pet connection

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1. I’m a pet food retailer in Canada, and so far the only company rep that has contacted me about their food is Royal Canin. None of my others had foods caught in the recall, but STILL… might have been nice for them to give us a quick call or even an e-mail anyway.

   BTW, I *really* appreciate all of the work done by the Pet Connection team, Itchmo, Howl911, etc… you guys rock. :)

   Comment by Heather — April 25, 2007 @ 7:21 am

2. I’ve never thought pet food companies were intentionally trying to kill pets. I do believe that *many* of them count on the ability of dogs particularly to survive on low quality foodstuffs. I believe *many* of them use the cheapest ingredients they can find in order to make a profit from a low quality product. I believe *many* have been deceiving us for years with their “Made in Grandma’s Organic Kitchen on our Vermont Farm” labeling when in fact they were using, knowingly or unknowingly (read: uncaringly), untested, cheap ingredients from overseas. And I believe that *many* of them have financially profited from a “self-regulated” industry which is now being exposed for the UNregulated industry that it is and they are worried as heck. Thus, they may start doing things now, like calling up vet clinics, to make it look as if they care. If they truly cared, the time to demonstrate that was *before* pets started dying from their wayward practices.
   Tin foil hat on standby.

   Comment by slt — April 25, 2007 @ 7:23 am

3. No I do not have one single GOOD story to report.

   Menu Foods continues to crank out “home cooked” pet foods at this very moment. (Business as usual again). The Pet Food Industry continues to evade responsibility. Retail for the most part is still clueless about the true magnitude of this event. Not one single executive is stepping up to the plate to speak to the public. And not one pet food brand is willing to back up the safety of their food.

   Sorry to be so blunt.

   Comment by Steve — April 25, 2007 @ 7:24 am

4. Well, not quite what you were looking for, but here’s some good reporting. Mr. Pet Food Supplier goes to Washington By Judi McLeod
   http://tinyurl.com/yqyylq

   Comment by schnauzer — April 25, 2007 @ 7:26 am

5. Good to hear that Hill’s is working to restore confidence. Can Dr. Becker, Christie, Gina or anyone with educated scientific knowledge on this site offer an explanation or theory why it seems a disproportionate share of the recalled foods have been veterinary or prescription foods? I realize in sheer numbers compared to total cans of recalled items it is a small amount. But it seems that of all the petfoods out there that would be being fully monitored and tested for safe ingredients and non-allergens for use with older, sick or diseased pets - these should be the ones. Therefore, it is all the more shocking to most of us that they seemed not to be.

   Comment by elizabeth R. — April 25, 2007 @ 7:27 am

6. Good Morning America just had a bleep about tainted pet food in five states at hog farms. FDA still investigating pet food and animals. I almost fainted, made it sound lke the story continues and reaching out further than anyone is being told. Wonder who is investigating this behind the scenes, ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, FOXnews this is becoming a HUGE scoop.
   Unsuitable for pets, was what these hog farms got, sent to them when, could some of the unsuitable for pets got out on the market place, before they knew it was unsuitable?
   Just an idea…. how about we just e-mail all these major media giants and invite them to this site, itchmo, howl911, see what is going on here. Inspire them to research this deeper then we can, for they have that insider edge. I have to believe they are just waiting for the right events, tips, proof etc, so they don’t get sued.

   Comment by Maudigan — April 25, 2007 @ 7:30 am

7. I don’t believe that anyone is trying to “kill” our pets, however I agree with SLT absolutely!! I believe that we have been taken advantage of by bottom line people with the aid of their marketing machines. I bought the marketing hook line and sinker. And never thought that I was being sold an inferior product, or one that wasn’t being checked to the inth degree for safety. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!! This incident has shown a light on an industry that needs a big shakeup. They are going to need to prove to me that they are making a safe, quality product. Prove to me. Where are the brands doing that??? Yesterday, Menu kept saying we are the best, and no one could have prevented this. No, they aren’t trying to kill our pets, but they didn’t seem to have any controls in place to prevent it either. Intent or incompetence, either way I was very lucky not to have pet any of their contaminated “food”.

   Comment by Shawn — April 25, 2007 @ 7:37 am

8. Errata:oops, I was thinking faster than I can type Last two sentences of comment above should be:”…No, they aren’t trying to kill our pets, but they didn’t seem to have any controls in place to prevent it either. Intent or incompetence, either way I was very lucky not to have a pet who ate any of their contaminated “food”. “

   Comment by Shawn — April 25, 2007 @ 7:42 am

9. Good Reporting Makes A Difference.

   ‘‘I don’t ever remember working on ingredients,’’ said Carl R. Nielsen, a former FDA official whose job until he left in 2005 was to make sure field inspectors were checking the right imports. ‘‘That was the lowest priority, a low priority.’’

   http://tinyurl.com/yorcok

   Comment by Steve — April 25, 2007 @ 7:44 am

10. Another look into the FDA or a another fiasco in the making.

    http://fda-vitamins.notlong.com

    Comment by Gary — April 25, 2007 @ 7:52 am

11. COMMENT: First, thank you Dr. Marty Becker for exploring.

    But, as for Hill’s/Science Diet — It’s called “damage control”. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d hired “temp” workers to make the calls.

    The vets make a pretty good profit from the food they sell. It’s in their offices. They are told it’s the best. The vets then purport it to be the best.

    Well, that goes on in every industry. Even to Speed Queen vacuum cleaners. It does not matter what you are selling — if you want to sell it — it’s the best in the industry.

    Then, there’s the new & improved version… which Hill’s will be having soon.

    Even the South Africa vets are complaining that their vet sales are down:

    Pet food saga will take a bite out of vets’ retail sales
    April 25, 2007

    By Tom Robbins

    Durban - The saga over contaminated pet food would hit veterinarians as they had increasingly become reliant on premium pet food as a source of income, the SA Veterinary Association (Sava) said yesterday.

    Gerhard Steenkamp, the president of Sava, said it was common for retail sales to make up between 40 percent and 45 percent of turnover at veterinary practices.

    Steenkamp warned vets that they should not neglect their professional work and become overly reliant on retail as a profit centre…

    click link for more:

    http://www.busrep.co.za/index......Id=3798790

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 7:57 am

12. One good/bad comment:

    When I called the FDA-Houston to report the foods that had made my pets sick in Feb/Mar, & to complain about how long it was taking to get the foods off the shelves, I was told that the staff was told to PRINT OFF THE RECALL LIST & GO OUT TO THE STORES TO SEE IF PRODUCTS WERE STILL ON THE SHELVES. I thought (at the time) that was a GOOD THING —

    Then, I found out, days & weeks later, they are DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. THAT IS BAD!!!!! No enforcement. Who’s getting fined? no one. :(

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 8:02 am

13. ispoke to wellness about the source of their rice protien they said they do not know they will have to get back to me

    Comment by linda k — April 25, 2007 @ 8:02 am

14. Gary

    Thanks for the link.

    If the FDA doesn’t have the resources to monitor the country now, how would they be able to add all these other supplements???

    This just sounds like the FDA protecting business again. The supplements are cutting into prescription drugs and they want to stop this?

    They can’t protect the food supply, now they stick their noses in supplements?

    Sam

    Comment by Sam — April 25, 2007 @ 8:11 am

15. WHAT IS THIS? MENUSPEAK? HILLSPEAK? “no one should believe pet-food companies set out to kill pets.” PATHETIC.

    “After all, these companies are in the business of feeding pets, and what’s happening now is bad for business.” AND NOW EVERYONE KNOWS THE TRUTH: THAT BUSINESS PROFIT IS THEIR TOP PRIORITY - NOT ANIMAL HEALTH. WORSE THAN PATHETIC.

    “Not to mention that like most of us, the people who work for these companies typically have pets themselves, and they feed those animals the food they sell.” WELL THEY’RE NOT LIKE ME - I DON’T SELL PETFOOD WHILE MASQUERADING AS SOMEONE WHO MAKES GREAT CLAIMS TO CARE ABOUT ANIMALS WELLBEING AND HEALTH.

    SHAME ON YOU DR MARTY BECKER. THIS IS TRANSPARENT BULL.

    “A hint of some of the behind the scenes work of one of these companies comes from our Dr. Marty Becker,” YES, THEY’RE BEHIND THE SCENES ALLRIGHT - WITH THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY LOBBYISTS.

    “Hill’s has personally contacted 23,000 veterinary hospitals….that number includes not only the approximately 9,500 hospitals that had purchased the product” AND THEY WERE COUNTING AND RECOUNTING THEIR PROFITS AS THEY TALKED OUT BOTH SIDES OF THEIR MOUTHS.

    HERE’S A NEWSFLASH DR BECKER: WE’RE DONE WITH MENUSPEAK, HILLSPEAK ETC. ETC. AD NAUSEUM.

    GET REAL. COMPLETELY PATHETIC BS.

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 8:21 am

16. I just got off the phone with Hills. Some good news, some not.

    Good news:

    1. they HAVE tested (and are continuing to test) all their ingredients for melamine, including all their rice gluten.

    2. All their corn gluten is US (“locally”) grown and produced.

    Bad news:

    They “cannot say” whether they’re buying other ingredients from China. “That’s all the information we have, ma’am.”

    Is there someone I can talk to who WOULD know, I asked? “No, there isn’t. But you can check our website for news releases…”

    Nice. And that was after an email exchange, three calls (two-hangups by their system), and three different people.

    I’m glad they’re testing - don’t get me wrong - and I’m very, very happy to hear that at least their corn gluten is domestic, since my cat is eating some even as I type.

    But if they won’t even disclose what country they’re buying their ingredients from,I can’t help but think they have something to hide. And that makes me really nervous about buying their food.

    Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 8:22 am

17. I do not think Hill’s set out to deliberately kill pets either. I DO know that their VET CLINICS AND VET HOSPITALS ARE THEIR SOLE OUTLETS FOR SALES, so, of course, they’re going to call the clinics to try to restore faith and show that they care. It’s the very least they should do, and I’m glad they did it because it shows some form of good will.

    Who would have ever thought that these specially formulated, carefully regulated, foods designed to treat particular pet maladies would ALSO BE UNDER RECALL?

    My cat was prescribed Hill’s Prescription Diet g/d, and I used it a couple of times. But when I heard that the Hill’s Science Diet (non-prescription) was under recall, I told my vet, “No, I do not trust any of their foods. It’s obvious that if the non-prescription line is affected, that it’s only a matter of time before we hear of the prescription line being recalled.” I was told that no dry foods are affected and to hang on the bag for a while. I told her that before the recalls are done that ALL FORMATS OF FOODS would be affected. I believe this was Mar. 30. (I think my vet thought I was an alarmist.)

    Less than two hours after I returned from the vet’s office, I heard the recall announced for the type of Hill’s Prescription food. Yes, I hung on to the bag … for a full refund!

    HILL’S PROFITS DEPEND ON KEEPING THE VET CLINICS AND VET HOSPITALS ON THEIR SIDE BECAUSE PROFITS ARE INVOLVED.

    I would just like to know what further safeguards Hill’s has outlined to try to further regain consumer and veterinarian confidence.

