Pet-food recall: Economic incentives focus of investigation
By Gina Spadafori
April 19, 2007
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The Baltimore Sun’s Jonathan D. Rockoff is reporting that U.S. authorities are investigating whether the melamine was added in China for financial reasons (thanks for link, Mike!):
Federal investigators are probing whether Chinese producers laced a key ingredient in pet food with an industrial chemical in order to boost the price of their shipments, Sen. Richard J. Durbin said yesterday.
Referring to the contamination that has prompted the recall of more than 100 brands of pet food, he said investigators are trying to determine whether Chinese producers purposely added melamine to their wheat gluten shipments to Menu Foods.
“It could have been intentional, not accidental,” Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, said in an interview after meeting privately in his office with federal health officials. “Economic fraud is a theory” the investigators are pursuing, Durbin said.
The Food and Drug Administration found melamine, a plastic component whose use is not approved in food, in pets that died. Investigators traced the melamine to wheat gluten, shipped from China, that is used to thicken pet food.
According to Durbin, investigators are examining whether Chinese manufacturers added nitrogen-rich melamine to wheat gluten in order to raise its nitrogen level. Nitrogen levels are measured to calculate the protein content, which determines the value of a shipment.
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Moan…
I’ve just realized that I have AGAIN inadvertantly poisoned my 4 dogs. A few weeks ago I switched them to a wheat free treat and now I’ve just read this new treat has rice protein.
Wellness
— WellBars Treats for Dogs
…….. Whitefish and Sweet Potato Flavor
WHERE IS MY GOVERNMENT??????
Comment by Lorraine T — April 19, 2007 @ 10:18 am
South Africa reports melamine in the CORN GLUTEN in Royal Canin. So now its in wheat, rice and corn?? http://tinyurl.com/2tbogq
Comment by Bonnie — April 19, 2007 @ 10:20 am
Melamine and WHAT ELSE? If the vets are correct and melamine toxicity doesn’t account for all the symptoms they’ve seen, WHAT ELSE did the Chinese use to line their pockets? Why hasn’t the other contaminant been identified yet?
The Chinese get rich, our beloved furkids die, and the US government is clueless. UNBELIEVEABLE!
Comment by A.C. — April 19, 2007 @ 10:42 am
You can anticipate that any powdered protein form from China may contain melamine in order to bump up the protein assay.
Comment by Larry — April 19, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Any Gluten, any powedered protein concentrate - corn, wheat, rice, it doesn’t matter.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 10:45 am
My question: Are we going to find out that whether it’s pet food or people food doesn’t matter either?
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Lisa C:
I hope not, and maybe that is why it was earmarked just for pet foods. Some think it might have given the FDA concentrated efforts to keep this quiet.
If it gets into our human food supply, imagine the terror…
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 10:53 am
Learn NOW to take whatever all these charismatic global investment guru’s and charlatans preach with a grain of salt.
If it’s not obvious we’ve been led into a living hell by now, it never will be.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 10:53 am
Steve, living hell is a nice way to put these last two months.
Of my still living pets, three are failing day by day in spite of every effort and I aint doing so hot.
Thanks a bunch FDA.
Comment by E. Hamilton — April 19, 2007 @ 10:58 am
I’ve never been into conspiracy theories before, but this is really making we wonder. Most people are larger than pets, and we eat a more varied diet. If something like this did get into the human food supply, how long would it take before we noticed?
I feel really crazy for even suggesting this, but since the first recall I’ve learned so much about the way food imports, etc. work (or don’t work).
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 10:58 am
SOUTH AFRICA PET FOOD RECALL: MELAMINE IN CORN GLUTEN 04/19/07
This finding—melamine in corn gluten—should seal the theory that melamine was added to wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate deliberately to boost their nitrogen values (a measure of protein content). All three substances are used as a cheap protein additive in pet foods. With this news, Howl 911 believes all pet foods containing additives of any kind from China should be tested for melamine and other contaminates. This finding also vindicates the claims of many pet parents whose pets were sickened or killed as a result of eating non-Menu Foods brands which did not contain wheat gluten. Virtually all pet foods and many treats contain protein additives in the form of gluten (wheat, corn) or from other grain or vegetable sources (rice, soy, whey), and many of these additives are products of China. I am sorry to say, but this newest information—combined with the lack of full disclosure from pet food companies as to where they source their raw materials from— renders ALL commercial pet food suspect.
