
Roxarsone, the most common arsenic-based additive used in chicken feed, is used to promote growth, kill parasites and improve pigmentation of chicken meat. In its original form, roxarsone is relatively benign. But under certain anaerobic conditions, within live chickens and on farm land, the compound is converted into more toxic forms of inorganic arsenic. Arsenic has been linked to bladder, lung, skin, kidney and colon cancer, while low-level exposures can lead to partial paralysis and diabetes, the article notes.
Use of roxarsone has become a topic of increasing controversy. A growing number of food suppliers have stopped using the compound, including the nation’s largest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, according to the article. Still, about 70 percent of the 9 billion broiler chickens produced annually in the U.S. are fed a diet containing roxarsone, the article points out.
Complicating the issue is the fact that no one knows the exact amount of arsenic found in chicken meat or ingested by consumers who frequently eat chicken. “Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Department of Agriculture has actually measured the level of arsenic in the poultry meat that most people consume,” according to the article.
The National Chicken Council, a trade association that represents the U.S. chicken industry, claims there is “no reason to believe there are any human health hazards” associated with the use of roxarsone.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by American Chemical Society.
Comment by DeeAnn — April 16, 2007 @ 8:56 am
Comment by Lorraine T — April 16, 2007 @ 8:54 am
Unfortunately, since so many foods do not list the country of origin, we have no way of knowing which ones are from countries whose practices we might want to avoid.
Comment by slt — April 16, 2007 @ 9:01 am
http://www.news24.com/News24/S.....80,00.html
Comment by Stefania — April 16, 2007 @ 9:10 am
More bad news for pet owners - SA today
http://tinyurl.com/38355k
Although all its products had not been contaminated, the company decided to organise a voluntary recall of all dog and cat dry food products manufactured under the Vets Choice and Royal Canin brands in South Africa manufactured between the period from 8th March 2007 to 11th April 2007.
Food pets die for: the multi-billion dollar lie about your pet’s food (3 parts see to right of page) http://tinyurl.com/3alyer
Comment by Stefania — April 16, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Has anyone else received a call from Crawford & Company, the claims adjuster for Menu Foods!?!?!?
Comment by jennifer — April 16, 2007 @ 9:19 am
http://www.soulfulliving.com/p.....nimals.htm
If your cat or rabbit uses litter, be aware of what’s in many of these products. Two major problems with many clay-based and clumping litters are sodium bentonite and quartz silica (sand). Both have led to disease and to death. Sodium bentonite can be used as grouting, sealing, and plugging materials. It acts like an expandable cement, swelling to fifteen to eighteen times its dry size. This is not a pretty picture if we consider our animals’ internal plumbing. As cats often lick themselves after using their litter, they may ingest pieces of litter. Or they may sleep in their litter box and then lick their bodies. A breeder of Japanese bobtail cats and writer, Marina Michaels, has lost kittens who passed clay stools until the day they died. In the U.K., since the late 1980s, several rabbit deaths have been reported due to clumping, scoopable litters.
After reading the above, I thought I would share that I have not used litter for years. I use newspaper. Using newspaper was forced on me by my two cats who won’t use litter. I don’t have the sandy mess everywhere either. They are indoor cats with short occaisional trips outside.
Comment by DeeAnn — April 16, 2007 @ 9:28 am
Maybe them wacky left wing save the planet environmentalist tree hugging tofu eaters may have been onto something the past 35 years. No?
Comment by Steve — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 am
The U.S. has tried to feed the world with its genetically modified crops and hormone-injected, antibiotic-laced meat, and OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT WANT OUR GARBAGE FOOD, soooooo, WE GET TO EAT IT!
Read the sections titled “Food Fight” and “Experimenting on Us” below:
http://kansas.sierraclub.org/I.....ndFood.htm
Genetically Modified Foods are Inherently Unsafe
Stanford’s Dr. Charles Yanofsky says, “Genetic engineering results in the formation of higher than normal concentrations of certain enzymes and products; these could provide the basis for the synthesis of higher levels of toxic substances.”
********************
http://www.seedsofdeception.co...../index.cfm
**************
The article below is a MUST READ! It describes how other nations (European Union, Japan, S. Korea) do not want our Genetically Modified Wheat or other products. Europe is paying fines for refusing to import U.S. GM wheat, fines that are outlined in the World Trade Organization’s regulations. Europe’s population put great public pressure on the governments NOT to accept GM wheat. Other countries have followed suit. Guess who’s eating the GM wheat, whether the strains have been approved for commercial use or not?
Ex. Japan: Traces of unauthorized commercial GM rice from the U.S. was found in imports to Japan. There is widespread consumer rejection in Japan of Genetically Modified rice.
Ex. South Korea demanded that its importers import no GM rice from the U.S. & threatened to stop importation if their demand was not met.
Ex. European Union is adamant that no unauthorized GM rice will enter its food chain. In 2004, 10 more countries joined the EU and feel likewise.
Summary of a point: In 2003, labeling of food in 38 nations allowed consumers to see if the product had GM vs. non-GM wheat in it.
We have no labeling. In fact, we would prefer
“Potential Market Impacts from Commercializing Round-Up Ready (TM) Wheat”
http://www.worc.org/pdfs/Marke.....208-06.pdf
*********************************
The more I read, the sicker I become. This is DEFINITELY MORE WIDESPREAD THAN A PET FOOD PROBLEM! IT’S THE FOOD WE’RE STUCK WITH IN THE U.S. BECAUSE GOVERNMENTS THAT CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND DEMAND OF THEIR CITIZENS REFUSE TO BUY OUR ADULTERATED INFERIOR FOOD. Years and years ago, we were number one on many fronts. Now, I’m embarrassed to see we are a laughing stock about many issues, and other countries do not want our food.
Even several South Africa nations REFUSED U.S. FOOD AID because it contained GM corn (as seen in one of the articles I linked). Of course, Bush blames this on the European Union’s trying to sway other countries to refuse GM products from the U.S. The truth is … other countries CARE about what their citizens put in their mouths, which in turn will lessen health care costs in the future, due to better diets. I can’t believe our own country is feeding us this junk.
Do you think the government is looking out for you? The wealthy? Think again!
I didn’t think I’d end up getting political about this, but the more I read, the more I see that EVERYTHING IS LINKED TO MONEY, whether related to pets or humans. I’m ashamed of what we’ve become in the quest for the mighty U.S. dollar, which has fallen in value, let me add. I wonder why… Other countries are standing up to us and are just NOT accepting garbage from us any more. We can’t get rid of the food, so we’re left to consume it.
As U.S. consumers, we must speak out!
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 am
I know this is a very odd request but here it goes anyway:
I have a middle bedroom where two dogs sleep on blankets during the night. Well very odd noises are coming from the bedroom (like dogs wrestling and carrying on) and we open the door and both dogs are curled up as if asleep and look up innocently. The noise stops as soon as we open the door. They simply couldn’t curl up and be innocent after the rukus we hear in the middle bedroom. I was wondering if dogs have spirits like ghosts or something. I was even thinking the animal kingdom might be upset over the recall and poisoned food or something.
We think the wind is blowing tree branches against the house - and look - no branches. And still these odd noises. I don’t have rats or mice besides the noise is very loud and growly.
Anyone ever experience anything like that? Help!
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 9:47 am
QUOTE FROM DEEANN at 8:56 a.m.
Complicating the issue is the fact that no one knows the exact amount of arsenic found in chicken meat or ingested by consumers who frequently eat chicken. “Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor the Department of Agriculture has actually measured the level of arsenic in the poultry meat that most people consume,” according to the article.
The National Chicken Council, a trade association that represents the U.S. chicken industry, claims there is “no reason to believe there are any human health hazards” associated with the use of roxarsone.
*********************
Of course, I believe the above statements by the National Chicken Council.
Yes, and the FDA nor the pet food companies (Menu Foods) didn’t test the pet food either. And Mr. Ekedahl of the Pet Food Industry tells us that pet food is safe.
I USED TO BELIEVE THE PET FOOD COMPANIES AND PET FOOD INDUSTRY. NEVER AGAIN! NEVER!
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 9:50 am
On another note, I don’t understand how people are still buying poisoned cans etc from the pet stores. One simply can’t trust that all store owners are up to date on this.
The solution is so simple. Read the label and do not feed anything with: Wheat, Corn, Wheat Gluten, Corn Gluten - Gluten anything - at least for several months.
How hard can this be really? Sorry, I know it is very sad and I hate hearing about pets still dying - but one simply can’t trust cans right now and probably too any of the Gluten stuff. I’d take an extra leap and no wheat or corn etc. I even bought my son some new bags of cat food and cans just to be safe.
Let’s use some caution here everyone.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 9:53 am
That’s what we get with this present administration!!! No one is looking out for the little guy anymore!! They feed us and our pets garbage, and get away with it very nicely!!
Comment by ann gates — April 16, 2007 @ 9:55 am
QUOTE FROM STEVE:
Maybe them wacky left wing save the planet environmentalist tree hugging tofu eaters may have been onto something the past 35 years. No?
Comment by Steve — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 am
**************************
I love your line, Steve. And how true, especially since we’re learning more and more about pet food, quality control (the lack thereof), lack of regulation, inefficient inspections of imports, etc.
You know, I’m leaning this way more and more, at least being aware of what I’m buying and refusing to buy what doesn’t meet my standards for my pets and myself (food and non-foods). My “activist self,” which didn’t surface much in the 1970’s is starting to emerge after this pet food nightmare.
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Ann Gates,
I do believe it is at least in part the problem of the present administration - they have made significant cuts if FDA inspections and oversight within the last three years.
And even tried to get some type of “sunset commission” passed - like in Texas - and that is very scary.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 9:57 am
FROM THE NATURAL BALANCE WEBSITE:
We are receiving consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. Please discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.
We are working closely with the FDA.
We will update this website today, as more information comes available.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:00 am
jennifer…
i received a call from Crawford yesterday and downloaded the claim forms. i’m filling them out right now. i hope they take care of things!
big ron
Comment by Big Ron — April 16, 2007 @ 10:00 am
Of course it’s political. Were on a sinking ship. Isn’t that obvious? Whens the last time you heard a politician mention the American Dream in a public speech? What is it now by the way?
“Work hard, and maybe if your lucky you’ll live to 40?”
Comment by Steve — April 16, 2007 @ 10:02 am
All Royal Canin and Vet’s Choice dry pet food (dog and cat) recalled in South Africa. Limited to pet food manufactured between March 8 and April 11. “Batch of raw material”…”third party supplier”…contaminant as yet unknown.
Comment by Eva — April 16, 2007 @ 10:03 am
If you don’t know what a “sunset commission” is - google it and have fun learning.
In a nut shell: It’s an oversight group of people that has the authority to do away with outdated or unwanted “government agencies” - silently.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:04 am
Money… sniff sniff sniff.
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=TSE:MEW.UN
+0.01 (0.24%)
Comment by Steve — April 16, 2007 @ 10:08 am
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 am
The U.S. has tried to feed the world with its genetically modified crops and hormone-injected, antibiotic-laced meat, and OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT WANT OUR GARBAGE FOOD, soooooo, WE GET TO EAT IT!
Your entire post is going to be copied and emailed to everyone on my list to try and inform and get poeple thinking about all this. Thank you.
