Pet food recall: ASPCA toxicologist says need for caution continues
By Christie Keith
May 3, 2007
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What do experts think pet owners should do in the face of expanded pet food recalls, and worries about cross-contamination at pet food manufacturing facilities? Here’s from a press release issued around half an hour ago by the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, following the FDA’s media conference. All emphasis is the ASPCA’s:
“Given the fact that there is new evidence of cross-contamination in ingredients that may have been considered safe prior to this news, we need to be much more aware of where the ingredients in our pets’ food are coming from,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, a board-certified toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), located in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill.
“We are strongly recommending that pet parents immediately investigate, via their pet food manufacturer’s Web site or by calling them directly, where the ingredients—specifically protein supplements—are sourced from.”
Given the current situation and until this crisis is resolved, the ASPCA is recommending pets be fed products containing U. S.-sourced protein supplements only.
“The continued expansion of the recall is extremely worrying,” said Dr. Louise Murray, director of medicine at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital (BMAH) in New York City, and a board-certified internist. “The magnitude of this crisis leaves us frustrated as to how to best protect pets and prevent any more illnesses or deaths.”
Included is advice on the treatment of affected pets; again, all emphasis is theirs:
“Patience is the key,” said Dr. Murray, who has successfully treated several animals thus-affected with aggressive fluid therapy at BMAH. “We now understand that we have to bathe these crystals in fluid for as long as possible. With other causes of kidney failure, if there is no improvement in the animal’s condition after a day or two, the prognosis is usually not encouraging.
“In this case, however, when treating animals who have been sickened by eating the contaminated foods, longer-term intravenous fluids may be required —so we would strongly recommend that all veterinarians treating such cases be patient and continue administering fluids longer than they might otherwise, because they can really be life-saving.”
They also take a crack at the numbers:
Unofficial estimates, including by those in the veterinary community, suggest the number of recall-related deaths may be in the thousands. The pet food recall crisis continues to unfold, with new developments appearing daily, and ramifications at the international trade, business and human health levels. As recently as yesterday, Menu Foods greatly expanded its recall list because of evidence of cross-contamination at plants where the contaminated ingredients were in use.
They conclude, “The ASPCA continues to warn pet parents to stay extremely alert to the situation.” Good advice. The complete release is here.
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Translation.
“Let The Buyer Beware”
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
Is there a comprehensive list of pet food that contains only US-sourced ingredients?
Comment by Brooke — May 3, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
How many brands caught with their pants down are still having their stuff churned out by Menu?
Brands want to step up to the plate?
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
A week ago, scientist Perry Martos mixed together a few drops of melamine and cyanuric acid, the two unauthorized chemicals found in tainted pet food.
In less than a second, they formed a mass of crystals nearly identical to crystals found in the kidneys of sickened animals.
“If you can imagine an instantaneous kidney stone — that’s essentially the way I would perceive it,” says Martos.
http://tinyurl.com/2mz477
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
I think that the wording is a problem. It’s not that they are SOURCED in the US; ChemNutra and Wilbur-Ellis are US sources.
What you’d want are ingredients grown and processed entirely within the US. And in my own investigation, I’ve found that a lot of pet food companies either do not know, or aren’t saying, if that’s the case with their foods. They will say “sourced” happily enough - but as I pointed out, anyone who bought wheat gluten from ChemNutra or rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis could also say their ingredients are “sourced” in the US.
Therese at thepetfoodlist.com is the one to tackle this project. She’s already building a manufacturer database so we can know who actually makes the pet food for various companies. I’ll talk to her about this.
Comment by Christie Keith — May 3, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Comment by Christie Keith — May 3, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
Exactly. Anyone can say, “oh uh we source our ingredients from the U.S.A. It’s a company called ChemNutra based in Las Vegas. If we are in a jam we buy from USA Corporation Wilbur-Ellis. Their good guys too!”
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:29 pm
Wysong has made the recall page available, it’s been updated with new wording as well. Imagine that :)
Comment by shelly — May 3, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
BROOKE,Right now I don’t trust any pet food. I fed my pets Nutro Dry+ Wet ,I was told by the staff at PETSMART it was the best food on the market.Yes,the dogs loved it,untill this summer.I as many pet owners were lied to over and over by Nutro. And to find out they got the food from China is a disgrace. On the can And pouches it did not say Nutro by Menu Foods Made in China W/99% poison in it. How can we trust any pet food co now.There is so many pet foods on the Recall list now this is getting worst instead of better.I guess now made in the USA doesn’t mean Made In The USA!!!!!!!!
Comment by Mary Ann — May 3, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
What really bothers me right now is the Pet Food Brands seem to be using this human food chain investigation as a smoke screen and are continuing to do the same damn thing. Business as usual, the same old stuff.
If I’m wrong I challenge one Brand spokesperson to go on National TV and prove otherwise.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
I resubmitted this since the thread changed. CB
I thought I had managed to duck the petfood contamination issue, since the Kirkland Costco dry cat food wasn’t on the recall list, and the NuPet (Save-Mart house brand) wasn’t either. Today I walk into Save-Mart and see that the NuPet Sliced Chicken canned has been pulled for possible melamine cross-contamination. Which was, guess what, the stuff I just gave Athena this morning. I phoned my son and told him to take it away from the cats and dump it. I know she ate some, but not very much. I’m going to check the UPC codes and dates before I start worrying. She’s due for a vet exam and boosters on Tuesday, so I’ll have them run a blood panel and urinalysis for peace of mind.
My vet says they haven’t seen any affected animals in Patterson (CA), although worried people have been bringing in animals for tests.
If the UPC and date codes match the ones on the recall sheet, then I will take her in ASAP. Though the last time I did that (I thought she had eaten aspirin) they couldn’t make her bring anything up. She just wouldn’t puke. She was OK though.
What’s a good source of cat vitamins to mix in the home-made stuff I’m going to make now?
I just wish that Save-Mart had pulled the stuff earlier, though. I did try to tell them…
Comment by Clare — May 3, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
I keep wondering how many more pet food companies are in so much doo-doo, they’re speaking to big corps aka Mars for a quick buy out.
Comment by Ally — May 3, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Those big class action lawyers need to be making moves to keep the money from being moved, don’t they?
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Welcome ASPCA to the extremely alert. I’m really glad someone in the veterinary community is saying we need to pay attention to where the ingredients come from. I’m trying not to feel totally cynical when I say that, because, really, it has to start somewhere. Even though people here have been yelling about it for 6 weeks plus.
Perhaps you’d also like to take a huge leap and tackle the labeling issue too. That would really help, having the veterinary community behind an initiative like that. It might get it done sooner, and just think about the number of lives it could have saved if we really KNEW what was in the food instead of what was printed on the bag.
Oh and one more thing, Dr. Murray, vets should get some recipes together for those that do want to home prepare food and have never done it before. That certainly would help protect pets. If no vet can safely recommend any commercial food to their clients today, many weeks down this horrible road, then it’s time to actually give pet parents this option, don’t you think?
Comment by CathyA — May 3, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
It never seems to end. And no one I know personally really seems to care - even those with pets. I think my husband thinks I’m a bit crazy too.
Comment by Jenny — May 3, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
Any Brands want to come out of the closet?
Newman? You’d make a good spokesperson.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
“We are strongly recommending that pet parents immediately investigate, via their pet food manufacturer’s Web site or by calling them directly, where the ingredients—specifically protein supplements—are sourced from.”
Mfg web site for ingredients? Yeah, right.
Even calling them doesn’t get you anything but the run around.
I know I’m not the only one that just want to ‘scream’!
