Beware of blog: The Internet, pet-lovers and the recalls
By Gina Spadafori
May 21, 2007
The Los Angeles Times’ Abigail Goldman writes about the impact of Web sites and Web blogs on the pet-food recall:
The pet food scandal has transformed once-obscure websites about litter boxes and doggy breath into poignant memorials to beloved companions — and hot sources of muckraking reporting. Bloggers and owners of sites such as Itchmo, Pet Connection, Howl 911, The Pet Food List and Pet Food Tracker have been deluged by millions of pet owners who are grieving or railing or both — and digging for answers.
Their online barking is being heard in Washington’s halls of power, including the Food and Drug Administration and Capitol Hill. They have the numbers to howl loudly: Americans own 73 million dogs and 90 million cats.
Just after releasing a letter to the FDA asking for a report on its pet food investigation, Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) sent it to six pet websites that have closely followed the issue.
Durbin’s staffers have posted information on pet blogs and solicited pet owners online for ideas about new legislation. Those suggestions later made their way into an FDA bill amendment sponsored by Durbin, calling for stricter production and labeling standards for pet food, the senator said.
[...]
The pet food campaign has the hallmarks of other big blog-driven news stories, with dedicated crews of site owners highlighting, commenting on and linking to media reports and official statements. The bloggers dig out and post documents, such as the FDA’s missive advising that pregnant investigators not examine human foods that the FDA has said repeatedly are safe, and they e-mail reporters, government officials, company executives and anyone else who might have a part in the story.
The rest is here (registration required).
Update: The article also notes:
The FDA says it has logged about 4,100 consumer reports of pet deaths, though the number could grow as the agency makes its way through a backlog from more than 21,000 total calls. That tally, covering a two-month period, is at least three times what the agency usually gets in a year, a spokeswoman said.
Update again: I just can’t tell you how relieved I am to see people making the connection between the death of our pets and the threat to our national security. From Business Week:
If present trends continue, within the next decade or so it appears certain we’ll undergo a major biological attack that could kill or injure millions of U.S. citizens. Our centralized distribution networks and global sourcing make us uniquely vulnerable.
A virulent disease carried by airline passengers or passed through our food distribution network virtually guarantees the nationwide spread of the attacking biological agent within a matter of days. We’ve already previewed such an event last summer with the spinach E. coli outbreak, and the more recent rash of pet deaths caused by melamine adulterated feed from China. Don’t you worry that it took months to backtrack those poisonings to their source?
Imagine a world in which you couldn’t trust the food you eat, the bus you ride on, or the hand you shake—no matter where you live, no matter how far you run. A biological attack, much more devastating than a nuclear bomb, could set America back a decade.
It’s scarey as all get-out. Read it anyway.
Final update: I’ve added a scan of the picture from the L.A. Times. That’s me, with a couple of the dogs, the kitten and the parrot hiding behind my shoulder. Now you all know why my office was so clean! Here’s a bigger version.
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It’s wonderful to see recognition of all the work done by so many people to keep these issues alive and on the radar. Kudos, folks!
Comment by Lin52 — May 21, 2007 @ 5:59 am
I was just about to send this article! No registration required at:
http://www.latimes.com/busines.....crosspromo
Comment by CathyA — May 21, 2007 @ 6:20 am
Wow very good! But excuse me, I think there is a problem. This article made it sound like we pet bloggers are rather intelligent and rather than “over-the-top” as Doo-uane would like everyone to believe, we actually might be bringing to the surface some very good points and issues…….I think there must be a mistake, afterall, we are just silly bloggers. Excuse me, while I go cough up this hairball.
Comment by Sandi K — May 21, 2007 @ 6:28 am
Wow, wow, WOW.
One of THE best starts to a day I’ve had in some time. Recognition indeed! Christie, Gina, Ben, Kim, Therese, Nikki & ALL who’ve slaved away bringing this story into the glaring light (including bloggers!), you deserve your moment in the sun and then some. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all the lives you’ve helped saved!
FINALLY. Our voices are being heard & recognized for the conviction & power they contain. WHOOHOO!!! May the force continue to strengthen and grow!
Comment by Ally — May 21, 2007 @ 6:30 am
The cool thing about this L.A. Times article is that it appears to be the feature story in the business section:
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/
Congratulations!
Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 6:37 am
Thanks for all the tremendous work you have done and continue to do through your website with regard to the recall. You have provided information with the live blogs of FDA press conferences, guided us with important articles and also shared your knowledge and opinions.
You have also given us an opportunity and a medium to get involved and do something good for our pets. Thank you for your diligence and time in covering this never-ending crisis. Comments from people on this blog challenged me to get involved, so I very much appreciate your hard work.
