Pet food recall: Melamine addition no accident? Plus: A note from Heartgard
By Gina Spadafori
April 19, 2007
- If you have a sick pet or a question on your pet’s health, call your veterinarian.
- If you want your say on food-safety reform, Sen. Durbin’s office wants to hear from you.
- 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.
The Associated Press on the FDA media conference:
So far, melamine’s been found in both wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China. Media reports from South Africa suggest a third pet food ingredient, corn gluten, used in that country also was contaminated with melamine. That tainted ingredient has not been found in the United States, the FDA said.
FDA investigators, meanwhile, are awaiting visas that would allow them to visit the Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced.
“Melamine was found in all three of those — it would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China,” Stephen Sundlof, the FDA’s chief veterinarian, told reporters.
Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.
And about those hogs:
The FDA and Agriculture Department also were investigating whether some pet food made by one of the five companies supplied by Wilbur-Ellis was diverted for use as hog feed after it was found unsuitable for pet consumption.
“We understand it did make it into some hog feed and we are following up on that as well,” Sundlof said.
Also, Kelle Straw, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Merial, sent a e-mail to Pet Connection regarding Heartgard:
I noticed that you were discussing HEARTGARD® (ivermectin) brand products on this blog, and I want to make sure the facts are clear.
HEARTGARD (ivermectin) brand products DO NOT contain wheat gluten. You can continue to give HEARTGARD products to your pets with confidence.
Go to the latest blog post | Go to the PetConnection home page
I’ve been sending emails regarding my belief that this is no “coincidence” and no “accident.” Two of the emails were sent to Senator Durbin and CNN “story suggestions.”
I would suggest that others follow suit. Be sure to include your home state senator to back up Durbin.
Comment by Kathi — April 19, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
I believe two things:
1. In far too many cases some branches of the scientific community have advanced too rapidly without consideration to the negative fall-out that is the result of genetic re-engineering [of food].
2. Profit greed is a disgustingly powerful motivator.
Both share an apparent disdain for all living things.
Comment by Lynn — April 19, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
The FDA says that corn gluten in the United States has not been found to be contaminated.
OK, but has anyone seen anywhere any reports that corn gluten is actually being TESTED right now in the United States? If you’re not testing, of course you won’t find any contaminants.
I have been personally insulated so far from this tragedy — my own dog’s Merrick foods have so far not set off any significant alarm bells and his health has been good. However, my dog is staying the night with a family member who feeds their dog Nutro Max Beef Meal and Rice formula dry. I was just told that my dog vomitted tonight after eating out of the other dog’s bowl. The other dog is reportedly peeing a lot more than normal, the family member reported when I questioned him. The Nutro Max BM&R has corn gluten in it.
Unfortunately it is after business hours, so all I could do is e-mail Nutro.
Again, does anyone know if the FDA is actually TESTING the U.S. corn gluten supply?
Comment by JM Leong — April 19, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
JML,
I thought they said today in the FDA press conference that they were not testing. Check the entry here about the PC this afternoon and you may have an answer.
Comment by straybaby — April 19, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
Thank you Merial for your communication. But does it contain rice protein concentrate, corn gluten meal, soy protein or ANY other ingredient bought directly or indirectly from China? Where is the ivermectin made? These are the same questions that are being asked to food companies.
Your response to this question would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Comment by CathyA — April 19, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
Thanks Straybaby, I will go back and read it again. To double-check.
Comment by JM Leong — April 19, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
Amazes me how we can deduce that authorities are conducting tests, simply because some official states that “such-and-such toxin has not yet been found in food.”
Let’s smarten up, folks, and call them on it. The appropriate thing to do would be to ask closed-ended questions that don’t allow them to create answers that don’t address the facts.
Absolutely right, JMLeong. Senator Durbin should ask anyone involved with testing if they have tested the corn gluten for specific toxins in the past week. Yes or No.
Comment by Lynn — April 19, 2007 @ 7:29 pm
Wow…I guess they really do mean exactly what they say:
“…Wilbur-Ellis traditionally has excelled in assisting food processors by locating markets for unwanted by-products. Through creative solutions, we can often transform an expensive disposal problem into profit-making venture for the manufacturer…”
http://www.wilbur-ellisfeed.co.....alliances/
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 7:30 pm
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 7:30 pm
“Through creative solutions, we can often transform an expensive disposal problem into profit-making venture for the manufacturer…”
Just about says it all, doesn’t it?
Comment by MFEMFEM — April 19, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
Again, does anyone know if the FDA is actually TESTING the U.S. corn gluten supply?
Comment by JM Leong — April 19, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think so. I think they’re still on rice protein concentrate and are at the plants of the affected companies doing paper trails and tests. Not to mention I’m just about sure they’re going nuts checking human food. They’ve got 400 people out there and they need 1200.
My guess is they’re checking with Royal Canin and getting the supplier of the corn gluten to see if any of it came over here. I’m assuming they’re in paper chase mode on that one. Meanwhile all companies should be checking and testing. They cannot wait for the FDA. There is no time.
At any rate, even if they were testing we wouldn’t know anything for a while. Take a deep breath. Call the people who have your dog, tell them no treats, no food that is not his own. Separate the dogs when they eat. Will you get him back tomorrow? Keep a close eye on him. If he acts at all weird tomorrow, off to the vet.
When you call Nutro ask if they import corn gluten from China, directly or indirectly.
at some point the press conf transcript will be up at http://www.fda.gov. I pray your dog is OK
Comment by CathyA — April 19, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
i just look up cj foods there looks like a recall from there.doesnt says which brand.any one know about this?
Comment by kim townsell — April 19, 2007 @ 7:39 pm
Lynn, I’ve noticed how they say things along that line aka as no, we haven’t done anything but we’ll try and gloss over that.
good example here:
“Response: Maybe we’ll need to do that. At this time, have not announced all products that may be subject to retention and further testing. “Taking a number of proactive steps” not strictly limited to wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate.”
WTF?! “Maybe we’ll need to do that”?! HELLO!! MAYBE?!
In my book, I would think it’s fairly OBVIOUS they DO need to test corn gluten. and they may want to check and see if any of the vitamins and supplements came in from China at a reduced price and check those also!!
*bangs head against wall*
Comment by straybaby — April 19, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
Re corn gluten in the US: I would guess that we do not import much of this (especially in the midwest), for the simple reason that we grow so much corn to make A) corn syrup and its derivatives, and B) ethanol. Both of these products are made from the starchy part of the corn kernel. What’s left over(?)… the protein fraction — the gluten.