Comment by DeeAnn — April 16, 2007 @ 10:10 am
Any help with dog ghosts will be greatly appreciated.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:11 am
Have you heard about the Nationwide Memorial March scheduled for 4/28? Check out this website: pnv2.org Pets Need A Voice Too
I hope this gets off the ground!
Comment by Patty — April 16, 2007 @ 10:19 am
April 10th press release from the ASPCA
http://aspca.org/site/PageServ.....ess_011007
Apparently folks are still feeding recalled foods.
Can someone tell me why, Best Friends.org, the biggest sanctuary in Utah has nothing about recalled food? I wonder what is being fed to those animals. Any one know?
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 10:21 am
Comment by Peg
I said the same thing. Checked their site last night and couldn’t find anything either. Strange.
Comment by VJ — April 16, 2007 @ 10:23 am
sorry mistake/typo
http://aspca.org/site/PageServ.....ess_041007
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 10:23 am
Thanks VJ, I thought maybe I was missing something. I donate to this organization. I think I’ll email them
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 10:24 am
I still don’t get how people can not took at the labels and avoid the “Glutens” - really it defies all logic here.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:25 am
“I still don’t get how people can not took at the labels and avoid the “Glutens” - really it defies all logic here.
Linda MS “
A lot of them cant read English and, the print is very small and tedious, not good for the lazy.
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 10:32 am
Comment by Peg
I have this organization set up to get the bulk of my trust. Hmmm. May have to reconsider. Time will tell.
On another note, if it wasn’t for PetConnection, I would think the recall scare was over. My local paper and I’m not afraid to print the name, The Macomb Daily, has not written anything for 2 weeks even though I left a voice mail with the editor more than 2 weeks ago.
Comment by VJ — April 16, 2007 @ 10:32 am
Gary,
Oh, I suppose you are right. Can’t read English. Terrible. Didn’t think of that. The print is small. I carry a magnifying glass to catch the tiny print. Blind as a bat without it. And people just trust the smiling store owerers and the poor dogs and cats are dying. Tragic beyond words.
And now Natural Balance and I have several bags of the Duck and Sweet Potatoe that I am feeding a couple of my dogs along with fresh and now this.
And then I think I have dogs spirits in the house and I can’t find too much about dog spirits inhibiting houses. My roommate is an attorney and very rational and he too thinks the only explanation for the noises is - dog ghosts. Hungry ones too. If it wasn’t so ludicrous I’d cry.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:38 am
In everything you buy today, the instructions are in about six different languages. This needed to be done when the recall began by the offending companies and agencies across the world’s papers. Another gross failure of society.
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 10:39 am
VJ…I am awaiting a reply to the email I sent them. I too, have “left” them something in my Will.
I’m doing some BIG rethinking. I can’t wait to hear what, if any, their reply to my questions will be.
I check Pet Connection throughout the day. Thanks to them, this is still an on going issue…Major media has nothing to say. As a matter of fact, the commercials and ads for pet food have increased dramatically over the past 2 weeks, here in NY.
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 10:44 am
Oh, now that I think about it. I keep several bags of dog food in the middle bedroom closet. Unopened. I buy in bulk to save trips to the store - oh, that’s probably why the noises are in the middle bedroom. Then I switched to homecooking too so I use up the bags slowly for a few of my pets that tolerate the dry okay mixed in with some homecooked.
Then I had this strange dream about dogs coming into my house, and one very scraggly wolf-like dog, thin, with matted and tuffed hair - kinda brownish yellow fur - it was all so odd. I thought I was blogging too much or something. And the pain of the animals not having food and eating the poison was getting to me.
You guys are all so rational here - probably no one knows anything much about a dog spirit here.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:44 am
When I’m walking around and see people with their pets, I ask them if they heard of the recall and so far about 90% say yes. However, they don’t know any particulars and what they heard was about two weeks old.
But, my dummy neighbor, “duh, waa?”
I asked what are you feeding your cat? “I’m not sure, fancy, fancy something?”
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Regarding the comments about Best Friends not having any information about the recall: NOT TRUE!
I’m a volunteer and news writer for the Best Friends Network, and the recall has been covered since March 16th, with multiple updates.
You may have visited the main Best Friends website (http://www.bestfriends.org/) and not found anything there - I’m not sure if anything would be posted there, as that site is primarily about the activities at the Sanctuary.
HOWEVER, the Best Friends Network, which is linked on the main Best Friends homepage, is where you’ll find national and international news on animal welfare issues, and that’s the site where the recall has been covered. I have editing rights for only my Pennsylvania community, so I posted a story about Menu Foods as soon as I heard about it, on the evening of March 16th. Several other editors did the same in their own communities that evening. We alerted the national org, and by the next day there was a prominent news story, which was updated regularly. Significant and helpful information appears in the comments to the story, just as they do in the comments to this blog. People were directed to petconnection.com and howl911.com in a few of the comments.
The story had the web equivalent of “above the fold” status since the beginning. The last few days, things have quieted down somewhat, as far as new developments are concerned, so the story is still on the Network homepage but not featured as prominently as before. I’m going to contact the head news person now about the Natural Balance situation, so that may bump the story up to the main headlines again.
The URL for the Best Friends Network is:
http://network.bestfriends.org/
And the address for the recall news story is:
http://network.bestfriends.org/dc/news/13248.html
Best Friends realizes that the distinction between the main page and the Network page is confusing, and the sites are going to be merged sometime soon. The Network is a beta site, but it has been very popular - almost 16,000 members.
So the story is being covered by Best Friends - apologies for any difficulty in finding it on the site. As far as what they feed the animals at the Sanctuary, I don’t know. They have been keeping on top of the recall and I’m sure have eliminated any foods that were questionable.
Comment by cerridwen — April 16, 2007 @ 11:06 am
For Linda, regarding the weird noise—
Not that I don’t believe that dogs have spirits, but I think your noises may have a more earthbound explanation, because I have experienced it—raccoons. They are very agile, persistent critters and can chew their way into your attic or walls. The sounds may be coming from your attic or walls and sound like they are coming from the bedroom. We’ve had them get into our attic twice in the past, and this is just what it sounds like. They mate in the spring (which is a noisy process), and the females, who really like attics, are looking for dens now for the babies-to-be. They don’t just live out in the woods; they also thrive in urban areas.
I would recommend calling your local trap-and-release critter control company and having them inspect your roof and attic for signs of the culprits.
Comment by Debra — April 16, 2007 @ 11:07 am
Thank you Debra maybe I will have to do that. Although I live in a rather new house with no raccons around, we do have possums - but the dogs would smell them and hear them and create a fuss - that is what is so odd. My dogs are sleeping and acting like “Well, why did you open the door?”
But maybe something got inside and I just don’t know it. I will call a trap and release critter control company just to make sure. It is all very strange. I am not prone to dulusions of ghosts. Sometimes I just yell to “knock it off” and then all is quiet. But usually one can hear them scamping about, crawling up the walls or something (as I had a squirrel in another house and one could tell where it was all the time in the walls)- but I will check it out. There’s a lot of thumping and bumping and growls going on.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 11:12 am
Again thank you Debra. That is a perfectly good explanation - didn’t realize they would get inside in pairs and growl too like dogs. Horrible sound - maybe I’ve been watching too much television or something.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 11:17 am
Best Friends reply to my inquiry about what they are feeding the pets at the sanctuary
http://network.bestfriends.org/dc/news/13248.html
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 11:18 am
Re Best Friends:
There is coverage of the Pet Food Recall on the “Network” section of Best Friends - this is where news is discussed, so it makes sense.
The Menu Foods Insider Trading subject is the most recent post, you’ll see it on the main page:
http://network.bestfriends.org/
It links to the detailed info here:
http://tinyurl.com/22wo4c
Comment by Empress 60 — April 16, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Thanks cerridwen. I was really concerned about the sanctuary animals
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Yes, Linda, thumps, bumps, and growls in the night sounds just like raccoons. If you have possums in your neighborhood, you have the right conditions for raccoons too. It could be a mating pair or two females who have both decided that your house looks like a nice nursery, and are battling for territory.
Unfortunately and unwillingly I have had the opportunity to learn more about raccoons than I ever wanted to. A friend of mine who practices Native American spirituality has suggested that I have a raccoon totem or something, since they seem to be so attracted to my house! :)
Comment by Debra — April 16, 2007 @ 11:24 am
Oh Debra that is so funny. I pay attention to things in the animal world too, tree frogs love my house - hundreds of them hop around and even wait by the door to get inside. My Mercy, a Doberman, carries them around in her mouth and I rescue them and put them back outside. I have lots of animals things around outside - ceramic cats, dragon flies, lots of roses and trees and my dogs are always chasing stuff - never know what is out there.
Linda MS
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 11:27 am
Best Friends has a pretty good recall page BUT, it’s impossible to find from the “Home” page. They need to put a link right out front with the words “recall”. If someone who lands on the front page can’t immediately find the link, it’s pretty useless.
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 11:37 am
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 11:37 am
I agree, Gary - if you don’t know about the Network and the separate website, you can’t find the recall story, and I’m sure many people have encountered that. I just emailed the main news editor to let her know about the Natural Balance recall. I also told her that people over here were concerned about not finding any recall info. I suggested that they put a link to the recall story on the main Best Friends page. If they do, I’ll announce it over here.
Comment by cerridwen — April 16, 2007 @ 11:41 am
OK, Ive posted this as a theory before but now I have conclusive PROOF about the connection between melamine and urea type NPN (Non Protien Nitrogen) supplements. See the following US patent link: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3988483.html
Noted quotes from same: “A wide variety of NPN substances can be employed in the supplements hereof, along with a large number of starch sources such as grains or industrial wastes such as starch-bearing food”
Also: “in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,909 a method is described wherein melamine and urea are admixed in aqueous suspension with wheat flour and heated under atmospheric pressure to achieve a uniform consistency. Other conventional feed supplements are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,748,001; 2,853,385; 2,960,406; 3,165,413; 3,573,924 and 3,677,767.”
There is no longer any doubt why the melamine is in the gluten. This or something very much like it is what the Chinese were doing except they did it in HUMAN grade wheat gluten…
The only remaining questions are:
1. Why was it in human grade gluten.
and
2. What are the other as yet unidentified components?
Allow me to speculate once again (I think I deserve it).
The remaining unidentified chemicals have something to do with the Chinese sales pitch for “slow release”. Melamine is more stable and tasteless than urea (although it is actually made from urea) so that humans (or animals) would be less likely to object to the smell or taste or have intestinal problems with the caustic properties of urea.
Notice that this product is intended only for ruminants. To my knowledge NPN or any type has NEVER been used for any other kind of animals except poultry.
Why the press has not researched this is a mystery (to me).
AC360 only had it part right. They really didnt get into the obvious chemical connection. It took an old X farmer for that!
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 11:41 am
Regarding today’s AP article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18132087/
One section of the article states:
“Under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002, anyone importing food into the United States is required to notify the FDA of the shipment before it arrives by land, air or sea. That allows the FDA to intercept contaminated products before they reach the marketplace, though agency officials acknowledge it doesn’t always work that way.”
I’m assuming that the wheat gluten is “food.” Did ChemNutra give advance notice to FDA of expected import?