    Comment by petlover — April 25, 2007 @ 8:25 am

18. Melamine confirmed in Hogs in North and South Carolina.

    “the Food and Drug Administration said the urine of some hogs tested positive for the chemical, melamine, in North Carolina and South Carolina as well as California.”

    http://www.onelocalnews.com/ak.....p;source=2

    Comment by Peggy — April 25, 2007 @ 8:34 am

19. Good article: Comment by schnauzer — April 25, 2007 @ 7:26 am !!! A MUST READ !!!

    “As a worried pet owner wrote Canada Free Press: “That leaves one remaining manufacturer who was supplied by Wilbur-Ellis, and if Senators Durbin and Cantwell and a HealthDay writer are correct, five more manufacturers who were supplied by that second importer.”…

    …”ChemNutra’s Miller is not the only key figure some pet owners would gladly see tarred, feathered and run out of his no-sign-on-the-doors Las Vegas headquarters. “…

    !! NOW WE’RE TALKING !!

    My tip: Don’t miss this article.

    Judi McLeod has sliced & diced the Congressional Hearing.

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 8:35 am

20. Are there any documents on how many days after eating the poisoned food a cat died of renal failure? Say by a vet or even a pet parent (not officially documented). More specifically the number of days when first fed to actual time (day) the cat died from ARF?

    Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 8:37 am

21. FROM NOW ON: any Vet I catch pushing a petfood had better dmn well be prepared to go head to head w me and a host of sources, ingredient by ingredient.

    Sick and tired of veterinary hypocrites.
    They’re as bad as the petfood poisoners, pushing their vaccines.

    I AM PROACTIVELY PROTECTING MY PET FROM THE PETHEALTH INDUSTRY AND THEIR MANY TENTACLED CONNECTIONS TO THE PETFOOD AND PHARMACEUTICAL GIANTS.

    Sick and tired of veterinary hyprocrisy.

    NO MORE “BUSINESS” AS USUAL HERE.

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 8:40 am

22. Veterinarians can also say to Hills.

    Thanks, but our client have been asking for more flexibility in the choice of diets we recommend for their pets. And also, we have some questions about the ingredients you use in your product, so why don’t we get started on that right now?

    Comment by Steve — April 25, 2007 @ 8:41 am

23. FROM NOW ON: any Vet I catch pushing a petfood had better dmn well be prepared to go head to head w me and a host of sources, ingredient by ingredient.

    Sick and tired of veterinary hypocrites.
    They’re as bad as the petfood poisoners, pushing their vaccines.

    I AM PROACTIVELY PROTECTING MY PET FROM THE PETHEALTH INDUSTRY AND THEIR MANY TENTACLED CONNECTIONS TO THE PETFOOD AND PHARMACEUTICAL GIANTS.

    Sick and tired of veterinary hyprocrisy.

    NO MORE “BUSINESS: AS USUAL HERE.

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 8:41 am

24. Sadly, I think you are wrong. I do not think the pet food industry cares at all. Their business is not going to be hurt and they know it. Based on my experiences talking to people, very few are aware of the extent of the situation so there will be no impact on the bottom line. I am about tired of being looked at like I really am wearing a tin foil hat when I bring up the subject. I do not think they were actively trying to kill pets however I do not think they care that they did. I agree with Shawn and slt - we were taken advantage of.

    Comment by Debbie — April 25, 2007 @ 8:45 am

25. I hope Hill’s is spending an equal amount of time making phone calls to discover the origin of ALL their raw materials. I would feel far more confident were they to be performing thorough lab tests (now that they know what to look for) for contamination of each ingredient prior to and after manufacturing, then sharing this information publicly on a large scale.

    Of all the pet food companies, I believe their good reputation and consumer trust is at the greatest risk. Years ago my miniature schnauzer lived with pancreatitis for 17-1/2 years on Hill’s Prescription I/D. I had complete faith in them until recent events.

    We, the customers who purchase their foods, have not heard very much from them in this recall. Many agree that they have been one of the most silent. Do hope they come forward soon with good news for us.

    Comment by Nadine Long — April 25, 2007 @ 8:45 am

26. Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 8:37 am

    I would like to know also how many otherwise healthy animals of various ages suddenly became ill and dropped dead within a week from renal or kidney failure the past 6 years and what brands they were on.

    Comment by Steve — April 25, 2007 @ 8:48 am

27. Did any die within 5 - 7 days of the first feeding?

    Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 8:53 am

28. Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 8:21 am

    hahahahahahahaha!
    hahahahahahahaha!

    I’m laughing so hard, I have tears in my eyes.

    Let’er rip!

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 8:53 am

29. What is Hill’s doing to ensure that people who have the recalled food in their pantries don’t feed it to their pets? I just went to Hill’s website… I see no explicit mention on the main page about their recalled products. All I see regarding the recall is this:

    “April 18, 2007 —- Update: Hill’s products not affected by rice protein concentrate recall.”

    and

    “April 16, 2007 —- Hill’s foods do not contain wheat gluten and can be fed with confidence to your dogs and cats. “

    Only if I click on the vague “A letter to pet owners” — which opens a new window — do I learn that two of their products *are* recalled, despite the highlighted assurances above…

    Comment by David — April 25, 2007 @ 8:55 am

30. Steve
    I have a specific reason for asking this question.
    So, if someone has an answer please let me know. No this isn’t about a currently sick animal, but has to do with something I’m checking on.

    Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 9:00 am

31. Ask to speak to their purchasing agent.

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 9:06 am

32. i spoke to wellness about the source of their rice protein they said they do not know they will have to get back to me
    Comment by linda k — April 25, 2007 @ 8:02 am
    hmmm…color me confused, they dont know but have visited the plants where they source their RCP?http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/petfoods_pg2.htm
    Old Mother Hubbard
    Wellness- See Old Mother Hubbard
    We do not source rice protein concentrate from Binzhou Futian Biological Technology, the manufacturer of the contaminated rice protein concentrate. (from website 4/24/07)
    We do not purchase rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis. (from website 4/24/07)
    We have visited the plants where we source our rice protein concentrate, and they have consistently met our stringent standards. (from website 4/24/07)

    Comment by 3pups — April 25, 2007 @ 9:25 am

33. Let me see:

    There is an industry, a multi-Billion industry, that educated us over years and years that we ourselves are too stupid, too incompetent to feed our animals - they are the only ones with the means and knowledge to do that.

    This industry very carefully did not mention how they did it or what they put in that ‘nutritionally balanced’ yaddayadda, and to some extend, to this day, they themselves still do not know that, because they simply outsourced the whole yukki shebang.

    When the pet poisoning cooked up and animals died, their first priority was to hush up, to silence, and calm everybody in the (mistaken) belief that in 10 days nobody cares any longer.

    Now they realize that it is not going away, and start to ‘proactive’ protect the consumer, with a tearjerker story that they themselves are victims, sob.

    I have two sick cats, and one barely jumped off the grim reaper’s shovel. For the last 7 weeks my life centers around the question if I can, hopefully, today get anything into him; and the numbers in my life center around a scale in the kitchen where I put him in the mornings and evenings.

    I have vet bills that make my eyes water, but what makes my eyes burn with hot tears of rage is to see my beloved Imperial Highnesses weak, sick and desperately thin.

    Probably most of what I have in the compassion, worry and sorrow department is right now directed towards my cats, and the rest goes out to the other pet owners who already lost their friends, and the ones who are facing that loss, and all the other ones who – like me – are worried sick for their companions, seeing a shimmer of hope here and fighting desperation there.

    There is no compassion left for the pet food industry who lied, falsified, euphemismed the ugly facts and is now trying to wiggle themselves out of their responsibility. My trust into them went out of the window, and trust broken can never be regained.

    There is a good chance that I will - sporadically - use prepared pet food, from certain manufacturers who will have to convince me that they are doing things the right way.

    If every other pet food company goes belly up, so be it. Enough cats and dogs died due to them.

    Comment by MaKo — April 25, 2007 @ 9:32 am

34. At the beginning of this blog, Gina wrote: “We’ve written several times in this blog that no one should believe pet-food companies set out to kill pets. After all, these companies are in the business of feeding pets, and what’s happening now is bad for business.”

    These companies aren’t “murderers.” I can say that because my dogs and cat haven’t gotten sick or died. I wouldn’t be so generous if they had. For those of us who are fortunate enough — at least until now — to use this time to educate ourselves as to what our dogs and cats SHOULD eat are appalled at the ingredient formulations in Hills’products. They fit in the mainstream of commercial pet food manufacturers who profit by participating in an industry that has nothing to do with robust pet health. I suspect if we all took a tour through a rendering plant where their products are made, we’d be horrified.

    That so many vets can recommend and even profit by selling these products — especially for sick pets — says at the very least that they are as ignorant of pet nutrition as many of us were before this started. And they should be working with pet owners to create healthy home-prepared meals for our pets if we so wish.

    That said, thank you, and itchmo, and howl911 for making crucial information so immediately available and for giving us the opportunity to share information with each other, even when we disagree with each other on certain points. We are all going in the right direction at the end of the day.

    Comment by Maureen — April 25, 2007 @ 9:43 am

35. Comment by MaKo

    There is an industry, a multi-Billion industry, that educated us over years and years that we ourselves are too stupid, too incompetent to feed our animals - they are the only ones with the means and knowledge to do that.

    … Add to that another industry that reiterates that we’re all too stupid to feed our pets and will intimidate the crap out of their clients who feed home prepared diets and what’s a pet owner to do?

    I, for one, am eternally grateful my dogs haven’t seen a bag or can of dog food in more than 8 years, and that I’ve stood up to vets who’ve harrassed, belittled and name-called just to try to get me to buy their crap-in-a-bag.

    Remember folks. As consumers, we have every right to reject bad food, bad marketing and bad advice. If you don’t feel safe feeding canned/kibble, but your vet won’t give you any peace, FIND A NEW VET. Never let anyone, whether it’s a vet, a pet food company, or an advertising agency make your decisions for you. Most of us know our pets far better than any of them ever will, and if you have the least bit of doubt about a food, a treatment or an issue, it is your right to walk away.

    I learned that the hard way many years ago, but my dogs are healthier for it now.

    I’m so fed up with the FDA’s LACK of action and LACK of “regulation”. The idea that the food industry must regulate itself, while they push and push and push to make more profits, is ludicrous at best, and homicidal at worst - as we’ve seen from the scope of these poisonings. It will not end until the FDA gets their head out of their you-know-what and makes some serious changes in their policies to include FORCED recalls that they can require. Enough of this voluntary crap!

    Comment by Tammy K. — April 25, 2007 @ 9:52 am

36. About Hill’s and the Cost of the Recall

    From Reuters today

    By Jessica Wohl
    CHICAGO, April 25 (Reuters) - Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL.N: Quote, Profile , Research) posted a higher first-quarter profit on Wednesday on growth across its businesses and said Reuben Mark would step down as chief executive on July 1.
    Mark, CEO of the toothpaste and soap maker since 1984, said last year that he planned to hand over the CEO post to President and Chief Operating Officer Ian Cook in mid-2007.
    Hill’s and the Cost of the Recall

    Colgate, which is in the midst of a four-year restructuring announced in late 2004, also forecast additional savings and charges from that plan.
    Profit rose to $486.6 million, or 89 cents per share, from $324.5 million, or 59 cents per share, a year earlier.

