pet connection

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1. I’m reposting this because I don’t think anyone saw it from when I posted it last night.
   (Originally the link came into PetConnection via Itchmo on May 9, 2007)

   From: Food safety czar and rules of engagement May 13, 2007
   From the Contra Costa Times (Thanks, Mike):
   In this article regarding Melamine: “It has never been tested or approved for animal or human consumption.”
   I’d like to point out that it has indeed been tested on sheep, in 1966!, per the following article posted recently on the AVMA.

   http://avma.org/aa/petfoodreca….._sheep.asp
   Pet food recall [Print version]
   May 9, 2007
   Source:
   Clark, R. 1966. Melamine crystalluria in sheep. Journal South African Veterinary Medical Assoc., 1966, Vol. 37, pp. 349-351. CAB Record Number: 19671407708

   Melamine crystalluria in sheep
   The toxic effects of melamine given directly or in the feed to merino wethers were studied. A single dose of 100 g increased urea in blood from 28 to 315 mg per 100 ml for a period of 11 days. There was complete loss of appetite and excretion of urine ceased on the tenth day. When the sheep was examined post mortem on the eleventh day the tubules of the kidney were packed with crystals. Nephrosis and erosive abomasitis were seen also. Daily doses of 50 and 25 g killed the sheep after 7 and 9 days, respectively. In those sheep the blood urea was high just before death and post mortem crystals in the kidney tubules, nephrosis, haemorrhagic cystitis and acute typhlitis were seen. The dose of 50 g also caused ulcers in the abomasum.

   With 10 g daily one sheep did not die but 2 did so after 16 and 31 days. The 2 sheep which died lost appetite and stopped urinating 3 days before death and urea and creatinine in blood then increased sharply. There were crystals in the kidneys and severe oedema of the lungs.

   In another experiment volume of urine was reduced by offering water freely for 1 h on alternate days. Melamine was mixed with maizemeal and offered to 3 sheep to supply 7 g per sheep per day. All sheep survived for 6 weeks and there was no excessively high value for urea in blood. When daily intake of water was restricted to 600 ml much of the maizemeal containing melamine was refused but the sheep showed no ill effect. The production of white crystals on cooling, the appearance of a white deposit on the addition of picric acid and absorbancy of acidified crystals at 235 m micro indicated the presence of melamine in the urine of treated sheep. Melamine had no effect on pH of contents or motility of rumen and there was no sign of damage to liver.

   Do the results sound eerily familiar?

   I can only hope that it won’t be said anymore that Melamine has never been tested.
   I like accurate information if and when I can find it.
   Comment by SL — May 13, 2007 @ 11:18 pm

   I hope the FDA and/or USDA will make this information public. It needs to be told that not only dogs and rats have been limitedly tested, but sheep back in 1966 were tested as well.

   What do you think?

   Comment by SL — May 14, 2007 @ 8:09 am

2. Comment by SL

   Perhaps there is a way to email the FDA “Czar” this information. Then perhaps, he won’t be so quick to release the melamine fed fish, chickens and pork which IMO are unfit for human or animal consumption.

   IMO sheep are pretty large animals and based on the 1966 archive, it didn’t require much to take them down.

   It am truly grateful to all of you for your amazing research and information you provide. I find it sad that the govt. which is to protect us, is unable to do the same.

   Thank you to all who are working so hard at this!!

   Comment by PegH — May 14, 2007 @ 8:36 am

3. Try this email for Acheson: Dave.acheson@fda.gov

   Comment by shawn — May 14, 2007 @ 9:27 am

4. Thanks Shawn

   Will you do it SL?

   I will, if you want me to

   Comment by PegH — May 14, 2007 @ 9:29 am

5. Wow, a quarter million visits since the recall! I was actually wondering the other day about traffic on this site. Even though a lot of sites, like this, didn’t get a mention in the Nielson Report, the numbers are still impressive. I hope the PFI and FDA and other entities are taking note of that. People do think of their pets as family, not just ‘animals’. We do care about their well-being.