Johannesburg - Tests have confirmed that Vets Choice and Royal Canin dog and cat dry pet-food products contained corn gluten contaminated with melamine, says the manufacturer.
The contaminated corn gluten was delivered to Royal Canin by a South African third-party supplier and appears to have originated from China. (link to story at http://www.howl911.com)
Comment by Nikki — April 19, 2007 @ 11:00 am
I just ordered some TimberWolf Organics to be shipped to me. I spoke with the company yesterday at length. I am going to try it gradually. They use no glutens anything or fillers or rice proteins etc.
Of course I will transition gradually and watch closely and still do homecooked. I’m at my wits end waiting for the other 4 names to be published. I keep checking the Wilbur Ellis website and the SFgate newspaper on-line addition but no “new” news yet.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:08 am
Look, I’ve been posting this for weeks now and I think someone needs to take this seriously.
OF COURSE this was economic incentive!
But they didn’t “lace” the product…. It WAS the product.
Their web pageis ripe with references to NPN and how you can get different colors and it doesnt have any unusual taste. What do people think NPN is? It is NON PROTIEN NITROGEN!
What is that? It is usually urea but in modern times it is more high tech than that. They encapsulate the urea in little plastic cells so that it is present in the gut longer so that cattle can absorb it to manufacture protein from starch or cellulose out of the amonia it gives off.
And what do you think the plastic capsules are made of? Why… MELAMINE!
Do a little investigation and you find that melamine is not particularly toxic which seems to throw people for a loop. No, it is not toxic sitting on the table dry and safe. But burn it or expose it to acide and guess what? It gives of CN (Cyanide!).
Why do they do this? Not to “spike” it. They do it because in cattle it can actually boost protein content in low quality forage.
What these guys have done is to take it beyond ruminants (cows and sheep) and do it for humans or in this case our pets. Never mind it has never been approved or tested for that here.
So, what the heck is the big mystery?
Could somebody maybe not want to admit that Menu and CHEM-nutra knew what they were doing and its easier to blame the Chineese?
Geez!
Get a clue people!
Getting a little frustrated here with having to repeat this again and again…
Bernie
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 19, 2007 @ 11:35 am
I believe you Bernie - I didn’t want to - it just seemed so “outer-space and unreal” what company would do that?
All the glutens are suspect - all the protein concentrates
and that was what the kind man at NB was trying to tell me on the phone when he said “Lady, it is all the same stuff.”
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:37 am
What a bunch of crock trying to tell us it is from dirty bags.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Linda MS-
Of course no new news yet. I bet they’re trying to decide if they can get away with yet another Friday news drop.
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Why haven’t the other contaminants been identified? Why aren’t all resources being allocated towards this? Why haven’t all glutens imported from China been immediately tested, quarantined, and banned, the public notified and products recalled?
WHY IS THE PUBLIC BEING IGNORED? WHY HAVE THE NAMES OF THE 4 OTHER COMPANIES NOT BEEN RELEASED? WHY HAVE THOSE COMPANIES BEEN GIVEN PRIORITY OVER PUBLIC SAFETY?
WHAT IS LURKING IN HUMAN FOODS AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN THERE?
What is really in foods of all kinds besides what is on the label and why have corporate criminals been allowed to use loopholes to switch and hide cheap ratcrap adulterants from the public?
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS NOW.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 11:40 am
Hi Bernie! How’s the new puppy?
About the melamine added intentionally—
I read an article a few days ago, that stated when grains are moldy they chemically treat it to kill the organism. That depletes the protein. Then, they add the melamine to boost the protein.
They also add melamine to feed to boost the existing protein count, giving it an apparent higher protein content — for higher profits.
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 11:41 am
ChemNutra knew and did the Pet Food companies believe their lies and were they duped too, or did they know and agree -
Didn’t ChemNutra and others, I believe others are involved, test this on rats or something first?
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:41 am
Ever since this started, I switched to certified organic and buy fresh local. My family thinks I’m nuts, but they offer me something else, and I give them this strange look - you have got to be kidding.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:44 am
PLEASE read my post at kumpi.com in it’s entirety.
I KNEW that this would hit gluten meal and my nutritionist had the foresite to never use a derivative like that for protein. He does not believe in trying to fool Mother Nature like that. Meats are our primary source for protein and I have to qualify that statement only because cornmeal does have an 8% protein content.
KUMPI is SAFE.