Comment by Deanna — May 3, 2007 @ 5:49 pm
Comment by Jenny — May 3, 2007 @ 5:46 pm
“I think my husband thinks I’m a bit crazy too.”
Jenny, you are not alone.
Many of my friends and neighbors think I’ve lost it.
Comment by Ally — May 3, 2007 @ 5:53 pm
I think they are making a “most wanted” poster with my picture on it to post in Raleys and Safeway. When I picked up a container of lettuce in the produce dept., it was marked produce of “CA & Mexico.” I half jokeingly asked the guy who was stocking to tell me which leaves were from CA. Also took the recall list to my local PetsMart last night. You may be seeing my picture there too soon!
We know all vitamin C,and probably most of the others (and suppliments) come from China. But how the heck can we figure out where all the additives in pet and our food come from?
One of our kids brought a container of cookie dough from a well-known pizza purveyor over last night. The ingredients list has enough preservatives in it to mummyfy me!
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 3, 2007 @ 5:53 pm
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Yep. It would be a travesty not to.
Comment by Ally — May 3, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
best thing is maybe to steer clear of food with any vegetable proteins AND to contact the company to be sure that they have verifited with the manufacturer that none are being used in their foods without their knowledge. Even better if made in a plant that is gluten-free.
Comment by Bonni — May 3, 2007 @ 5:57 pm
And what about the Cross Contamination fiasco?
Any brands that use Menu (unknown to the public) want to step up to the plate?
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 5:58 pm
Maybe the FDA doesn’t want us to feed our animals homemade food because the melamine IS in the human food supply. If pets who only get home cooked food get sick from melamine, it’ll be pretty clear.
I REALLY SINCERELY hope not, but at this point I’m not sure of anything anymore.
Comment by Lisa C — May 3, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Yes, people think we’re nuts! I went to health food store today to get last of ingredients to cook for my 4 cats and 2 dogs. When i explained to salesclerk at store what i wanted to buy, why, that i didn’t want anything with any ingredients from Asia, and i preferred guaranteed organic products, he looked at me like i was asking for the moon! The first recipes i’m trying (tomorrow) are from Dr. Fox, holistic vet. The recipe for cat food doesn’t call for taurine (amino acid felines can’t synthsize). Does anyone on this blog happen to know what the ratio of taurine to body weight would be? Or where i can find that info? (tia)
Comment by CherCat — May 3, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Comment by Lisa C — May 3, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Good point. Excellent thinking.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
This is Scary,most pet foods has TAURINE,I read Taurine comes from CHINA ,
Comment by Mary Ann — May 3, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
Does anyone know if Sen Durbin is done with his hearings on this matter? I think its time he call FDA in again and tell them enough is enough and get some real answers for a change and not allow FDA to side-step questions anymore…is it time to e:mail Sen Durbin again? I dont want this to continue with FDA any longer, we need to stop their rhetoric while we still can and quickly before its allowed to permeate the news.
Comment by Sandi K — May 3, 2007 @ 6:07 pm
Comment by Sandi K — May 3, 2007 @ 6:07 pm
I want to see the Pet Food Industry put back on the stand again for a progress report.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
CheriCat - info on taurine can be found in Pitcairn’s Natural Health for Dogs & Cats. “Wild diet about 25 to 50 mg and found adequate in most experimaental studies. If you are feeding raw diet, you may not need to worry since about 80% of taurine is cooked out of meat.
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 3, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
Felines without adequate taurine go blind or develop heart problems. Recent research also finds some breeds of canines can’t make their own taurine by combining various other amino acids within their bodies as well as once thought. So some dogs can have medical troubles if not getting enough taurine from outside sources. Pure uncooked meat (like freshly-killed mousies and birdies)provides purrfect amount of taurine catsf need. But as much as i love my cats, i don’t think i’m quite up to catching mice and fowl and bringing it home for them to kill. But i don’t want them to become taurine-deficient, either, from my home-prepared food. Sometimes i wish i were still blissfully ignorant and thought the top of the brands pet foods i was buying were fine.
Comment by CherCat — May 3, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
http://aw.prpn.com/?q=node/5124
LMAO! - “Monkey’s flew out of their ….”
ROTFLMAO!!!!
Comment by shelly — May 3, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
Since I really “feel raw” in a number of ways in the past 7 weeks, here’s some more info on raw cat food. Talked to the founder of Wildkitty today in Maine. She did her food trials here (I live in the SacCA area) at UC Davis. They air-freight on Tuesdays for Wednesday delivery in Northern CA. She has been working with a Northern CA distributor, so hopefully we will find her products soon in an indipendant pet food store.
This is day 7 on raw Fargo FarMore for the 15 yr old Maltese. She seems to feel better than she has in years!
Over the years, both my cats and dogs have eaten what I now consider “suspect” ingredients (we probably all have!), but are doing OK so far. They have never eaten the same food every day - much to my spouses chagrin, our pantry has always looked like a “COSTCO” of pet food. Learned my lesson in the 70’s when a cat went on a hunger strike when “his” food was discontinued.
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 3, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
Powerful video on Youtube. Caution..have a LARGE box of kleenex handy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKfSsEI9BMc
We need a few news networks to run this!!
Comment by msl — May 3, 2007 @ 6:32 pm
One place to get fresh home products is the local farmers markets that are held once or twice a week in most citys at least here in
Portland and Salem and surrounding towns.
Products have to be made or grown by the venders that sell them. With all the problems
with the food now, there will probably be more
chickens etc. You have to be licensed and
kitchens tested before you can sell food.
Comment by Cathy B Oregon — May 3, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
Cant wait for Nutro/Mars/Pedigree to fully come clean. Now with the merger I’m sure their blowing twice as much snow!!!!
Comment by Tidsy — May 3, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
Since I’ve heard so many good things about Orijen and I am lucky enough to have it available around the corner I picked up a bag yesterday…First of all it smells so good I wanted to eat it and my dog has turned into a lunatic for it. I can’t believe the ingredients in this stuff…and they manufacture it themselves…No outsourcing…all the ingredients are local to the company and they swear by it. I encourage everyone to check it out. I’m going to rotate it with the Canidae he is on now. Although he picked the Canidae out and spit it on the floor to get to the Orijen.
http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/about/
Comment by DaveyD — May 3, 2007 @ 6:40 pm
Folks:
I posted this link on another blog here earlier in the day, but think it’s pertinent to the above comments on melamine/cyanuric acid.
http://www.alibaba.com/showroo.....owder.html
Toggle down a little and on the left is melamine cyanurate avaiable as a white powder. I think there is certainly a real possibility that the scammers in China did more than add pure melamine into the food. They easily could have taken a surplus shipment of melamine cyanurate and dumped it in. Or any of the other powders on that page.
Comment by stephen — May 3, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Stephen,I notice that, they knew what they were doing.
Comment by Mary Ann — May 3, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
I sent an e-mail to Orijen over a week ago with some questions. I did not hear back and sent a second e-mail. I still did not hear back and sent a final e-mail. I will allow one more week then as I said in my last e-mail..:
“I am still waiting for a response. A non response will be considered as a negative reply. If your product is as good as you present it I would have thought you would be anxious to get the word out.”
The product sounds good but I had 5 questions I wanted answered first..so far no reply.
Comment by msl — May 3, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
What good is the ASPCA’s too little/too late advice for owners to check the websites of pet food companies? We have seen time and again web sites CHANGED to reflect different ingredient lists, different “reassurances” to consumers, etc. Some of the companies have said they themselves *did not know* what the ingredients were in their foods.
Helpful advice at this point from the ASPCA would be providing dog and cat food recipes owners can make at home. I understand Dr. Sundlof is in need of some recipes himself.