   Even more frightening, the tainted ingredients seems to be turning into a global ‘situation’.

   Comment by Deanna — May 14, 2007 @ 9:45 am

6. does anyone know what europe’s version of the FDA is called? I’m trying to find more info on the Germany and other European countries pet food issues. I felt “reasonably” ok feeding them food I knew was made here but now I’m slightly more worried. Thanks

   Comment by Paige — May 14, 2007 @ 10:05 am

7. Here’s a link to the NDR article at NDR Online (in German): http://tinyurl.com/39suxm

   An automated translation from Google: http://tinyurl.com/2uejha

   If you’re going to search for things in German, “Verseuchtes” == “contaminated”, “Tierfutter” == “Animal feed”, and “Melamin” == “Melamine”, at least according to the Google translation.

   Comment by Barry — May 14, 2007 @ 10:21 am

8. Paige, maybe something on the FDA’s site for International Organizations and Foreign Government Agencies will help?

   http://www.fda.gov/oia/agencies.htm

   Comment by Ally — May 14, 2007 @ 10:23 am

9. European Union - Food Safety

   http://europa.eu/pol/food/index_en.htm

   It’s part of the official EU governmental portal.

   Comment by Barry — May 14, 2007 @ 10:36 am

10. Here is Germany Cabinet Member:

    Horst Seehofer (CSU)

    Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

    http://www.bundesregierung.de/.....hofer.html

    Comment by Kat — May 14, 2007 @ 11:31 am

11. Here is a list of European newspapers:

    http://www.world-newspapers.com/europe.html

    Comment by Kat — May 14, 2007 @ 11:33 am

12. Some German translations:

    pet food = Hätscheln Sie Speise

    tainted pet food = Verdorbenen Tierfutter

    per: http://ets.freetranslation.com/

    Comment by Kat — May 14, 2007 @ 11:37 am

13. Quite interesting. According to the above mentioned article, Nutro has stopped all sales of their wet food products in Germany and they are instituting a recall. Hasn’t happened here… Nutro products continue to line the shelves in just about every pet food store you enter. Perhaps German laws are different than US laws when it comes to the safety of pets.

    Comment by Janet — May 14, 2007 @ 12:03 pm

14. I don’t get the Nutro angle either.

    I sure would hope Nutro didn’t do anything foolish, like say, send their recalled and returned canned products to another market, like Germany? And got found out?

    Otherwise, it means that they continued to feel free to use their contaminated ingredients in the product destined for Germany. How did the German government discover the problem or did Nutro recall food before govt. intervention there?

    Comment by TC — May 14, 2007 @ 12:26 pm

15. Re: Melamine Study in Sheep. I emailed the study to Sundlof and Acheson, also Senator Durbin when the article was first posted to the AVMA web site. And, the more people they hear from the better. I hope many people will write to them.

    Comment by Marilyn — May 14, 2007 @ 12:41 pm

16. I agree Marilyn — snow them!

    Just found this article, dated 5-1-07 from S. Africa re: concern over people food contamination:

    …”Melamine alone is not believed to be toxic. But a study by Brent Hoff, of the University of Guelph in Canada, has shown that the chemical was being mixed with cyanuric acid, another nitrogen-rich compound that spikes protein content, with deadly results.

    “They are both essentially non-toxic, but they combine in the kidneys, where they form a compound called melamine cyanurate.

    “And melamine cyanurate is bad news because it forms big crystals, it destroys the kidneys and kills the animals,” Reyers said. “It took us a long time to catch on because they are two relatively innocuous compounds. The only reason we’ve had a major outbreak now is that they happened to get the wrong combination.”

    Humans could be in danger too, he added: “There’s no reason to believe the protein- spiking additives are limited to pet food, but the government is ignoring this dangerous possibility.

    “I worry that in the US and Australia, the government agencies are up in arms. In South Africa, I have seen no evidence of any government agencies getting excited,” said Reyers.

    While melamine is considered non-toxic to humans, it has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats when given in high concentrations. It may be carcinogenic in other pets and humans, he added.