Comment by Lynn — April 16, 2007 @ 11:55 am
cerridwen:
Hi cerridwen, yes, there seems to be numerous places to put a link, the sidebars or maybe even a horizontal banner across the header or something.
I read somewhere, the average Internet visitor stays and looks around for a few seconds or so and moves on if they don’t find something.
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 11:58 am
Re: Comment by DeeAnn — April 16, 2007 @ 9:28 am
I read this post regarding the health risks of both clumping and clay based cat litter. I occasionally buy my cat litter made from recycled newspaper, but it is quite expensive. I noticed that it is made in Canada! The amount we spend on litter must be astronomical. Why can’t we make it regionally in this country from the newspapers we discard? I can only imagine how much it costs to mine, manufacture and distribute the material we now use in litter. It’s interesting that in a few short weeks we’re learning about what not only to feed our pets, but ourselves as well, how to be smarter shoppers, how to read and interpret labels, and now perhaps how to recycle our discarded newspapers and make cat litter.
I moved to a large apartment building this winter and am shocked to see in my floor’s trash room how much packing materials and paper we all throw away. So we’re recycling, but how much of it is reused by us?
Comment by Maureen — April 16, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
If you all want to know what members of our elected government are doing on our tax dollars while we fight to raise awareness and try to keep our critters alive —-go to the following news website to this unbelievable story. It is the second headline below the WV shooting rampage It is about Congressional spring junkets. http://www.examiner.com/dc
Comment by elizabeth R — April 16, 2007 @ 12:08 pm
NPN
Re Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 11:41 am
I’m with you on this, Bernie.
In case some of you are not aware, dogs and cats are not ruminants. [Ruminants have four stomachs to facilitate digestion.] So the implication is that a process designed for cows, sheep, and other 4-stomach animals is being fed into a system used to feed one-stomach animals, which makes it unsafe.
Comment by Lynn — April 16, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
RE: DEEANN COPYING PETLOVER’s POST: Yes.
TO STEVE ALSO: See below.
Thank you, DeeAnn. It’s fine to use the post. I’m just embarrassed because I didn’t finish a sentence there or proofread and can’t go back to edit once it’s posted.
STEVE’S QUOTE: WE’RE ON A SINKING SHIP…
(BTW, I look forward to reading your posts and the information you dig up.)
I’m with you 100% and have said we’ve been in a downward spiral for years and years, despite what we’re told about the economy growing and being first in ___, ____, and ____. Sorry. Those days have long been over.
I just didn’t know how much I should write about my views on the petconnection . com blog because this is not a political blog. As others here in the last couple of weeks have started to write in more political terms to expose what is really going on, while still dealing with their grief, I felt that it was more acceptable to post about some issues, such as GM crops and other countries’ refusals to buy/trade with us as a result, as well.
Although it is difficult to do considering all the deaths and illness we’ve read about, all misery that COULD have been prevented in large part if immediate recalls were made, I’ve tried to keep politics out of my discussions. I try to remain as professional in my comments and expressions of anger as possible and don’t want anything I say to reflect negatively on this site. (Even now, I’m reflecting on using the term “garbage food” in my haste, when I’m sure I could have come up with a more appropriate word choice.) I want people who monitor this blog to see us as reasoning beings who can discuss the issues, delve into research, and present our views and findings in measured, rational ways, which I think we’re doing a good job of, despite our anger and sadness over dealing with loss.
Yes. Everything is politically motivated and money is at the core of both government motivation and big industry, at the expense of our health and our pets’ health.
*****************************
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 9:41 am
The U.S. has tried to feed the world with its genetically modified crops and hormone-injected, antibiotic-laced meat, and OTHER COUNTRIES DO NOT WANT OUR GARBAGE FOOD, soooooo, WE GET TO EAT IT!
Your entire post is going to be copied and emailed to everyone on my list to try and inform and get poeple thinking about all this. Thank you.
Comment by DeeAnn — April 16, 2007 @ 10:10 am
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Tilapia
Lorraine T. reference me about the tilapia being so large lately.
Since the 60’s China was introduced to tilapia, but wasn’t too interested until the 80’s and 90’s when they hybrid several smaller and larger and came up with a hybrid “super tilapia.” China now has 50% market and US has agreed to trade.
Note Alibaba.com wants suppliers.
This link from Seafood Watch Program warns to avoid China/Taiwan tilapia:
http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/Seafo.....px?fid=195
Polluted runoff.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
This is my second try at posting this.. It did not take the first time!
SMOKING GUN CONNECTION TO MELAMINE!
Take a look at the following web page:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3988483.html
“…in U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,909 a method is described wherein melamine and urea are admixed in aqueous suspension with wheat flour and heated under atmospheric pressure to achieve a uniform consistency. Other conventional feed supplements are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,748,001; 2,853,385; 2,960,406; 3,165,413; 3,573,924 and 3,677,767.”
So, the theory I put forth last week about using melamine (which is actually made from urea but is tasteless and more stabil) is now proven.
I continue to search and document the connection. Sometimes it just takes an old X farmer…
Bernie
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 12:19 pm
Where on the Natural Balance web site are you seeing the notice about yesterday’s recall? I’m not finding it. All I see is their previous notice on their home page that says that none of their foods are part of the recall (Menue Foods).
Comment by Marilyn — April 16, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
Marilyn,
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/
Comment by Julia — April 16, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Does someone have the link to the article (Was it USA TODAY?) that was about China - U.S. trade that was posted a week ago or more. In the article, there was one sentence about … worried about (China) retaliating with its exports?? This line was about half way down the page. Does anyone remember this?
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
To: petlover
In this case genetically modified food has nothing to do with it.
IT is more in the line of “Better living thru chemistry…”
We now know exactly why the melamine was in the gluten.
What we doint know is what else was in it too (as if that wasnt bad enough).
Note the same patent has the following reference:
“A wide variety of NPN substances can also be employed in the present invention as long as the NPN source is characterized by the property of being hydrolyzable to ammonia by rumen microorganisms so that such ammonia can thereafter be converted to microbial protein by the ruminant. For example, NPN sources such as urea, uric acid, biuret, ethylene urea, ammonia, ammonium salts, propionamide, butyramide, formamide, acetamide, dicyanodiamide, isobutanediurea, creatinine, and creatine and mixtures thereof find particular utility in the invention. Specific ammonium salts advantageously used include members taken from the group consisting of ammonium phosphate, ammonium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbamate, ammonium citrate, ammonium formate, ammonium acetate, ammonium propionate, ammonium lactate, ammonium succinate, ammonium fumarate, ammonium malate, ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate and mixtures thereof.”
SO, what else might have been in there is anybody’s guess and until we hear what that mystery 20% the FDA referred to we cant know for certain.
It also says this: “merely admixing a raw starch source and NPN substance in aqueous suspension is not a satisfactory answer because such mixtures often exhibit a number of undesirable characteristics. For example, when the NPN substance is added at commercially feasible levels, it often happens that the simple mixture is toxic to the ruminant.”
How many more fine details do we really need?
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
petlover
Don’t know about USAToday, but here is one link from CATO:
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8181
don’t know about this guy!!!
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Debra,
could you ask your Native American Shaman if dogs have spritis or ghosts that hover around just in case I don’t find any critters in my attic (walls)?
Thanks.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
Linda MS
There is but a thin veil that separates us from the other side.
I’m sure if you had critters in the room, your BARK ALARM would go off.
I frequently feel Miss Chelsea Leigh crawl into bed at night lying next to me. Something she had done every night since I got her. She visits with Beans (cat) as well. They were friends.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
Kathi,
Well if I had critters in the walls, the dogs would smell and bark, especially my large trained coonhounds - he has a big healthy nose and is ready to go after things.
But as to the others, one dog Mercy, my Doberman will take off and bark and stare and I don’t know what’s going on - I don’t see anything there.
I just may offer a little ceremony to the unknown dog energy and try to get them over the rainbow bridge - I don’t know what else to do….if I don’t find real critters that is.
I have been having dreams about hungry dogs - and I wonder if it is connected. I think I’m worring too much over this food recall but then again who knows - I love coyotes too alot and wolves - very much an animal person. I can’t find anything about it on the web not about animal spirits in the afterlife.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 1:05 pm
PS. It is not just me, my roommate noticed it too and said what’s going on? Even called me at work to explain to him the noises??????
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Linda MS
Go to amazon.com. click books. enter animal spirits in search box. Lots of books.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 1:27 pm
Hello everyone,
I am not sure if I will be able to find your answers to my question or not. I do not understand blogging as well as I should, but I have been reading a lot about the pet food contamination since my cat almost died on Feb. 20, 2007. That is the EXACT date that Menu Foods reported that it received several reports of dead and dying animals. My cat was health (less than two years old) until I found him near death from kidney failure on Feb. 20th. He required over 4 days of continual IV’s and emergency hospitalization to save his life. The bill was over $1,000.00.
I’ve been wanting to ask a question of others whose pets have survived after treatment although I am not sure what the best way to do that is.
Has anyone found a skin lesion on their pets? I found one on my cat just a few days after he returned home from the animal hospital. It looked really scarry—bright red and larger than a quarter in size.
The Vet that treated him for the kidney failure took a look at it, and she thought that it was pretty superficial—a scratch that he had licked or something. She did not recommend any medicine because it wasn’t infected. She said that it LOOKED like a chemical burn.
Anyway, this is April 16th and the scab is still on the wound, but I think it has finally healed up for the most part. It seems like it has taken a very long time to heal up.
I wonder if this skin lesion had something to do with the kidney failure and poisoning instead of just a coincident (as the Veterinarian believed)?????
Any thoughts?
Sharon
Comment by Sharon Popp — April 16, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
Linda MS:
I don’t want to appear to be just another nutcase but after I put my dog to sleep about a yr & a half ago, I used to hear her plop down in the kitchen (which she did all the time when she was with me). I didn’t tell a lot of people ‘cuz I didn’t want them to send me away. I felt her presence & other times thought I heard her panting…..all it did was make me cry. Of course, silly me would run out to the kitchen & nothing…..geez, what did I expect?
Maybe, before they “cross over”, they come back to visit those they loved. Who knows.
Now I’m going to be tagged on this website as a real flake!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Jan — April 16, 2007 @ 1:59 pm
Thanks Bernie
You have the perfect was of explaining so that someone like me can have a very clear understanding of what’s going on.
Okay if I spread the word to others with pets who don’t often stop by at pet connection?
Comment by Peg — April 16, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Jan
I wouldn’t worry about it. There are plenty of us who have experienced this connection. Some never mention it and have self-doubts.
I trust myself and always believe what I know. I rarely have conversations with nay-sayers. I just figure someday they’ll find out on their own.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 2:10 pm
Peg:
By all means!
Thats the whole idea.
If anyone else has a better explanation I would like to hear it.
But if the company says they make NPN products and they have been demonstrated to have been purchasing melamine and we can now show that melamine is a not so secret application in NPN then I think its pretty clear that they were using a process intended to cattle feed in their human grade products.
This then was NOT a random contamination event which Ive been saying for weeks now. Its pretty much was Anderson Cooper was saying but he did not get into the hows and whys.
From that, if unless you believe that the people at Menu were completely clueless about the actual content of what they were buying you have to conclude that they knew they were putting something into the food that was not supposed to be there.