Comment by Evy — April 19, 2007 @ 11:44 am
I looked at Kumpi Evy and I think it is safe too.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:46 am
Comment by Evy — April 19, 2007 @ 11:44 am
Well I hope all turns out well for Kumpi. But let me clarify one thing about meat proteins. I know people who have lived healthy without having touched meat for 30 years and have spotless medical checks. Cats are different creatures though who are primarily carnivores.
I think we need to rethink just how much protein we really need because I believe we over do it. It’s already a fact we over eat in this country. Eating way more then our bodies can actually utilize. Hence, going to the toilet.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 11:53 am
I guess what I am saying is the last thing the Meat Industry wants you to realize is you don’t really need it.
Anyway, back to the dreadful reality of our pets foods.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
FDA TRANSCRIPT OF PRESS CONFERENCE DATED TODAY 4/19/07:
(I haven’t read it fully yet - but thought I’d post it.)
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/h.....031907.pdf
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
Sorry, thought it was today. That one is old.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
After the first recall, I told all my pet owning friends and family that there were almost certainly more contaminated products than just those that were recalled, and they thought I was crazy.
I feel okay about what I’m feeding my dogs now, but I keep following all the news so I can pass it along to everyone. They’re starting to think that perhaps I wasn’t so crazy after all…
“Dreadful reality” is right!
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 12:07 pm
Bernie - check your email! I’m posting/updating/etc as fast as I can type, could use your input!
(I’m now on the record believing and posting Bernie’s comments…) Thanks to Lynn, Nadine and Eva whose posts have also educated me!
Comment by Kim — April 19, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
China Blocks U.S. Inspectors Seeking Answers to Pet Poisonings
http://www.consumeraffairs.com.....all30.html
Comment by Mike — April 19, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
FROM WILBUR ELLIS E-MAIL:
Dear Ms. (I DELETED MY NAME)
Thank you for your note. Wilbur-Ellis is an 86-year-old family-run
business that just wants to do the right thing. We are pet owners
ourselves and understand how important pets are to families. We have
notified the FDA who our customers are and it us up to them to release
the names. We think the FDA will let people know today who the
companies are, and I hope we’ll all know more about what is going on
with these ingredients soon. In the meantime, look to see if there is
rice protein in the ingredients in your pet food. I also encourage
you to check the FDA website often (www.fda.gov) for the most
up-to-date information on the recall.
Best wishes,
Carol Grasso
Wilbur-Ellis Company
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
COULD IT BE SURVEILLANCE?
The National Companion Animal Surveillance System (NCASS) performs Syndromic Surveillance with the Banfield pet database using our dogs and cats as sentinels.
Scientists at Purdue University are using Banfield’s PetWare database, which has data on 9 million pets in 44 states. The project is being funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This pet database is being used to help scientists detect outbreaks such as Bird Flu in bioterrorist attacks. Researchers say household pets could provide the first signs of an outbreak, like canaries once detected poison gas in coal mines.
I’m not implicating this particular database or any of these people, but it seems there could be other similar
work being done other than Banfield. Since there is no proven data on the logistics of how, where or to what extent disease spreads, this pet food tragedy could serve as a model experiment for the accurate surveillance of the human food supply. Is this an experiment to affirm the viability of some database surveillance system? I hope this isn’t so; but at this point there appears to be much slow and covert action going on, and it sure is making very many people very uncomfortable.
As of today, there are still too many unanswered questions about the pet food tragedy. Lag times have been suspiciously rampant. The addition of melamine or its effect remains a mystery after what period of time? Still being mentioned is the possible presence of other toxins or markers that caused pet illnesses and deaths. The reporting of actual numbers has been squashed. All is too quiet on the Western front. Mystery causes creative minds to work overtime.
A set up? Who knows? Could the raw materials that came from China been untainted until “someone” added “something” at the food plant? Like the “pink bag.” Could Stephen and Sally Q. Miller be innocent? Perhaps they were part of the deal and are being protected now (someone already mentioned that in a post). With our suspicion of bogus resumes, these people may never have existed at all. Could the pet food industry not have been aware either, caught off guard by their own self-regulation or lack thereof? Even the toxin could have, by design, been selected for its untraceable properties, which once ingested would go undetected.
Menu Foods’ large-scale manufacturing and vast distribution allowed strategic control of toxic product from a central location. Surveillance of the illnesses, deaths, effects, as well as distribution of toxic pet food all can be tracked geographically with a computerized surveillance system. This is an element of surveillance programs yet unproven and needing to be demonstrated on a LARGE scale. Could someone be well aware of exact details and all the numbers, based upon their analytical capabilities? Of course they’re not about to share.