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 6:44 am
And in more good news, the public may finally be getting it. Confidence in food safety down to 66% - the lowest it’s been since 1989 in the apples & alar issue:
http://www.fairviewobserver.co.....321/MTCN06
Comment by CathyA — May 21, 2007 @ 6:56 am
I had sent an e:mail to Alibaba last night asking them to remove Binzhou Futian Biology Tech Co Ltd from their trading website as the products they sold led to the death of thousands of U.S. pets. Got a reply back this morning saying they do control the products in accordance with our Product Listing
Policy. Our listing policy about gluten is in accordance with the Convention on International Trade. And if I have any doubts about their policy, I can contact their legal Dept…..guess I must have hit a nerve. Excuse me, I just cant seem to cough up this hairball this morning, kaff, kaff!
Comment by Sandi K — May 21, 2007 @ 7:00 am
We will not be be silenced and I’m sure all of us are determined to do what we can to change the food import system.
The pet food contamination has awakened a sleeping giant——people are outraged to find out the scope of the unsafe food entering this country.
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 7:03 am
That article brought tears to my eyes…..all of you should be proud. I haven’t done a whole lot except read, make a few comments here & there & send off a few emails. It’s all of you who have made a huge difference.
I don’t even remember how I found Pet Connection, Itchmo or any of the others but I’m thankful that I did. All of you are terrific detectives & some of the stuff you have dug up has blown me away. I have learned so much from you, you have made me smile on days I felt I had nothing to smile about & have kept me up to date on the “latest” recalls. Oh my, will they ever end?
Christie with her bad wrists & live blogs (bless you for that) & Gina with her sense of humor…..kudos to both of you. You have kept us in the know on all aspects of this fiasco.
I hope we all remain buds on these blogs because I have enjoyed your comments & links. My thanks to all of you for a job well done. Oh, & Hannah says thanks, too.
Comment by JanC — May 21, 2007 @ 7:05 am
In the story below, it seems that nasty bloggers are costing China some business and “terrifying” the food industry. Good work!
http://www.truthabouttrade.org/article.asp?id=7575
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 21, 2007 @ 7:07 am
P.S. I am one of the “hysterical” & “off the charts” bloggers……& damn proud of it!
Comment by JanC — May 21, 2007 @ 7:07 am
Thank you! Finally recognition that is well deserved. Like JanC, I do not remember the trail of events that led me to you, Itchmo and other valued and informative sites and info, For months now, you are my daily routine. What is a washer and dryer, a vacuum? I have been drinking too much, though (LOL). When is the next press conference? I’m going through DTs!
Comment by elliott — May 21, 2007 @ 7:11 am
Elliot,
Me too! I have always been politically active on the issue of food safety and have worked within organizations I belong to on COOL.
Therefore I was aware that our government agencies were working for the big transnational food companies and weren’t protecting our food supply.
But I didn’t realize just how bad it was! The lies and spin to cover for the big companies are almost unbelievable.
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 7:19 am
Exceptional! I sent Abigail an email — THANKS! And, THANKS Pet Connection, Itchmo, et al - for allowing all of us - a “space” to voice ourselves!!!!!
Too bad we can’t say it’s been fun & “see you later” and it all be over with….
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 7:21 am
I have been avoiding produce from Mexico for some time (if you can’t drink the water or eat fresh produce while in Mexico, why would I want to eat it here?)
But I realize most tequila comes from Mexico, and I can see some bloggers need the tequila and the worm, to get thru the press conferences! :>)
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 7:23 am
Kat:
What a wonderful thought to email Abigail!
Thanks for the idea & I’m off to follow suit! :)
Comment by Ally — May 21, 2007 @ 7:29 am
Kat, you’re right. We can’t just say “see ya later” and quit on this. Most of us have an added duty each day, which is to follow this story with the excellent sourcing of the bloggers, and then work to change the status quo.
Like Elliot says, it takes precedence over mops and brooms etc.
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 7:43 am
Congratulations!!! Thank you!! Off the charts!
My sister coined me yesturday “family food safety liaison”, which could only have been
earned through logging on to petconnection after my dog died. Morning and night, reading blogs and every link that bloggers post until my eyes hurt. I have cried, laughed, been enraged, learned (too much in the PFI opinion), contacted goverment officals, the media and will not stop until I feel this whole mess is resolved.
We all gotta eat.
United we stand. Thanks to all involved, that we are able to unite through these web sites in record numbers and our voices are being heard.