The same goes for Chem Nutra. As I said weeks ago too… its CHEM Nutra, not NATURE Nutra.
Whether (as it says in the intro to this thread) Chem Nutra is so shocked at Menu not notifying anyone for so long is maybe not so significant as their being complicity in the substitution. Although early public notification would probably have saved many pets probably including my poor old girl Brandy.
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Thanks Jan and Kathi,
I figure the dog(s) is hungry or needs love or something, none of it makes any sense, but neither do a lot of things in life, so this is just one more.
Linda MA
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
RE: Clay and clumping cat litter commentary
My Scooter just had surgery for bladder stones and I couldn’t use clumping litter. The vet suggested shredded paper, but it got kicked everywhere, and stuck to her incision, so I went to the baby department at Wal-Mart and bought some good old fashioned cotton Birdseye diapers. I think I might just change to them in the litterbox all the time now, I just throw them in a soak bucket until I have enough to do a good bleach load in the washer. The solids get flushed in my commode, and there is no trash to go to the curb. So far, it’s working pretty well. For what it’s worth….
Comment by michelle — April 16, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
FDA Release
April 16, 2007
Pet food manufacturers have voluntarily recalled more than 100 brands of dog and cat food across the nation since March 16, 2007. The recall was prompted by reported cases of cats and dogs in the United States that developed kidney failure after eating the affected products.
If you’re a pet owner wondering what to feed your pets, keep in mind the following: Although many different types of pet food are affected by the recall, the recalled products represent only about one percent of the total pet food available for purchase, according to the Pet Food Institute, the trade association for pet food manufacturers.
“There remains an ample supply of safe cat and dog food available at stores throughout the United States,” says Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). “We encourage the public to continue to use pet food that is not subject to the recall.”
FDA, through CVM, regulates the manufacture and distribution of feed ingredients and complete feeds, including pet food, as well as animal drugs. Since March 15, 2007, when FDA first learned that cats and dogs were becoming sick and dying from certain pet foods, the agency has:
dedicated personnel in each of its 20 district offices to take consumer calls and conduct inspections and investigations
mobilized more than 400 employees to collect pet food samples, monitor the effectiveness of the recall, and prepare consumer complaint reports
conducted numerous inspections of manufacturing facilities and warehouses to trace all of the contaminated product
analyzed more than 250 pet food and ingredient samples in six FDA field laboratories and FDA’s Forensic Chemistry Center
issued press releases, conducted media interviews, and developed a Web site to provide current information that consumers, veterinarians, and regulatory counterparts need to support animal health
worked with its regulatory partners in all 50 state agriculture and health agencies to share information and collaborate on investigative and analytical efforts
activated its Emergency Operations Center, available on a 24-hour basis, to manage the incoming information from pet owners, veterinarians, and others, making sure it gets to FDA’s scientists and inspection teams
testified before the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee at its April 12, 2007, “Pet Food Safety” hearing.
Launching the Investigation
FDA first learned of a problem with pet food manufactured by Menu Foods Inc. after the company reported illnesses and deaths in cats and dogs that had eaten some of its “cuts and gravy” style products. The Canada-based manufacturer supplies cat and dog food to numerous pet food companies that sell it under various brand names. Menu Foods voluntarily recalled about 100 different brand name products made at its U.S. plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., and its Canadian plant in Streetsville, Ontario.
Within 24 hours of learning about the pet food problem, FDA investigators were on-site at the Emporia plant to search for possible sources of contamination. FDA worked with the manufacturer to ensure that the contaminated products were removed from the market and to inform consumers of the danger of feeding their animals the suspect products. “Our first priority was to identify all of the contaminated product and remove it from store shelves to limit the risk of animal injury and death,” says Sundlof.
At the same time, FDA consumer complaint coordinators around the country began taking calls from pet owners and veterinarians who reported illnesses that may have been associated with the contaminated pet food. FDA received over 14,000 such reports in the first four weeks—more than twice the number of complaints typically received in a year for all of the products the agency regulates.
Elimination of Suspects
FDA inspectors collected samples of the recalled pet food and sent them to FDA laboratories around the country for analysis. FDA scientists looked at a broad spectrum of ingredients. “We first looked at all the most likely suspects and compounds that might cause acute kidney disease,” says Sundlof, “such as vitamin D, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), and some of its derivatives: diethylene glycol and propylene glycol.” In addition, scientists tested products for toxic metals, as well as mycotoxins, toxic substances formed by certain molds that are known to be toxic to the kidneys. None of those compounds was found in the samples.
A New York State laboratory reported finding aminopterin, a form of rat poison, in some pet food samples. FDA’s Forensic Chemistry Center could not confirm these findings. What the center did find, though, was melamine in the pet foods and in the wheat gluten used as an ingredient. Subsequently, FDA’s field laboratories found melamine in over 130 of more than 210 samples of pet food and wheat gluten. In addition, Cornell University scientists found melamine in the urine and kidneys of cats that were part of a taste-testing study conducted for Menu Foods.
The Melamine and Wheat Gluten Connection
Melamine is a molecule that has a number of industrial uses, including use in manufacturing cooking utensils. It has no approved use in human or animal food in the United States, nor is it permitted to be used as fertilizer, as it is in some parts of the world.
Wheat gluten is a mixture of two proteins obtained when wheat flour is washed to remove the starch. It is sometimes used to thicken pet food “gravy.” The wheat gluten that had gone into the pet food had been received from a new supplier in China, according to Menu Foods.
FDA is not 100 percent certain that melamine, a relatively non-toxic substance, is the cause of the spate of pet illnesses and deaths. Although some studies have shown a toxic effect of melamine in rodents, research is scarce on melamine’s effect on cats and dogs.
“While the levels we’ve found to date in both the finished pet food product and the wheat gluten are below what would be considered toxic in rodents, there is extremely little data in the scientific literature on melamine exposure in dogs and cats,” says Sundlof. “Regardless, the association between melamine in the kidneys of cats that died and melamine in the food they consumed is undeniable.” Now FDA must attempt to determine whether or not it is the melamine itself that is the culprit, or whether it’s some other contaminant associated with the melamine. Another piece of FDA’s detective work is to find out whether cats and dogs are more sensitive to melamine than rodents without actually testing the toxicity of melamine on cats and dogs.
Tracking Down Wheat Gluten
By examining import records obtained during its investigation, FDA identified the distributor of the contaminated wheat gluten as ChemNutra of Las Vegas. The firm supplies ingredients to pet food companies. Working with the firm, FDA traced the suspect product to a single supplier in China, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology. FDA issued an import alert focused on this supplier, and is sampling 100 percent of all wheat gluten from China—regardless of its source—coming into the United States. FDA is also sampling all wheat gluten coming from the Netherlands, since the Chinese supplier shipped some of its wheat gluten to this European country.
“At this time in the ongoing investigation, there is no evidence that any imported wheat gluten contaminated with melamine has entered the U.S. human food supply,” says Michael Rogers, Director of FDA’s Division of Field Investigations. As an added precaution, however, FDA has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use its surveillance network to monitor for signs of human illness that could indicate contamination of the human food supply.
An Active Investigation
FDA’s investigation remains open and active, and the agency continues to follow leads to get closer to the root cause of the pet food problem, says Rogers. “FDA will continue monitoring the ongoing recalls, conduct recall audit follow-ups to ensure an effective recall, and promptly inform the public of any additional findings regarding the recent outbreak of cat and dog illness.”
FDA recognizes that there may be many more pet illnesses and deaths than the 16 deaths it has confirmed so far. Universities and groups such as Banfield Pet Hospital (a nationwide network of veterinary hospitals), the Veterinary Information Network, the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, and other organizations are providing information to help FDA in assessing the extent of the outbreak. In addition, these organizations help the agency communicate important health information to the public about the safety of their pets.
As the investigation continues, FDA scientists will review blood and tissue samples of affected animals to understand how melamine contributed to the pet illnesses. “This understanding will provide valuable information about the cause of this outbreak, and what FDA and the pet food industry can do to avoid this type of problem in the future,” says Sundlof.
Comment by Carole — April 16, 2007 @ 2:33 pm
I posted this earlier but I think it was on another website….gee, I can’t keep track of where I’ve been, where I’ve posted…..talk about losing it. Reading too much these days & making myself crazy….
Anyway, my feelings on this right from the get-go is how fast MF zoned in on wheat gluten as the culprit…..I mean it came shortly after the recall…..I would think it would take time to determine exactly where the problem was….unless, of course, they had been playing around with the gluten & KNEW that what they did was what was causing all these problems. However, they will never admit it publicly. Also think they did the same with the dry food…..whatever MF sister company does the dry.
Also remember reading the labels for any of the grains doesn’t count for much when they can add any old thing they want & have six months in which to add it to the list of ingredients. So, basically, you don’t know what the hell is in that can/bag. REALLY scary.
Comment by Jan — April 16, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Kathi,
Thanks for the Amazon tips - I did find a book on animal ghosts, including our pets,
Sometimes the obvious is overlooked - thanks.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
Bernard J (Bernie) Starzewski
I agree. There are a lot of us who aren’t buying their “shocked” responses.
These characters are not mom & pops. They took the same college courses I did. Most likely they were doing the “wink and blink” routine. Very common in the greedy business world.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Linda and Jan: Kathi’s comment should be reread over and over! She said “I trust myself and always believe what I know. I rarely have conversations with nay-sayers. I just figure someday they’ll find out on their own.”
I couldn’t agree more - Trust what you know. And one of the best ways to learn what you know is to notice how you feel when other people respond!
That feeling of ‘No, there’s more to this’ is one of the most important tools we have.
Whether it’s about knowing there are spirits or ‘messages for you’ in the dog’s room or knowing there is more to the story about the recall, we all need to trust those feelings much more than we have been.
(Linda - feel free to email me!)
Comment by Kim — April 16, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
Linda MS said:
I can’t find anything about it on the web not about animal spirits in the afterlife.
Oh, there’s a bunch of good books, though these are largely about animal communication. In fact there’s a really old one from ‘54 Called Kinship with All Life by J. Allen Boone. I highly recommend Animal Voices by Dawn Baumann Brunke and Learning Their Language by Marta Williams. I used to think animal communication (other then animals reading our physical nuances and responding) was a bunch of bunk. Until the time I made a decision on Friday to put a dog with cancer down on Monday. That night all the cats came into my bedroom, including the feral, and spent the night. Never happened before, hasn’t happened since.
Comment by CathyA — April 16, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
Ahhh…CathyA thank you so much. There is so much to learn from our animals - God bless their souls.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 2:54 pm
HEADS UP! Natural Balance Venison and Rice (dry) and also the dry Venison and Green pea for Cats”
I just got off the phone with Natural Balance and really pressed the man for what the problem is - the FDA and SPCA etc are involved and testing going on now.
If you are feeding this to your pets - have them tested immediately. Stop feeding it and have them tested. Do not wait for them to get sick. DO NOT WAIT FOR AN OFFICIAL RECALL OF THIS PRODUCT. DO NOT WAIT!
Also, the man explained that this is the only product using the rice protein and he said it could be something similar to the Wheat Gluten problem and I pressed him about it - rice and wheat gluten are two different things and he told me no it isn’t, just different names for the name thing - he even said you don’t understand m’ame.