(That said, I am cheerfully willing to admit that I’m wrong if evidence demonstrates that we do import a non-trivial amount of our corn gluten, despite this apparent surplus…)
Comment by David — April 19, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
Since all of the CEO’s and every finger-pointing fool out there was so “shocked” to discover melamine, how is it that the FDA knew to test for it? Did someone specifically point the FDA in the right direction and who exactly knew first? I’m aware of all the butt-covering after the fact, but who knew and how initially?
Comment by Kathi — April 19, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
CATHY A CATHY A CATHY A BARKING AT THE MOON
NEW FORMULA CHANGE NEW FORMULA CHANGE
Cathy, are you the person that was asking about potato starch in Barking at the Moon?
Go to the web site. They changed their formula to now include POTATO PROTEIN. I just noticed it last night.
I tried to follow you on the blog because you left the other blog topic. I’ll post the link shortly.
Comment by petlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
I believe you are correct, David.
We make LOTS of domestic high-fructose corn syrup, and use lots of ethanol. We therefore have LOTS of corn gluten meal. AND - unlike wheat gluten, there is no application (that I have ever seen in 10 years in the industry) for corn gluten meal in the human food chain, which means no competition for the ingredient, and therefore reasonable pricing. Wheat gluten is more costly due to human industry competition, since it is used in so many baked goods.
I don’t know about South African agriculture, maybe they don’t grow corn.
The thing I find ironic - with all of the talk of using U.S ingredients etc. - the “high end” brands that are going to get burned here are the ones that made a big marketing deal out of “NO CORN”! “CORN IS EVIL”! So instead of using a perfectly good, protein dense concentrate that we produce in abundance domestically (corn gluten) from “human grade” corn - you eat the sweetener, your pet eats the corn gluten meal - used an imported ingredient to meet their “no corn” marketing needs. (Same crap as companies trying to convince us that tapioca is better etc. - a carb is a carb, whether it is a root or a grain. Where the heck does tapioca grow? I would rather take my chances with corn, thanks).
Comment by Food Scientist — April 19, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
For Cathy A Cathy A
BARKING AT THE MOON CONTAINS “POTATO PROTEIN”
With all of the new ______ proteins we’re learning about, just thought you might want to know and perhaps, follow up with the company.
http://solidgoldhealth.com/news/
New Barking at the Moon Ingredients:
Salmon Meal, Beef, Potatoes, Potato Protein, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil (Source of DHA), Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Parsley Flakes, Pumpkin Meal, Almond Oil, Sesame Oil, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Thyme, Blueberries, Cranberries, Carrots, Broccoli, Vitamins and Minerals
Crude Protein 41% Minimum
Crude Fat 20% Minimum
Crude Fiber 4% Maximum
Moisture 10% Maximum
Calorie Content 465 kcal / cup
**************
I hope I have the correct Cathy. Apologies to all for the extra post.
Comment by petlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
I was going to buy some Solid Gold and when I saw the potato protein I decided not to. Also, I believe I saw some corn in some of their products and I don’t like corn.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
There are a lot of corn gluten suppliers from China listed on alibaba.com (just google corn gluten china).
Comment by Elaine — April 19, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
China sure exports a lot of corn gluten and we do too. I tried doing a search and couldn’t find any statistics on how much may or may not be imported here.
I would say it boils down to price. If a pet food company can get it cheaper from China than buying it here, they would. I did see some articles stating that for wheat gluten that was the case. It’s cheaper to import than buy what we have.
Comment by Kathy — April 19, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
Here, have a copy.
http://tinyurl.com/35qabl
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
Kathi,
I thought I heard/saw/read it was P&G that found the initial Melamine and pointed the FDA/other labs in that direction.
Comment by straybaby — April 19, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Sorry Try Again. Looking out for the Consumer!
http://tinyurl.com/39lvvd
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
RE: I don’t know about South African agriculture, maybe they don’t grow corn.
Oh sure they grow corn in S. AFrica - what do they call it there - mealie?
Until 18 months ago MenuFoods bought American wheat gluten. It’s all about the price.
Comment by CathyA — April 19, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
The Pet Food Institute & the FDA - those SOBs!@#$% This is unbelievable. Big changes need to be made regarding pet food labeling sothat we can make informed decisions regarding what to feed our pets.
Comment by catlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
China exports a lot of corn gluten. I read that is does a big business in it.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
Steve, you should mail that page to Anderson Cooper or to ABC.
Comment by catlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
petlover RE: Solid Gold potato protein:
My computer is horribly slow and I have to keep clearing cache and sometimes even shut down the browser - think also the Snap stuff here isn’t helping. Anyway, it takes so much time to go backwards I don’t get very far!
Thanks for the info. I’ll pass it on to the person who was asking about Solid Gold. She felt fairly satisfied, but thought she’d follow up with the company. I don’t like the looks of the “change”, but maybe they’re responding to the truth in labeling issue. I’m going to be very intersted in their reply to where is the potato protein manufactured.
Comment by CathyA — April 19, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Comment by catlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
Yes it’s obvious the PFI wasn’t looking out for our interests when they did that lobbying job.
Heck yes I want a label. But look who’s on their Board of Directors. Who are they really trying to protect?
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
Heartgard’s little note tells me more people are paying attention to what goes on here than we think.
The word’s spreading and THEY DON’T LIKE IT!!!
Well, guess what? I don’t like the fact that EVERY DAY the front page of this website is updated to add another 100 animals dead by corporate greed and stupidity.
Hear this: you won’t get another penny of my money for any pet food products for the rest of my days. And every one of you involved in this recall, you can be damn sure I’m spreading the word among my family and friends that your products are poison. Every company involved would rather that their consumers shoulder the financial burden for THEIR mistakes and take our beloved and INNOCENT pets from their loving homes well before their time. Our pets are not your guinea pigs!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
Looks like there will be another big list of pet foods to add to the FDA list of recalled foods. Best bet for now is make your own pet food or source from a organic food supplier.I would be careful in trusting any comments from the The Pet Food Institute.
Comment by William Kanitz — April 19, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
i JUST LEFT A NASTY EMAIL TO WILBUR ELLIS, IT FELT GOOD. I TOLD THEM OFF, AND SAID I HOPE THEY ARE RUINED FINANCIALLY FOR TRADING WITH CHINA IN THE FIRST PLACE! I MEAN OF ALL PLACES TO GET ANY FOOD… CHINA, YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN ME!!! I TOLD THEM THAT I AM OFFICIALY OFF MANUFACTURED PET FOOD, FOREVER. I ADMONISHED THEIR PATRIOTIC DUTY AND THEIR GALL TO TRADE WITH COMMUNISTS. I TOLD THEM WHAT DID YOU EXPECT WHEN DEALING WITH A COUNTY LIKE THAT?