Comment by slt — May 3, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Comment by DaveyD — May 3, 2007 @ 6:40 pm
Hiya DaveyD!
You should see my dogs at meal time. Only for them, it’s Canidae they go nuts for. I can barely get the scoop out of the bag and into their bowls with them hovering about. No small feat when you weigh around 100lbs and you have two hungry male labradors frolicking about.
Strange how some like one brand, while others another, isn’t it?
Comment by Ally — May 3, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
Comment by stephen — May 3, 2007 @ 6:43 pm
Wow - if I was wealthy, I’d love to buy a bag of all those different melamine powders simply out of curiosity to see if any arrive in pink bags!
Comment by slt — May 3, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
The ASPCA’s advice would be sensible if pet food companies were forthcoming with pet owners about ingredient information. We can ask the pet food companies about their ingredients, but their answers seem to change daily (if we get a response at all).
Frustrating.
Comment by karen — May 3, 2007 @ 6:55 pm
Just viewed the Utube video. And this is only a small number. The real world includes all the cats sickened and out-right killed in feral colonies! Their numbers will never be known.
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 3, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
My fluff is loving his Pro Plan! He is diving for it as soon as it hits his bowl. He is so happy he changed!!!
Comment by Tidsy — May 3, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
Definitely some mouth-watering products they’ve got over there. I’m tempted to try the Melamine Urea Formaldehyde moulding compound. Menu’s probably got some extra laying around.
I think this news report is excellent as well. It really provides the atmosphere pervading Chinese agribusiness.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/424/story/51202.html
They actually got some of the Chinese workers and managers to talk to them. Here’s just the last 3 paragraphs…defintely recommend reading this thing.
“Last Friday in Zhangqiu, a fast-growing industrial city southeast of Beijing, two animal feed producers explained in great detail how they purchase low-grade wheat, corn, soybean or other proteins and then mix in small portions of nitrogen-rich melamine scrap.
Melamine is the new scam of choice, they say, because urea – another nitrogen-rich chemical – is illegal for use in pig and poultry feed and can be easily detected in China as well as in the U.S.
“People use melamine scrap to boost nitrogen levels for the tests,” said the feed factory manager. “If you add it in small quantities, it won’t hurt the animals.”
Comment by stephen — May 3, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Dear Msl,the youtube video was a real tear jerker.i can’t stop crying I’ve sent this OUT TO alot of news media outlets. GOD,so many pet owners lost a pet over GREED !!
Comment by Mary Ann — May 3, 2007 @ 7:08 pm
re: Comment by msl …Orijen
Just curious… What 5 questions did you want Orijen to answer?
Comment by DaveyD — May 3, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
Comment by karen — May 3, 2007 @ 6:55
“We can ask the pet food companies about their ingredients, but their answers seem to change daily (if we get a response at all).”
I wouldn’t believe a word they said, in print or verbally. They’ve shown that they are pathological liars ONLY INTERESTED IN PROFIT. My pet is dead, their credibility is dead. They will never get another dollar from me no matter what they say.
Comment by MFEMFEM — May 3, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
I sent Orijen an e-mail yesterday to tell them I just purchased their product and my dog loved it and they replied today… A guy named Peter Muhlenfeld… Of course I didn’t have any interrogating questions for them, only praise so that may be the difference.
Comment by DaveyD — May 3, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
If I was the Senate I would ask,
“Are you guys still using Chinese Ingredients since the last time we saw you here?”
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
The ASPCA is a good organization, but they’ve got to be kidding. The brand marketing companies have no idea where the ingredients come from. And with the AMI recall, apparently the brand marketers don’t even know what the manufacturers are putting in their food. The importers don’t know who’s actually making the stuff that’s being imported. So asking the pet food company will not get you anything near the truth.
I still can’t get over that guy at the FDA and his blather about making your own food. All I can think of is someone telling you you can’t make food for your family because it could be dangerous - but Spam - now there’s a complete, nutritious meal.
Comment by Andrea 2CatMom — May 3, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
WOW! While I was at the vets office, for the second day in a row, I see this mess got even worse! My maltese, Princess, is doing well. The vet does not think it was the food that made her sick, but still I am worried. They ran a lot of tests and her kidneys and liver tests were fine, but they found that she has inflammation in her intestines, and gas in her intestines & colon. She is also a little dehydrated. They believe it is a virus, and I had to leave her overnight so they could give her fluids & some antibiotics. I asked them why they were giving her antibiotics if it was a virus and the vet said it would help the inflammation. I just called to check on her and she is doing well…no more vomiting or diarreah and she was barking up a storm. In fact, I could hear her in the background, which made me miss her more and made me smile. She is a real diva! Also, they said if she is doing well in the morning they would give her some Hills I/D. I told them NO Hills!!! So, the vet said to make her a bland food with white rice and either chicken or ground beef. I said I would use ground beef! At this point it doesn’t seem to be the food, but still I’m concerned. Any advice is appreciated.
Comment by Bambi's&Princess'sMom — May 3, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
I switched my cats to Felines Pride raw http://www.felinespride.com. I have personal assurances from the owner, Shelby (who makes the food himself and has 21 cats) that all ingredients are from US sources. It comes frozen, you thaw and feed. If you can’t make your own for whatever reason (and not because the vets say we’re stupid) try a raw food that’s already prepared. Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins (see Expert Advice section on Howl911)recommends this to be as close to a home made diet as there is. During the transition period I cooked it just slightly to entice them and supplemented with canned Felidae.
Comment by Cathy — May 3, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
Re: ProPlan
I noticed at my small local feed store a sign on the shelf saying that certain “flavors” had been discontinued by the manufacturer. Not recalled, they just simply stopped making them. I can’t remember off hand which ones, but I made the comment to my daughter: “Oh, just stopped making it, or didn’t want to be involved in the recall? Yeah, right.” I will stop by tomorrow and see which flavors they discontinued, now I’m curious.
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
I’m following a recipe I got from BalanceIT and instead of buying their vitamin powder, I’ll be mixing my own from “people vitamins” per their instructions.
The list includes things like Caltrate, One-A-Day, generic Zinc, etc. and their listing has it broken down into such amounts as ‘3/8 tablet” of one or “1/2 tablet” of another (I have a 5 lb. dog). So I’m just multiplying it out until I find a factor that converts them all to a whole number of tablets. Then I’ll weigh the total, grind them all to a powder with a mortar and pestle I bought at the kitchen supply store, divide the total weight by the original multiplier I used to get full tablets, and use my gram scale (available from ktchen supply stores, office supply houses, and soapmaking suppliers among others) to weigh out each day’s allocation. (That SOUNDS a lot more complicated than it really is).
The choline was the hardest to find, but a local herbs and healing shop has ordered it in for me. Otherwise, I would have found it somewhere on the Internet.
Once my choline gets here, I’m ready to start counting and weighing and grinding, and I have to say it is SO nice not to be a bundle of nerves every day when I put his food down for him!
(And yes - I showed this recipe to my vet, and we WILL be doing a follow-up on my dog’s condition in a few months just to make sure this is working well for him.)
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 3, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
I know that Purina has discontinued their Pupply Lamb and Rice dry food.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
And Iams has quit selling that bottle o crud, whatever it was called, looked like vomit.
Wonder if any reports of it making pets sick were received?
Ah, those records have long gone to the shredder I am sure.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
TOP (The Other Pat) -
Let us know how all that works out for ya.
Comment by shelly — May 3, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
E.- which are you referring to exactly of the Iams?