No I really don’t I guess but what I do understand is this: I think that you should have your pets tested and this is my input, not theirs.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
Sorry, same thing.
Typo.
LindaMS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
XUZHOU ANYING
Has anyone been able to track down the owners’ names of this company?
Comment by Lynn — April 16, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
NATURAL BALANCE - CORRECTION
Just to clarify one part of Linda’s message at 3:04:
NATURAL BALANCE
Venison and Rice (dry) FOR DOGS
and also the
dry Venison and Green pea FOR CATS
Comment by Lynn — April 16, 2007 @ 3:09 pm
Here’s a little more:
I know this was discussed back on the 5th here:
http://tinyurl.com/2l3qqu
But here is a direct connection from Yang, Xiaoming to a US patent to the use of melamine in NPN feeds. Yang, you will recall is the bio-chemist who works for the Chinese company that made the gluten…
http://www.freepatentsonline.c.....temming=on
You MAY have to temporarily subscribe to the server to see it but it is FREE.
Case closed…
Bernie
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
Thanks Lynn. I’m in shock. The gluten/rice protein is the problem - it must be the same thing -
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
I’m in shock as I still have bags of Duck and Sweet Potatoe, dry for dogs, and feed in addition to the homemade and I just made the man tell me the truth.
I stay away from all wheat and corn anything, but I thought rice was okay but stay away from that because my dogs don’t like the rice. It is rice protein for heavens sake.
I just can’t imagine how widespread this could be now. I shudder to think.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
do they use this rice protein in the wet venison and pea formula?
Comment by Elderta — April 16, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
I don’t think so - it just seems to be affecting the dry but I could be wrong, heck they could be wrong. Anymore I don’t understand anything.
I kept pressing the man: rice and wheat - and he said no, it’s the same gluten protein, doesn’t matter rice or wheat.
Why doesn’t it matter - why not, just why not? Unless you can’t trust their labels.
I’m sick!
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
On the subject of rice, I just want to remind everyone that many of the people on this site, and other sites complaining about Iams dry specifically said it was the lamb and rice formula.
Comment by elizabeth R — April 16, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
Linda MS
There is no rice gluten or corn gluten, BUT if you add wheat starch you can make a gluten with rice or corn.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 3:25 pm
well… my paikea ate a can of the wet venison and green pea this weekend and threw it up. HOWEVER, I am thinking it was because I reheated leftovers for her and they didn’t sit well in her stomach. But who the heck knows. I’m numb right now.
Comment by Elderta — April 16, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
Well what didn’t make sense is that he said they thought is was the same problem that’s with the wheat gluten - how can that be?
Did someone add melamine to it too? He suggested it was the same thing to me - and the same problem. No, he didn’t suggest he said that is what they thought was happening.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
Sorry. I was called away for a while but I’d like to add my two cents about pet “ghosts”. Actually, pet spirits. Sounds nicer, too. Because they love us so much (even after they pass), they will still come back and forth to visit. Many times out of the corner of my eye, I’ll see a white movement. Most of my dogs were white or light colored. I’ll say “whose here” or “which of you is it” and then say “hi” and thank them for coming by. So, shoot me. I’m one of the crazy ones who loves my babies and am glad they still come around. Embrace the moment and send them your love.
Comment by VJ — April 16, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
Bernie and Lynn:
Bernie - I’m so glad you posted again today, I’ve been looking for some of your posts from about a week ago and couldn’t find them. (The ones where you talked more at length about melamine being slow-release and the other things you mentioned here.)
My blog is certainly not the most read, but I’d like to do an in-depth post on this, and would like to do it as intelligently as possible. So if you have the time to email me and/or clarify things I’d appreciate it! (you can email me at kd @ playingbig.com or through my site http://www.petfoodtracker.com ) And Thank You for all your information, you have perspective and knowledge that is much needed!
Lynn - Ditto to you! This bit really makes it easier for the layperson (me) to understand. “So the implication is that a process designed for cows, sheep, and other 4-stomach animals is being fed into a system used to feed one-stomach animals, which makes it unsafe” It’s the piece I first understood last week, and I think it’s the part that will help others understand.
Comment by Kim — April 16, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
Only because I begged him to tell me - I have several large dogs and what would I do if they all got sick or died on me -
But I use the one that is for allergies and I have only sweet potato - only. But God knows really. It’s making me sick right now!
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
Oh VJ thanks so much on the info of pet spirits/ghosts.
I think these dogs must have lived close by me or something. It’s just the dreams of these dogs joining my dogs and they are all hungry and tired with dirty old coats. It’s very sad and I take care of them, of course, an softie.
But we too see things that move quickly just out of the corner of our eye - the dears.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:33 pm
They can’t be putting the melamine in the rice gluten/protein stuff too. It’s something else they are adding.
Oh, I was trying to think the very best, I really was, but this just feels wrong to me.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
INGREDIENTS LIST: Natural Balance® Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Venison, Venison Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
Is this the correct food? If so, I don’t see rice protein listed. I see Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, and manganese proteinate. The “proteinate” is supposed to be a chelated form of the mineral.
Are you saying that rice protein is in the food, but it’s not listed?
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 3:36 pm
I’m saying he told me on the phone it was rice protein and the same type of Gluten and they think it is contaminated.
How can that be, I went over and over in some stupid dumb repetition…
and He said I was the one that didn’t understand - it is the same thing - a gluten with the same problem they think. He said rice or wheat it didn’t matter.
Linda MA
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
http://www.scienceinafrica.co......gluten.htm
>>Dec 2001>Dec 6, 2005
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
I called Canidae and asked them who makes their food. All they would tell me was that it is a plant in West Texas. They said that the plant also makes other pet foods. The lady said it was not Menu or Diamond, but said she couldn’t tell me any more than that. Does anyone know what plant/plants are in West Texas or where exactly Canidae is made?
Comment by F Martinez — April 16, 2007 @ 3:41 pm
LINDA MS-
SUBJECT: RICE
Natural Balance Venison and Green Pea for Cats is supposed to be grain free - doesn’t that mean rice free? Is it the “ground rice” in the Nantural Balance Venison & Brown Rice dry dog food that is supposed to be bad?
Comment by Sheila — April 16, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
Kathi,
I went over and over it with them - it is a protein gluten they were using and it is contamined too they think.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
sorry the second link didn’t come up
http://www.foodnavigator.com/n.....ce-protein
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
I truly do not understand why it would be contaminated also. Someone must be able to explain this - they think it is the same problem and are researching now and testing to determine it.
But it’s making me sick to think about it. People switching thinking they are helping their pets and they are killing them.
Linda MA
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
Please read the second link I just posted. China is making the rice protein concentrate. ChemNutra also sells this same concentrate. The article predates marketing of this new protein source.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 3:46 pm
I have used newspaper for litter for all my cats for the last 40 years. When I got my first kitten in 1966, my vet told me not to use the clay-based litter that was common back then, but to use newspaper instead. The reason was that the dust from the clay litter could cause respiratory problems when the cat would dig in it and inhale the dust. I buy very cheap “kitchen” style plastic bags and cut them up the side to fit in the litter box. I then put 2 sections of newspaper on the bottom of the pan and shred a section or two of newspaper over top of them. All of my cats over the years have taken to using this “litter” with no problem at all. I do change the box every day, but that has just become part of my routine, so I don’t mind at all. There is never any litter pan odor because I do change it often, and also, the carbon in the ink in the newspaper absorbs odor. None of my cats has experienced any adverse effects from using the newspaper. In fact, they have all lived into their teens, including one who was just shy of 20 years old when she died from complications from hyperthyroidism, which is a common problem these days because cats are living so much longer. I have never spent a penny on litter and would have had to pay for my newspaper anyway. It does cost a few pennies a day for the plastic bags, but that is for my convenience as all I have to do is pick it up, put one of those fasteners around the top, and dispose of it in the trash. I do also have a litter box with a top, so the paper doesn’t get kicked out of the box. I thought I would let you know of my experience if anyone would want to try this for their cats.
Comment by Linda P. — April 16, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
I’m at work so it is difficult to read it all. I did read some of it - ChemNutra sells it also. Oh goodness, there goes all good thoughts about them.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
Well we simply can’t trust anything. For all I know the sweet potato is from China and it too is filled with melamine or whatever else junk crap they want to foist on us.
Gag a maggot.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:50 pm
They must sell a protein of the green pea too?
Don’t tell me ChemNutra sells that also?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
Sheila - they must make a gluten too out of the pea, that’s the only thing that makes sense . It is a gluten problem.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
So, because the entire brown rice kernel is used in the processing to make the “rice protein,” which is not listed as “rice protein” in the ingredients list, it is then legal to just say there is “brown rice” in the food? Is this what you get out of this? If so, this is scary, and a lot of dry brands have rice in them. Check your bags of dry food.
******************************
http://www.foodnavigator.com/n.....ce-protein
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
From the article Kathi linked:
It is said to be the only wholegrain rice protein on the market, with the entire brown rice kernel being used in the processing. The process uses natural enzymes that digest the carbohydrate portion and leave the protein, with no traces of additives or chemicals.
***********END OF QUOTE*********
BELOW IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM NEW BALANCE WEB SITE:
INGREDIENTS LIST: Natural Balance® Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
Venison, Venison Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
I’m new to blogging so I’m not sure about protocol of copying and pasting another poster’s comments from another blog..but this one is very provocative and those sleuths who are trying to figure out the melamine connection should see it.
On the recent thread entitled “Pet food recall: Sunday news update, open thread”, be sure and see the posting by Don on April 16th at 7:51 a.m.
He found the following link to a patent to a process that would add melamine to increase the effects of herbicides. (He goes on to explain it in English for us non-scientists.)
http://www.everypatent.com/comp/pat5022917.html
Comment by Maureen — April 16, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
http://preview.tinyurl.com/2xehwb
Comment by Nadine Long — April 16, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
I emailed Van Patten earlier today and told them we are buying their products because we believe they are safe, but we all want one question answered: Where do your ingredients come from? Be they vitamin, mineral, proteins, and I listed many more items. And I clearly stated not the supply distributor but the country of origin of each individual item whether it involves a drug, a food or a chemical. We want to know. Of course I wrote it politely. My business letters are always better than my chats. I let you know if and when I get a response or better yet, why not the rest of you emailing the same question. Click contact at
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com
try to be civil, at least they are showing much more concern than the rest have.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
That’s what it is all this protein poweder is a Gluten that is all tainted all of it - every last bit of it with melamine I bet.
Some cheap source in China, and what if it is all ChemNutra - I just didn’t want to believe these educated people would do that to our pets……
Linda MA
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:10 pm
NOOOOOO! The California Natural that I switched my cats to has brown rice as the third ingredient and rice as the fourth. What now? This is beyond frightening.
Comment by dottie — April 16, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
Call and ask if it is a protein form - and if they say yes then it is a gluten.
Linda MA
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
Let’s see what we can find out about pet food manufacturers in Texas. If the dry food manufacturing is anything like the wet food manufacturing, there may only be a couple of major plants. I tried going on thomasregister . net, but it’s down for maintenance still.