    The SA Veterinary Association is polling vets to determine the magnitude of pet illnesses and deaths. About one-fifth of vets have responded to the poll and they reported 25 deaths; 70 ill pets treated and discharged; 64 still on treatment; and 179 ill but unable to receive treatment.

    Royal Canin, maker of Vets Choice Premium Dog Food, recalled its products on April 12, blaming melamine additives for pet deaths and illnesses. For unknown reasons, most of the affected dogs were in Gauteng. Cats do not appear to have fallen ill in South Africa.
    “…

    http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.....595C200510

    Comment by Kat — May 14, 2007 @ 1:00 pm

17. It appears to my Nurse’s mind, that even if we cook for our pets, we are using food for humans, and it is all contaminated. So, now what?

    As a Nurse, I have over the course of years have questioned the as I call it epidemic of stones and kidney diseases. I also tie it to autism, alzeheimer’s and attention deficit disorder, I do not attribute it entirely, but, a good portion to these maladies.

    Sandi
    Massachusetts

    Comment by sandi — May 14, 2007 @ 2:43 pm

18. Do y’all know when this supposed recall in Germany took place because we went to the pet store on Saturday and there wall Nutro at 2 different stores. I too wanna know why in the he** Nutro has recalled all their products but only a few in the U.S. Where did this food come from and did they try to pull a fast one passing the poison off to someone else.

    Comment by Tammy — May 15, 2007 @ 1:16 am

19. “Nutro recall food before govt. intervention there?”

    Yes, Nutro recalled before any gov. in Germany.
    Also, our media is still sleeping well :-(

    Comment by Munkel — May 15, 2007 @ 3:57 am

20. Try this email for Acheson: Dave.acheson@fda.gov

    Comment by shawn — May 14, 2007 @ 9:27 am

    That email bounced. Good try & logical.

    Comment by Kat — May 15, 2007 @ 7:17 am

21. Quote:
    Some German translations:

    pet food = Hätscheln Sie Speise

    tainted pet food = Verdorbenen Tierfutter

    per: http://ets.freetranslation.com/

    Comment by Kat — May 14, 2007 @ 11:37 am

    I’d rather translate it like
    pet food: Tierfutter or Haustierfutter
    tainted: verdorben, verseucht, vergiftet
    tainted pet food: verseuchtes Haustierfutter
    recall: Rückruf

    HTH

    Comment by MaKo — May 15, 2007 @ 8:52 am

22. That is on the German Nutro web site
    http://www.nutro.de/start_haupt.htm

    Pressemitteilung

    Letzten Monat wurden gewisse in Nord Amerika durch die Firma Menu Foods hergestellte Nassprodukte für Hunde und Katzen freiwillig zurückgerufen. Menu Foods ist ein Vertragsproduzent welcher Dosen und Beutelfutter für Nutro und viele andere Tiernahrungsproduzenten in USA herstellt. Der Rückruf wurde initiiert nachdem Tiere erkrankten und diese Erkrankung auf einige Chargen von Weizen Gluten, eine weit verbreitete Zutat in Nassfutter, welches aus China importiert wurde zurückgeführt werden konnte.

    ‘Press Release

    Pressemitteilung

    Last month there has been a voluntary recall of several wet pet food manufactured by Menu Food. Menu Food is a contractor manufacturing canned and pouched pet foods for Nutro and many other pet food companies in the USA. The recall was initiated after animals got sick, and the sickness has been traced back to some batches of wheat gluten, imported from China.’

    Ursprünglich teilte Menu Foods mit, dass nur Produkte mit einem Herstelldatum zwischen Dezember 2006 und März 2007 betroffen seien. Nutro und seine Distributeure haben daraufhin basierend auf Einfuhrdokumenten und anderen Informationen festgestellt, dass keine betroffenen Produkte je an Handelspartner ausserhalb Nordamerikas geliefert wurden. Ein internationaler Rückruf war damit nicht notwendig.