Sounds wild? Not in comparison to what is going on today.
Every time I read a new post of a pet failing, I re-live my own dog’s horrible death. My heart goes out to everyone going through his or her personal hell.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
So Wilbur-Ellis is not going to release the names. Just the FDA. Why is not, why can’t they for heaven’s sake.
God have mercy on us - our pet’s lives are in the hands of corporate giants. I won’t call them heartless, but I do believe too many are passing the buck. At least NB told the truth. Even if I am afraid to use their product anymore, at least they told the truth.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
Nutro’s statement that they are not involved in this as one of the 5 companies:
http://www.earthtimes.org/arti.....2513.shtml
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
Nadine,
I’ve thought that perhaps the melamine was added here in the U.S. - makes going through customs so much easier - and then the plants are clean in China and China can’t be blamed. It is a U.S. problem but still that doesn’t explain the Royal Canin melamine problem in S.A. does it?
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:23 pm
Look at the FDA’s recall list on their website. They’re too busy looking for undeclared allergens to be looking for undeclared poisons.
They know what foods could be killing our pets, and they’re waiting to disclose it.
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Sharon,
I don’t find Nutro’s statement very comforting - especially since the contamination can be global and involving many exporters.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:25 pm
Linda,
Should Wilber Ellis release the names, yes, but the FDA works for us and they have had the names since Sunday. Our own government, charged with protecting us.
Comment by Robin — April 19, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
As I read the Royal Canin article, the tainted product came from China and then to a SA supplier. It still points to China as the common denominator.
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
I’ve seen some posts blaming the fact that China is a Communist country. I won’t enter into a debate about the relative merits of the many and varied political systems—not the least because I feel it’s irrelevant. There is a problem in China because they have recently and too rapidly joined the global (capitalistic) ECONOMIC system. Multinationals have co-opted/subsumed or ignored political systems with “profit margin” their only overriding concern.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
I totally agree, Linda and I was simply posting it because we’re trying to figure out who the “5” really are. Or make that “4.”
I spoke to Triumph. They told me they don’t use rice protein concentrate and their products aren’t made by anyone involved in this.
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
Robin,
They FDA is supposed to protect the interest of the citizens of the U.S. - but in truth it is protecing big business.
Wilbur-Ellis probably does not want to make its suppliers upset and then they won’t buy their products.
So the FDA gets to be the bad guy. Well, FDA come on now - tell us those names will ya please pretty please with lots and lots of sugar on top.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
At this point I’ll take a Friday news drop from anyone - FDA, pet food companies, whoever.
And since corn gluten is now implicated in S. AFrica, I think we can all guess if the VIN tests show positive for melamine, which gluten it’s going to be in……though for all we know it could be soy also.
Any pet food company not coming clean by the end of the day can just eat their own dog/cat food…….with gravy. Enough is enough.
Bernie, don’t you think there would be CN in the tissues at necropsy??
And please call your pet food company and ask them to email you what is actually IN the bag or can if they have changed ingredients. If they have any glutens in their products (other than wheat), ask them if they are testing for melamine. If not, why not. We no longer want to hear it’s “safe” just on their sayso. There’s probably 10 different Chinese co. they could get this cr*p from, so no more weasel words.
Comment by CathyA — April 19, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
It’s pretty incredible that this second nightmare is finally making the news. I googled pet food recall. Forbes, Market Watch, MSN, Houston Chronicle, BusinessWeek, so many more news orgs are carrying this story now.
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Thanks for the post, Linda! We’ll see how long it takes the FDA. Aren’t we on our 3rd day?? …
Next, we need to tackle the corn gluten — melamine found in South Africa.
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
US Pharmacopoea -
It looks like USP is looking to develop standards for wheat gluten - not sure if it is the result or recent goings on — but this would mean that there will be standard/non-contaminated, chemically and physically characterized reference samples available at some point — I would say this is something important to add to the call for regulation — that all ingredients/additives be quality tested against standards before adding to food of any kind.
http://www.usp.org/USPNF/submi.....ewMon.html
Comment by GingerTom — April 19, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Yeah Sharon that’s right. It isn’t comforting and it just seems that these companies are stonewalling.