IF WE COULD GET JUST 20% OF ALL PET OWNERS TO MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD, THAT WOULD SEND A HUGE MESSAGE IN TERMS OF $$$$$ , ESPECIALLY SINCE THAT’S THE ONLY THING THAT PROBABLY MEANS TO THEM ANYWAY. tHERE ARE SO MANY CAT AND DOG FOOD RECIPEES ON THE INTERNET. I GOT SOME REALLY GOOD ONES!!
Comment by lori anderson — April 19, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Steve - this is why the FDA won’t name the remaining companies. They are really working for the PFI. They are supposed to be working for us. They are worse than FEMA.
Comment by catlover — April 19, 2007 @ 8:59 pm
My JuJu, that I lost last Sunday…first got sick on FF with wheat gluten…then she got sick on Royal Canin with corn gluten. I have just been waiting for the corn gluten “shoe to drop.”
When I called Royal Canin on this, they insisted that there was nothing wrong with their food…instead of listening to what I had to say, and saying that they would check into it. Shows where their concerns are at, huh?
Comment by Marcy — April 19, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
From Nature’s Variety website. They Make Prairie food.
RECENT NEWS
04-18-2007
Update on Ingredient Integrity
You may be aware of a recent pet food recall associated with the ingredient “rice protein concentrate.” Please be assured that there is no rice protein concentrate used in any of our Nature’s Variety diets (kibble, cans, or raw). Furthermore, rice protein concentrate is NOT used anywhere within the kibble manufacturing facility.
All Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets, canned diets, and Instinct kibble diets are entirely grain-free. Our Prairie kibble diets are made with healthy, hearty grains (whole brown rice, barley, oatmeal, and millet) sourced only from the USA.
Flaxseed is not considered a whole grain because it doesn’t have the same composition as grains that are whole grains. This means it must be nutritionally similar in bran, germ and endosperm and must be low in fat. Flax does not have the starchy endosperm. The flaxseed used in our diets comes from Canada.
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
Just to clarify what I said…they did not tell me that they would check into it.
Comment by Marcy — April 19, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
I just found out that Tidy Cats cat litter is manufactured by Nestle Purina.
Looks like we will have to find another brand…I will never pay another dime for anything that they make. FF contributed to my JuJu’s death.
Comment by Marcy — April 19, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
There are quite a few pet industry “insiders” who are, or should be, keeping an eye on this a few other sites. The SMART “insiders” will start learning something and makings amends.
Getting feet on the ground clearing stores of recalled poison would be a start.
Paid TV ads or newspaper ads telling pet owners what to look for, the drinking too much water, the peeing too much etc, a thoughtful gesture.
Basic really, treat people the way your mother wishes you would.
Hint, hint, it will work better than the crappy attitude and the cover your butt spinfest.
Great, now I need brain bleach, I just got an image of the esteemed weasel, Duane, doing a dance, the CYA spinfest!
Comment by E. Hamilton — April 19, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
“i just look up cj foods there looks like a recall from there.doesnt says which brand.any one know about this?”
This has to be Blue Buffalo. Their info matches Blue’s almost word for word. Single batch, products already in recall, most not distributed.
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
“I thought I heard/saw/read it was P&G that found the initial Melamine and pointed the FDA/other labs in that direction.”
Yes, it was IAMS that determined this while testing their food.
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
I have a suggestion, and maybe Gina or someone else could help us set it up. Could we have a blog for people to post what they are feeding their pets now? I know many are doing home-cooked meals. Unfortunately, I can’t, nor can I get away from wet food. My cats are extremely picky (when it comes to wet)and I know that, for me, it would be helpful to see that sort of info in one spot. It’s hard for me to check out every post and comment. I do have a need to find a new food, out of pickiness and nothing more, and it’s be great to see what others have been feeding their pets without problem. How long might also be helpful
Comment by Krystal Kubichek — April 19, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
Please explain this to me. What else is wheat gluten used for except as FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!?????
This is just about the dumbest thing I’ve read all day.
“Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.”
They “genetically” altered food intended for humans and pets. It’s not industrial, it’s food. The melamine is industrial.
This is clueless.
Comment by Sharon — April 19, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
Marcy:
What do you mean when you say FF? Is that Fancy Feast? Please let me know, my cats eat Fancy Feast and Royal Canin dry, so your post has brought back the fear factor.
Comment by Krystal Kubichek — April 19, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Comment by Sharon:
“Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said.”
So then, how much unfit “industrial wheat gluten” has been imported here for Human use?
Comment by Gary — April 19, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
Two more NB items were added to the recall - all Venison. I wonder why they weren’t listed on the first day and I sure hope that NB doesn’t add more after all the good things people were posting about it yesterday and how wonderful of a company it is and things.
I would be very disappointed to learn that NB were putting some junk protein of whatever form in the dry dog good - Potato and Duck allergy formula I’ve been using for my dogs - but stopped in fear when they recalled the Venison.
It would be so wrong and terribly hurtful. One would think that any company would almost instantly know what products had the “bad” stuff in it - pushing a button on the computer or something.
Today seems like a different blog with no one mentioning too much about NB. I guess everyone just got all their pent up energy out yesterday.
I ordered the TimberWolf two different brands of large bags dry dog food and they are shipping it free to my office. I’m looking forward to trying it and my SUV is already loaded with the upopened bags of NB I bought two weeks ago.
I called TimberWolf three times and talked about their ingredients including where their fish and fish meal is from and all the other ingredients.
I didn’t like the Solid Gold’s Holwing at the Moon potato protein ingredient at all - even the name - potato protein - gives me shudders -
I always did like Wellness but that rice protein junk I just don’t care for at all.
I’m checking the NB website several times a day just in case they add my Potato and Duck.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
I sure felt like a bad person yesterday, I mean everytime I mentioned about the NB spies or something then people were upset with me and called upon the names of their dead animals and it was very frightful. And still when I think about if I had lost a beloved pet to a pet food company kind words and thoughts about the company would not be on my mind at all, no sir re, not at all, but that’s me.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
By the way, I feed my cats Fancy Feast, Purina Pro Plan wet, and Royal Canin dry. I’m experimenting with Innova, Merrick, and Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s soul wets now. Previously, they were on both Sheba and Whiskas. I have yet to have a problem with them from these recalls.
Let me also state: my cats are horribly picky. I switched from Sheba when they came out with the new recipe: the cats didn’t care for it. They had been getting picky about the Sheba anyway, so the new Whiskas like Sheba was doesn’t really interest them. Fancy Feast they like, but it’s one of those, sometimes we gobble, sometimes we’re lukewarm on it. Same for Purina Pro Plan. Any suggestions? These cats are way too picky for their own good, and I want to find something they will love (like they used to with the Sheba) AND I can feel safe with. I want to stress that none of the foods I’ve used has caused a problem, so please, don’t think I’m saying otherwise.
Comment by Krystal Kubichek — April 19, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
You know you’re feeling too stressed when you have to watch a show like “ER” in order to calm down . . .