    Results in the latest quarter include an after-tax charge of $8.2 million from the recall of certain Hill’s Pet Nutrition cat food and an after-tax gain of $29.7 million from the sale of most of Colgate’s Latin American household bleach business to Clorox Co. (CLX.N: Quote, Profile , Research).

    complete article at http://tinyurl.com/2v9az6

    Comment by formypets, fortheplanet — April 25, 2007 @ 9:53 am

37. Good question on the kindey/renal failure history of pets for the last several years. Without a CDC for animals there is no one to have that answer. Someone posioned the water hole…. spiked it a little too much to be missed this time. Is that what you are tryinng to find out?

    Comment by Maudigan — April 25, 2007 @ 9:54 am

38. Hi Gina, I do know for a fact on Saturday, April 31, at 12:00 a volunteer for Hill’s did call our veterianry clinic to inform us of the Feline m/d recall….. Just thought I would share the information.

    Comment by marcy — April 25, 2007 @ 10:13 am

39. As long as broadcast television has pet food sponsors it seems to me that only minimal coverage will be given. Perhaps same is true with print media.
    Anyone on this blog in advertising? If so, in terms of dollars spent by pet food advertising, what are the percentage breakdowns between television, radio, newspapers, journals…….

    Comment by Lynn — April 25, 2007 @ 10:28 am

40. I found out that most of these large manufacturers took over the pet food companies around the year 2000. I would say that this is when the quality started going downhill.

    My JuJu started thinning down during the past couple of years…she had always been a large, healthy cat. The way that she gained a little bit of weight at the end (after receiving different food), despite her serious condition, makes me think that the nutrition she was getting in her pet food prior to this was inferior.

    Then when this poisoning hit, it was just more than her body could handle.

    I don’t believe that the pet food companies set out to poison our pets…that would be ludicrous…as our pets are their “bread and butter.”

    What I do believe is that their greed got the best of them…make a product that seems nutritious…for the least amount of money = more profits.

    But this all backfired on them. They never figured that China would start adding poisonous ingredients to boost the “nutritional” value.

    And now, sadly for our pets, for us, and the manufacturers…we have all paid the price for their greed.

    Comment by Marcy — April 25, 2007 @ 10:32 am

41. This is and most likely will continue to be a living nightmare for those of us with pets. However, it is a living nightmare in reality for every creature on the face of this planet.

    Our pets have passed, so that we might wake up and realize our food supply is not safe. The “powers that be” running this world have sold their souls for the buck.

    I continue to feed my two miniature pinschers Hill’s Perscription Diet ID. As I have stated earlier in some of my posts, I have one min pin, who is diabetic and has had two close encounters with death. My other min pin has a very sensitive digestive tract.

    I had called Hills when the news of the PET FOOD RECALL first broke. I spoke with the Head of Consumer Relations, Deann Jurgensmeyer. She took quite a long time with me, and I appreciated her patience and time.

    She told me she also had a miniature pinscher, and we spoke about the difficulty of the breed. I know this could have been staged, but I felt she was sincere. She also made the statement, “In all my years in the business, I have never seen anything like this. It is a living nightmare for all of us.” This occurred when Hill’s had already performed a voluntary recall of some of their feline products.

    I spoke with my vet just the other day, as I had to take my diabetic baby in for some tests. She understood my distress over the PET FOOD RECALL, as she shared in this distress.

    She took out the Hill’s book of ingredients, and we went through it together. We decided that the Hill’s Perscription Diet ID CANNED was the best choice for my dogs, considering their health issues. However, we also took into consideration what is in the ID CANNED, and what might occur on down the road on this issue.

    I am still concerned for my dogs, but I feel at this time, Hill’s Perscription Diet ID canned is my best bet. However, I believe that we are ALL AT RISK: all creatures of the earth, as the human species - CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS - have sold their souls for the almighty buck. NAFTA and WORLD TRADE has literally killed us.

    Thank you again, Pet Connection, for the caring and the top-notch job you do for us here.

    Comment by Pam Williams — April 25, 2007 @ 10:38 am

42. Comment by Tammy K. — April 25, 2007 @ 9:52 am

    “I’m so fed up with the FDA’s LACK of action and LACK of “regulation”. The idea that the food industry must regulate itself, while they push and push and push to make more profits, is ludicrous at best, and homicidal at worst - as we’ve seen from the scope of these poisonings. It will not end until the FDA gets their head out of their you-know-what and makes some serious changes in their policies to include FORCED recalls that they can require. Enough of this voluntary crap!”
    _______________

    Wait until the human food supply goes south, if you think this is bad now.

    Comment by Nadine Long — April 25, 2007 @ 10:42 am

43. No, I don’t believe they intentionally killed pets, but I do believe they were negligent. What manufacturer would switch suppliers without fully testing their products, particularly when dealing with food. That’s just bad business practice. How many pet owners switched from one tainted food to another while the caring pet food companies failed to act because it was bad for business? Now, they want us to believe they are doing everything they can? Does ‘truth in labeling’ mean anything to them? A reputable company would not worry about only making sure they are not breaking any laws - A reputable company would make sure they had procedures in place to make a safe product. I’m sure that alot of the people who work for these companies are wonderful, caring people. The decision makers need to be held accountable, not tell us ‘oops, sorry, not my fault’. Am I supposed to worry about their business? I’ve got $5,000 in vet bills on my MasterCard and a dead dog.

    Comment by Cathy — April 25, 2007 @ 10:48 am

44. My cat was healthy two weeks ago when I took her to the vet and paid $300 for a physical. My vet sold me some Hill’s food and things have been going downhill ever since. I can’t get Kuma to eat anything now and she is wasting away. When I call my vet for advice and tell her I can’t afford another $300 vet bill she blew me off. I would have been better off if I had never taken her in or changed her feed. Now I don’t know what to do.

    Comment by Sharon — April 25, 2007 @ 10:48 am

45. From AP and abc11tv.com:

    (04/25/07 — CHARLOTTE) - State officials say a chemical blamed for more than a dozen pet deaths across the nation has been found in feed at a hog farm in western North Carolina. (This isn’t new.)

    Melamine was found in hogs at the farm, which wasn’t identified, officials said Tuesday. The pigs have been quarantined and appear healthy. There is no immediate danger to the public, the officials said. The chemical is used to manufacture plastics and foam. (Also, not new.)

    Officials said the feed also was believed to have been sent to a hog farm in South Carolina, but no other farms in either state were affected.

    Hog feed includes pet food that has spilled and can’t be sold for pets. The feed came from a Diamond Pet plant in Gaston, S.C., and contained a rice concentrate that has been recalled by its manufacturer in California.

    State officials said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notified them on Friday that it tracked a shipment of the feed to the western North Carolina farm. By Monday, test results showed melamine in the hogs and the feed and officials are trying to determine if the pork is contaminated.

    “The system worked and these animals were intercepted before they were allowed to leave the farm,” said Mary Ann McBride, assistant N.C. state veterinarian.

    A farm in South Carolina was quarantined while officials wait for test results.

    Steven Cohen of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said fewer than 10 hogs farms received the feed. The others are in California, New York, Utah and maybe Ohio.

    Comment by Eva — April 25, 2007 @ 10:52 am

46. Steve asked: “suddenly became ill and dropped dead within a week from renal or kidney failure the past 6 years and what brands they were on.”
    WELL WELL. WHAT HAVE WE HERE? COULD IT BE…
    KIDNEY AND FVRCP Vaccine: While research continues, it is extremely interesting that there may be a correlation between the FVRCP vaccine and chronic renal failure in cats. : See
    Parenteral Administration of FVRCP Vaccines Induces Antibodies against Feline Renal Tissues, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine http://www.geocities.com/~krem....._2002.html

    Vaccine Studies Raise Questions on Links to Kidney Disease in Cats, Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences : Dr. Lappin and Dr. Jacqueline Whittemore will study which feline tissues react with anti-CRFK antibodies; determine the concentrations of CRFK proteins in all commercially available FVRCP vaccines; and determine if the presence of CRFK or feline kidney cell antibodies are associated with the development of particular illnesses in cats including kidney failure, uveitis, pancreatitis, and hyperthyroidism.http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/insight/2004/fall2004/cats.htm

    Seems vaccines cultured in feline kidney cells aren’t a bright idea. Not that that was ever brought to my attention by a single vet.

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 10:54 am

47. Here’s an informative discussion of a Hill’s product on a no-name-calling, strictly professional nutritional basis. This only covers one illness in cats and isn’t a discussion of the current contamination-caused kidney failure.

    By Lisa Pierson DVM at: http://www.catinfo.org/

    “Kidney Failure: Kidney disease is probably the leading cause of mortality in the cat. It is troubling to think about the role that chronic dehydration may play in feline kidney failure. And remember, cats are chronically dehydrated when they are on a diet of predominantly dry food. The prescription dry ‘renal diets’ such as Science Diet k/d - which is commonly prescribed by veterinarians - contain only a small amount of moisture leaving your cat in a less than optimal state of water balance. I must say that I find it truly amazing when I hear about the very large numbers of cats receiving subcutaneous fluids while being maintained on a diet of dry food. This is extremely illogical and every attempt should be made to get these cats on a diet that contains a higher moisture content. Please also note the following list of the first four ingredients of Science Diet dry k/d after reviewing this section on reading a pet food label - and bearing in mind that your cat is a carnivore. The first three ingredients are not even meat and the fourth ingredient is a by-product meal.

    Brewers rice, corn gluten meal, pork fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken by-product meal

    The purpose of this prescription diet is to restrict protein which it certainly does. Unfortunately, it restricts it to the point that the cat will often catabolize (use for fuel) his own muscle mass which results in muscle wasting and weight loss. The level of protein in this diet is not only at an extremely low level, it is in an incomplete form for a carnivore. Note that it is made up mainly of plant proteins - not meat proteins.”

    Comment by Maureen — April 25, 2007 @ 10:55 am

48. Cathy,

    I also don’t believe that the pet food companies set out to kill our pets but some of these companies were sure driving drunk. And continued right on down the road after taking out the first victims.

    Comment by Robin — April 25, 2007 @ 11:04 am

49. Our cat was put to sleep on December 2 of last year because of kidney failure. As far as we know, she had not been fed any of the foods on the current recall list. Mostly she ate Friskies sliced varieties in gravy (yes, wheat gluten), and Fancy Feast. She was very fond of the gravy varieties, and as her condition worsened and her appetite failed we tried to tempt her with every gourmet catfood we could find, usually involving those with a lot of juicy gravies.

    We will now never know if her kidney failure was the result of food she ate, or would have occurred anyway. She had just turned 17. Her condition went dramatically downhill the fall of ‘06, and by the end of November it was clear she was at the end. At the time we thought her body just wore out. Now we are not so sure. The timing of her illness and death, and the preponderence of gravy-style foods in her diet raises questions. If someone *did* poison the water hole, it would not surprise me that our Maizie was a statistic of that.

    We had tried feeding prescription diets from the vet for various urinary issues, but she refused to eat them. We would have done anything, paid any price, to provide her with the very best nutrition we could. It was only her refusal to eat the prescription foods and our desperation at trying to get calories into her that caused us to just feed her what she seemed to like best. If we had any idea that a different choice might have saved or benefitted her, we would have made it.

    Even if her condition had nothing to do with a built-in flaw in the pet food formulations, I have completely lost faith in the industry and am horrified at the other things that have come to light because of scrutiny of pet foods prompted by the recalls. Rendered pets in pet foods? This breaks my heart even as it sickens me. I never was so naive as to believe that there weren’t some less than appealing items used for pet food, but I nevertheless thought they were safe, monitored and controlled. Now I know better.