Meanwhile my young dog and my 4 year old Doberman all had odd symptoms and were on one form or the other from Nutro. All my dogs are alive and having homemade right now. And my heart just breaks for those that have lost their beloved pets and friends.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
Linda MS,
I think we’ll learn the names…probably Friday. Likely the FDA is going to give them a chance to issue a “voluntary recall”. We can look forward to another round of “saddened”, “shocked”, “concerned” company news releases.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
That is a helluva lot of dog/cat food made since July 2006:
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmr.....04_07.html
Wilbur-Ellis began importing rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology in July 2006. A total of 14 containers holding 336 metric tons of rice protein concentrate were sent from Futian to Wilbur-Ellis. Wilbur-Ellis has distributed 155 metric tons to date.
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Eva,
you are probably right. Purina must be one of them with the Beneful problems that is on the Doggybling site. One more day for the dogs to eat the toxic waste and one more day for more dogs to become ill.
Linda MS.
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
It seems the Wilbur-Ellis co. poisoned some dairy cattle a few years ago. According to this http://tinyurl.com/22york FDA warning letter (there are other references if you look around), the cattle died from acute selenium poisoning (selenosis).
The FDA found that samples of a Mineral Premix manufactured by Knox McDaniel Co. (which is owned by Wilbur-Ellis and manufactures pet food pre-mixes) contained some 1152 parts per million (ppm) selenium rather than the labeled amount of 13.25 ppm.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual on [b]Selenium Toxicosis[/b], “Poisoning may also occur in swine and poultry consuming grain raised on seleniferous soils or, more commonly, due to error in feed formulation. Selenium toxicosis after ingestion of selenium-containing shampoos or excess selenium tablets is rare in pets. Several factors are known to alter selenium toxicity; however, in general, a single acute oral dose of selenium in the range of 1-5 mg/kg is lethal in most animals. Parenteral selenium products are also quite toxic, especially to young animals, and have [b]caused deaths[/b] in baby pigs, calves, and [b]dogs at doses as low as 1.0 mg/kg[/b].” The symptoms of acute Selenium Toxicity in dogs can include increased hemoglobin and hematocrit, liver congestion; and congestion and hemorrhage of the kidneys.
……… Also kinda interesting….Dr. Richard Martorano, a big Melamine & Selenium researcher with lots of melamine/selenium/gluten based resin/feed/coating technology patents, has the position of Regional Technical Sales Manager at [b]Singapore-based Connell Brothers, Inc which is a division of Wilbur Ellis Co[/b]. Dr. Martorano moved to Singapore in 1990, converted to Islam and now has the name [i]Muhammad Ali Amin.[/i]
Comment by Joy — April 19, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Kat,
you are so right. A whole heck of a lot.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Linda MS,
I have a bet with my husband on Nutro.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Joy,
Oh my but I had to laugh at the last sentence. And I will make no comment here. If it wasn’t all so horrible, I would cry.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
I have read that there have been complaints about Beneful for months. One of its ingredients is corn gluten meal. Anyone want to bet where they get their corn gluten meal?
People are going to continue losing pets until the whole system changes.
Comment by Lisa C — April 19, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
And don’t forget that we need to push for permanent and immediate COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING on all foods human AND pet!!!
Comment by Sue Jeffrey — April 19, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
It is Nutro - my Snoopy was on Innova and this last bag he had too loose stools, almost runny and drinking lots of water and I stopped and fed him homemade.
Then younger dog had fever and drank three large bowls of water in one day. I took him to vet and vet said to use SD canned, and I put this dog on homemade too.
No one had mentined the rice protein. No one. They knew, they all knew.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
Lisa - my thoughts too about the corn gluten meal. It is a protein concentrate I bet it is.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
The Netherlands
Nothing more has been said about the FDA testing all shipments coming from the Netherlands as well as China. Wonder why not.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
I had id’d corn gluten meal in Nutro Dry as the ingredient which caused the symptoms in my cat. Like to know if “meal” is really the correct label term. HOW CAN A GLUTEN BE A MEAL? I wonder if this is not an example of convenient mislabelling.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
2006 they say now. . wonder if it’s going to go back to 2005 too…i bet my baby monkeyman kitty lost his life to foul food in 2005. he was fine but with CRF, then his levels skyrocketted. bless his soul, he fought till the end, and this was prior to any recalls, i still love and miss him dearly - i had him on the most natural stuff i could find, but he always loved that Whiskas & Friskies, despite my pleas for a m ore natural +/or homemade. with the start of the recalls, i read labels, everything looked ok, then i wonder how Fancy Feast is ok, saw the gluten and then took my current two kids off anything with any glutens in it. my 16 year old kidney patient, Sparrow, isn’t throwing up as much without the unrecalled fancy feast & when she does, it’s usually for hairballs or grass. Chai, her little 2 year old friend loves the EVO with Sheba for flavor and moisture…
a side note, anyone feeding Sheba, it’s not balanced nutritionally, and says so on the lid, but they seem to love it to supplement my homecooked, purina pro plan sardine and tuna only, and EVO dry. i thank you Pet Connection and all those involved and posting. i’ve shared your info with just about everyone since March.