.
Is there a complete timeline of this recall, going back to March 16th? I saw one somewhere at some point, but can’t find it and it would need to be updated considerably by now, anyway.
I’d like a timeline to (1) help keep the details straight in my own head, (2) share with people who don’t understand how extensive and complex this situation is, and (3) send to some of my local media to ask them why they haven’t covered this story/covered it haphazardly/stopped covering it.
It would be helpful if this list could be a separate link, say, here and on howl911, itchmo, etc. Once it exists, it could just be updated each time a new development occurs. The only drawback to this blog is that so much detail is spread out over multiple entries and can also get hidden in the comments.
If there isn’t a timeline out there, I’ll put one together myself over the weekend. But if there is one, someone please point me to it.
Comment by cerridwen — April 19, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
I think I saw a timeline somewhere but I can’t remember - maybe one of our brain-e-axes - can conjure it up for you. I’d like to see it too!
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
You know you are stressed when you load the SUV up with $200 of fresh meat and veggies and drive home and start cooking and drinking and mumbling to yourself.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
More crazy stuff from China!
http://tinyurl.com/26fpuu
Comment by Brenda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
On another note - all you pet industry spies who are lurking - test the corn gluten - test it all. Stop it at the docks, pull it off the ships, haul it out of the warehouses - send in the police with armed guards and test that gluten. We want it safe, for our pets sake so we can sleep and stop watching ER and going broke buying prime cuts of meat and cooking all night long.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
Oh, now that is funny. Thank you so much for the silly label story. Did my heart good to laugh……hehehehe
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:51 pm
We’ll go to sleep tonight and wake up tomorrow to more pet food horror. Have you heard any apologies lately? Did Nature’s Balance apologize???????
No one seems to be too sorry, or at least it doesn’t feel like the industry is sorry - are any executives of these other companies selling stocks????? Maybe that is what is taking so long - hiding their assets,leaving the country, having a sex change operation, claiming insanity, going into rehab….. or something equally secretive.
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
I am having some good results with Evangers for cats. Canned
For dry I have gotten Life’s Assurance and my 6 very fussy, always loved FF, but will NEVER have it again…..really seem to be happy and doing well on these foods.
Coats look real good. Tubby cats have lost a bit of weight without complaining!!
For you folks trying new foods and noticing pets drinking a little more water, some of the foods have salt listed as an ingredient, in addition to the potassium chloride. Check the labels, cause the inclusion of salt could make the pets thirsty. I know it makes me thirsty.
Peg
Comment by Peg — April 19, 2007 @ 10:04 pm
Comment by Linda — April 19, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
Probably leave the country to a second residence
somewhere since they have no loyalty to the United States would be my guess.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
TIMELINE: Pet Food Recall of 2007
This is one version…
February 20,2007 Date Menu Foods notifies FDA of having received first reports of sick and dead cats. (Anecdotal data puts first reports back as far as December, 2006.)
February 27, 2007 Menu Foods starts testing reported tainting food on cats and dogs.
March 16, 2007 Menu Foods announces first recall after deaths of 16 tested animals.
March 17, 2007 Tainted wheat gluten identified as source of pet food contamination.
March 23, 2007 New York State Department of Agriculture and Cornell University scientists find aminopterin, a rat poison, in tainted food samples.
March 24, 2007 Menu Foods extends recalled products to all dates of manufacture.
March 26, 2007 Menu Foods clarifies PR of March 24th, stating no new foods had been added to list.
March 26, 2007 The FDA announces that melamine, a chemical used in plastics, fertilizers, and industrial foam, has been found in tainted pet foods.
March 30, 2007 Menu Foods Menu Foods clears for sale recalled food products manufactured outside the original reported dates.
March 30, 2007 Hills voluntarily recalls Science Diet Prescription Diet M/D Dry Food.
March 31, 2007 Eight in One, Inc., recalls all lots of Dingo CHICK’N JERKY treats from retailers, along with certain cats treats. Salmonella contamination is named as the reason for the recall.
March 31, 2007 Del Monte voluntarily recalls Pounce Meaty Morsels Moist Chicken Flavor Cat Treats.
April 3, 2007 The manufacturer (Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Company Ltd., China ) of the tainted wheat gluten and the U.S. Distributer (ChemNutra Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada) of that product are revealed.
April 5, 2007 Menu Foods announces the expansion of its recalled pet food list.
April 5, 2007 Sunshine Mills announces the voluntary recall of dog biscuits for melamine contamination.
April 5, 2007 According to CNN, the FDA is exploring the theory of intentional contamination of wheat gluten for profit.
April 10, 2007 Menu Foods announces the recall of 36 additional canned cat food products.
April 10, 2007 Toronto Globe and Mail reports that Menu Foods CFO Mark Wiens sold 45% of his Menu Foods stock for $102,900 on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27. Wiens was quoted as saying, “It’s a horrible coincidence, yes . . .”
April 12, 2007 Senate hearings are held to investigate the ongoing pet food recall and government regulations over the pet food industry. Topics covered are the investigation timeline, source of the contamination, and the FDA’s regulatory and inspection responsibilities.
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
I can’t seem to find Life’s Assurance on the web do you have the address?
Comment by Brenda — April 19, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
Solid Golid uses no corn, wheat or soy in their foods and treats. There are NO safety concerns with SGH foods. There is no problems associated with potato protein. AAFCO defines Potato Protein as: Potato Protein is derived from de-starched potato juice from which the proteinaceous fraction has been precipitated by thermal coagulation followed by dehydration.
Solid Gold dry pet food is packaged by Diamond. Their wet food is packaged by another co. (it’s name eludes me). Only Natural Balance, also packaged by Diamond, has been recalled. Solid Gold nor Diamond uses wheat or rice glutens in their kibbles. Kirkland uses some wheat gluten in some of their kibbles.
Comment by Mike — April 19, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
Isn’t it called Life’s Abundance?
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
Krystal - yes FF is Fancy Feast. She was on only that for quite some time. About 4 weeks ago she ate a chicken variety that had wheat gluten in it, and exhibited signs of poisoning.
She seemed to be recovering, and I gave her some Royal Canin Persian 30 dry…with corn gluten. Again, the same symptoms of poisoning. There was some recovery, but not as much as the first time.
From then on, she went downhill, slowly but surely over a period of about 2 weeks after these two incidents.
My other two seem to be ok, but they were not on a diet of solely FF…they were eating another dry food also (not Royal Canin).
I just don’t trust anything with any kind of gluten in it right now…nor the rice protein concentrate…or anything that may have been imported from China.
Comment by Marcy — April 19, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
I was wondering if that was what she meant, I received samples in the mail yesterday of Life’s Abundance, my cat did not go for it at all.