    Our vet prescribed a couple of prescription diets for us to try for our other cat’s urinary issues. One of them was Hills. Expensive, vet-prescribed food which the cat thinks is disgusting and won’t eat. And the number one ingredient on the can? Meat meal. No identification of what may have wound up in that “meat meal.”

    And yes, our vet, who I like and generally trust, gave us the usual party line when I mentioned thinking strongly of going to home cooking for the cats, even when I plainly said that I understood it is not a casual thing to undertake, requires knowledge, care and committiment.

    Comment by mountainkimmie — April 25, 2007 @ 11:05 am

50. About quality and origin of pet food ingredients, local or not…

    This paper by JS Justin, Harvard Law School 2006, was an eye opener

    Deconstructing the Regulatory Facade : Why Confused Consumers Feed their Pets Ring Dings and Krispy Kremes

    Abstract :

    Americans own more than 130 million cats and dogs and spend over $12 billion per year on commercial pet foods. The commercial pet food industry faces minimal substantive regulation, despite navigating several layers of regulation from various groups including the FDA, the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and state regulators. The FDA entrusts AAFCO to issue regulations governing ingredients, feeding trials, labels and nutritional claims. But AAFCO’s rules fall short of ensuring that America’s pets receive adequate nutrition, or even foods that won’t cause chronic digestive, skin, eye, and coat problems. The influence by the pet food industry over AAFCO manifests itself through AAFCO’s irrational regulations, including ingredient definitions which effectively prohibit organic chickens and vegetables, while blindly permitting thousands of euthanized cats and dogs to make their way into pet foods through the unsupervised rendering industry. Trusting, but uneducated, consumers purchase these commercial pet foods under the assumption that the FDA or some other regulatory body has ensured that the foods contain “balanced” meals, and “complete” nutrition. These consumers naively believe veterinarians that endorse and sell pet foods from their offices while neglecting to mention that these “pet doctors” are often “on the take” and can earn up to 20% of their total income from such sales. This paper will examine the ways in which inadequate regulation results in confused consumers and sick, malnourished pets. Ultimately this paper seeks to reveal that multiple parties, including consumers themselves, share the blame for the current muddled state of regulation.

    whole paper at : http://tinyurl.com/ywuf9l

    Comment by Formypets, fortheplanet — April 25, 2007 @ 11:14 am

51. COMMENT FROM DAVID:

    “April 18, 2007 — Update: Hill’s products not affected by rice protein concentrate recall.”

    and

    “April 16, 2007 — Hill’s foods do not contain wheat gluten and can be fed with confidence to your dogs and cats. ”

    Only if I click on the vague “A letter to pet owners” — which opens a new window — do I learn that two of their products *are* recalled, despite the highlighted assurances above…

    Comment by David — April 25, 2007 @ 8:55 am
    *************************

    This is exactly what I’m seeing on other sites as well — having to go to a separate link to see what actual items have been recalled, after stating in full text that their items have not been recalled due to rice protein.

    The way in which these companies are arranging their websites (using full text on the same page for “positive news” and making users go the extra step to click a link to get to the negative news is very telling. They’ve spent money on a spin doctor/PR person to project them in the best possible light, yet have shown little to no expenditure or promise to put safeguards in place for the future to attempt to regain some public trust. To me, many brands plan on conducting business as usual, hoping this will blow over. Well, they’re wrong. Those are the companies that will never see a cent from me.

    Comment by petlover — April 25, 2007 @ 11:17 am

52. Comment by Formypets, fortheplanet — April 25, 2007 @ 11:14 am

    By the way, keep in mind the Justin paper is a student TERM paper - it’s not a published study or any other kind of reviewed research. If you read the whole thing, it’s clearly biased (esp. the footnotes), and not particularly well-argued, either.

    I’d love to know what grade it got.

    Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 11:24 am

53. Not to put a negative spin on this topic as I am certain their has been some genuine work and concern on the companies part especially the employees and of course I think very few believe anyone was intentionally trying to hurt or kill pets, the question is when that concern began and what the real reason for that concern is.
    It is just a matter of taking responsibility of
    products that you sell and overseeing that it
    is done right and not becoming more concerned
    with the profit than the welfare of those it
    might effect.
    To which I believe is what has occurred and unfortunately their priorities have came too late.
    I also have a real problem with these companies after learning of this refusing to admit (for whatever reason) that this was occurring and instead of playing is better safe than sorry has practicality had to be forced into the recall yet claiming it was voluntary.
    Still as of today it is obvious that their are some treating this as a wait and see and only if they have to and as much as they have to as far as recall and responsibility.
    That does not add up to concern for any of the pets only concern for their own companies.
    I for one have a real problem with Hills and believe this is one of the companies that have acted in that way.
    My cat Alley died for ARF right before the recall and had just been switched to Science Diet dry and then the Prescription can (one NOT on the list) and I believe it at none the least contributed to her death.
    The people that should be praised (if their should be any) is the pet owners their self whether they be employee’s or not. They are the one’s that have spread the word, done the research, figure out what to feed their pets and most of all deal with the anxiety of all this and during all this pressure these companies and agency’s to do the right thing.
    The owner of this website and a few others does deserve credit for taking action and helping the pet owners to communicate about it.
    The really scary part about this is suppose
    these websites or the Internet did not exist,
    and the pet owners wouldn’t of been calling.
    How far would this have gone of how much less would the public of known???
    The thing is to this day they still don’t know f
    for certain what has cause this, first is was one thing then something else but nothing definitely.
    Also, since most vets agree that ARF is not a common condition it seems that they would see
    (how many pets have recently died from this (easily checked) and increase their investigation

    D Jackson

    Comment by D Jackson — April 25, 2007 @ 11:25 am

54. CNN just had the BIG scary, could it be in the human food supply? Three four minutes to it. Talked about the pets too. There is to be a special on it today or tonight. Missed who was doing it. Half asleep on the couch. Anyone else see it?

    Comment by Maudigan — April 25, 2007 @ 11:27 am

55. I started feeding my dog a new bag of IAMS Lamb Meal and Rice adult DRY dog food on about March 1st. He woke up on the 8th vomiting bile and did so several times. I got him to the vet that afternoon and again the next day. He was dead by 2:00 am on the 10th.

    I have not yet heard of a recall from IAMS for the dry food, but it is more than a coincidence that a previously healthy Basset hound would expire in 10 short days. Is IAMS the other company that bought the poisoned rice protein?

    Comment by 4Woofer — April 25, 2007 @ 11:33 am

56. Hill’s is not the problem, and yes they’re in business to make a profit, but they also care very much for cats and dogs. I have fed my cat Hill’s feline for older cats for many years. It wasn’t until I gave her a pouch of Pets Pride Tuna & Gravy that she got sick and died. The problem is that ingredients are not inspected from China before coming into US. We have trusted other countries to have the same standards that we do.

    Comment by C Maupn — April 25, 2007 @ 11:45 am

57. Comment by 4Woofer — April 25, 2007 @ 11:33 am

    I’m so sorry for your loss. Was your vet able to tell what your dog died of?

    I’m nervous about Iams dry, as well. I’ve seen it come up too many times on this and other forums. My mom swears by it for her dogs, and says she won’t switch off of it until she hears something substantive. Good luck on that, right? :(

    Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 11:51 am

58. D. Jackson, you are so very right about the role the internet has played in helping get the word out about the bad foods and making it possible for pet owners with small individual dots of information to connect them into a bigger picture. Without the internet the recall story would have died down weeks ago. So sorry about your cat.

    Comment by elizabeth R. — April 25, 2007 @ 11:57 am

59. Comment by Robin — April 25, 2007 @ 11:04 am

    How succinct! I rather like that analogy.

    And they kept having one more for the road, too, before another hit-and-run and another…

    Comment by Nadine Long — April 25, 2007 @ 11:57 am

60. Comment by Laura — on Formypets post:
    “Justin paper is a student TERM paper - it’s not a published study or any other kind of reviewed research. If you read the whole thing, it’s clearly biased (esp. the footnotes), and not particularly well-argued, either..

    You expected it to come from Hills, maybe? If you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.

    “love to know what grade it got. “
    Love to know which petfood poisoner you work for.

    Comment by phdcat — April 25, 2007 @ 12:00 pm

61. Good Work Here

    DeLauro Threatens FDA
    12:41 PM EDT, April 25, 2007
    By DAVID LIGHTMAN, The Hartford Courant

    WASHINGTON — An angry Rep. Rosa DeLauro, fed up with what she sees as a Food and Drug Administration reluctant to act quickly and effectively to protect consumers, threatened today to withhold salaries from top FDA officials unless they became more vigilant.

    DeLauro, D-3rd District, chairs the House panel that writes the FDA budget, and she said she would “zero out” management pay beginning in the fiscal year that begins Oct .1 if she does not see progress soon.

    “There is a pervasive pattern of failure at the FDA,” she charged.

    FDA officials did not respond to requests for comment. The agency is responsible for about 80 percent of the food supply, and has come under fire lately for not acting quickly to enough to stop tainted pet food, peanut butter, spinach and other products from reaching American homes and consumers.

    Its officials boast that it oversees products that cost consumers $1 trillion in 2000, but the cost of all FDA services is less than 2 cents per day.

    DeLauro’s latest outburst against the agency was triggered by reports this week of how products tied to tainted pet food may have found their way into the human food supply. Hog farms in six states have been either quarantined or are working closely with the FDA, which is testing the products.

    The FDA, DeLauro and others have said, needs to be more vigilant. Since becoming chairman of the House agriculture appropriations subcommittee in January, she has repeatedly quizzed FDA officials about their management style.

    Today, DeLauro said, she dislikes what she’s heard.

    FDA should have acted sooner and more aggressively to keep an eye on the food supply. “Our food safety system is collapsing,” DeLauro said, “and the very agency charged with fixing it is asleep.”

    While the FDA may launch investigations of what’s gone wrong, it too often is not vigilant in acting to prevent more problems, she said.

    “Instead of stepping up and following through with its own investigations,” DeLauro said, “the FDA drops the ball.” She listed a number of potential remedies, including giving the agency less flexibility to spend money and more direction as to where it should be spent.

    She also renewed her bid for a single agency to regulate and enforce food safety laws, a task now shared by 15 different agencies. The FDA, though, is responsible for about 80 percent of the food supply.

    Comment by Steve — April 25, 2007 @ 12:01 pm

62. …”ChemNutra’s Miller is not the only key figure some pet owners would gladly see tarred, feathered and run out of his no-sign-on-the-doors Las Vegas headquarters. “…
    !! NOW WE’RE TALKING !!

    Comment by Kat — April 25, 2007 @ 8:35 am

    Kat, I have to tell you that when i read your posts I smile, you have such wonderful energy. Its nice to smile in the midst of missing my kitty so darn much and hating these companies for what they have allowed to happen. Thank you Kat!

    Comment by Sandi K — April 25, 2007 @ 12:12 pm

63. http://www.courant.com/news/na.....2063.story

    Comment by Larry — April 25, 2007 @ 12:26 pm

64. Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 9:00 am

    Kathi, on the blogs I have read of pets dying anywhere from weeks to months after being fed the poison food. I would assume that it depends on a lot of things as to the timing of each death and even illness, size of pet, pre-existing health issues of the pet, how often they ate the food, how much of the food they ate and even how much of the toxin that was in the certain type of food that pet was being fed. And like humans, Im sure each pet had a difference tolerance level, some could fight it off better than others. Im not sure any of us will ever know the awful affects on our pets.