    ‘Initially Menu Foods reported that only products which have been manufactured between December 2006 and March 2007 were affected. Nutro and it’s distributors concluded, based on importation papers and other informations, that no affected products ever went to partner companies outside North America. An international recall was therefore not necessary.’

    Zwischenzeitlich jedoch teilte Menu Foods in den vergangenen Tagen mit, dass sie die Rückrufaktion auf weitere Produktionschargen ausdehnen werden. Trotzdem nur einige wenige zusätzliche Produkte von diesem Rückruf betroffen wären, hat sich Nutro zur Verhinderung von weiterer Verwirrung und zum Schutz der Tiere dazu entschieden, ALLE Nassfutter welche für Nutro durch Menu Foods hergestellt wurden und welche Weizen Gluten erhalten aus dem Markt zu nehmen. Diese Massnahme soll der entstandenen Verunsicherung beim Konsumenten abhelfen und unsere Tiere schützen.

    ‘In the meantime, though, Menu Foods disclosed during the last few days that they will expand the recall to further production batches. Even though only a very few additional products are affected by this recall, Nutro decided, in order to eliminate further confusion and for the protection of the pets, to remove ALL wet foods processed by Menu Foods for Nutro and which contain wheat gluten. This action has been taken to eliminate the growing confusion of the consumer as well as for the protection of our pets.’

    Aufgrund dieser Entscheidung hat Nutro alle internationalen Distributeure aufgefordert, alle Auslieferungen der betroffenen Produkte zu stoppen und eine Rückholaktion im Handel einzuleiten.

    ‘Based on this decision Nutro called upon all international distributors to stop any further delivery of the affected products and instigate a recall.’

    Alle von dieser Rückrufaktion betroffenen Produkte, welche zurückkommen, werden 100% gutgeschrieben. Konsumenten sollten die Produkte an den Fachhändler zurückgeben und alle Handelspartner sollten den Bestand an Nassfutter an ihren Distributeur zurücksenden.

    ‘All products affected by this recall which are returend will be 100% refunded. Consumers should return these products to the retailer and all retail partners shall return their stock of wet food to their distributors.’

    Der Menu Foods Nassfutter Rückruf betrifft in KEINER WEISE Nutro’s Trockenfutter. Nutros Trockenprodukte werden nicht durch Menu Foods hergestellt und enthalten kein Weizen Gluten. Nutro’s Trockenfutter und Biskuits, welche weit über 90% der durch Nutro vetriebenen Tiernahrung darstellen sind nicht von diesem Rückruf betroffen.

    ‘The Menu Foods wet food recall does IN NO WAY concern Nurto’s dry foods. Nutro’s dry pet food products are not manufactured by Menu Foods and contain no wheat gluten. Nutro’s dry foods and bisquits(cookies? treats?) which constitute more than 90% of Nutro’s pet foods (literally: pet foods which are being distributed by Nutro) are not affected by this recall.’

    Für weitere Informationen kontaktieren Sie bitte den lokalen Nutro Distributeur.

    ‘For more information please contact your local Nutro distributor.’

    ———- that is the text in the yellow-background recall information.—————-

    If you scroll below there, you will find these two jewels of marketing speak:

    Alle NUTRO®-Erzeugnisse werden bei NUTRO® PRODUCTS INC. in Kalifornien, USA, hergestellt.
    Und das schon seit über 80 Jahren.

    ‘All Nutro products are being manufactured by Nutro Products Inc in California.
    And that for more than 80 years.’

    and the second one:

    Unsere Philosophie dazu ist ebenso einfach wie wirkungsvoll: Losgelöst von einseitigen Betrachtungen der Rohstoffkosten werden nur ausgesuchte, ja erlesene Zutaten verwendet. Vielen Herstellern geht das preislich zu weit, die Herstellung entsprechender Produkte wird ihnen schlicht zu teuer. Aber wirklich gutes Futter -vielleicht das Beste weltweit- kann man nur aus Qualitätswaren wie z.B. feinem trockenen Geflügelfleisch, wertvollem getrockneten Lammfleisch, gutem Reis und edlem Sonnenblumenöl produzieren.