Comment by Brenda — April 19, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s economy grew at a blistering 11.1 percent annual pace in the first quarter on the back of booming investment and exports
Sure shipping all the poison and toxic crap they can get rid off who cares as long as the economy is blistering and someone will buy it. Why care about quality? Just call it Bio Technology.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
Never heard of Life’s Assurance, perhaps you mean Life’s Abundance. Available only by distibutors and not sold in stores.
Get a free sample. An excellent pet food!
http://www.premium4pets.net/
Comment by Mike — April 19, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
Okie, dokie — here’s an article about Cere’s Hog Farm being QUARANTINED!
http://tinyurl.com/33zzr7
CERES, Calif. (Map, News) - A Stanislaus County hog farm was placed under quarantine after an industrial chemical that’s tainted more than 100 brands of dog and cat food was found in pig urine there, state agriculture officials said late Thursday.
Additional testing was under way to determine if the chemical, melamine, was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 10:37 pm
Interesting comment.
“My son was in China for nearly a year with his work and from the stories he tells, it would not be a stretch to believe that the Chinese company intentionally did this, and used our weak laws, and China’s non-existant ones to get this stuff in at a higher price.
However, since the same facilities may well have been used for products for human consumption, the question of whether humans have been unknowingly had this in our food chain within the U.S. because of this company, as well.
If U.S. investigators haven’t gotten permission to go in yet, then we need to ban all imports of their food products until they permit them in, and pass laws to inspect their products very, very closely and charge them for that procedure.”
I agree.
Comment by Steve — April 19, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
cerridwen —
Itchmo has a great timeline. Here is the
a link to that info.
Ben’s being doing a great job on the timeline. Btw, I know many of you have had to spend more money on food and vet bills as of late, but the folks who are trying to help you get through this all have donation buttons on the page.
They aren’t doing this for the money, but I know that they wouldn’t turn down a contribution to help them keep on this issue.
These folks have been doing the work of the media and the government while trying to save lives. And they are doing it in the face of a multi-billion dollar industry that doesn’t want things to change. When you see some groups being slow to act you ask why. Was it because the industry funds them? Or was it because they had bad information from people who are paid to put the best light on things? I don’t know their motivations or what is in their hearts, I can only see their actions.
If you appreciate the work the bloggers are doing, sending them a contribution is one way to show your gratitude. When I was battling Disney lots of people sent me contributions. It meant the world to me.
These are the heroes of this story, working hard to keep your pets safe and keeping you informed. Let ‘em know you noticed. Send ‘em some dough. (sans foreign gluten!)
Howl911 link.
Itchmo link.
Petfoodtracker link.
petsitusa link.
Comment by spocko — April 19, 2007 @ 10:45 pm
It seems like it should be a no-brainer to just halt all imports from China, but there is always that touchy feely aspect that our government prioritizes - we cannot upset these folks.
Screw that, the US needs to take back control of its country and people and put them first.
Electing an effective President would be a start.
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:45 pm
Check out PetConnection’s traffic on Alexa.org
http://tinyurl.com/348hnl
Thanks for the great site!
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
I think this snippet of article says a lot about why we have a VISA problem…
April 19, 2007 - The results are now in. Whoever becomes president on Jan. 20, 2009, the next leader of the free world may face a task akin to taking over command of the Titanic. After the iceberg.
That is the message behind a new multinational survey, released this week by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org, which showed that nations around the world reject the idea that the United States should play the role of preeminent world leader.
A majority of respondents polled in 15 countries, representing about 56 percent of the world’s population (the survey included China, India and Russia), also said the United States cannot be trusted any longer “to act responsibly in the world.” As Richard Holbrooke, the former U.N. ambassador, sums it up bluntly: “No president will ever have handed over a worse international situation than George W. Bush.”
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
Sorry, I did mean Life’s Abundance. Just real tired.
I used http://healthypet.net to get free samples.
Comment by Peg — April 19, 2007 @ 11:00 pm
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 10:37 pm
Ruh-roh. Nice catch, Kat. I guess we know where some of the crap feed went.
Poor pigs.
Comment by Laura — April 19, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
Yep! And, I wonder which rendering plant they use, to go back into our pet food????!!!!????
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
http://tinyurl.com/2h6kzd
So if you click on this link and scroll down to the table on the lower right, you can see what other countries think of us.
Most intersting is the response from China - that we should do our share in efforts to solve international problems with other countries.
Most comical…
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
Hey Sharon, here’s something else EG is used for . . .
http://www.earthwarebiodegrada.....cts-w.html
what i find interesting is they use the non-GMO, yet we get the GMO crap in foods . . .
Comment by straybaby — April 19, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
sorry that was supposed to be WG!
Comment by straybaby — April 19, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
OK, anyone here into macroeconomics with knowledge of the WTO?
What trade agreements are currently in effect with China/USA? What’s the time span? What’s the financial impact?
Ramifications/repercussions if we dissociate?
Comment by Lynn — April 19, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
well there is the other one: Royal Canin in United States issues recall.
Comment by Brenda — April 19, 2007 @ 11:15 pm
Lynn, below is some very detailed info about how China’s entry in the WTO (December 2001) impacts the US.
The negotiations with China, as is the case with all WTO accession negotiations, consisted of three parts. China provided information to the WTO Working Party pertaining to its trade regime, which was updated throughout the 15 years of negotiations. Next, each interested WTO member negotiated a bilateral agreement with China concerning market access concessions and commitments for goods and services. These concessions and commitments were then formulated into two documents, China’s Goods and Services Schedules, which apply to all WTO members. Simultaneously, China participated in multilateral negotiations with Working Party members on the rules that will govern trade with China.
Transparency and Predictability
China has agreed to implement systemic reforms designed to establish a more transparent and predictable regime for business dealings.
To promote transparency, China will regularly publish these laws and regulations in official journals with relevant information including the responsible government entity and the effective date of the measure. In addition, China will create inquiry points, which will operate on 30 day response times, to permit companies to obtain information about these laws and regulations. Furthermore, China has agreed to provide notice of laws and regulations, allowing reasonable time for comment, prior to implementation or enforcement. China plans to translate all trade laws and regulations into one or more of the WTO languages (English, French and Spanish), including those that will have to be drafted or revised as China comes into compliance with its WTO obligations. China has committed to the maximum extent possible to provide translated versions of trade laws and regulations prior to implementation, but in no case later than 90 days post-implementation.
China also made a commitment that will help foster predictability in business dealings. It agreed to apply, implement and administer all of its laws and regulations relating to trade in goods and services in a uniform and impartial manner throughout China, including special economic areas.
Substantive Benefits to U.S. Firms
China’s WTO accession agreement will help U.S. companies doing business in China by addressing many of the trade restrictions and problems U.S. firms have experienced. Following are a few highlights of the agreement.