Comment by shelly — May 3, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
It’s great that the ASPCA put out this release however I see two problems:
Only a very small percentage of pet owners will ever see this release.
They have to be living in a bubble if they think that one can find out where every single protein comes from. Not only are there layers of suppliers involved in these transacations but each month it can change due to availability of commodity.
It would be great advice were it truly attainable.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
So, is The Pet Food Cabal going to flip the bill for all the extensive veterinary care we are being warned to expect as the result of eating their products?
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
Purina buys their wheat gluten from China. I tried to look up Pedigree web site but could not access it.
Comment by Terry — May 3, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
5-Feb-07
Purina PetCare Tianjin factory, a subsidiary of Nestlé, comes into service today. The newly-built company, with an initial investment of CNY 80 million (€7.9 million), will be Nestle’s first pet food production base in China.
According to J.M. Mueller, president of Nestle China, the Tianjin-based factory won approval last April and started construction in June. Instead of cooperating with other package companies, the factory can produce pet food under Nestle’s brands like Dog Chow, Proplan and Friskies directly from now on.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
Want my opinion?
Nothings changed.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
My “neice”, a four year old healthy and wonderful boxer, died suddenly in August. At the time, the vet “assumed” it was cancer of some sort, but she was quickly (less than a week) beyond testing/treatment. Looking back, symptoms were exactly the same. No question in my mind about Pedigree…..should have been recalled a long time ago and this recall is not nearly encompassing the problem.
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Local news, FOX7, Austin, still reporting ‘a couple of pets have died’. I have sent them FDA notices and senate hearing notes…..
Comment by Deanna — May 3, 2007 @ 8:17 pm
Deanna -
I have been emailing local Fox (Lansing, MI) for a month (and all other local media). Get replies saying “What? we’ve been covering it!” Latest reply was an “auto-reply”. I think they are tired of me!?
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
Steve -
“Won approval”? How hard could that have been in China?
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
China thinks there big WTO big shots now.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
And New Zealand is not even going to wait for their pets to start dying! Good for them.
New Zealand was freaked out enough by reports of 16 deaths to really go “proactive” and inspect stuff from China. I think they have a better grasp of proactive and “for the people” there.
Hey I am glad that SOME government knows what they are paid to do even if it is not ours.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
shelly, do you mean just the grinding and the mixing of the vitamins, or the whole recipe thing?
I’ve started him on the recipe already. When the Chicken Soup scare hit (he was on Chicken Soup kibble) that was the last straw for me. Today marks his first full week on the BalanceIT mixture (currently supplementing with Missing Link, and will begin adding the vitamin mix described in the BalanceIT recipe when the choline arrives).
He LOVES his new food! (Ground up spinach, broccoli, carrots, celery and sweet potato in canola oil and flaxseed oil and - yes - chicken. That one is a head-scratcher) He is a VERY impatient doggie when “dinnertime” rolls around. Thinks he’s getting “treats” every day!
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 3, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
Nestle is based in Switzerland and opposed their own countries ban on GMO’s in Nov 05.
Basically they are a gaping jawed behemoth multi national.
Comment by Steve — May 3, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
Yeah, the news media have been *covering* it as in *covering it OVER* just like a cat *Covers* it’s business!
Comment by Mary Smith — May 3, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
ESB protein: lots of suspicions raised here about this. It is definitely crap!!
“Until a few days ago, Xuzhou Anying’s Web site stated that its products include wheat gluten and ESB Protein Powder, an additive for animal feed that artificially boosts the protein content. The company, founded in 1995, said that its “latest researched, developed and produced” ESB powder was “a new way to solve the problem of shortage of protein resource.”
“Don’t be fooled by those names. Whatever they call it, NPN, ESB … no matter how good they boast their products are … they are all the same, it’s still melamine,” said Zhang Huimin, president of Hebei Haojia Husbandry Co. in Handan city.”
Reports say pet food death toll exceeds 8,000
By Abigail Goldman and Don Lee, Times Staff Writer
7:22 PM PDT, May 3, 2007
Comment by Peggy — May 3, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
There’s 150 members and China was one of the three to join…they are years behind the rest of the world in clout.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
There’s 150 members in the WTO and China was one of the last three to join…they are years behind the rest of the world in clout.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
So how come IAMS and Eukanuba are the only two foods not updated on Menu’s recent recall? I haven’t bothered to call them to ask and their recall link is no longer on their front page. It is now under What’s New?
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
China is number one in the sneaky poison though.
I bet they have killed more than the Borgia clan.
Even the Borgias did not make the victims pay to eat the poison, nice touch!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
Given IAMS contentious relationship with Menu as of late, I’m guessing they wish they could get out of that contract.
Once I found out that IAMS was behind the recall, it became crystal clear why they separated themselves from Menu regarding the financial reimbursement to their customers.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
HMMMM……I thought ours was supposed to be “government for the people, by the people”? DUH, that’s right, it was secretly changed (press release to US “suppliers” only)to “government when we feel like, and when big corporations will allow it”……
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Aw, isn’t it sweet. Local 11:00 pm news closed with a story about a puupy and a duckling who have become best friends….IN CHINA! Warm fuzzies for CHINA. But still not a word of all the new/expanded recalls! The puppy and duck are only friends because they know they are both DOOMED!
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
I need to go to bed…very frustrated and angry tonight. Like the saying goes: “If you can’t say anything nice…” Sweet dreams all…but not like corn gluten sweet or anything!
Comment by PJ — May 3, 2007 @ 8:42 pm
msl - I think Orijen is a little behind on emails. I had sent one on April 14 just asking how many kcal in a cup of cat food - they just responded today. They were apologetic “not sure if you got a reply to this email so here goes….Please write again if I can provide further assistance, and sorry for the email mix-up.”
Comment by Jenny — May 3, 2007 @ 8:43 pm
Oh - and Peter Muhlenfeld was the person that responded to my email as well.
Comment by Jenny — May 3, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
today sucked — my cancer is back. Please hold me in your hearts tonight, my invisible friends….
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
oh, michelle so sorry to hear. I just said a prayer.
Comment by Jenny — May 3, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
That sounds real bad for Orijen, crappy customer service and can’t keep email records?
Where have I heard that before?
Another company off the list.
Well, it would be if I still thought any of them were worth looking into.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin.....d-Cow.html
Mad Cow Disease in Canada
Comment by shelly — May 3, 2007 @ 8:51 pm
E. - Have you heard anything about our postcards or Howl911?
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
Michelle,
My heart goes out to you. I hope things get better for you soon. I will hold you in my prayers.
(((((HUGS)))))
Comment by Bambi's&Princess'sMom — May 3, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Gotta love the ASPCA:
I see where the Iams site today says: the products CURRENTLY on the shelves are melamine free.
Eukanuba: asked about ingredients..all proprietary info. Besides which my dog is 11 yrs old..you know their kidneys go bad when they get old! Yep, one day their good,next day their bad.
Castor&Pollux: emailed them yesterday asking if they could “swear” the dog bones are safe - haven’t heard - didn’t even get one of those nice “canned” email messages from marketing.
I wrote my senators (one who is keen on getting into the White House)and congresswoman - no answers, but I gotta say, they didn’t immeadiately email me back and ask for a donation for their coffers either….
There are veternarians who still think it is only melamine,and still 16 dead. And some are getting “prickly”..
I feel like this is the Twilight Zone! Is it ever going to get better????
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 3, 2007 @ 9:01 pm
Jenny - thanks for the prayer, as bizarre as it sounds, the concept of “The Force” kind of works for me, I think we all share and draw strength from the good energy in all of us. It is much easier to fight with the energy of more than just one person. I will draw from your strength, and you can share mine when you need it. Sincerely, thank you.