    Comment by Sandi K — April 25, 2007 @ 12:30 pm

65. Comment by mountainkimmie
    And yes, our vet, who I like and generally trust, gave us the usual party line when I mentioned thinking strongly of going to home cooking for the cats, even when I plainly said that I understood it is not a casual thing to undertake, requires knowledge, care and committiment.

    Think strongly about getting a holistic vet then. I refuse to sacrifice my animals health on the altar of the pethealth industry. It is not casual, stupid, or uncaring to be suspicious and proactive on behalf of your pet. I am committed to improving my pets health through better nutrition - and not through better advertising for the specious petfood industry as parrotted for profit by vets. OUTRAGEOUS

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 12:35 pm

66. Maupn- Hills is the problem as well as many other of the companies and as far as I am concerned Hills, Iams and the other large companies are more at fault since they are the ones claiming to have better ingredients and charging more for their food. Naturally they are in it for the profit as well as all businesses are but my point was that I don’t believe their priorities was the health of the animals. The fact is you can blame China the FDA and all that might be true but the bottom line is that it is the companies responsibility to make certain that they are selling a safe product-not the consumer.
    Elizabeth R-Thank You, we had her for 8 years and it was hard loosing her especially to something such as this.

    Comment by D Jackson — April 25, 2007 @ 12:52 pm

67. Steve, (this is long,sorry)

    I have an 11 yr old golden with early kidney disease. Her age… but it is strange that in late Dec. she started drinking excessive amts of water and was uncomfortable at night. She has and is on pred. for an autoimmune disease. But interestingly, on home cooked meals she now drinks only 40oz of water a day,prior to that 128 to 200 oz. Age and prednisone may have caused the kidney disease…it’s just strange that late Dec. was the start of symptoms and with diet change…maybe water consumption is down because of the rice she eats.

    Hills: can’t bring myself to use their kidney food. I’m going to continue homecooking. Vet sent me some diets - supplied by Hills! I’m glad I found the K9Kidney yahoo group.

    I don’t think we will ever know the numbers. Many people on lists have animals who reacted to food and were switched to new food - owners were happy and didn’t have blood or urinalysis work done. Only time will tell if there is an increase in CRF.
    By that time, age will be the factor blamed.

    It would be of interest to follow animals who were on RAW diets their whole life, do they have increased or decreased numbers of CRF,cancer,etc. But, that assumes none of their meat,etc. are contaminated….

    I can see where your going with the vaccine for cats, but that doesn’t account for the death or sickness in dogs.

    I don’t believe anyone would harm on purpose, I think as the old saying goes: “no one was guarding the hen house and the fox walked in”.

    Katie

    Comment by Katie — April 25, 2007 @ 1:02 pm

68. Comment from Maupn- Hills is the problem as well as many other of the companies and as far as I am concerned Hills, Iams and the other large companies are more at fault since they are the ones claiming to have better ingredients and charging more for their food. Naturally they are in it for the profit as well as all businesses are but my point was that I don’t believe their priorities was the health of the animals. The fact is you can blame China the FDA and all that might be true but the bottom line is that it is the companies responsibility to make certain that they are selling a safe product-not the consumer.

    Elizabeth R-Thank You, we had her for 8 years and it was hard loosing her especially to something such as this.

    Comment by D Jackson — April 25, 2007 @ 1:09 pm

69. As a medical professional, I can be sued not just for my actions, but for things I fail to do. Isn’t any company that produces a good or service that makes certain claims about those goods just as liable? My dog was sickened by a food that was supposed to be “holistic” and “organic” The company is responsible for it’s decision to purchase products from a country that routinely poisons it’s own people…end of story. Was it deliberate..of course not. But the cover up and lying about ingredients, etc WAS. Even Natural Balance which is a company that most of us seemed to respect, advertised their products as being produced in the US, then suddenly, they weren’t and none of that information is on the website any more. No explanation, nothing. I still haven’t received an email response from Natural Balance. As far as I’m concerned, that paints them with the same brush as Menu, Iams, etc.

    Comment by Joyce — April 25, 2007 @ 1:14 pm

70. It should be noted that Dr. Marty Becker has a professional relationship with Hill’s, which explains his fronting for their P.R. b.s. Dr. Becker has co-promoted, with Hill’s, a promotional DVD (“How to Keep Your Pet Healthy” DVD from Hill’s Pet Nutrition; http://tinyurl.com/yq9zbb) and a book, “Fitness Unleashed” which is currently featured on Hill’s webstie at http://tinyurl.com/2mvcva

    Frankly, in all fairness to consumers, Dr. Becker really ought to disclose the true nature of his working (read: paid) relationship with Hill’s when he publicly speaks of their “good will” and “good deeds.”

    Someone else in this thread mentioned the disproportionate number fo Hill’s Prescription Diet foods which have been recalled and how one would expect such “prescription” foods to be even more intensely screened and tested than “over-the-counter” foods. Disturbingly, just the opposite is true, especially with respect to conducting any form of clinical trials with prescription foods. In fact, neither Royal Canin nor Hill’s conducts any clinical trials on the dog or cat patient population before marketing their “prescription” foods. Truth is, these foods, which are being sold and marketed in effect as “drugs” (i.e., they require a veterinary prescription to purchase it) yet they are rarely, if ever tested for their clinical benefits—or detriment—to the ill pets they are intended for. Can you imagine the FDA allowing prescription aids, drugs or supplements to be sold for humans without any testing whatsoever? No, again, this scenario would never happen. Yet, it is the norm for prescription pet foods. Absolutely unacceptable. This must change and I would urge every pet parent who is sick of being deceived, manipulated and gouged by such pet food industry practices to write Sen. Durbin and demand that “prescription” pet foods must be clinically tested, with the same scrutiny and to the same standards, as are prescription drugs are for humans.

    Royal Canin: http://tinyurl.com/ywc54m
    Hill’s Prescription Diet: http://tinyurl.com/2ffkrt

    Lastly, regarding this post’s lead-in statement, “We’ve written several times in this blog that no one should believe pet-food companies set out to kill pets. After all, these companies are in the business of feeding pets, and what’s happening now is bad for business. Not to mention that like most of us, the people who work for these companies typically have pets themselves, and they feed those animals the food they sell.”

    This sounds like it came right off the Pet Food Industry’s (PFI) “talking points” memo. I think Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins’ rebuttal to this kind of spin sums it up best:

    Dr. Hodgkins: This is almost as stupid a statement as the “pets are living longer because of commercial foods” lunacy. The ACVN* (who issued a near-identical statement) apparently thinks this comment is a winner for them and I hope pet owners have the sense to see through it. The makers of Vioxx, and the makers of Peter Pan peanut butter hve no interest in having dangerous products either, but does that mean those contaminations did not happen or were not extremely serious, and were not the result of mistakes made by the government and the companies themselves?? Are you any less dead if Vioxx was only negligently or accidentally unsafe than if Meriel inteneded for you to die from use of it? Do companies have to WANT pets and people to die for toxic problems to be held against them? Isn’t negligence and indifference enough? I’m an attorney and I can tell you that negligence and indifference certainly IS enough to win a lawsuit, and it certainly ought to be enough for the court of public opinion!
    Further, there is NO SUCH long history of safety. Within the past decade, no fewer than 10 incidences of tainted, lethal pet food have been uncovered, and those are only the cases that were uncovered! How many more have not been recognized and exposed to the public??
    The pet food industry, and even more so the expert “apologists” for the industry like the “College of Veterinary Nutrition” should be ASHAMED of themselves. They are defending the indefensible, making them no better, not one tiny bit better, than the poorest quality, most negligent sloppy pet food company!
    How can we expect the pet food companies to behave well when this is the way the specialists behave.

    *(ACVN’s statement: Contrary to the assertions of some, it simply is not in the best interest of companies to want to sell potentially unsafe product. The long history of the industry’s provision of safe and nutritious products to the consumer speaks to its dedication to the health and well-being of pets.”)

    Comment by Nikki — April 25, 2007 @ 1:17 pm

71. For years, i’ve spent top dollar feeding 2 big dogs and 4 cats the best food money can buy. Or so i thought. Because i have a lot of education and experience in pet care, especially felines, i’ve never fed my cats only one or two brands/types of food. Cats in their natural state are opportunistic hunters and can’t catch same prey every day. Dogs are scavengers and can’t find same foods every day (in their natural state to eat. But my cats best like the chunky-gravy kinds of foods. I keep several brands of dry food down, rotating the brands, and give the kitties canned food every morning and evening. If i fed any one particular kind of food every day, my cats now would be dead. Because before recall was announced, one day i fed can of Nutro Max Cat, which i thought was an excellent product. You know how certain cats in a multi-cat household like one food better than another? Misty Cat loves Max Cat. She gobbled more of it than the other kitties. Next day i found 2 large amounts of cat barf, but thought maybe it was hairball problem. I’m gone for long hours working. But Misty Cat seemed unusually lethargic that night when i got home. Next morning i discovered another large amount of cat barf. Misty seemed to feel better next day and - as i said - i don’t feed same food ever two days in a row. Then a few weeks later i fed a pac of the Iams in gravy. The two 9 months old litter boys gobbled it up before Misty Cat could get her fair share. They became so ill i had to take them to vet next morning. Spent almost two hundred bucks, but they are alive. The pet food companies spend zillions of dollars advertising we should put our pets on their food “for life” and they’ll be healthy forever, live longer blah blah blah . . . I’ve known for years after studying pet food it is all propoganda! There are very few mammals which eat only one food. To know what’s best for pure bred dogs and cats to eat, look to where the breeds orginated in the world. What is/was available for them to eat in their native environment? Then choose their diets by trying to stick to what they ate originally in their “natural state.” If your pets are used to rotating their diets, they won’t get sick from the changes.I don’t have time to cook for myself, much less my pets. So i trusted the supposedly super super premium gormet producers to make the best pet foods - like Innova Evo (which the dogs eat a lot of). I’ll never trust any of the pet food companies ever again!! I discovered Innova EVO uses Menu Foods to can their products. As usual, it’s all about the bucks. But all their lobbying money will keep them from paying any price. The FDA commissioner should resign or be fired! I believe there was no oversight at Menu Foods by any of the individual pet food companies. They just trusted Menu to follow their specifications and formulas and maybe occasionally ‘spot-checked’ food. Who the hell knows what Menu puts in foods? In 2003 Menu was in dire financial straits. To save money, i suspect they started throwing in the cheapest ingredients they could get their hands on. Heavenn only knows what the Chinese are shipping out to be put in pet foods - or human foods, for that matter! I’m expecting my first grandbaby in a few weeks. Naturally i worry about her. Will she have any birth defects? There seems to be a huge increase in number of children born with Autism - and it’s not just that more are being diagnosed.I wonder if the Chinese have been putting this crap in their grain additives all along to make them test like the grains have higher protein values? I wonder what birth defects have been caused by pregnant women eating this poisonous crap? Maybe Chinese just recently decided to try putting it in grains for pet foods, and the lower body weight of dogs and cats, especially smaller dogs and cats, made them more easily sickened by it?

    Comment by Carole Rexer — April 25, 2007 @ 1:39 pm

72. Comment by Carole Rexer — April 25, 2007 @ 1:39 pm Because i have a lot of education and experience in pet care, especially felines, i’ve never fed my cats only one or two brands/types of food.