    ‘Our philosophy to that is as simple as it is effective: detached from one-sided price considerations of the raw materials only choice, well, exquisite ingredients are being used. For many pet food manufacturers this is a step too far, the manufacturing of products like that is simply too expensive in their eyes. But really good pet food - perhaps the best worldwide - can only be produced by high quality ingredients like fine dry poulty meat, precious dry lamb meat, good rice and exquisite sunflower oil.’

    If the whole recall scandal would not be so tragic, I probably would be laughing for the next 12 days over that….

    Comment by MaKo — May 15, 2007 @ 9:35 am

23. I hope the FDA and/or USDA will make this information public. It needs to be told that not only dogs and rats have been limitedly tested, but sheep back in 1966 were tested as well.

    What do you think?

    Comment by SL — May 14, 2007 @ 8:09 am
    ************

    A few days ago, I blanketed the gangs at FDA, USDA, & FSIS about the 1966 sheep-melamine study and reminded them that when they do a “review of the literature” to see what published research is available on the risks of melamine consumption that they are supposed to report ALL studies, whether or not the study findings agree, disagree, or “fit” the hypothesis. I suggested a refresher grad class in doing a literature review. Now, let’s see, why would the FDA not mention the sheep study…. Hmmmm..

    Rats seem less like people…don’t they, miniscule in comparison and maybe weighing a half to one pound — whereas the average male sheep weighs 150 - 200 pounds, more human size, wouldn’t you say…?

    I also suggested the “Accumulation Factor” as a talking point now that we have contaminated chicken, pork, farm-raised fish, and who knows what else, rather than the “Dilution Factor” that is continuously promulgated.

    Thank you to the person who first posted the list & emails of these officials. (I have them in my “contact list.” We pay their salaries. We should let them know what we think. They are talking to the most educated population in our entire history, yet they converse as if we were stupid. Call them on it.

    Here you go for a list of FDA, USDA, & FSIS officials:

    andrew voneschenbach andrew.voneschenbach@fda.hss.gov

    bernadette dunham bernadette.dunham@fda.hhs.gov

    daniel mcchesney
    daniel.mcchesney@fda.hhs.gov

    david acheson
    david.acheson@fda.hhs.gov

    david elder
    david.elder@fda.hhs.gov

    diane van
    diane.van@fsis.usda.gov

    janicecarpenter
    janice.carpenter@fsis.usda.gov

    julie zawisza
    julie.zawisza@fda.hhs.gov

    Kenneth Petersen
    Kenneth.Petersen@usda.gov

    lisa wallenda picard
    lisawallenda.picard@fsis.usda.gov

    michael rogers
    michael.rogers@fda.hhs.gov

    Mike Johanns
    Mike.Johanns@usda.gov

    stephen sundlof
    stephen.sundlof@fda.hhs.gov

    Comment by petlover — May 15, 2007 @ 10:52 am

24. Today I was almost all day searching the internet for toxicological studies on Melamine - and found *almost* nothing.

    I went through tons of German sites in hopes that they have other (or newer) studies, and all I could find were those 1945 studies with rats - all the toxological evaluations came up with more or less ‘Not Toxic’, or ‘minimal risk’.

    The problem as I see it is
    a) those toxicological evaluations are old. Really old.
    b) Due to the relative harmlessness of these old evaluations nobody took a good look at melamine.
    c) *we* know that melamine (especially in combination with cyanuric acid and probably other components) is highly toxic to cats and dogs, and there is a good chance it is highly toxic to other mammals, too.
    d) we have no idea how to get those spontaneous crystals out of a pet’s body, how long they stay there, what the dilution rate is etc etc etc.

    In light of the fact that we all are probably accumulating melamine in our bodies and are ticking bombs, waiting for that cyanuric acid component to arrive, I would vote for an extensive study of melamine.

    Oh, and this study should be done by an independent university - I wouldn’t mind if it would be outside the USA. Grant money is a persuasive factor.

    Comment by MaKo — May 15, 2007 @ 3:04 pm

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