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Just got this from Nutro:
Menu Foods Expanded Recall
Includes Three Nutro Wet Canned Cat Food Products
Menu Foods has announced an expansion of the pet food recall to include certain products that do not contain ChemNutra wheat gluten, but that were manufactured at Menu Foods’ facilities during the period in which ChemNutra wheat gluten was being used.
Menu Foods has expressed concerns of possible cross-contamination of certain products that were processed during the same timeframe as contaminated products. Three Nutro wet canned cat foods are included in this expanded recall even though these products do not contain wheat gluten or rice protein concentrate.
Nutro dry pet foods are not manufactured by Menu Foods and are not impacted by this recall.
From the beginning of these recalls through May 2, 2007, Nutro has received no consumer complaints regarding the products listed below.
While Menu Foods’ recall affects only certain production dates of these foods, in order to avoid customer confusion, Nutro is asking that all of the products listed below, regardless of date, be removed from store shelves and suggests that pet owners stop feeding these products to their pets.
The newly added products from Nutro include the following 3 oz canned wet cat foods:
Product Name Size UPC Code
Nutro Max Cat Gourmet Classics Kitten Chicken & Oceanfish
3 oz. 79105 38101 7
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Kitten Tuna & Chicken
3 oz. 79105 35204 8
Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care Kitten Beef & Chicken 3 oz. 79105 35203 1
A number of samples of these foods produced both during and after the time period referenced by Menu Foods (December 6, 2006 to January 24, 2007) were sent to an independent laboratory for analysis and no melamine was detected in any of these samples. However, out of an abundance of caution, Nutro is voluntarily participating in the recall of these three products.
For a complete list of Nutro products included in the recall, as well as further information about Nutro and
how its products are affected by the Menu Foods recall, please visit http://www.nutroproducts.com or call
1-800-833-5330.
Copyright ©2007Nutro Products, Inc. All rights reserved.
Comment by Cathy — May 3, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Pro Plan has not discontinued any items because of this recall that had NOTHING to do with the brand. Black helicopters turn around and go home.
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
News from South Africa
http://tinyurl.com/26enal
Comment by Lori Lee — May 3, 2007 @ 9:04 pm
Bambi’s&Princess’sMom, many thanks to you too. Today, I cried. Tomorrow I will have the energy to fight again.
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 9:05 pm
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
Not a word. At this point in time I am as “unaware” as an FDA assistant commissioner.
Clueless to several decimal places.
Investigations are ongoing and at this time my current belief is that either cross contamination, clerical error or the dilution factor may be involved.
That may change as we go proactive.
There are too many numbers involved for this to be covered in one post.
Numbers are so confusing!
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
Sorry, I had meant to give you the more current news from South Africa
http://tinyurl.com/yuk4lg
Comment by Lori Lee — May 3, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 9:08 pm
“Numbers are so confusing!”
Apparently, so is home cooking.
Comment by Ally — May 3, 2007 @ 9:13 pm
E. - I love your humor, I needed that laugh. Guess they could take off their shoes and socks for the higher math, LOL, but that would still only get them to 20………
Comment by michelle — May 3, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
Comment by Terry — May 3, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
I’m waiting on Pedigree too, but not holding my breath…
______________________________
Pedigree E-mail
I am still waiting for a reply as to your source for the ingredients listed in my previous mail attached. I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!!!
Deanna Huff
All emphasis is the ASPCA’s:
“Given the fact that there is new evidence of cross-contamination in ingredients that may have been considered safe prior to this news, we need to be much more aware of where the ingredients in our pets’ food are coming from,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, a board-certified toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), located in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill.
“We are strongly recommending that pet parents immediately investigate, via their pet food manufacturer’s Web site or by calling them directly, where the ingredients—specifically protein supplements—are sourced from.”
Note: forwarded message attached.
Forwarded Message [ Download File | Save to Yahoo! Briefcase ]
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 10:39:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: “Deanna Huff”
Subject: Re: PEDIGREE Brand Food for Dogs website.
To: pet.care@masterfoodsusa.com
Thank you for your reply.
Please provide the name your domestic source from which you are purchasing corn gluten.
It is possible THEY are purchasing from China. And just don’t tell me they are not. I want names.
I would also like the names of the forgein suppliers of rice protein and wheat gluten, even though ‘they are not linked to the recall’.
Thank you,
Deanna Huff
(included phone number and address)
===================
pet.care@masterfoodsusa.com wrote:
In response to your email regarding PEDIGREE Brand Food for Dogs website.
Thank you for your email.
The recent pet food recalls do not include any Mars Petcare US brands.
All of our brands, including PEDIGREE, CESAR, and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® food for dogs, and WHISKAS, SHEBA, TEMPTATIONS®, and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® food for cats, as well as our snacks and treats, are safe for pets to enjoy.
Mars Petcare US sources its corn gluten from domestic sources and not China, and its brands, do not include any rice protein or wheat gluten from the foreign suppliers linked to the recall.
None of our brands are involved in the recalls and all of our brands continue to be safe for pets to enjoy.
We want to make it very clear to pet owners that Mars Petcare US pet food brands are not involved in the recalls.
The safety and nutritional quality of our pet food is our top priority because for many people, their pets are their top priorities.
For details on wheat gluten, rice protein or corn gluten, please contact the US Food and Drug Administration at 1-888-463-6332 or visit its web site at http://www.fda.gov.
Tim Mengel
Masterfoods USA, a Division of Mars, Incorporated
Consumer Care Department
1-800-525-5273
DIRECT ALL E-MAIL REPLIES TO:
pet.care@masterfoodsusa.com
010161452A
Comment by Deanna — May 3, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
Michelle,
I’m crying with you. I am very sick most of the time, due to thyroid problems, RA, and many other health issues. I know what it’s like to be ill. I truly feel for you. It is our strenght and determination that will see us through, and our dear furbabies give us so much love to fight on.
Comment by Bambi's&Princess'sMom — May 3, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
Comment by Terry — May 3, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
Terry - This partial e-mail, auto response, I received from Mars regarding the recall ingredients.
The recent pet food recalls do not include any Mars Petcare US brands.
All of our brands, including PEDIGREE, CESAR, and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® food for dogs, and WHISKAS, SHEBA, TEMPTATIONS®, and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® food for cats, as well as our snacks and treats, are safe for pets to enjoy.
Mars Petcare US sources its corn gluten from domestic sources and not China, and its brands, do not include any rice protein or wheat gluten from the foreign suppliers linked to the recall.
None of our brands are involved in the recalls and all of our brands continue to be safe for pets to enjoy.
We want to make it very clear to pet owners that Mars Petcare US pet food brands are not involved in the recalls.
Comment by Deanna — May 3, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Feline’s Pride is sponsored by Martha Stewart. The same Martha Stewart that was in PRISON!!!! Coincidentaly for the same thing the Nutro guy did…… Are you sure this is still good?
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
Wow, two guys plugging brands slugging it out right here!
Pass the popcorn.
I swear I never heard a word that Martha poisoned pets but do tell!
Did she stealth spam blogs too?
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
michelle
Much love to you, kiddo. Hang in there and hold onto the peace within. We’ll keep praying for you.
Comment by Kathi — May 3, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
LOL
Name a pet food, any pet food - someone will find a reason not to use it.
Insane.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
The Nutro guy has been dismembered, put back together, dismembered and thrown in the blender for being “shady” and selling stock just before the recall.
Martha sold her stock and was sent to prison for insider trading.
Do you want to follow a convicted felon?