Tariffs
China has committed to significantly reduce its tariffs on industrial products. These reductions had already begun in preparation for China’s accession to the WTO. China’s industrial tariffs will decline from a 1997 average of 25 percent to 8.9 percent. Nearly all of these reductions will be completed by January 1, 2005. For a few products, reductions will continue until 2010.
China will completely eliminate its tariffs on beer, furniture and toys. The 1997 tariffs on these products averaged 70 percent, 22 percent and 23 percent, respectively. Other product sectors where China has agreed to substantial tariff reduction are: cosmetics, distilled spirits, medical equipment, motor vehicles, paper products, scientific equipment and textiles. Additionally, China will join the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), which will eliminate tariffs on two-thirds of the products under the ITA by January 1, 2003 and will eliminate tariffs for all the remaining products by January 1, 2005.
Service Commitments
China has agreed to significant liberalizations in a broad range of service sectors through eliminating market access restrictions, particularly in sectors of importance to the United States including banking, insurance, telecommunications and professional services, including accounting, legal and management consultancy services.
Trading Rights and Distribution
China currently restricts the number of companies that have the right to import and export goods and the products that can be imported by these companies. China has agreed to eliminate any export performance, prior experience requirements and trade or foreign exchange balancing, as criteria for obtaining or maintaining the right to import and export. Chinese enterprises will now have full trading rights, subject to certain minimum registered capital requirements. Joint ventures with minority foreign ownership will be granted full trading rights within one year and joint ventures with majority foreign ownership will be granted full trading rights within two years after accession. All enterprises in China will be granted full trading rights within three years after accession (except for limited products reserved for trade by state enterprises as identified in Annex 2A to the Protocol).
Currently, China does not permit foreign companies to distribute products through their own wholesale and retail systems or to provide related distribution services, such as repair and maintenance. This prohibition will be phased out over three years with a few exceptions. For chemical fertilizers, processed oil and crude oil, foreign service suppliers will be permitted to engage in distribution within five years after China’s accession.
Trade-related Intellectual Property Rights
China’s implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPs) is an important step toward improving its intellectual property environment. Pursuant to the 1992 and 1995 bilateral intellectual property agreements and 1996 action plan, China has made steady progress in improving its intellectual property regime. However, the United States looks to China for continued improvement concerning the enforcement of intellectual property rights. We have developed a strong dialogue with China on this issue and China’s officials recognize the need for more effective action to address this continuing problem. Nevertheless, large-scale unauthorized production and sale of copyrighted products and trademark counterfeiting remain widespread. Full implementation of the TRIPs Agreement, upon accession, will continue those efforts and further enhance China’s development of intellectual property protection, particularly for the high-tech industries.
Import Licensing
China’s import licensing system can no longer function as a trade barrier and must comply with the principles of national treatment and nondiscrimination.
Importation and Investment Approvals
Importation and investment approvals can no longer be conditioned on whether competing domestic suppliers exist or on performance requirements of any kind, such as export performance, local content, technology transfer, offsets, foreign exchange balancing, or research and development. China has further agreed that it will only impose, apply or enforce laws, regulations or other measures relating to the transfer of technology that are consistent with the WTO Agreement on Trade-related Investment Measures and the TRIPS Agreement.
Technical Barriers to Trade
In accordance with the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, China cannot use technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures as unnecessary obstacles to trade. China will now base technical regulations on international standards. These regulations must now be developed in a transparent manner and applied equally to domestic and foreign products.
Taxes
China agreed to ensure that its laws, regulations and other measures relating to internal taxes and charges levied on imports comply with WTO rules and are applied in a nondiscriminatory manner. This obligation applies not only to national taxes but also to provincial and local taxes.
Subsidies
China has agreed to eliminate, upon accession, all subsidies on industrial goods that are prohibited under WTO rules, i.e., export and import substitution subsidies.
Department of Commerce’s Compliance Plan for China
The Department of Commerce has a strong program in place to help China implement and comply with its WTO obligations and to support U.S. firms operating in the Chinese market, as outlined below.
Concentrate Enforcement Efforts
Commerce’s China Team holds semiweekly strategy sessions to review cases and implementation plans. A new China-specific website (www.export.gov/china) provides U.S. business with detailed information on China’s WTO obligations, compliance and market opportunities. China Team representatives meet regularly with the commercial staff from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. and Commercial Service officers meet regularly with Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, to review specific market access and compliance problems. A group dedicated especially to monitoring developments relevant to potential unfair trade problems with China also has been established as an offshoot of Commerce’s ongoing work in import monitoring and the enforcement of U.S. rights under the WTO with respect to multilateral subsidy disciplines. Among other things, this group will monitor China’s provision of financial assistance and state aids to industrial enterprises to ensure that they conform to WTO commitments.
Help China Reform
A series of training programs for Chinese officials on WTO-related issues of concern to U.S. business has been initiated. The first team traveled to Beijing and Shanghai in the fall of 2000 to review China’s WTO obligations (standards, intellectual property rights and anti-dumping/countervailing duty requirements) with Chinese officials and the resident U.S. business community. In early 2001, a half-dozen sessions were held in Washington, D.C. for Chinese officials, on topics ranging from e-commerce regulation to corporate mergers and acquisitions, to WTO antidumping rules. Subsequently, Team members traveled to China with the American National Standards Institute for seminars in Beijing and Xian, organized IPR Enforcement Training sessions in Shenyang, Hangzhou and Xiamen and conducted an information technology seminar in Beijing. In September a Medical Equipment Standards program was held jointly with the EU in Kunming. Plans for 2002 include programs focusing on Intellectual Property Rights, Distribution, Standards, Information Technology, Energy and Environmental Technologies.
Promptly Address Market Access Problems
New tight action deadlines for new market access and compliance cases are in place. Washington, D.C. and China-based Commerce staff are using a new shared computer database to efficiently track all China market access and commercial cases. China Team representatives are meeting regularly with the commercial staff from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. to review outstanding market access and compliance cases.
Congress has provided new compliance resources in Washington, D.C. and China — seven new officers have been added to the China Office in Washington, D.C. and four compliance positions added in China to handle the increasing on-the-ground workload. A guide for U.S. companies on “Dispute Avoidance and Dispute Resolution in China” has been developed and is on the China website.
Give U.S. Companies a Head Start
A dozen seminars were held in late 2000 throughout the United States to educate the business community on changes anticipated in the Chinese market and on the type and extent of compliance support we can provide. The Commercial Service in China
participated via videoconferencing to present an overview of the business environment and allow the seminar audience to direct questions at the presenters. A Virtual Trade Mission to China’s Computerworld Expo was held in the Fall of 2000, enabling 15 small and medium-sized U.S. information technology companies to introduce their products to Chinese end-users. Plans for 2002 include many WTO opportunities seminars throughout the United States and a WTO related trade mission to China.