    Carole, that all works if you dont have a cat with food allergies like ours did. It took us over a year to finally find Nutro Max Cat California Chicken Supreme, the only food that after a year of extensive and expensive food trials, that didnt make her sick. Well it eventually not only made her sick, it killed her. We would have loved to have fed her more than one type of food but it was just not to be….

    Comment by Sandi K — April 25, 2007 @ 2:32 pm

73. The Justin Paper - seems a bit long to try to read right now, however just because someone does not agree with an opinion posted here is no reason to accuse them of working for a poisonous pet food company.

    Given the millions of pet owners in this country, it’s safe to say that a very small percent of the pet owner population posts here or even reads here.

    What is my point?

    That were you to talk to every pet owner in this country you would find hundreds of different opinions/views on this matter so no one should be suprised or offended if more than one or two different opinions are expressed. And no
    opinion is ever wrong…

    Comment by Carole — April 25, 2007 @ 2:33 pm

74. I’ve asked in a couple of earlier posts, but I will be more specific this time.
    I would like to know if anyone recalls a cat(’s) fed from recalled cans or pouches cuts n gravy - how many days from the first feeding to day of ARF diagnosis, either survived or deceased? And did any die within a week of first feeding? If not a week, then weeks or longer. I’m looking for the shortest time span.

    Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 2:37 pm

75. To all those who have posted about vets who push prescription foods and vaccines—Don’t let anyone push you. Remember that just like doctors for humans, they don’t know everything. You have the right to make your own choices.

    For years I have been politely refusing some of what the vets recommend, especially frequent vaccinations. My pets have been better off for it, and have lived longer-than-average lives. If you educate yourself about the issues and act reasonable, a lot of vets are willing to go along with you in trying a different way. In fact, some vets and vet techs will tell you off the record that, while they are required by law or standards of practice to recommend certain things, they do differently with their own pets!

    If you have a vet who won’t listen to you or offer alternatives, find another vet. I want to reassure you that they are out there, and to encourage you keep on trying.

    Comment by Debra — April 25, 2007 @ 2:44 pm

76. It’s possible rotation of ‘better’ brands might avoid overingestion of a toxin. But it also might expose your pet to more ingredients.
    There aren’t more than 3-4 I’d even take a chance on to begin with, and I’ve never found it easy to rotate w cats. I’ve fed raw but currently am in early stages of transitioning an extremely finicky cat. And I’m not sure you can do this w dogs due to exploding stool issues…. I think the solution for me is rotating homemade and even that is no guarantee of ingredient purity now……

    Comment by 4lgdfriend — April 25, 2007 @ 2:47 pm

77. Drs. Fosters & Smith Products Recalled Due to Rice Protein
    April 25th, 2007
    Another pet food maker — Drs. Fosters & Smith — is issuing a recall due to the use of Wilbur-Ellis rice protein (scroll down their page to view the notice).

    The recalled products are:

    Drs. Foster & Smith Adult Dry Lite Dog Food
    Drs. Foster & Smith Adult Dry Lite Cat Food
    Oddly, the manufacturer says they received the recall advice today from Wilbur-Ellis, not last week as we have heard.

    Comment by marcy — April 25, 2007 @ 2:52 pm

78. There’s a new recall. Drs Fosters and Smith.

    Comment by Sara — April 25, 2007 @ 2:57 pm

79. I’m having trouble refreshing so I missed the 2:52 comment.

    Comment by Sara — April 25, 2007 @ 2:58 pm

80. I believe hills Z/D did kill 3 of My cats. they were on the dry and i had a case of wet. Some of the cats wouldn’t eat it. But the others did. I called the FDA. But who knows who is really looking into it? trudy

    Comment by Trudy Jackson — April 25, 2007 @ 3:04 pm

81. I posted this at Itchmo since I know this site has been experiencing problems. But just in case, I’ll give this a try….

    Re: Dr. Fosters & Smith Lifestage Select® Senior Dog Formula Multivitamins

    For anyone interested, I just spoke to a Dr. Foster’s & Smith representative (”Jenny”) to ask about these vitamins. I recalled seeing someone post about these elsewhere as the ingredients list contains:

    rice and other protein chelates (mineral chelates)

    They also have soybean oils. Per their representative, their current “cautionary recall” does not include any of their other products. I specifically asked about these vitamins because I ‘ve been giving them to my 13 1/2 yr. old lab. I was told I could return them for reimbursement at any time, for any reason.

    I also suggested they get their recall notice on their website on their front page or at least more visible. As it is, you have to search half way down the left menu to get to the link. I have been a customer of this company for over 13 years. I have always been happy with their products and return policies. Never once have I had a problem so this came as a complete surprise.

    Man, I hope the Canidae I just bought and planned on feeding my younger lab tonight, remains safe and OK. Last night was “treat night” and I was so nervous to give my dogs any of their usual treats, I chopped up an apple and gave them that. Thank Yahvo my dogs love apples and carrots. Aside from making my own food or treats, those items are about the only things I feel safe feeding them anymore.

    Comment by Ally — April 25, 2007 @ 3:11 pm

82. Did anyone watch or post about Oprah’s show today? I haven’t found any posts here but I watched it, hoping.

    The show was totally on dogs and dog training but I stuck out the whole thing (I’m a car person). In the last quarter, she had about a 5 minute thing on the “dog” food recall, but barely mentioning it with month-old outdated information and of course “15” confirmed deaths. Never mentioned the word “cat”. Then had her own dog advisor/expert answer a few questions briefly and not well (didn’t catch his name, sorry)- he at least did say “cat” once in mentioning the melamine crystals in urine and kidneys. All of what he “explained” was old and related to wheat gluten only. They got right onto “What you should be feeding your dog”, which was the main focus of even mentioning the recalls, far as I could tell. He had a list and raw was first; from this point they both kept repeating how dogs are Carnivores, without a word about what cats are. Second was cooking at home for them, which Oprah professed to be doing, and showed a table of containers she does it with - yeah, except for one with ground lamb and one with rice, she didn’t seem to know what was in the containers. Third was premium canned foods with high meat content, not a word about checking for recalls among those. Next was grain free dry foods - which I’m not sure is possible? - and that was about it. I thought it was disgusting.

    Now I can go back to not watching her for another 10 years.

    Comment by Sharon G — April 25, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

83. Nikki wrote:

    “It should be noted that Dr. Marty Becker has a professional relationship with Hill’s, which explains his fronting for their P.R. b.s. Dr. Becker has co-promoted, with Hill’s, a promotional DVD (”How to Keep Your Pet Healthy” DVD from Hill’s Pet Nutrition; http://tinyurl.com/yq9zbb) and a book, “Fitness Unleashed” which is currently featured on Hill’s webstie at http://tinyurl.com/2mvcva

    Frankly, in all fairness to consumers, Dr. Becker really ought to disclose the true nature of his working (read: paid) relationship with Hill’s when he publicly speaks of their “good will” and “good deeds.” “

    —

    We’ve always been up front with our relationships, and Dr. Becker’s work with Hill’s is no secret. As the national paid spokesman for “Fitness Unleashed,” he would have been a failure in that role if he hadn’t been visible.

    That said, Dr. Becker’s connections within the industry have given him — and us — some true insights into the behind-the-scenes and many of our biggest revelations on this blog. And it’s not just with Hill’s — we have information coming from other pet-food companies as well, also based on Dr. Becker’s reporting and his connections. And while Christie and I have had trouble getting the FDA’s top veterinarian on the phone. Dr. Becker has managed it with a single phone call, and been able to ask tough questions.

    I guess like all good journalists, we’ve now received the ultimate compliment: We have proven to be so even-handed in our reporting that people on both sides are angry.

    We’ll take that as a compliment, thank you.

    Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 25, 2007 @ 3:28 pm

84. In Defense of Oprah—The Theme of the Show was Dogs, not cats. And it was intended to be informative but mostly fun the whole show. Common, this is Oprah. Did you see the world’s largest and smallest dogs?? Great afternoon television. I watched the hearings yesterday. Today was Oprah. After the Texas Beef Producers Lawsuit a few years ago, I doubt that she is ready to take on the Pet Food Industry!

    Comment by Shawn — April 25, 2007 @ 3:42 pm

85. oh, Innova Evo is grain free dry for cats. They use potato starch as the binder.

    Comment by Shawn — April 25, 2007 @ 3:44 pm

86. I do not think that kudos for the companies that have done so very little is in order. They have at best all cheated in some way - and at the expense of those who have no voice.
    Until this crisis - one might never have looked beneath the surface. I do not think they need applause for doing what they should have done - what is and was their responsibility - before so many thousands died and long prior to anyone knowing.

    I see many sins of omission and standing back from too many still- or all would be known now not later.

    If we look to the good than I look to those shelters trying so hard to provide what they can that is safe, those who recommend recipes and who encourage others with the facts and with compassion.

    Gina, you are one. You, Howl911, Itchmo, petconnection, and many others. You provided a recommendation for Honest Kitchen and I was one who appreciated that - did not consider it a plug and was glad I saw it, and would love to know what else you mentioned you were doing - (you said among other products or? didn’t name)
    I myself would wish to know how to feed with simplicity and trust and am frightened as to what to do. There seem to be no commercial foods otherwise to trust.

    My thanks to the good guys - but I will not applaud the companies for doing so little in what they should have been doing.

    Comment by maddy — April 25, 2007 @ 3:47 pm

87. In my above post about the Oprah show, typo (groan) - I’m a “cat” person, not a car person.

    Comment by Sharon G — April 25, 2007 @ 3:50 pm

88. Comment by phdcat — April 25, 2007 @ 12:00 pm

    Nope, sorry. I’m not a “pet-food poisoner,”as you put, nor a character assassin, as you apparently are. But I do know bad research and faulty logic when I see it.

    News flash: *not everything* you read on the Web is fact, no matter how badly you’d like it to be. You can find things on the Web to “prove” the Earth is flat, too. That doesn’t make it true.

    Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 5:49 pm

89. One of my 3 cats was today diagnosed with kidney “problems”. His numbers were well above normal.I will have to save the money up to have the other two tested…..
    The vet offered Royal Canin KP (?) Kidney formula. I had to say No Thanks. True It may not have been recalled…Not yet anyway.
    I now have Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct for my kids……I am so confused. I can’t say I learned much from the vet….I can’t spend hundreds or thousands to end up with a dead animal.

    What do we feed the newly diagnosed?

    Comment by Lori Lee — April 25, 2007 @ 6:23 pm

90. I own a pet retail store. Compared to most stores we don’t carry a lot of the products that were recalled. Few of our foods have any glutens.

    Nutro-My distributor came in on a Saturday to place calls to all their stores. They also sent a fax. My Nutro representative called twice and came to the store just to double check. They also said pull all the recalled Nutro product regardless of the dates.

    Natural Balance-Received 3 calles from office and one from the representative. Also, a follow up email and visit from the representative. They also said pull all recalled Natural Balance product regardless of the dates.

    Both Nutro and Natural Balance communication was and is excellent.

    Comment by Alice — April 25, 2007 @ 6:46 pm

91. Gina: “We’ve always been up front with our relationships, and Dr. Becker’s work with Hill’s is no secret.”

    Well, color me unwashed, but earlier today when you posted Dr. B’s vouching for the “good work” of Hill’s, I for one had no knowledge of this relationship. I’ll bet most other readers were ignorant as well, absent explicit disclosure (which is as easy as a parenthetical statemnet such as this).