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
I bet Martha could come up with novelty pet food recipes, and they’d be visually appealing.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 9:47 pm
If an axe murderer made a decent pet food and was not a member of the PFI, at this point, I would give it a try.
Martha might be a felon but she has the taste not to hang out with the esteemed weasel Duane.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
Guess it all depends on who the felon is.
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
One honest axe murderer beats a pair o sleazes.
And almost anything beats Duane.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 9:54 pm
Martha was honest? Didnt she pull a bill clinton, deny deny deny…..
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:59 pm
I really think this all has to start with labeling. There’s no way this country is going to stop doing business with China - we’re too addicted to the WalMart syndrome of “low, low prices — no matter what!”
But there are some of us (a growing number, I’m betting) who would willingly pay a little more for a product that isn’t just “Made in the USA,” but can and will document that all its ingredients are grown and processed IN the US.
Maybe we should take a page from the organics market. A decade or two ago, they were written off as a bunch of kooks. Now, retailers have figured out they’re a small but profitable market - and are producing more and more goods to capture that market.
So what about a COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) movement? Forget the feds. They’re far too involved with - and more importantly, in debt to - China. (Why do you think they won most favored nation trade status?) We’ll all die of old age waiting for our leaders of either party take any real action to block China from our food supply.
What we consumers DO have power over is the market. If we could convince even one or two pet food makers that, yes, there’s money to be made off by giving us “paranoid pet people” what we want, then the market will follow.
Comment by Laura — May 3, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
I’m serious, folks, stop this crap now. Personal attacks have to end.
Comment by Christie Keith — May 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
How many hits of acid?
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Laura, only problem is at this point the percentage of paranoid pet people is very low.
I talked with my vet tonite and he said they have been running a lot of tests - just one round usually - and that there are still folks who choose not to run any cuz their cats seem fine.
And every person I work with who has a pet, except for one, is still using the same food they always do without a problem. They are aware of the situation but have for the most part been unaffected.
I have one guy whose dog was eating Authority and got sick. I recommended he switch him over to a different food, using BB as an example of a dry that doesn’t contain any of the problem stuff. He did that and within two days his dog was completely good.
So all in all, life goes on without a hitch for many.
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Re Martha
(Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 9:46 pm)
Umm, Don, Martha was one of the FIRST national media people to even talk about the pet food recall - she had an hour long show on it on her satellite radio station.
I’m thinking Martha might be all right on this one.
If you have a problem with a certain pet food, or if you’re trying to sell us something else, cut to the chase. If you want to talk crime or politics, try MSNBC or Kos.
Comment by Laura — May 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
WOW, hang on, gotta go get more popcorn. 8)
Comment by Kathi — May 3, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
Gotcha ,Christie, the product placement was a bit much for my taste.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
Michelle and Bambi & Princesses’ mom,
Just keep fighting - I know how tough it can get. I had a total thyroidectomy for cancer when I was 20 - 45 yrs later I’m still kicking and screaming about this current nightmare.
I believe our fur kids help us get through our problems. Now it’s our turn to help them the best we can. Hang in there.
Comment by Patricia Hill — May 3, 2007 @ 10:09 pm
I will agree to disagree. Every has differernt opinions. When stuck on an opinion, nothing can change it.
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
Kathy, Laura, can either of you explain to which guy from Nutro sold stock?
I thought it Weiner from Menu that got caught doing that, but maybe a closer look at the Nutro Mars deal is in order?
Insider stuff on that could queer the whole deal.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 3, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
I like Wysong’s new response to the recalls….I think they got my emails, bet they got all of your too :>). Wonder if they can block me from their website. It’s ok, I’m just a hysterical pet owner. Amazing what a little Haldol will do for one’s mental health.
Comment by joyce — May 3, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
I totally apologize, I meant Menu, not Nutro. I apologize.
Comment by Don — May 3, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
This is the first chance I have had to read Wysong’s new recall page.
Wow, have they taken a completely different stance on Menu than a few days ago!!
I don’t really care to read their entire statement - the length certainly lessens the impact and they have this strange need to explain themselves.
But their bullets - what a difference. I wonder if Menu will reply to their letter…
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
Yeah, I couldn’t agree more. There aren’t many of us. But everything starts small - the organics movement did, too. (And lest anyone think differently, I am NOT a shill for organic *anything,* though frankly, I’m becoming less skeptical about it lately!)
We have to remember, too, that while we’re glued to our screens for instant updates, the real world’s news cycle is substantially longer - it can take three to six months for the public to become aware of human food problems, which get tons of coverage, let alone pet food, which gets relatively little.
I think it CAN happen, but it’ll be a slow process via word of mouth, enlightened vets, blogs (THANK you, PC!), emails, etc. But if pet food makers get enough feedback on this, I guarantee they’ll start thinking about the profit possibilities inherent in the problem. For example, remember the days of non “dolphin-safe” tuna? How many years do you think it took marine wildlife advocates to get that message out? But now most major brands have adopted harvesting techniques less dangerous to dolphins, NOT because they care about them, but because heightened public awareness and tight competition eventually persuaded them that the price of better nets would pay off at the cash register.
This whole debacle (and could the media PLEASE stop calling it a “scare,” already?) has been an ugly education in the effects of market competition on producers. But I really do believe we can turn those effects to good use…even if it’ll take a long while and a lot of work.
Comment by Laura — May 3, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Laura, I honestly cannot tell which way this thing is going to lean. Each day brings a different perspective, a new dimension, a new player.
One way I can tell the TV coverage is still fairly low is because there are several opportunists (names withheld) in this country who jump on anything that will further their agenda and we’ve yet to hear a word from them.
But I guarantee that if and when this becomes a huge national story, they will surface. And then I’ll laugh at their transparent BS.
Funny how we gauge stuff, isn’t it?
Comment by Carole — May 3, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Fellow hippies and muckrackers!
Source: Free Article Directory
Dog Food Recall Explodes from Cross Contamination
http://tinyurl.com/2tfdhg
Comment by Moose — May 3, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
Me thinks Tidsy and Don are one in the same….both promoting ProPlan. I smell a mole.
Comment by Tammy — May 4, 2007 @ 12:08 am
Fellow hippies and muckrakers,
Does this one bother anyone?
>>2. Codex Alimentarius requires that all dairy cattle are to be given Monsanto bovine growth hormone by Dec. 31, 2009.
Comment by Moose — May 4, 2007 @ 12:36 am
About the My Pet Counts! Postcard Blitz… I sent an email to David Lazarus at Senator Durbin’s office asking him if they received many postcards. I figure that if they received a lot of cards, then the others on the list would have too. I’ll let you know what he says.
Comment by Marilyn — May 4, 2007 @ 1:10 am
Yeah and they both have the same personal attack syndrome. T was biting on me earlier. Started getting a little rabid, too. How long they been on here? Don’t think I’ve seen at least one before. 8)
Comment by Kathi — May 4, 2007 @ 1:20 am
Good!
Tell David to look for the postcard overlooking Washington, DC.
>> About the My Pet Counts! Postcard Blitz… I sent an email to David Lazarus at Senator Durbin’s office asking him if they received many postcards. I figure that if they received a lot of cards, then the others on the list would have too. I’ll let you know what he says.
Comment by Moose — May 4, 2007 @ 1:27 am
I don’t have any agenda ‘cept to love my biped and 2 quadpeds with all my heart.
Scotties both human and canine are sure unique!
My 3 favorite sayings re: animals. Pay especial attention to number 1.
1. ” Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ” ~ Margaret Mead
2. ” I am sometimes asked, ‘Why do you spend so much of your time and money talking about kindness to animals when there is so much cruelty to men?’ I answer, ‘I am working at the roots.’ ” ~ George T. Angell
3. ” The moral progress of a nation can best be judged by the way it treats its animals. ” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Comment by Pat — May 4, 2007 @ 1:31 am
A much needed break from all of this … positives required.
Comforting Words for those who are hurting…
http://tinyurl.com/38vpoy
May God Bless You as You Come and Go,
~ Pat, Neyll, and Mr. Moose
The Dunlap Clan
My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too! He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go, and always guards you.
Comment by Pat — May 4, 2007 @ 3:17 am
I wish that every pet owner would do a boycott against all pet food companys!!! we are making our own food, for our 2 dogs and cat. it is an inconvience, butI feel better , and i’m glad to stick iot to these companys!! hope they all go bankrupt!!!!!!!!
Comment by ann gates — May 4, 2007 @ 4:25 am
to the dunlap crew! thankyou so much for the wonderful inspirations on your website! every morning i wake up now i pray to mycreator and the creator ofmy pets for their protection and for the protection of all ofeveryones pets and all of us! thankyou for reminding us all to look up to our creator in this very scary situation!
Comment by linda k — May 4, 2007 @ 5:21 am
Much of the so-called “organic” produce in my supermarket comes from other countries. Organic is not the answer. How do you suppose USDA/FDA could check certified organic farms in other countries? I sure don’t trust them with my food safety.
COOL legislation is in the works now in congress, and we are trying to have it implemented by Sept. 2007. It has been a law since 2002, but the big packers and food conglomerates have lobbied congress to delay it except for fish. All fish is labeled with country of origin.
If all our food was labeled as to COOL, we could make a choice.
Comment by Elaine — May 4, 2007 @ 5:36 am
After reading countless pet food contents and websites about all sort of foods, the ONLY one that I could easily find out what our family wanted to know was thehonestkitchen.com
They have, in writing, 100% human-grade in their lit, and that they contain NO beet pulp, rice, wheat, corn or soy. Also, not produced in a pet food plant. If there are any “downsides” to their foods, it is a little expensive and does have to be mixed since it’s dehydrated, but those seem pretty small “problems” compared to the mess with most other brands. We’re in the process of switching two dogs and two cats over to their foods. Hope this might help anyone still scratching their heads as we were, on what to feed. I haven’t heard anything negative about them either, so we’re trying it. - Eileen
Comment by Eileen — May 4, 2007 @ 5:50 am
A poster on a board I frequent received the following email from Honest Kitchen about their ingredients. Given the fact that I learned Sojourner Farms (Sojo’s) gets all their fruits and veggies from China. the line below which reads “Our vegetables, fruits & herbs are sourced from several countries around the world” leaves me less than completely happy.
Anyway, here’s the email from Honest Kitchen:
“Our company purchases raw ingredients from several different suppliers, to insure a safe, reliable supply and to avoid shortages during drought or other situations that affect harvests.
All of our meats are 100% US origin and are raised in the Midwest. Our certified organic grains are also US origin, with the exception of Quinoa which is harvested from Bolivia. Our vegetables, fruits & herbs are sourced from several countries around the world, including the US, dependent upon seasonality, location of the best quality crops, and availability.
We work only with US owned and operated companies to source and process our raw ingredients. All post-harvest processing takes place in US owned & operated, and domestic facilities under USDA inspection for human foods, in accordance with GMP and a strict HACCP Quality Assurance Program.
Our vegetables & fruits are harvested at their peak ripeness. They are then carefully sorted, washed and dehydrated. All vegetables are tested for Standard Plate Count, Yeast & Mold, Coliform, E Coli and Salmonella. A Certificate of Analysis is issued for each & every lot. This entire process is completed by United States companies. All ingredients purchased by The Honest Kitchen are the same products that are used in a variety of human foods including soups and stews.
As we continue to grow, we have a strong focus on increasing the number of organic ingredients in our foods, and also transitioning to 100% certified humanely raised meats. We will accomplish these goals as availability improves and costs become more affordable.
Please let us know if you have any other questions - we are here to help!
Best regards,
Lucy
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com
Pet Food With Passion & Principles”
Comment by The OTHER Pat — May 4, 2007 @ 6:41 am
Followed the ASPCA advice (I have 2 cats of my own and just inherited one that I’ll pick up this weekend) and contacted Natura, maker of California Natural about where their ingredients come from and about when their own canning facility will be in production. Sent 2 emails without an answer yet… will post an update when I hear back from them. I hope I hear back soon. It’s making me nervous.
Comment by Cynthia — May 4, 2007 @ 8:24 am
I may be too stupid to make pet food (but I can write prescriptions, take care of patients, do procedures etc), but I want you to know that my dog’s coat is shinier and he has basically stopped shedding since I started making his food. That is of course, once he recovered from his Nutro-induced renal failure. Wish I could get my cats to eat it, they won’t even try it. All 3 of them turned tail and walked away….it was definitely cat-speak for something rude.
Comment by Joyce — May 4, 2007 @ 8:25 am
I switched to Felines Pride about 3 weeks ago with amazing results. No, I don’t work for them and have no connection whatsoever. I did my research on them, emailed the owner, Shelby, googled and Yahooed! all the info and never found anything related to Martha. The main reason I switched was Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins (Howl911 has her as an Expert Opinion)said it was as close to homemade as she could find. So in part I based my decision on Dr. Hodgkins recommendation.
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 8:32 am
I am not sure if this is the right spot to post this message, but my daughter’s friend’s cat just died a couple of days ago of kidney failure. Autopsy showed crystals in the kidneys. He had just bought a new bag of food over the weekend, started feeding her the food, and she was dead on Wednesday. It was a recalled brand that was still on the store’s shelf. I asked my daughter to get the name of the store because I’d like to post it someplace. The other problem is that many vets are still talking about transitioning from one food to another. It doesn’t sound possible if that poor cat died four days after starting contaminated food. It sounds like we can’t trust the stores or the manufacturers. I have been feeding my cats Newman’s Own Organic, but The Honest Kitchen sounds excellent. At this point I’m couponing on my own food to balance out the cost of the more expensive pet food. I’m sure a lot of people don’t have much money are horrified at the costs of the organics. But for me, I don’t see what other choice I have. I can’t afford organic food for me, but my cats get it.
Comment by Susan — May 4, 2007 @ 8:37 am
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 8:32 am
Can you ask Dr. Hodgkins to contact Nikki at howl911 and make sure all is well, everyone is worried and as the days go on getting more worried?
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Sure will. I actually know someone that has her phone number and I’ll ask her to call Dr. Hodgkins!
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 8:48 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Just got Dr. Hodgkins phone number and spoke to Susy, her assistant. Susy said she noticed the same thing about Howl911. Dr. Hodgkins isn’t in the office today, but Susy will get the message to her asap to contact Nikki. I asked Susy to also ask Dr. Hodgkins to post a comment on Pet Connection once she finds out what’s going on.
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 9:03 am
Comment by Nabiya — May 4, 2007 @ 9:03 am
Thanks,I know many have worried.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 9:11 am
In the letter from Mars/Pedigree, notice this paragraph:
Mars Petcare US sources its corn gluten from domestic sources and not China, and its brands, do not include any rice protein or wheat gluten from the foreign suppliers linked to the recall.
So, they do source rice protein and wheat gluten from China.
Comment by Paul — May 4, 2007 @ 9:23 am
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 4, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Agreed. Nikki’s disappearance is really freaking me out.
Thanks, Nabiya, for offering to check for us.