Aggressively Monitor Trade Flows
A China-specific antidumping and circumvention program closely monitors imports from China in several key sectors. We are presently refining and expanding upon our monitoring activities, e.g., looking at imports not only from those Chinese industries with a large absolute U.S. import share, but also those enjoying the largest and fastest growth rates. Much of this information will be made available to the public via the website for Commerce’s Office of Import Administration, at http://www.trade.gov/ia. We envisage this as providing an important tool not only for early detection of potential unfair trade problems, but also to facilitate determinations by both U.S. government and industry as to when recourse may be appropriate to the special safeguards provisions negotiated as part of China’s accession to deal with unusual import surges.
Interagency Coordination
Commerce’s enforcement efforts are part of a coordinated U.S. Govern-ment approach to monitoring and enforcing China’s WTO compliance. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Departments of State, Treasury, Agriculture and Labor, play an active role in WTO implementation and monitoring efforts.
In Beijing, Commercial Service officers, along with State Economic officers, Foreign Agricultural Service officers and Customs Attaches, participate in a WTO Implementation Coordination Committee which meets regularly to assess progress and monitor problems, with input from U.S. consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang and Chengdu.
U.S. Trade with China
U.S. trade with China is important to our economy. In 2000 China was our fourth largest trading partner, with two-way trade of $116 billion. China is the United States 10th largest market abroad for U.S. goods, with our exports showing strong increases — up 20 percent for the first nine months of this year. We expect that this growth in our exports will accelerate with China’s WTO membership.
Comment by Carole — April 19, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
here it is Royal Canin’s recall:
http://www.royalcanin.us/
April 19, 2007
Dear Royal Canin USA Customer,
It is with sincere regret that I inform you of a new and unfortunate development with some of our pet food products.
Although we have no confirmed cases of illness in pets, we have decided to voluntarily remove the following dry pet food products that contain rice protein concentrate due to the presence of a melamine derivative.
ROYAL CANIN SENSIBLE CHOICE® (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
Dry Dog Food
- Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult
- Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior
- Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult
ROYAL CANIN VETERINARY DIET™ (available only in veterinary clinics)
Dry Dog Food
- Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™
- Canine Skin Support SS21™
Dry Cat Food
- Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™
We are taking this proactive stance to voluntarily recall these products to avoid any confusion for our customers about which Royal Canin USA products are safe and which products may be affected.
Comment by Kat — April 19, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
As I have previously stated on this site, my Siamese Cat died of “Food Poisioning” on 04/02/07, after consuming a product containing “CORN GLUTEN”. The product’s name is PRESCRIPTION DIET FELINE i/d and I absolutely have no doubts, that this
FELINE i/d DRY and CANNED VERSION, is what caused the POISONING/DEATH of my cat. I informed my vet of this, and was told that it couldn’t have possibly been the PRESCRIPTION i/d that was responsible — because it does not contain wheat gluten. I told her that I am completely aware of that, but it does contain “CORN GLUTEN” !!!! “CORN GLUTEN” in addition to the wheat gluten & rice protein concentrate , is POISIONING our dear pets & the FDA might as well confess to that fact now!!! That is the “ONLY” food that my dear, sweet Simon ate. So, please please BEWARE of this product — DO NOT FEED TO YOU KITTYS !!!!
Comment by Diane — April 19, 2007 @ 11:53 pm
Oh gosh, I’ve been using Fancy Feast all this time too and I know some other people who are. Well I did decide to buy the ones without the wheat gluten now. I used to get all of the flavors. I bought some Natural Balance cans but am leery of those too after throwing out my dry venison and green pea food. They really need to test all their corn gluten now too. There’s nothing really good to feed the cats now at all.
Comment by Diane — April 20, 2007 @ 12:51 am
Lynn,
The U.S. will NEVER disassociate from China. China owns a HUGE portion of our National debt. I found out recently that foreign countries own more of our national debt than we do.
Therefore, the U.S. technically no longer belongs to the U.S. This is all because of the wars we are involved in that keep costing us billions and billions of dollars. They had to get the money from somewhere and now they got us by the cahonas.
The U.S. owes China and they know it. The U.S. Government talks alot of crap but I doubt they will really do much.
Comment by Tammy — April 20, 2007 @ 1:06 am
Diane,
I’m so sorry about your Simon. My cat has been eating SD Sensitive Skin for almost 3 years now. I have taken her off of it completely after reading the label. It has corn gluten too. I trust NO pet food now. I’m just waiting for Purina to be one of the 4 to be named. My cat also eats Whiskas canned and I am gradually weaning her off of it. She is such a picky eater it has been difficult to switch her to raw but I am more determined everyday to get her off of the commercial poison.
Something else I wanted to bring up. Almost 3 years ago my cat used to eat the Walmart canned food (can’t remember the name) and also 9Lives canned food. I took her off of the Walmart canned food because it seemed to really bother her skin. Then the vet suggested switching her from the cheap dry food to SD Sensitive Skin. It did help with her skin allergies. But we put her strictly on 9Lives canned. She ate that for about a year. They must’ve changed something in their food because she got to where she wouldn’t eat it anymore. I had to find a food that she would eat and finally found Whiskas. To this day she will not touch 9Lives. So I know they had to of done something different to it. She also has never liked the stuff that is chunks, slices, etc… or the Tender Vittles type food. There must be something in those types of foods that doesn’t agree with her nose.
Has anyone had any similar situation with their pets and these types of foods?
Comment by Tammy — April 20, 2007 @ 1:19 am
Tammy
Do you think the Walmart brand was Special Kitty?
Beans never cared for 9Lives and does not like anything with a lump in it. In fact I have to add a little water to her NB Salmon and mush it or she just sticks her nose up. She did like Fancy Feast Elegant Medley, but I put it away when I bought the Nutro MaxCat that made her sick just before the recall. She is a real pickle. Can’t seem to coax her into home cooked. I’ll keep trying though.
Comment by Kathi — April 20, 2007 @ 1:33 am
With everyone saying science diet is causing problems…the bag i have (that i’ve been scared to use) has no wheat gluten or rice protein in it but does have corn…..
Comment by Paige — April 20, 2007 @ 1:42 am
Yes that’s it Kathi….Special Kitty! I have a migraine headache. Reading about the hog farm quarentine made it worse.
Everytime I think I’m doing the right thing it comes back to bite me in the arse. I know everyone else is feeling that way too.
Comment by Tammy — April 20, 2007 @ 2:21 am
Tammy
We’ve had many cat’s die here in Wilmington, NC from Special Kitty both wet and dry. Some reported blood in urine.