    I didn’t think it passed the sniff test when I read it this morning, and now I know why…

    Comment by David — April 25, 2007 @ 6:55 pm

92. LORI LEE - e-mail sandielliott1@hotmail.com.

    Comment by elliott — April 25, 2007 @ 8:04 pm

93. three days after i bought new food my dog went to the emergency clinic. two days later the vet recomended she be put down. FDA responded quickly and with compassion.after weeks of calling menu foods i went to walmart where i bought the food and they have a form that i filled out that is the same as if you undies had a run. they had a rep call me the next day and said that menu foods had 10 days to contact me.after a list of questions they filed with menu foods. 15 days later a call center calls for menu foods with 20 QUESTIONS,literaly the complaint was brought because my dog died. one of the questions was DO YOU BELIEVE THAT FEEDING A MENU FOODS PRODUCT HAS OR MIGHT IN THE FUTURE CAUSE AN ILLNESS IN YOUR PET????
    I promptly told this person NO IT KILLED THEM NOW THERE CAN BE NO ILNESS. hope sam clemans was right and all dogs go to heaven. maybe ill make it to see her again

    Comment by darrell — April 25, 2007 @ 8:24 pm

94. Comment by Alice — April 25, 2007 @ 6:46 pm

    Alice, its nice to see Nutro was communicating with someone. So from what I read you as a store owner who sells their products had at least 4 contacts by Nutro and I as consumer had zip, nada, none? Wow, that really says it all…

    Comment by Sandi K — April 25, 2007 @ 8:26 pm

95. Hills and every single other pet food company that was not using their money and power to get the news out about what to watch for, the drinking too much, the other stuff, well, Hills is going to have to take their licks. I will not defend them , I was way too busy trying to defend my pets.

    That said, it is rude in the extreme to be so nasty to someone who has been one of the few bright spots in a dim situation. I was kinda shocked to see it and it takes more than a bit of the crude to shock me! This site was helpful and I appreciate Dr. Becker and everyone else. here, they have worked day and night to help us and there was damned little help offered elsewhere. This place, howl911, itchmo, a few others and you get ugly with them to your peril if you do it in front of me.

    I will be as clear on this as I know how to be and not get booted for the language.
    I did not wish to get the education I have gotten, if I wanted to be a vet or a full time nurse to very ill pets, then I would have done that.
    And I sure would not have paid for that education in death and tears and betrayal and the guilt of feeding poison, and then force feeding poison to my pets. I may not live long enough to wear out that guilt.
    I will never buy another Hills product, there are a lot of products I will not buy ever again, I feel that any apology for that is not one I owe, it is owed *to* me and my dead and my sick.
    What I have learned and suffered this last almost two months now has made me the single most dangerous enemy the pet industry can have, a painfully, expensively, reluctantly educated pet owner who hates them all and will never forget.
    I paid for it but they earned it, funny how the paying seems to work out like that.
    I will never trust a Vet the way I used to, never feel safe leaving a pet in a Vets care, never feel the relief of getting a sick pet to a Vet for help that I used to have, never buy dog food or get a drug for my pet with any confidence. I used to sigh with relief when I hear my Vets’ voice on the phone, that is gone. I know that the process of even ordinary grocery shopping for my pets or getting them medical care will be painful, stressful and gut wrenching for me all the days of my life. That is a nasty uneasy way to be and I did not choose it, it was thrust upon me when my home and my loved ones were invaded by poison and lie after lie. Betrayal after betrayal. The betrayal hurt the most.
    That will not stop me from having pets, I am what I am, the bad news is that I know what THEY are and it is an ugly , ugly sight.
    Maybe if I lived close Dr. Becker, maybe, but I would still shake with fear and doubt when I had to bring a pet to the Vet.
    The next time you get the head honcho Vet on the phone? Ask him where he was when we all needed him. Sad, I know the face of the men who killed my pets and have no idea what the man looks like who should have been there to protect them, and failing that, which he did, to tell the truth.

    Comment by E. Hamilton — April 25, 2007 @ 8:30 pm

96. I don’t blame any of the vets, including Dr Becker. I believe Hill’s tried to fill a niche, provide food for specialty diets. I don’t think or believe Hill’s was out to get anyone! Direct your anger to Menu foods,Chem Nutra, FDA , and whoever else was out there to swindle us all.

    My own vet didn’t have all the facts, he picked them up from CNN and the NY Times. He works within a specialty clinic that tries to help some really sick animals. He calls and emails when ever I have questions. I don’t believe the vets are the bad guys here. We were all duped.

    We now have the internet! we can trade info. in nanoseconds.

    I believe and hope that out of these horrible past few months that the lost pets won’t be in vain.

    I hope that a system can be set up where vets can submit rises in disease, and unusual occurrances. That they have access to timely info. for their clients. If a client comes in and has a concern, it will be taken seriously. In my case they thought my dog was having anxiety attacks!

    The present system didn’t work!! it needs to be fixed and not just given a bandaid.

    Thank you Pet Connection for giving us a place to exchange and collect information.

    Katie

    Comment by Katie — April 25, 2007 @ 8:30 pm

97. Comment by E. Hamilton — April 25, 2007 @ 8:30 pm

    E., I’m truly sorry for what you’ve gone through, and for the betrayal you feel. You didn’t poison your friend. But neither did your vet. What would s/he possibly gain by that? To put it in terms of cold hard cash, nothing.

    Are there bad vets? You bet your &$$ there are. God knows I’ve had a few. And just like bad doctors and bad mechanics, the best thing to do is to find a better one.

    I’m not trying to downplay your experience. It’s immensely frustrating to deal with a vet who doesn’t understand. But why would your vet see a reason, morally or economically, to lose a good client?

    I’ve lost pets, and I get where you are. But please remember where the real problem lies - not where you bought the bag of food, but what was IN it.

    Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 10:19 pm

98. Daddy always said “If you ain’t got nuthin nice to say, then don’t say nuthin!”
    Z-i-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p!!! 8)

    Comment by Kathi — April 25, 2007 @ 10:53 pm

99. Regarding pet food problems and Hills, allow me to share my experience.

    In March of 2006, my then 2 yr. old Shih Tzu, Smidgen, after a month of declining health (progessive urinary problems, vomiting, refusal of food, weight loss, lethargy, weakness) was hospitalized at a university teaching hospital. She had been under the care of our local vet who valiantly tried to treat and diagnois her problem. When he discovered she had hypercalcemia he referred her on to specialists.

    She was hospitalized in ICU for 10 days while the doctors tried to discover the cause and control the hypercalcemia, which was causing renal issues and would ultimately lead to her death. Smidgen had constant IV treatment and around the clock care. All physical causes were ruled out (certain cancers, Addison’s Disease, Hyperparathyroidism, etc., can increase calcium levels)and so we were left wondering.

    On the 7th day of hospitalization and refusing her presciption food, Hill’s L/D, (for a genetic liver disorder), another food was introduced, which she devoured as though she was starving (she was). (The vets had contacted Hill’s on the day she was admitted, but were told there was no problem with the food, they also sent them her records) She was now getting nourishment and the wonderful veterinary care she received saved her life and we went home.

    A week to 10 days later I received a call from the teaching hospital. A test that they had to send away to another teaching hospital in another state had just came in…Smidgen had vitamin D toxicosis (normal range 60 - 215, Smidgen’s was 1330). She had to have ingested something that caused the vitamin D toxicity. Certain rat poisons & plants could be the culprit, had she had exposure to them…she did not. She was never off leash outside or off our property, nor did we have any of the suspected products. And so my search began.

    I began a lengthy email correspondence with the vets involved in the case as I researched.

    I discovered Royal Canin had issued a recall just a few months earlier due to too much vitamin D in their food causing 23 known cases of vitamin D toxicity. Their problem was due to the premix suppplement they purchased being misformulated. I wondered where Hill’s bought theirs.

    I had unopened cans and a sample of the dry food tested. It came back within normal limits for vitamin D.

    The doctors speculated that maybe Smidgen’s genetic liver / kidney disorder could effect how she metabolized vitamin D. It seems we had entered the great unknown, this was a rare case.

    I located an expert on calcium, vitamin D, and renal issues at yet a 3rd teaching hospital, in yet a 3rd state, and began an email correspondence with him. He said there was no known condition which could cause vitamin D toxicosis, that Smidgen had to have ingested it, and it sure reminded him of the Royal Canin cases.

    I relayed to him that samples of the food had been tested. He explained that vitamin D has a half life of 19 days and with such a slow dissapation from the body, one would have to know what she’d eaten for the last six months.

    All she had eaten was Hill’s L/D, but you can see what an impossible task proving this theory would be. You can not test food that’s already been consumed and you certainly don’t keep samples around for 6 months.

    I tried calling Hill’s 3 times and was never put through to any one of authority, but was told, “No, there was no problem with the food.” I talked to an assistant manager of a premix / supplement company and learned of the potential things that could have gone wrong (misformulation, double batching, improper mixing time, a downed mixer). I learned that in the case of a mixing problem, batch testing only, truly, attests the attributes of the sample being tested and not the whole batch, for if a mixer went down or a batch was improperly mixed there could be “hot spots” within the batch comparable to chunks of flour in improperly mixed cookie dough.

    I continued my research and email correspondence with the doctors. Eventually I copied and pasted 16 pages of them into the comment box on Hill’s web site and asked for a reply. No reply came. I dug further on their web page and found email addresses for a veterinary consultant, a nutritional consultant, and also their legal dept. Again, I copied and pasted. I received a reply the next morning, they’d look into it.

    After, what they termed a thorough review, I received a denial letter. I pressed more, I received 2 more denial letters. I contacted the 7 vets I’d been corresponding with and asked each if they’d been contacted by Hill’s during the investigation. Only 1 had, the expert from out of state, who openly commented that it reminded him of the Royal Canin cases. Hill’s did not contact any of the treating doctors or ask for futher records.

    The last letter I wrote to Hill’s before this recall was in January. I have since sent a short note stating I’m watching with interest.

    And so our saga has been a learning experience for us, as I hope it now has been for you.

    Proof is sometimes an impossible task, although from my stand point, everything that was ruled out, is evidence to what it was, it could not have been anything else. Without proof, there generally is no admission (Royal Canin’s food was tested and was too high in vitamin D content, and thus there was proof and a recall had to be issued), but with no proof, no admission. They wouldn’t want to open themselves up to litagation or class action suits (my son is an attorney and a magistrate so I have more insight than most).

    Please note: I hypothosize that since the food was L/D and generally prescibed to old dogs or dogs with advanced liver disease, other illnesses or deaths attributed to this could have been easiy missed and considered a natural progession of their age or disease.

    Note #2: I did not ask Hill’s for reimbursement of our extensive vet bills, only for them to send out a mailing to their veterinary customer base regarding vitamin D toxicosis and treatment to help further educate vets on the problem. I did not ask for an admission, I knew there would be none.

    Note #3: Often, even the best labs cannot preform tests for obscure issues and must outsource.

    Note #4: Errors happen. Errors themselves aren’t negligent, lack of response and cover ups are.

    #5: The vets are the heros here. They are saving our pets. They are no more responsible for the pet food problems then the grocery stores are for spinach problems, and some are haunted by missed diagnosis and the knowledge they sold the food, though it was no fault of theirs, just as we are that we fed it.