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
It’s probably the Doane or whatever the dry food maker was.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
Give me a chance to catch up here
REMEMBER ChemNutra said Anying is one of three Chinese suppliers. So it may not have occurred to anyone about other products from China regarding all protein powders, concentrates, and glutens. Also Anying deals with more distributors than just ChemNutra. That’s why I asked Van Patten to identify where ingredients originated from, if he can get that info. It may be difficult to trace if VP bought ingredients from a US supplier who bought from another Chinese supplier.
We may have a lot more to worry about because of China’s more recent developments as in the case of “Super tilapia” China’s hybrid fish that they didn’t have until the smaller mozambique from Viet Nam arrived in 1957. China only recently since the 90’s developed the Blue/Nile super tilapia.
Like I said once before with all the products supplied by ChemNutra, there could be other stuff in the gluten. And there may be way more suppliers beyond Anying.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
There used to be a popular advertising slogan “better living through chemistry”. Looks like in 2007 it has become “pets dying through chemistry”.
Comment by elizabeth R — April 16, 2007 @ 4:25 pm
Company: Doane Products Company, Location: Temple, Bell County, Type of
Facility: pet food manufacturing plant, Rule Violated: TACB Rule 116.1,
unauthorized construction and operation of a pet food manufacturing plant.
Penalty: $18,282.77, Staff Attorney: Peter Gregg, (512) 908-1857, Regional
Office: 500 Lake Air Drive, Suite 1, Waco, Texas 76710, (817) 772-9240 or (817)
772-9241.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
There might be more - some plants were closed do a google search in Texas and see what comes up.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
You are absolutely right Kathi. We all need to worry and more so than I ever imagined.
I’m taking the Duck and Sweet Potato back. I bet that this junk gluten was just put in their products or maybe the company selling it, like you said, is selling it around and it is becoming a wide practice to add the melamine -
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Linda MS, I HAD The worst time today trying to get california natural called 3 stores and they didn’t sell the low fat one. i was told that the lamb and rice is flying off the shelfs since the recall. the clerk put a special order in for me. i just hope my girls like it.
Comment by Marry Ann — April 16, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Does anyone have any thoughts on Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul?
Comment by Terry — April 16, 2007 @ 4:34 pm
Linda and all
I still think its more than melamine. The Chinese have been scrambling to catch up with the world market for several years now. They have the technology (book stuff) but they don’t have the experience that we trailblazed while developing. They are diving in head first. That usually happens with developing countries trying to catch up. Even with companies like Dow and DuPont training, some take the plunge to just concoct stuff on their own.
It’s equivalent to someone getting a dangerous recipe off the internet and not knowing all the side effects.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 4:35 pm
Well,
they make a sweet potato poweder too - and I just bet that’s what’s in the Duck and Sweet potato.
http://www.alibaba.com/catalog.....owder.html
I’m sick.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
What kind of rice do they use? A rice protein powder and where does it come from?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Yes they do something else and the melamine is a part of it. Also, Natural Balance said this is something new, just got the phone calls, so I wonder if it was just recently added?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:40 pm
My first thought about the Texas manufacturer was Doane. They have a facility in Temple, TX, but I’m not sure I would describe that as “west Texas”.
http://www.macraesbluebook.com.....any=497853
Comment by CatLady — April 16, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
Just got off the phone with someone at Natura. When I explained the situation, the customer service person transfered me to someone else. She assured me that Cal Nat is manufactured in their own plant in Nebraska and that they use only ingredients from the US and that they do test everything they use. I shared my fears, my story about my recovering ARF cat, and she was very understanding. When she said their food is safe, I reminded her that yesterday Natural Balance was safe, too.
Also asked that she share the general perception of the PFI as a special interest lobby group trying to cover up what’s going on. The CEO of Natura sits on the Board of Directors. Told the woman I would hate to see the good pet food producers go down with the bad ones. She took me seriously, I believe. At the very least she listened.
Comment by dottie — April 16, 2007 @ 4:46 pm
What is everything starts to come up as this melamine problem? Rice, Pea, Wheat, Sweet Potato, and heavens knows what else - what if this is some new event that is being used all over and we can’t trust anything?????????
I don’t even trust human food - not anymore. I certainly don’t trust the sweet potato since it too is a powder from China probably. I will call and find out tomorrow.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
Maybe it might help in the search to know that Mars bought out Doane in April of 2006.
Comment by Valerie — April 16, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
Terry 4:34 PM
It’s made by Diamond along with Premium Edge and others.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 4:50 pm
I just called the pet store where I bought Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Duck and I’m returning all four big bags tomorrow and switching to another brand. Maybe the California Natural - I just won’t use anything from China. This is scary! Sweet Potato powder of all things.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
Well, is it possible that the person who told you it was rice protein didn’t know anything? Do you know who it was? What their position was?
The cat food specifically says: No Artificial Preservatives, Flavors, Colors, or Bleached Ingredients. Does not contain Corn, Soy, Wheat, Rice, Eggs, Dairy Products or Sunflower Oil. And: Whole Green Peas Single premium quality carbohydrate, rich in potassium and a highly digestible energy source
The ingredients:
Peas, Venison Meal, Venison, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
I wouldn’t just think FOOD here. ChemNutra, Anying and all the other Chinese suppliers also deal with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, veterinery medicines and just about anything that goes into pet or human food stuffs. I plan to ask my vet hospital exactly where they get their meds from. No doubt they’ll say a big corp. name which will no doubt turn out to be a GLOBAL Corp.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Linda & CatLady:
Thank you so much. Been looking into this for a couple of hours, to no avail. I’m going to look into it more. For now, I have Chicken Soup, Natrual Balance, Premium Edge, & Solid Gold (all by Diamond). I also have Canidae, and am feeding that for now, but don’t feel that confident. I’m on my way out to get some Aunt Jeni’s frozen raw to try. Does anyone know anything about Aunt Jeni’s. After hours of research it looks pretty good to me. I’ve spent about $120.00 on pet food in the past 2 weeks, and although I don’t care how much it costs to keep my babies safe, I wish I had switched to homemade or raw before now. I’m stumped and worried!
Comment by FMtz — April 16, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
Jenny
Look at the ingredients below the food. ChemNutra and Alibaba and the rest of the Chinese suppliers also sell some of those vitamins. And while some of the vitamins sold here have big coporate names they are also global companies and do buy raw materials from around the world. When I say sold here, I mean the U.S.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
As to books discussing the possibility of animals and their continued existence, I found Soul of your Pet: Evidence for the Survival of Animals After Death by Scott Smith to be an interesting and non-hype book with mostly personal anecdotes including a number of vets. It’s been around for awhile and seems to be the template for most of the others.
Bravo on posting that site regarding seafood — just had a long chat with a fellow about that area of food importing just this morning and I am going to check that every so often.
Comment by Jay — April 16, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Also - thepetfood list indicates that Natural Balance confirmed on April 4: All ingredients are from the US except for lamb and venison from New Zealand.
I couldn’t actually find this on the Natural Balance web page, though.
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Kathy - my point was it doesn’t make sense that it is rice, since the cat food does not contain rice.
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
TO TERRY: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CAT LOVER’S SOUL
I have a bag of dry adult here. My cat didn’t like the dry much, but ate the canned somewhat unenthusiastically. I just tried it for 2 days.
According to the Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s site, no wheat or wheat gluten is used in canned, dry, or treats. Some here think there is reason to suspect other grains. This is still developing. Good luck.
http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/
INGREDIENTS for Adult Dry Cat Food:
Ingredients
Chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ocean fish meal, white rice, potatoes, oatmeal, millet, natural chicken flavor, salmon, turkey, duck, flaxseed, sodium bisulfate, egg product, methionine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, dried chicory root, taurine, kelp, carrots, peas, apples, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, dried skim milk, cranberry powder, rosemary extract, parsley flake, yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.
Comment by petlover — April 16, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
California Natural said that they use real sweet potato’s and real rice and nothing comes from China, not one little itty bitty thing.
The I called Natural Balance to ask if the sweet potato is a powder or is it real sweet potato - and their answer is: real sweet potato and only from the U.S.
Then this person on the line said it was a precautionary step and a co-incidence and nothing to worry about for the Venison and Rice Dry Dog and Venison and Sweet Pea dry cat.
So, what is really going on I do not know, but I don’t like it. You be the judge.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
Jenny you are absolutely right. Maybe they were all full of beans or something. I don’t know.
But for sure I do not like any of it. When I called back I forced them to let me talk to a real person about the sweet potato - all US products - so what gives here?
Does anyone really know?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
Humm - so Linda - is this a case of the person answering the phone just not being ‘in the know’? Sounds like they told you rice protein, but now they say something else.
Kathy - you bring up an interesting point. Could they say it is from the US because they buy it from a US company, but the other company is really getting it overseas?
My thought continues to be - what if it is something with the Venison. I think these are the only two venison products manufactured by Diamond for Natural Balance. And, the Venison is imported.
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
Jay, thanks for the name of the book, Soul of your pet.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
Jenny
Right and whatever is causing the problem may not necessarily be food, it could be a miscalculation in vitamins not on Van Pattens part but where the other ingredients actually originated from.
Or there may be nothing wrong at all since there were few complaints. And possibly something in particular with the venison. Something that was in their food.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
I got to customer service the first time, and the second they couldn’t put me through (too busy) but I insisted they let me talk to customer service - so she got someone for me.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
The first man said it was a gluten problem - and with the rice protein. He kept saying I didn’t understand that it was the same thing, a protein problem and I’m thinking a protein concentrate problem.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Hopefully they figure it out soon. I don’t really get this ‘recall, but not officially a recall’. If you tell people to pull it, isn’t it a recall?
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
The recall of the Natural Balance food is so sad, not that any of them arent but this is commonly used in pets that have allergies to other types of food. So what in the world are they going to be able to feed these poor pets that cant eat other foods? I know all about allergies in pets, our kitty was allergic to anything with fish in it and it took us more than a year to find food that she could tolerate. My heart goes out to all those who are now having to switch food, yet again!
Comment by Sandi K — April 16, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
The first man talked to me and explained the second lady gave me the official newspeak response.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
I don’t know what’s going on. And maybe they don’t either and it is just a guess right now, but it is enough of a worry that it’s not comfortable and who knows where it will go from here.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
I don’t yet have info on how venison are fed in New Zealand but the reason for using NZ venison according to my vet was because it’s not something U.S. dogs would have access to therefor reducing the risk of developing allergies. The same goes for sweet potatoes and brown rice. Although my vet said brown rice was changing. He didn’t elaborate but I would guess he meant GM.
Comment by Kathi — April 16, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
Just because a label says this or that ingredient is or isn’t in a product doesn’t mean anything.
Do you really think there is truth in labeling? Who is going to check, the FDA once every x-years, and what will they check, the manufacturer’s ingredient lists?
What are the penalties if the label is incorrect, a “please don’t do it again” letter?
Remember who we are dealing with here.
Comment by MFEMFEM — April 16, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
Why would this be in pet food (CS cat)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_bisulfate
Comment by straybaby — April 16, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Yummy!
http://www.jones-hamilton.com/.....nimal.html
Sodium Bisulfate – PET Grade
Sodium Bisulfate PET Grade is a patented acidifier for the pet food industry. This successful new acidifier can be used in pet food formulations for urine acidification, palatability enhancement, preservation and general pH reduction.