It was really heartbreaking to read their stories.
The hog farm makes me wonder, too, since I just bought a lot of pork on sale yesterday. Hope it’s not in the chicken. That was on sale, too.
Comment by Kathi — April 20, 2007 @ 2:28 am
Come to think of it, a lot of people mentioned they bought their poison pet food when it was on sale. That’s how I ended with Nutro. The clerk mentioned the sale. And Nutro had that buy 11 bags and get the 12th bag free promo.
Maybe I’ll quit looking for sales!
Comment by Kathi — April 20, 2007 @ 2:32 am
That is horrifying, Kathi! Bernie stated about a week ago, that after the initial recall his grocer put the recalled pet food in a cart with a sale tag on it. THAT IS CRIMINAL. fines - jail time - tatoo across the forehead - inexcusable!
Comment by Kat — April 20, 2007 @ 2:45 am
Actually I thought it WAS against the law to sell something that has been recalled. Does anyone know what the law is regarding this? I am especially interested in this since it was reported that contaminated food was still on shelves…..some not know and some knowing. I wanna know what happens to the greedy b*st*rds that deliberately sell this stuff.
Comment by Tammy — April 20, 2007 @ 2:55 am
Evidentally not much since the FDA is tellling us there are still recalled items on the shelves. When I called the FDA last week the lady told me they had been out checking shelves. She said there are still items on the shelves — so, they know & don’t do anything about it. Ain’t right!
Comment by Kat — April 20, 2007 @ 3:04 am
I just found this article and it though it had some interesting points:
Link:
http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/thebigcon/
Exerpts:
I just got off with phone from a conference call arranged by the FDA press office to respond to the latest developments in the pet food scandal—
I asked a question. Belatedly, they had begun testing samples of wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate at the borders. Now that we know that corn gluten had been poisoned, too, from South African authorities, were they testing samples of that at the ports?
An FDA official stammered. He wasn’t reading from a paper now. He promised, “We’re taking a number of proactive steps.” He said, “We’re increasing the number of products we’re sampling”—but he refused say which.
Which was an extraordinary thing. If they’re increasing the number of products they’re sampling, but won’t confirm that they’re sampling the one other ingredients we know has been poisoned—well, isn’t that an admission that they they suspect more ingredients have been poisoned, but that they won’t tell the public what those ingredients are? Making it impossible for conscientious consumers to search out those ingredients on product labels?
Not to fear. Just feed your dog meat. Avoid, however, the pork. “We will be working closely with USDA to determining the final outcome as to the disposition of those pigs who might have gotten contaminated feed might be.”
Comment by FMtz — April 20, 2007 @ 3:14 am
There is no way anyone will ever convince me this is an accident or some mysterious coincidence. I don’t subscibe to conspiracy theories, but I do believe there are those who conspire to do evil or to profit or both.
Dealing with China is like playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun.
Race has nothing to do with this but Communism has everything to do with it.
Too many different products are involved.
Comment by Kathi — April 20, 2007 @ 3:19 am
Great…Just great. Fancy Feast may be bad.While my Royal Canin isn’t recalled, still worried about that. Though they’ve had this bag for about a month with no problem, so I’ll prob use it until I run out. THen it’s off to find another dry. Any suggestions for a so far safe dry which is really good for obese cats? They’re only on it because the one who loves dry is a little butterball and needs to loose weight before he runs the risk of diabetes. Marcy, do you know if the Fancy Feast was the Medley line? They like that and Pro Plan’s TUrkey and Rice the best so far. Cats are so-so on Innovo.Merrick is tomorrow’s trial. And I have to say THank God my cats have never had problems with quick food switches.
Comment by Krystal Kubichek — April 20, 2007 @ 6:53 am
It already established that this was no accident. Here are some quotes from today’s Boston Globe (read it yourself at the Globe’s site - http://www.boston.com/business.....d_to_hogs/
)
“Even though reporters were able to quickly travel to China and determine that at least one supplier there openly shopped for melamine to artificially boost the protein content of its wheat gluten, FDA investigators still lack visas needed to inspect Chinese plants.”
what is a real outrage though is that the FDA knows that there are 5 companies which received shipments of contamanated rice protien supplement only two have recalled product, so there are 3 that haven’t announced recalls and the FDA won’t release their names.
more from the Globe article,
“After a single bag of rice-protein concentrate imported by Wilbur-Ellis Co. tested positive for melamine, the San Francisco company said it quarantined the entire shipment. Since July, Wilbur-Ellis purchased 740,753 pounds of the rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biology Technology Co. It shipped 341,716 pounds to five pet food manufacturers in Kansas, Missouri, New York, and Utah.
This week, Natural Balance of California recalled venison-based pet products containing rice protein laced with melamine.
The FDA declined to name other firms until, in the midst of its briefing with reporters, the Blue Buffalo Co. of Connecticut said it was recalling a production run of Spa Select Kitten dry food made with contaminated rice-protein concentrate.”
What an outrage!!!!
Comment by SteveP — April 20, 2007 @ 7:06 am
US ROYAL CANIN RECALL. IF YOU ARE FEEDING ROYAL CANIN STOP AND CHECK OUT THE RECENT RECALL.
Breaking news!
Linda MS
Comment by Linda — April 20, 2007 @ 7:27 am
I AM SO UPSET!!! I thought I was safe with Royal Canin. Our boys aren’t eating the ones they recalled today, but they are exclusively on Urinary S/O and it has corn gluten. Until we put them on that (over a year ago), we had big problems with Urinary stones and bladder infections. The vet said they should only eat this for the rest of their lives. Is there a safe Urinary formula I can give them from another company? I don’t know whether it’s better to risk urinary problems or contaminated corn gluten. Any suggestions?
Comment by Carrie — April 20, 2007 @ 8:27 am
Carole - Thanks for posting the timeline I asked about, and Spocko, thanks for providing me with the link to itchmo’s. That’s exactly what I was looking for.
The only thing we need now is a link to that timeline so that it can be called up easily. I tried looking for the timeline myself on itchmo’s page, but couldn’t find it. A timeline link on all the sites investigating the recall would be incredibly useful. I emailed itchmo and asked him to put a link in his recall section.
Comment by cerridwen — April 20, 2007 @ 9:35 am
I can’t find the page that I asked about the Hills Z/D. My computer went dead. Can anyone see My question anywhere? Thanks, Trudy Jackson
Comment by Trudy Jackson — April 20, 2007 @ 11:10 am
My cat was killed by the bad pet food. Of the last few poison packs of the Special Kitty “duck with wild rice and gravy” she actually ate, she left the whole rices pieces behind. How “wild” was this rice if it proves to have melamine!
Comment by Momma Cat's angry mother going for the jugular! — April 20, 2007 @ 4:00 pm