my prayers go out to all of those that have lost a beloved life and with sick pets from the recall. i am so, so sorry.
May this recall madness all come to a swift + safe resolution with those responsible taking responsibility for the problems and fixing them permanently.
anyone with info about diomactious earth for flea treatments? it won’t dehydrate the pets, right? i don’t think the Advantage is working for more than two weeks, and my one boy has a “flea allergy” the vet said. . . [the vet may just be wanting money] so, i don’t know who or what to trust anymore except you guys! kiss your pets for me - peace+love, barbara, sparrow and chai [meow]
Comment by barbara — April 19, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
we demand permanent and immediate COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING on all foods human AND pet!!!
boycott . period.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Itchmo just posted that the South African cases were linked to corn gluten. Now it’s in all three grains… accident, my arse.
Comment by StraysWelcome — April 19, 2007 @ 12:55 pm
Oops sorry, just got on and read back… you guys are on it already.
Comment by StraysWelcome — April 19, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
This is just too frightening, my anxiety attacks are coming back. Our kitty was a victim and now unfortunately with all of this news, there will be more. And who knows how many succumbed to this poisoning before the recall of 3-16, Im betting thousands of kitties and dogs that we will never know about. It is all heartbreaking.
Comment by Sandi K — April 19, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
I received a message reply from a message I left for Felidae concerning the new bag I bought and how my cat started throwing up.
All their message said was ” please give us the RM # on the bag ” I find that odd, no ’ our food does not use rice protein or our food is safe’
Comment by BW — April 19, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
DITTO! 4lgdfriend!!
Here’s the link about the corn gluten with melamine in South Africa. They bought it from China too. I had found one link, but someone else posted this & it’s more indepth — BREAKING NEWS today, in Johannesburg.
I sent this link to Durbin. In fact, I sent him 2 emails today.
http://tinyurl.com/2fj5nc
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
Kat,
Yeah, I was looking for a phone number (for Durbin) this morning after reading about the SA recall/corn gluten. Email was probably better. Good idea.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 1:06 pm
Comment by Bernard J. (Bernie) Starzewski — April 19, 2007 @ 11:35 am
As you already know, Bernie, I’ve believed this from my sleuthing discoveries the first weeks and haven’t changed my position. I’m still with you on this. I’m sure the scientists are capable. I also feel there’s more to the story somehow, though. I also read that tea bags are made from thin paper coated with Urea and Formaldehyde (= melamine) for wet strength. Same with coffee filters. Could the “paper” bags that the chemicals were shipped in been in “wet strength bags” such as I described, or even ones with poly-fibers, giving off formaldehyde vapors and changing the urea in the gluten to melamine crystals? Being only 25-pound bags, that could be a lot of formaldehyde vapors spread over the bag.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 1:07 pm
The FDA reported that the concentration of melamine was at 6.6 %. Sundlof said YOU COULD SEE THE CRYSTALS. Contamination from any source - my rear end! This is intentional. Not bags, not coffee filters. Why make this more complicated than it is ???
Comment by Sue Jeffrey — April 19, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
I’d also like to see some pressure put on AquaNutro and Royal Canin to release the names of the Chinese suppliers.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
POINT MADE HERE=THERE ARE NO AMERICAN COMPANIES ANYMORE SO WHEN THEY SAY AMERICAN SUPPLIER IT IS NOTHING BUT BS: ……… Also kinda interesting….Dr. Richard Martorano, a big Melamine & Selenium researcher with lots of melamine/selenium/gluten based resin/feed/coating technology patents, has the position of Regional Technical Sales Manager at [b]Singapore-based Connell Brothers, Inc which is a division of Wilbur Ellis Co[/b]. Dr. Martorano moved to Singapore in 1990,
Comment by Joy — April 19, 2007 @ 12:39 pm
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
Comment by Sue Jeffrey — April 19, 2007 @ 1:16 pm
Yes, perhaps the FDA may have been able to recognize melamine crystals, but some guy in the plant dumping the stuff from the bags into the equipment would not have been scientifically astute enough to say “hey, that’s melamine!” And would have just tossed it in.