Application:
Sodium Bisulfate directly acidifies the diet without affecting the calcium/phosphate ratio. Sodium Bisulfate Animal Feed Grade is one of the safest products available when compared to other pet food acidifiers. It is classified as a general purpose food additive under AAFCO Feed Ingredient Definition Table 87.5.
Comment by MFEMFEM — April 16, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
So, what is it’s relationship to menadione - since it’s full name is menadione sodium bisulfate??
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Where have you all found the notice on the Natural Balance web site about the recall, please? Is it on their home page or one of the back pages? On the home page I am still seeing the big red letters which say “NOTICE:
Natural Balance® products are
NOT involved in the Pet Food Recall.
NO Natural Balance® products are associated with
Menu Foods, or any other company involved.
For more information, go to http://www.fda.gov.” I have refreshed the page many times, even shut down and started again, but I still can’t find their message about the recall anywhere. Obviously, I’m not looking in the right place. Thanks.
Comment by Marilyn — April 16, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
Hi Marily - I see it is on their home page. Did you try to refresh?
Comment by Jenny — April 16, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
“Grade is one of the safest products available when compared to other pet food acidifiers”
mmk! seems awfully high on the ingredients list after flaxseed and before egg . . .
why can’t they just do this naturally? ya know, balance the diet with food not chemicals?!
thanks for the info MFEMFEM! i’m so never going back to processed foods unless all natural and certified organic!
Comment by straybaby — April 16, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Jenny. that’s why I originally googled, i had thought it was part of menadione. didn’t make it past the Wiki page and it’s uses though!! let’s see, a chemical for houshold cleaners, swimming pools, soil and pet food . . .
Comment by straybaby — April 16, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
Linda MS said: The first man said it was a gluten problem - and with the rice protein. He kept saying I didn’t understand that it was the same thing,
OK I finally get this. Wheat gluten is the protein of wheat. So rice protein is essentially the same thing from a different food. Now why they don’t call it rice gluten is beyond me, only that gluten may be now and forever defined as the protein of wheat because until recently no one either could or be bothered to produce protein from rice. I don’t know if they make them the same.
Alibaba has several companies offering both food and feed grade rice protein. Some of the feed grade is as low as 60% protein. Axiom Foods seems to be a good product, but all of this stuff comes from China and is made there as …..that’s where all the rice is! This is a list of rice protein for sale: http://www.alibaba.com/member/.....llead.html My computer is gradually grinding itself to dust and opening these sites takes a good 3 minutes, so didn’t look at them all.
So, what I think that guy was trying to tell you is that he thinks there’s melamine (and whatever) in the rice protein also. Was his it’s the same thing remark related to talking about glutens or the “problem”?
As far as labels go the dog food has Ground Rice on it doesn’t it? Since using these protein powders may be a new thing, AAFCO may not allow them to put rice protein powder on the label. I don’t honestly know if AAFCO has a list of acceptable ingredients for the label but they may be behind in adopting updated ingredient listings.
Now for the cats, going on what was posted above, the blurb about the cat food said whole green peas, but the actual label says just Peas?
So we’re back to truth in labeling.
And Bernie, I’m sort of warming up to your idea of melamine as a carrier of slow release nitrogen. Would explain why they found nothing but melamine in necropsies - the excess nitrogen burned the kidneys out and left. BUT why aren’t the foods themselves testing higher in N? Seems that they would be. Unless the N content of the food was based on the gluten so it wasn’t out of range.
And to whoever posted asking about lesions on cats, YES lesions were a symptom the vets said early on didn’t match anything they’d seen before. Cats can get mouth lesions from chronic kidney failure. but I don’t think the vets had ever seen lesions associated with ARF. I honestly don’t know if this is the link that has that discussion in it, but this is from VIN on treatment when they thought it was aminopterin: http://tinyurl.com/2od87e
Comment by CathyA — April 16, 2007 @ 5:55 pm
Marilyn - I had to refresh the page multiple times this morning before I could see the current information.
Comment by Kim — April 16, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
This is getting complicated and my brains not working anymore. Eukanuba told me no wheat gluten in the food or bones.
Bones do contain wheat.
The new adult med breed senior label(I don’t have the label anymore for the old bag,but they assured me the formulation has not changed).. lists: chicken by-product meal,corn meal,grd sorghum,grd whole grain barley,fish meal,chicken,chicken fat,beet pulp,dried egg product,brewers yeast and than all the chemicals.. So where is the gluten?
My dog had strange symptoms on the products - was not good. Vet wanted her off all wheat and wheat gluten products and felt we got her on to homecooked quickly and we were lucky.
Wish I knew what these foods all had in common? maybe the different formulations each company uses is the answer to why some are more sick than others??
This is driving me crazy! I’m homecooking but she’s getting an organic dog bone - now I’m worried what is safe.
Katie
Comment by Katie — April 16, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 11:41 am
Can I give you a hint ? Did you notice what offsets urea/melamine for ruminants ? SALT, check for added salt in dogfood.
Comment by Stefania — April 16, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
Please keep in mind that dogs can have celiac disease like humans do…a sensitivity to wheat and wheat products. It may not have anything to do with recalled pet food. Do a google search on celiac disease in dogs.
Comment by Valerie — April 16, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Hmmm GM crop of Corn in SA
http://www.scienceinafrica.co......gmcrop.htm
Comment by Stefania — April 16, 2007 @ 6:55 pm
Yes, I think he was trying to tell me it was a protein problem, didn’t matter the source, the problem is in the gluten.
I’m cooking all homemade now and what a deal until this gets sorted out and my sweet potato and duck is going back tomorrow because they make sweet potato ground powder too.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
One more time: COOK your own homemade pet food! Boil some chicken, livers, rice and some veggies and your pet doesn’t die. Stop buying pet food until they learn a lesson. They kill our fur-kids; they go out of business!
Comment by Billie Hopper — April 16, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
I have a family of large dogs with quite the appetities - this is not an easy task but it sure beats them dying.
Linda MA.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 7:14 pm
To: Cathy A.
First of all according to my recallection (sorry I cant recall where but probably on something at petconnection or a link from it) the crystals Cornel and others were looking at were only 80% melamine and 20% some unidentified substance.
I also found this… http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6620453.html
Which appears to be a related patent to the ones I referenced above. It contains the following statement:
“The Cymel 373 comprised methoxy metholated melamine.”
While I have no idea what Cymel 373 is the link refers to a patent to encapsulate urea for slow release. (there’s those words again) Aparently they are using a formulation of melamine to slow down the consumption of urea. Yet, melamine is MADE FROM UREA. So, is it eventually so far fetched that they wouldnt just try to do this with pure melamine?
Here’s what’s interesting. Melamine alone is fairly intert and only breaks down over long periods of time and maybe not fast enough where urea would tend to be too fast.
For non-ruminants you would want the release to be pretty slow since even in cattle urea causes acidosis and you usually have to add a buffer like NaOH (baking powder)or MgOH (milk of magnesia) to counter it which is somewhat self defeating since it hampers the reaction.
(SPECULATION) It seems to me that IF you could get completely round the urea and use something else then you could solve alot of problems in cattle and other creatures.
BUT, then the problem becomes that melamine is just way too slow. What you need to do is speed it up. The question is HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
I THINK what they did is come up with some secondary agen or catalyst (maybe) that breaks down the melamine. OR, the melamine is not JUST melamine, its something similar to this Cymel 373 that breaks down more easily. And THAT is the extra 20% that nobody can identify - possibly because what they are looking at is the right side of the equation or in other words some kind of residue, not the actual active ingredient.
Any thoughts?
Any O-Chem people out there?
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Bernie,
I remember sometime in the 1980s when I gave my horses Purina sweet feed and they snorted and bolted away from it. I thought it was poisoned. Not a single horse would eat it. I called the company and brought the bag back. I was told they were adding a new source of fat to the horse feed (animal fat). They told me to withold all feed from the horses until they ate it and they would get used to it. I switched grain. Holy mad cow!
Comment by Kristi — April 16, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
Hill’s Prescription C/D is full of Salt….I believe that its listed as Sodium..I don’t have a can or bag any longer. I’ve tasted it before…Yes, I tested it to see why my Bichon wouldn’t eat it. Yuck! I don’t blame her! The reasoning behind this: To make them drink more water to urinate more often to flush crystals out of their system. I even went so far as to ask my Vet, how many years it would take to develope Heart Disease from all the salt, just trying to keep the kidney’s clean? She didn’t know…
Comment by Karla T. — April 16, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
BERNIE- you mentioned to check for salts. Iodine & potasium chloride?
Comment by elliott — April 16, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
To noise in milddle bed room: I had a dog who liked to get on the kitchen table. He did this for many years. I never caught him, never saw him there but I know he did because I would find his hair and paw prints all over the table. He would hear me coming and get off. ALWAYS looked like he had no idea what I was asking him. They are very smart.
Comment by lisa — April 16, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
Linda MS: Not dog ghosts, but very smart dogs, they hear you coming and just like children they know they are suppose to be in bed.
Comment by lisa — April 16, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
Lisa,
the recovery time is so narrow - I don’t see how just the opening of the door and all is quiet - like they are alseep - no puffing or messed up blankets. Seems odd to me that they could settle down - these dogs are not magicians. They are two large dogs - one is rather old about 13 years. To be having such a tussle and then curl up instantly - I guess anything is possible.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Hey Gina and Christie,
You do one heck of a great job on this blog and we’re all grateful.
Any chance you can separate topics to reduce the number of off-topic messages in the stream? It’s gotten to the point where I have to do a “find” for key words so I can find messages related to the topic I want.
And it sure would be sooooo nice to have them listed sequentially at the top of the Blog homepage where you can click on it and you’re wisked right to the beginning of the topic blog.
What topics would I like to see?
Pet Loss [Everyone should make this their first stop when checking in]
Editor’s Blog [Editor’s choice of topic]
Today’s News Links
CATS: Food, Brands, Recipes
DOGS: Food, Brands, Recipes
FDA-related
News Media Releases
Scientific: [Papers, Patents]
Bio-Chem, Labs Stuff [Melamine…….]
Business Players [ChemNutra, Menu Foods, Xuzhou….]
Other [Ghosts…]
I’m asking for a lot, huh?
Comment by Lynn — April 16, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
LInda MS,
Are they dreaming loud? My dog can make quite a racket at times.
Comment by straybaby — April 16, 2007 @ 9:34 pm
As a human who has a very serious allergy to GLUTENS (for more than 20 years), I think I can add a little insight on the topic - as far as from a human’s view.
All glutens are not the same. Human bodies process different glutens differently. For example: Wheat Gluten, Oat Gluten, Barley Gluten - all grains except corn and rice, and I am in serious trouble. Obviously corn is not a terribly beneficial substance, but rice is much more gentle to the body, while having definite beneficial nutrients. Gluten in any form is used for the same thing: to make things stick together, thicken, or add texture. Maybe this is what the guy from NB was trying to get at, not that all Glutens are the same, but they are USED for the same purpose?
I am not sure if rice is actually listed “officialy” as a grain. It has been reletively recent that different kinds of rice, rice flour, etc have been available to the general public.
This DOES NOT, however, explain ANYTHING about anything ADDED to the gluten! At this point, I wouldn’t put it past anyone! Besides the never-ending worry I have for my kitty-girls, I have had to double my medication since November to keep my allergy to Gluten under control. I have no doubt that contaminated made it into the human food supply…..and gluten is in EVERYTHING!