    On April 12th, I again copied & pasted email copies, 55 pages when printed, and sent them along with a letter to Dick Durbin, my own state senators, the ASPCA, the FDA, and our own Dr. Marty Becker. For all of you touched by the recall, for all of you that love a dog or cat, I suggest you do the same. As I told Hill’s in my last letter to them; one voice is easily discounted, the voice of a nation won’t be.

    Write Durbin, your own senators, and the FDA, let’s bring about this needed change.

    God bless all who care about this issue.

    Comment by Dixie H. — April 25, 2007 @ 11:54 pm

100. comment by darrell - April 25, 2007 @ 8:24 PM
     Darrell, I am so very sorry you lost your dog.
     And yes, dogs and cats and all animals go to heaven.
     Darrell, would you mind sharing with us what brand and type of food you were feeding? And what you were feeding before you changed to the new food?
     And Darrell, do you mind if I ask what your baby’s name was? My heart goes out to you.

     Comment by Kathi — April 26, 2007 @ 1:53 am

101. Addendum to my prior posting:

     My dog currently seems to be doing well following treatment for the vitamin D toxicity, although she will no doubt be on blood pressure medicine for the remainder of her life due to the after effects. Her blood work at this time looks pretty good, but we must monitor it every six months or so.

     For those of you who do not know, just because blood tests for kidney issues are within a normal range, it does not mean there are no kidney issues. Kidneys must be around 75% impaired before it shows up on blood work, so we truly don’t know the impact this will have on Smidgen’s health and life span. It seems kidney & liver function often are the first thing affected as one ages and there may not be much room for play here.

     If I did not already mention, after discharge Smidgen needed subquetanious (correct spelling?)fluid injections on a daily basis at the local vets for several weeks. Her prior liver issue is hepatic microvasculor dysplasia, a genetic defect, which was found following an elevated ALT when she was spayed and subsequent ultrasounds and x-rays a few months later at the teaching hospital when she aprox. 1 yr. old. Her kidney enzymes, urinalysis, and blood pressure were normal prior to the vitamin D tox. (Her urine now remains too dilute.)

     Since she had the prior liver problem I had also wonder about JRD, a genetic kidney disorder that occurs in Shih Tzu’s (some estimate 30% of the breed has some degree of JRD) so when she was hospitalized last year I requested the vets obtain the genetic marker test for JRD and test Smidgen, she carries 1 marker for this, as well. But again these had no bearing on the vitamin D toxicosis, other than she no doubt had marginal function and that bumped her over the edge.

     I do not purport the current recall has anything to due with a vitamin D mishap (I would assume that has been ruled out) but rather an overall lack of quality control.

     After Smidgen’s toxicosis I had regularly Googled “Pet food recalls” fearing the worst would happen, it has.

     Again, send letters to Durbin and your own congressmen.

     I wish you and your animals well.

     Comment by Dixie H. — April 26, 2007 @ 6:07 am

102. Comment by Formypets, fortheplanet — April 25, 2007 @ 11:14 am

     Re: the Justine S. Patrick Harvard Law Paper on the Pet Food Industry etc. I am pleased to confirm that her paper received a very high grade indeed.

     Comment by Shawn — April 26, 2007 @ 8:32 am

103. Comment by Laura — April 25, 2007 @ 10:19 pm

     I doubt my Vet was bad, my problem with the first vet , the second vet and then a third was that I knew more than they did about what was going on.

     And none of them, not my vet, not YOUR vet, not the top vet in the country was up on TV saying to people that you need to watch out if your pet drinks too much water- just that one thing, no need to risk the almighty lawsuit by naming names, just telling this country what it desperately needed to know.

     I had to go to Vets for the things I needed but I was paying high prices to take a lot of lip about my homefeeding when THAT was keeping my pets alive more than they were.

     Vets get respect and had any one of them got up and SAID what needed to be said the scope of this tragedy would have been less.
     Now they are less in my eyes.

     But they are not alone in that. And I am not alone in feeling that way.
     This is truly a situation where one good man or woman standing up and saying the truth might have saved the day, too bad there just were not any around.
     This site is a nice stopgap but Dr Becker has the backing of Hills and you did not see him on TV saying “there is a big problem, if your pet is drinking too much water they need to see a vet right now, more info later” did you?

     Would have taken about 20 minutes to film and could have been on the air that night.
     But they didn’t.
     They had the tools to do something and they did not.
     And that is the bottom line that betrayed me, betrayed us all. Not the pet food companies bottom line, which was bad enough, but the bottom line that all the money and power we have given these people , they were useless.
     I have heard all the “we are working behind the scenes” but it was not “behind the scenes” that was called for, there was no Vet standing up and saying the simple sentence “If your pet starts drinking too much water, there seems to be a problem and the pet needs to see a vet immediately, and YO, media, quit calling pet owners hysterical because pets are dying.”

     Not one.

     Comment by E. Hamilton — April 26, 2007 @ 10:06 am

104. “This site is a nice stopgap but Dr Becker has the backing of Hills and you did not see him on TV saying “there is a big problem, if your pet is drinking too much water they need to see a vet right now, more info later” did you?”

     **

     I’m sorry, but this isn’t true.

     Dr. Becker and the entire Pet Connection team has from the first minute taken every opportunity to inform pet-owners of the symptoms and what to do. In every interview we’ve given, and at the beginning of every post, we’ve done the same. We also put up information on kidney disease within a couple of days of the first recall, and sent out a bonus column package to our newspaper subscribers on the topic that same day.

     I realize you’re upset, but … you’re wrong on this one.

     Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 26, 2007 @ 10:21 am

105. comment by E. Hamilton - April 26, 2007 @ 10:06 AM
     You got that right. I didn’t know about the drinking problem until I read about it right here by all the posted comments.
     That’s been the ongoing problem with the experts - SILENCE - they’ve told us nothing.
     ***E., you owe NO apologies and NO respect.***
     Those are things that must be earned.
     Side note: Reminds me of the time I challenged a Judge in his Chambers. He threatened contempt. I said “whatever, I can wear a robe as easily as you, especially when you are wrong.” Six months later that judge was indicted in Federal Court for murder, conspiracy to commit murder, gambling and running a prostitution ring.” Sometimes, we are just right! 8)

     Comment by Kathi — April 26, 2007 @ 10:30 am

106. P.S. I admit I have a very good and caring Vet and all his co-workers are great.

     Comment by Kathi — April 26, 2007 @ 10:33 am

107. I have always thought that Pet Connection did a great and even excellent job of informing pet owners of the signs of illness and Gina too posting that if a pet is drinking too much water it is a medical emergency. (Thank you for commenting about it.)

     Vets are doing their best and they are not God, but they do know what signs to look for that are problematic.

     I’ve referred lots of people to this site for information and even my local news media refers them too. I don’t know that much about Dr. Becker but I do believe Pet Connection is right on top of this entire problem.

     Comment by Linda — April 26, 2007 @ 10:35 am

108. Gina, I confess, I did not see the program with Dr. Becker, so to be clear, I’m not attacking him. But I do agree that there was not enough info coming in other than on this site and similar blogs. My friends do not have computers and they watched TV news and complained they could not get any info without my telling them what I found out on here. Even when my friends called their own vets they were surprised that their vets knew nothing. This has been so frustrating for many of us. And yes you and Christie and Dr. Becker deserve many thanks. Mucho, mucho!
     I understand how E. feels.

     Comment by Kathi — April 26, 2007 @ 10:47 am

109. If this poison was in something that was suppose to be regulated by the FDA then yes that would make them equally as responsible and at fault, if not more so.They are paid officials and it is their job.
     However I still have a problem with the fact that Hills and the other large companies were using these ingredients and yet promoting there food as a premium brand and pushing it to vet’s for sick animals. What were they using say 3 years ago and why did they change(if so) and when you can answer that question then you have the answer.
     IF it is true that it some how got in human food then obviously it was in small enough does that it did not affect humans or because our make up is different.
     The fact is their are allot of things that are not as safe for animals as are humans and who should of known that, should it not of been the companies when they took on the responsibility of selling pet food and shouldn’t they have also been regulating that food? Of course.

     Comment by D Jackson — April 26, 2007 @ 10:49 am

110. Gina, I am NOT blaming Dr Becker or you.
     I am not!
     This has been a great place for help and info.

     Let me state this as simply as I can.

     Hills had the power and the pull to get this story out there.
     They did not.
     Could have used Dr. Becker, could have used anyone at all for all I care.
     Instead what they used was me, my money, my pets.
     That is how I feel.

     Again, I am not blaming you at petconnections for ANYTHING.
     Unless Dr. Becker owns Hills. ( I know he does not).

     But if you guys are not as mad as I am that every pet food company in the world, every pet store, every pet show, every pet collar maker, every single one of them failed us, then you are missing the point.

     And they failed us DAILY and they are failing me today and unless they get up off their butts right this red hot -they will fail us again tomorrow.

     I have ONE standard for anyone who makes a dime off my pets,

     Where were you when the pets were poisoned?

     The answer to that tells me all I need to know.

     Comment by E. Hamilton — April 26, 2007 @ 12:28 pm

111. As noted in my earlier two posts, I went through a similar ordeal last year with my dog. It was apparent to me, after all other possiblities were ruled out, that the Hill’s food was to blame for my dog’s vitamin D toxicosis. I waged a nine month battle trying to get that recognized. The anger, frustration, hostility, betrayal, and guilt now being felt by many, I felt a year ago. I don’t know if anyone at Pet Connection read the lengthy email I sent that chronicled that battle, but if they did, those feelings could be detected.

     What I learned then and what frustrates many now, as it did me, is the fact that the veterinary profession is a member of the scientific community. That without objective scientific evidence that bears proof, what seems obvious to us, can only be deemed speculation and theory. For, as in any CSI, though a corpse with a bullent wound would seem to have died of a gunshot, there is the odd chance a heart attack actually killed the victim…when you hear hoof beats you think of horses, but on the odd occasion it may shock you to see a zebra.

     Again, I will state, I have no doubt my dog’s problem stemmed from the food, but you can not produce long gone food as evidence and without evidence, there is no proof, only speculation and theory. Though my vets may have felt the most probable cause was the food, to state so without proof could be liableous, and then there was that odd chance it could have been something else (it wasn’t).

     In retrospect, I thank God for my vets. They worked “in the dark” not knowing what was wrong with my dog and saved her. They allowed me to vent my frustations regarding their perceived silence, (there were a few occasions that it’s a wonder they didn’t call authorities and have me escorted off their premises.) But, you see they understood my frustrations, for they were too. They have dedicated their lives to saving animals and circumatances like these are hard for them as well as us.

     And regarding Dr. Becker…I have been watching several different blog sites since March 17th when this story broke. He has been the most outspoken of all the professionals. He has taken chances few wouldn’t with his frankness and opinions… and his frustrations show as well. Thank you Dr. Becker!

     Comment by Dixie H. — April 26, 2007 @ 2:15 pm

112. And the FDA just admitting they are failing pet owners today again, sigh.

     I will find it very hard not to burst into a rendition of “who’s sorry now”, when the first human death occurs.

     of course, at this rate, it may be MY death.
     Told my doc last week that I have already had the stress test for my heart, been doing it daily for weeks now, no worries.

     Comment by E. Hamilton — April 26, 2007 @ 2:34 pm

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