All are saying that the 6.6% melamine was a surprise and how did it get there in the first place? If not intentional, what other scenarios could be addressed? If there was no melamine evident, and the bags, described as paper, were marked as containing gluten (any kind), that could explain the chemical change, had you been following Bernie’s chemical analysis in many past blogs.
There are brand new patents out there for this wet strength paper (I looked) from all countries including the U.S., Germany and China. Who knows what bags these “new” raw material suppliers used? A new kind that was not tested?
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
ok yeah economic incentives what’s the big mystery there? no brainer from day one.
investigative focus after 2 1/2 mo of FDA stonewalling obstruction and silent complicity is great but still outrageous
toxic adulteration is another thing. deliberate is another thing. accountability=you put a toxin in, you are accountable for the results.
We demand action now. STop the imports. Quarantine all the products. Clear the d888 shelves.
Release the full truth to the public now.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
setting up a reminder on my calendar to regularly repetitively call and harass petfood suppliers until they release the source and country of origin of all their ingredients
Ie want accountability. Ie want country of origin labeling. NO imported ingredients. Organic. Nothing else.
I can certainly make my own petfood. Done it before, the howto is there. Not hard. Bette than killing your pets.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
I am not a conspiracy theory kind of person, but IF the melamine was added in the US, what if it’s the Bush administration trying to make it look like another act of terrorism? We have been blantantly lied to before to justify going to war. Don’t forget the nonexistant “weapons of mass destruction”. I would so much rather believe it was China.
Comment by Joyce — April 19, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
What other grains should they be looking at—-barley? What about soy protein?
EVERY food manufacturer in the U.S. should be testing right now, all day and every single day, all gluten raw material incoming from anywhere, even from our own country!!!
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 1:44 pm
4lgdfriend: WE NEED A BOYCOTT BUMPER STICKER SIMILAR TO THIS:
http://www.byteland.org/boycottchina/index.html
****************************
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING on all foods human AND pet!!!
boycott . period.
Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 19, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Comment by petlover — April 19, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
Linda MS,
I lost the bet. Nutro has denied buying any rice protein from Wilbur-Ellis.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 1:53 pm
Let’s all inundate the FDA by sending them emails DEMANDING that they release the names NOW!!!!!
Comment by Tammy — April 19, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Here is Senator Durbins Contact Page:
http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm
From there you can email, snail mail, or call to your heart’s content! The MORE THEY HEAR FROM US — THE MORE THEY WILL REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
Unlike the FDA’s perpetual 16 dead — I guess they think if they minimize the numbers, people AND MEDIA will think it’s no big deal.
Don’t forget to look up your own Senator.
Here is the link to the Appropriations Committee:
http://appropriations.senate.gov/
Here is the link to the Senate. Find Your Senator is upper right hand corner:
http://senate.gov/
Or, Senator lookup:
http://www.senate.gov/general/.....rs_cfm.cfm
Here is the link to the House of Representatives. Zip Code lookup is on the left side of banner:
http://www.house.gov/
Or, write to Representative:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
**********
All you have to do is come up with one good letter, copy it to some place where you can get to it easily — email it to yourself, or build on a text editor software program — then, copy/paste & email it all over the place.
:)
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
Tammy,
I’m on it!!!! Later.
Comment by Eva — April 19, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
Bernie, I hope you are still here and can answer my questions? If a food bag mentions no glutens of any kind on the label - would that make them safe. My second question - are “meals” (corn,fish,flax,etc.)safe,is there anyway they could be boosted or any reason for them to be boosted. Only asking, trying to be an informed consumer trying to figure what product I should buy
next.
My head hurts from spining all this week - everytime I log on in the AM,I wonder what “shoe is dropping next”. If companies are monitoring this site - please come forward and let us know what is going on! Why should more pets suffer and die.
This is so unfair.
Katie
Comment by Katie — April 19, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
Comment by Joyce — April 19, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
I would prefer not to think it conspiracy, but in the wake of any fear of mass destruction, who knows what the whole bunch could be up to? At this point I rule out nothing.