As for the person asking about Chicken Soup products: I have four kitty-girls, have been using it for more than a year (dry/light formula). I have had no problems at all - except that the “light” hasn’t helped my one overweight girly at all…. I can only hope and pray that “safe food” continues with this product. I know that it is manufactured by Diamond Foods. They had a recall last year, but were very upfront, honest, remorseful, and quick to find the problem, fix the problem.
Hope any of this helps. To learn more about gluten you might Google “celiac disease” or “dermatitis herpedeformis” (sp?).
Comment by PJ — April 16, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
Eliot,
I dont know much about salts but would like to hear more…
Bernie
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 16, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Straybaby:
Well that’s a thought dreaming. But if you would hear the noise, you wouldn’t think it was a dream. Growling, lots of energy, and carrying on - standing right out the door and hear it and open the door - all are asleep -nothing amiss??????
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Linda,
My dog really gets going. Depending on the dream, she vocalizes in different ways, but there can be growling. If there were 2 dogs, it could be pretty loud. She has also delivered a good swift kick in my kidney. She sleeps against me on the couch while I’m working, and it can be a tad intesteing to say the least, lol!~
Have you thought about putting up a nanny cam?
Comment by straybaby — April 16, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
Well the dream possibility seems the most promising. Yes, I think a Nanny Cam is in order. The one dog is a pit and she has a growl that goes to the bottom of her feet down to the Center of the earth (she is sweet) but her growl is quite a hair raiser - so I can see that her carryingson in a dream just might be it.
Thanks.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 10:32 pm
There are a bunch of pet food companies offering samples and free bags now.
Yeah, the pet food industry is RIGHT ON TOP OF THIS, not enough to help get poison off store shelves, not enough to pay the vet bills, not enough to say they are sorry, but they are right on top of the marketing.
Here is one.
Use if you dare, your mileage and your pets lifespan may vary.
http://www.iamspromise.com/
There are a lot of free samples out there, real sudden like, I wonder why? Sarcasm intended.
Comment by E. Hamilton — April 16, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
I posted above my problem with dry food. I had been keeping a chart of my dogs symptoms because they were sporadic. I compared symptoms to dog food purchases(I use small bags of food being in a hot climate and one dog). Symptoms came and went with different bags of food from the same manuf. - different lot#’s?
Also, what if manuf. used the cont. product in differing amts because of different formulations?
NPN was mentioned earlier in relationship to a study done in Arizona with cattle,but I can’t remember where I saw it…
Also,the Chinese co. mentioned they manuf or had available: ESB Protein Meal that uped the protein in fish meal.
“ESB Biologic Protein Meal” is a kind of high protein substance by mixing coin protein and NPN and using high biologic technology. It is the high protein feed, the crude protein: CP160%-CP300%. “ESB Biologic Protein Meal” has no flavor and has no coolness, torpidity, cayenne; it has no contamination of chemistry and drug. It is safe; nonpoisonous, without bad reaction. The product is yellow or grey or white powder. The protein is permanent, endure high temperature, the freshen is 90% min and has no contamination. It has the good effect to promote the protein of fish meal and other animal feed.”
(ARC notes) “coin” may be “corn” or refering to the inner kernel of a grain such as wheat. NPN is the Non Protein Nitrogen, or Urea, which may be a byproduct of coal processing. “high biologic technology” means they probably heated and/or pressurize it with the Urea, the different colors of the end product could indicate they are using either different grains or different processing to get different color base products. The crude protein cannot be more than 100%, so that is an error.)from Daily Kos - State of the Nation.
Would ESB have an affect,do most dog and cat foods contain “fish meal”?
And, now I see the Welactin Oil I picked up for my dog today is linked to Alibaba and a company in Chile:Spes S.A.??
This is crazy - I read the ingredients on my salad dressing tonight,and into the garbage it went. I had a jar of crushed ginger from China - it’s in the garbage. What happened to the days when we could pick vegtables and fruit and eat them raw from the field??
Katie
Comment by Katie — April 16, 2007 @ 10:52 pm
Came across this link on madcow, madcat, maddog. It’s hard reading with lots of links and stuff but intermixed is some very troubling things.
http://tinyurl.com/248mog
Comment by Gary — April 16, 2007 @ 10:58 pm
If some type of protein meal/powder is being added to the dog food, and it is hurting our animals - couldn’t the labs discover this?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 16, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
I’ve said this in a previous blog. Everyone must read the book “Brain Trust” by Dr. Colm A. Kelleher - he traces mad cow disease back to it’s origin and follow’s it’s path from New Guniea to North America.
From the back cover: “The brain disease kuru had already killed hundreds of humans in New Guinea, and here at Patuxent, located just off I-95 between Baltimore and Washington,DC, kuru was being injected into primates, monkeys, and dozens of other species — right in the middle of a wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary.
We are now standing at an extraordinary crossroads. It has been almost fifty years since the importation of infectious kuru into North America. During that period, deadly prion disease has emerged in wildlife and now in cattle in the form of Mad Cow Disease. Like a ghostly wraith, it has moved silently between species. Meanwhile, a massive epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease threatens the entire healthcare system in N. Amer., and hidden in that epidemic may be the unmistakable signs of a larger number of cases of the human form of Mad Cow Disease.”
While doing research, after my Mom at age 70 was diagnosed w/ Alzheimer’s 6 years ago, I came across this book. There is absolutely no history of Alzheimer’s on either side of my family, in fact my great grandparents lived until 94, and grandparents 89 on my mother’s side. She was one of the healthiest people I knew; never smoked, drank, did drugs her entire life…had 9 children all just as healthy. All my life she was never sick with anything but a cold or flu, then out of the blue she began deteriorating…talking and forgetting her sentence half way through…frustrated not being able to get out her thoughts, started talking gibberish…within less than 6 months the mother and loving person I always knew was gone, and I mean gone. She was bedridden at about one year…still hanging on but sadly I fear it won’t be much longer. Not until autopsy will we know definitively if Alzheimer’s is the cause, but I’m betting the farm it is not what caused her downfall, yet instead this human form of mad cow disease. She was a big meat eater, and more than anything she loved lamb. You’ll understand when you read the book, which I sincerely hope you all do. EXCELLENT READ!
Comment by Barb — April 16, 2007 @ 11:51 pm
Barb,
Thanks. I am going to get this book. I have been pondering this for a while. My husband is becoming increasingly forgetful, acting strange, forgetting things he said minutes before, thinking he told me something when he didn’t, angry outbursts, etc. Last week I told my son I was worried he had early alzheimer’s. He is only 47 and a BIG meat eater. No one in his family has alzheimer’s and have lived well into their 80’s or 90’s. This pet food scare has all of us in our house learned more and more about what is in our food and our pet’s food. Some of the stuff in our house has strange ingredients and we have no idea what these things are. Doing more research and throwing things out! I wouldn’t be surprised either if there is a real connection. Again, thanks.
Comment by FMtz — April 17, 2007 @ 1:01 am
To Linda MS - I’m gonna open myself up to the “nutcake” label, but your “ghost dogs” post gave me a real “zing” in what I figured was my going crazy brain! For months, I kept having oddball dreams about a wolf, walking me through a hosptial….standing on a beach. It really started to bug me! Well, to make a long story short, within a few months, I was diagnosed with LUPUS, which I discovered is the Latin for “WOLF”. Once I was diagnosed, I never had the dream again, and haven’t for five years now. Mentioned it to the doctor who said he knows of a lot of cases where something similar happened.;;.and that I wasn’t as nutty as I might have thought. WEIRD!
Comment by Eileen — April 17, 2007 @ 7:37 am
Eileen, oh thanks for the information - LUPUS is a difficult disease to live with - I’ve read something about it.
You must be a very intuitive person - it’s a beautiful symbol - but I’m sorry to hear what it meant for you.
Since the dogs carryingson are heard by both me and my roommate, I too wonder what it means. The dogs are so hungry - I fed only homecooked food last night for the entire crew -
maybe I’ll start keeping a record of what is happening so to better understand it.
Thanks so much for your story.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 17, 2007 @ 9:41 am
Linda - in a way, it was the lupus that actually “helped”
Comment by Eileen — April 18, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
Linda - in a way, it was the lupus that actually “helped” a bit with the pet food situation. Some of the drugs they’ve used to control it are “immunity supressing”…similar to what are used in organ transplants and sometimes also in chemo. There a pages of literature they give you about them, and various signs and symptoms for problems from the drugs, everything from minor to quite serious. It just didn’t match up with what was being said about the “rat poison” orignally blammed for the pets - it didn’t make sense to me at all, and I never believed it was that. So I avoided giving my cats anything at all from the get-go with wheat gluten in it, having a hunch it was something else, but in the gluten. I know this sounds very paranoid, but I also have a hard time buying the “accidental” or profit-motive thing. I do believe it’s more sinister than that. With all of the things going on, I just came to the conclusion that I have to just ask God to keep the cats and the two dogs in His hands. There is only so much a person can do - especially when things keep changing from one day to another, and it’s hard to figure out what is truth and what isn’t. Add to that mix the profit and greed motive, the “cover your behind” motives, and it’s one horrid situation! My daughter lost her Maine Coon to kidney problems just before Christmas…right after she switched to IAMS. I sure wish I’d had an intuitive dream on this! Although, it would have been a nightmare, just as this is, especially for everyone who lost a beloved pet. And the fear every day of looking at your pets and wondering….it’s a living nightmare that just doesn’t seem to have an end. Eileen
Comment by Eileen — April 18, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
People have suspected for a while that a non-protein nitrogen ingredient has been killing pets. One possibility is the one cited in the Chinese importer site warning of a “Pseudo Rice Protein” which is BIURET FEED:
Here’s a Itchmo link to findings re: Biuret Feed Grade:
Melamine/Urea, cyanuric acid and amiloride in a single feed ingredient
http://64.79.216.38/~itchmo/fo.....opic=122.0
But here’s something else interesting.
IBDU (isobutylidene diurea) is most widely as a lawn fertilizer. But, here is a reference to its use as a feed for monogastric (non ruminant) animals.
A quote from the description of US Patent # 3984572 titled “Feed for monogastric animals” reads:
“Currently, methionine and lysine are being used as artificial feeds for monogastric animals, and urea, isobutylidene diurea and biuret are being used for ruminant animals. Among these compounds, isobutylidene diurea is excellent as an artificial feed for ruminant animals because it is gradually decomposed in the first rumen to form ammonia, whereby it can be utilized for the synthesis of microbial protein of the microorganisms inhabiting the rumen. The microbes are digested and absorbed in a digestive organ below the abomasum so as to be effective for growth of the ruminant animals. Since monogastric animals have a different digestive mechanism from ruminant animals, one of ordinary skill would not have considered that isobutylidene diurea might be effective as a feed for monogastric animals.”
The inventors of this patent are:
Sakaki, Yasuhiro (Yokohama, JA)
Kawai, Hiroshi (Tokyo, JA)
The Assignee:
Mitsubishi Chemical Industries Ltd. - Aka Mitsubishi Monsanto
Comment by Joy — April 28, 2007 @ 9:41 am