Comment by Ally — May 4, 2007 @ 9:24 am
I found the headlines for this topic somewhat encouraging, and am considering renegotiating treatment regimens with my vet.
I know you can not and will not prescribe treatments here, and I am not seeking that.
I know there is risk with increasing fluids beyond certain levels, hence I am going to negotiate with my own vet.
What I want to know is: Based on the “be patient and continue giving fluids” is, in general terms, how much fluids and how often…
If you don’t care to post a reply because someone *might* take it upon themselves to use that as their prescripted treatment, then use my e-mail: glathe@starqst.com
Though I would like to know the numbers when I talk to the vet, any additional vet info I can have her evaluate would be helpful. I have the ones already listed here, and she has been dedicating some time to keeping up, but I am pretty sure we are her only clients with a potential tainted food case… lucky for her, and for the neighborhood, I guess…
Comment by steve a — May 4, 2007 @ 9:42 am
Be careful of Wild Kitty. A lady posted last night about checking into Wild Kitty raw. They had a recall a couple of months ago due to salmonella I believe. I met these people at the Holistic vet conference in Louisville in October. I got some samples of the food to take home and try. None of my cats would touch it. Not even my feral cat.
One of my feline herd was effected by the tainted food. We used Iams pouches. Luckily, just an increased kidney value. Lots of SQ fluids and many, many follow up blood tests!
This is my first time posting on here. I would like to thank everyone for providing all the comments and facts. I check daily to see what’s going on. I’ve been in the animal business for over 13 years and I think I’ve learned more here.
Keep up the good work everyone.
Comment by Melissa E — May 4, 2007 @ 11:06 am
3. ” The moral progress of a nation can best be judged by the way it treats its animals. ” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Comment by Pat — May 4, 2007 @ 1:31 am _________
The above quote pretty much says it all…doesn’t it. Thanks, Pat. This is a most profound moral issue, and it is national.
We, as Americans, let this all slip up on us, as we were going about our busy lives. We used to be able to count on “those in power”…or so we thought…when we were blissfully “dumbed and numbed down”…as Steve described it.
This is an American and global crisis, and no one wants to call it that…except those, who are taking responsibility for their lack of awareness…those who have suffered needlessly at the hands of the morally deficient global corporations. How dare they do this to our most precious family members! How dare they do this to us…those who trusted blindly…those who believed in America!
I do not feel any food is safe at this time. No, it may not kill humans right away, but it may cause cancer, kidney disease, etc. Who wants to die slowly…who wants to think they are nourishing their bodies, while they are being poisoned? Our pets have already died, while we fed them foods we trusted…some faster than others. Some are still ill.
I am very angry, and I feel this is a national crisis. It is going to get worse, and if we do not continue to speak out…we are as morally deficient as those who are poisoning us. God help us!
I consider every single person, who is speaking out a hero…no slight thing. Praise God for all of you!
This bears repeating: “The moral progress of a nation can best be judged by the way it treats its animals.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Michelle and all those, who are fighting an illness, may the “Force Be With You.” May the Force (God) Be With Us All, as we continue to fight for our lives.
Comment by Pam Williams — May 4, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Our cat became ill diagnosed as “FLUTD” late August after we fed him food donated by a friend who’s cats got ill, puked and refused to eat. Their cat’s can’t eat much variety, so they try new foods, looking for something that works. So we didn’t have any concern when we accepted the food rejected by fussy, ill cats. The donated food was Iams and some other brands all ixed together. Crunchy had signs of urinary distress, including attempting to pee in the laundry hamper and struggling in the litter box. He had never previously made any mistakes. There was visible blood in his urine, leading me to question kidney stone or “crystals” and blockage. Tests for bacterial infection were negative. We rushed him off to the vet, thinking he was obstructed, but no obstruction was found and his bladder was empty when we arrived.
With administration of fluids, encouragement to drink water, and some pain medication for his distress, he got through this episode.
In the next month, he deteriorated for energy level, mood and interest in his toys. He also lot interest in going outside. He is a ferrel cat and he used to demand to go out as soon as night fell. He also stopped grooming himself. Previously, he immediately groomed after anyone touched him. He was fastidious and proud. In a human, one would describe his symptoms as depression or chronic illness. It was a dramatic and remarkable change in mental status in a middle aged cat.
We returned to the vet last month and brought “before” photos showing his attentive eyes, ears standing proud and his beautifully maintained fur. Photos in October showed a distressed furry gent with tired eyes and an empty stare.
Because of his remarkable and rapid change, and weight loss of 1/2 pound, our vet considered and tested for both feline AIDS and feline lukemia. Both tests are negative. Blood tests are unremarkable for calcium and phosphorous balance and urine was of satisfactory PH, but we weren’t given the results. We were told blood was “normal” but when we demanded a copy, eosnophils were high, out of range. We proactively dewormed him last month after this finding.
Our fur friend has improved over the last three weeks, once we decreased his feeding, tried to get him eating raw meat and eggs and anything other than his favorite hard food. This caused him a renewed interest in hunting mice. He’s a stray we took in who thrived on what he could catch.
He used to be really clever before all this. He had figured out how faucets worked, examined cabinets, tried to work lever door knobs and pretty well had a lot figured out. He was close to understanding how light switches work.
Even with his improvement, he is not as smart as he once was. He’s much less independant than before and frequently comes for comfort. That is totally out of his nature for him as a ferel cat. He used to be quite vocal if his food dish was getting low. Now he is less concerned. He’s more patient at the door. He used to come meow and show us he needed the door open to let him out. Now he just waits until we’re passing by.
I’m wanting to know about other side effects of this toxic stuff. I haven’t read much about pets who got past they dying phase. I want to know if other pet owners lucky enough for their fur friend to survive Menu Food and Iams, have observed mental decline even though current testing is “unremarkable”.
I also want to hear about those who have pets taken ill from pet foods prior to the recall.
Our vet is not connecting the dots. At our visit last month, I explained that if altering protein assesment with melamine was done starting November 2006, it had to be common practice earlier at lower levels and for a number of protein products and practiced prior to the recalls. She insisted it was “only wheat gluten” effected. She ranted the party line about commercial food being the only safe nutrition for our cat. I explained he had been a carnivore for most of his life and saw no reason to think a meat diet would be detrimental. Our vet was not up to speed and not thinking, even though she had attended cats who died consequent to this poisoning. Of course, food sales is a major part of recurring sales.
I have some of the food that made our cat ill in August. Is there anywhere I can get it tested for melamine?
Comment by Larry — May 4, 2007 @ 11:54 am
To the “other Pat” - read your info re: Honest Kitchen. Given the options out there, this one seems to be the best “bet”, like anybody wants to really have to “bet” on this! Since making one’s own pet food has it’s own problems, what the heck else is there to do? Between the chicken problem and the “import” problem with even the darned vegetables, fruits and grains in supermarkets (and I’m talking human food here), other than growing your own veggies and fruits, and raising your own poultry - and I’m not into hacking the heads off of chickens, that’s for sure - mercury in fish…and on and on and on it goes, let’s face it, the consumer is on the hot seat. This may sound simplistic, but the only sure-thing in this world is to put things into God’s hands and pray that it will all work out for the best. - Eileen
Comment by Eileen — May 5, 2007 @ 8:08 am
Is anyone having trouble with Eukenuba wet or dry? Both are made at the Menu Foods plant and I am concerned that I bought some product that was cross contaminated. My lab had her 1 year checkup a couple of weeks ago and her kidney levels are messed up. So I changed her food to Solid Gold. I’ll be taking her back for more blood work this week to see if her kidneys are functioning better now.
Comment by Pam — May 8, 2007 @ 5:39 pm