Comment by Nadine Long — April 19, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
re: the Heartgard rumour
From the Merial website:
NO WHEAT GLUTEN
HEARTGARD® (ivermectin) brand products do not contain wheat gluten.
You can continue to use them with confidence.
If you have any additional questions, please call
1-888-MERIAL-1, option 3.
http://heartgard.us.merial.com/home/
I’ve recently purchased a 6 mo supply for 4 dogs and I’m still not comfortable giving it to them now…don’t know who to trust anymore!
Maybe if Merial had said no glutens whatsoever? Nope! No can trust, no can trust, no can trust…
Comment by Mike — April 19, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
Comment by barbara
“anyone with info about diomactious earth for flea treatments? it won’t dehydrate the pets, right? i don’t think the Advantage is working for more than two weeks, and my one boy has a “flea allergy” the vet said. . . [the vet may just be wanting money]”
I know diatomacious earth will kill fleas, I used to dust the garden with it using a rotary duster. I’m not sure what effects it would have on kitty, but think it’s low toxicity.
Flea allergy is very real. I have a kitty that is hyper allergic. Just one flea will cause breakouts, so needless to say, she is a indoor kitty.
Comment by Gary — April 19, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
I use diatomaceous earth all the time. You need food grade. I dust for ants, fleas, scorpions, red mites in the weeds. We live in a rural area & TRY to be as organic as we can.
I dust the dogs & cats about once every 2-3 weeks, but they probably need it more often. I’ve also used canola oil on them. That suffocates the fleas.
You can treat internal parasites with it too.
It desolves in water, so it has to be done fairly often. Good luck!
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
I don’t understand chemical analyses at all, it’s a bit hard for me to keep up. I’d say it’s because I’m older than dirt, but us otd people are supposed to have learned more in school 60 years ago. Well, a lot has happened since then.
re this Comment by Nadine Long …..”Could the “paper” bags that the chemicals were shipped in been in “wet strength bags” such as I described, or even ones with poly-fibers, giving off formaldehyde vapors and changing the urea in the gluten to melamine crystals? Being only 25-pound bags, that could be a lot of formaldehyde vapors spread over the bag.”
I’ve been thinking bags since they started talking about the “bags”, one with melamine. Does this happen? I’ve researched Feline Chronic Renal Failure for 7 years, because that’s how long I’ve been battling it with my 3 cats. I have one left. We who deal with CRF know that formaldehyde vapors are one of the many toxins that cause it, and pets have been dying of ARF, now related to the dry as well as the canned. In the canned, I was thinking that huge dose of urea can cause a spike in BUN (blood urea nitrogen) bad enough to kill or, if treated in time and brought down, leaving the animal with CRF. If this is a valid explanation of the wet strength bags containing the dry food (I’m not doubting you, I’m just not that smart) I wonder if Nadine really hit on a cause they can’t seem to explain.
Apologies again for my inadequacies at discussion here!
Comment by Sharon G — April 19, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
My concern is the latest recall. Blue Buffalo cat food. How can a company that states all ingredients are from the United states except the New Zealand Lamb. They also state their ingredients are human grade. Please explain to me how in heaven’s name do they use rice protein concentrate from China? So am I to assume that its ok to lie about source of origin? Isn’t there a regulatory committee that oversees what is stated by a company and held to be the truth not a lie? What about AAFCO? Aren’t they the ones who supposidly oversee the petfood industry? Aren’t they the one’s who make sure that whats in the food is really in the food, and what is said by the manufacturer is true and accurate?
Comment by Janet Lipa — April 19, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
Comment by Joyce — April 19, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
I’m nowhere near the black helicopter type, either. But with the US and China squaring off tonight over access visas for FDA inspectors, I kinda have to wonder what this is really about.
If China wants our business so badly, yet values pets so little, then why stonewall the American inspectors? Why not cop to the problem, say sorry, and move on to sell us even more stuff? That would be their most advantageous decision, from an economics standpoint anyway.
Unless there’s more to know that endangers people, not pets.
Or unless the US is looking for some way to backtrack on the Most Favored Nation status it granted to China not long ago. Why? Because US manfacturing can’t compete. We’re too fond of earning a living wage here.
I don’t know. Like I said, I’m no one’s conspiracy theorist. But the more the tension builds between the US and China over this, the more I have to wonder about potential political/economic motivation.
Comment by Laura — April 19, 2007 @ 10:50 pm