CNN Dr. Sunjay Gupta did a great job reporting on the food safety in our country. I was stunned as they toured the three rows of the field were the ecoli came from and that it was simlpe enough to have figured out. A wild pig trail cut right across the field, sided by a creek and a cattle ranch. The FDA “talking head” implied having the right field investigators in the right places at the right times is a problem. Understatement of the year.
As I sobbed breathlessly through the piece on the sick little girl I thought she might like a “pile o’ stuffies”?????
Comment by Maudigan — May 21, 2007 @ 8:05 am
Congratulations, PetConnection, on FINALLY being recognized for your hard work and truth in reporting. Congrats to Itchmo too! You have been invaluable to those of us who have been affected by the recalls…and who hasn’t been affected? You are an inspiration to us all.
Comment by Ann Jackson — May 21, 2007 @ 8:05 am
I just wanted you to know that when I click on blog it kicks me out. I have tried IE& and it does the same thing. I have to get in the blog another way.
Comment by Jill — May 21, 2007 @ 8:12 am
I mean IE7 does not work for me either.
Comment by Jill — May 21, 2007 @ 8:12 am
Bravo, brava, and deepest appreciation of the magnificent effort over the past two + months here. For the lives that were saved, for the grief turned into action, and the detective work of a thousand simultaneous online Miss Marples, thank you.
And now, unfortunately, the work goes on..
Comment by Empress 60 — May 21, 2007 @ 8:20 am
I just found this posted by Steve over at Itchmo. Does anyone know what this is about? Pls tell me this isn’t yet another new recall:
May 21, 2007
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the expansion of a voluntary dry pet food recall initiated by Chenango Valley Pet Foods.
The original recalled foods, sold under various brand names, were manufactured with a shipment of rice protein concentrate that was possibly contained with melamine — a chemical used to make plastics and fertilizer.
The FDA said the Sherburne, N.Y., company has expanded the recall to include various pet foods that don’t contain the rice protein concentrate but that might have been cross-contaminated while being processed in the same factories.
Comment by JanC — May 21, 2007 @ 8:23 am
Bow Wow and Yppie - i - aaaaaa Pet Connetion. Gina and Christie and all the sluething bloggers have done a bang up job and now the world knows it too! Oh, pesky blog sites hounding away at the truth - nothing could be nicer on a Monday Morning!
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 8:42 am
Quote:But I realize most tequila comes from Mexico, and I can see some bloggers need the tequila and the worm, to get thru the press conferences! :>)
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 7:23 am
Elaine,
alcohol is a *wonderful* disinfectant
:)
Comment by MaKo — May 21, 2007 @ 8:48 am
That recall is the FDA finally getting around to posting what the the “off the boards” bloggers had last week.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 21, 2007 @ 8:55 am
JanC,
That’s an expanded recall that was announced on Thursday last week. Here’s the FDA release about it: http://tinyurl.com/2f8kjs
Comment by Therese — May 21, 2007 @ 9:00 am
Elaine,
I volunteered helping the farmworkers here in California and our fields and crops might be a little better but not much. The farmworkers do not have access to proper bathroom facilities, yes even today, or good healthcare even though we hear how they are overloading our hospitals. That was not what I discovered and helped to bring in volunteer doctors to treat the sick in the fields. The run-off from the chemicals and crop dusting go into the water supply and the women and children who work in the fields, men too, get sick from it.
My husband at the time, an attorney, represented the farmworkers in a big law suit, pro bono by the way, and won a judgement against the State of California, for the State violating the rights of these legal, green card carrying farmworkers.
And I can’t site a newspaper article because I learned about the state of our crops by walking the fields and listening to these Mexican workers. None of it is pretty and we can focus much on China but the United States is wrought with problems also.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 9:12 am
There is a head exploding FDA media event tomorrow and if the pattern holds, the FDA will say that there are no further recalls. As well as a bunch of butt covering non answers to questions or outright refusals to use “math” or numbers.
During the FDA media “big lie spinfest” and for several hours just after there are usually several recalls, expansions or voluntary withdrawals.
Unless they wait until Friday for a drop and run.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 21, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Also, fighting for justice is not an easy deal. When my “ex” took on this big civil suit, there were several other attorneys in town that also wanted to volunteer and help, but were told by their big law corporation employers - “no way” would they fight the State.
Trying to gain public sympathy and support and then the legal strength to persuade our government to cooperate and change policy is very difficult - how well we know that.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 9:23 am
“Before she left Beijing, Wu served notice that China is not about to be pushed into moving faster on reforms than it feels is healthy for its own economic development.”
http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/2.....2007052111
Wonder if Duane invited her to dinner…
Comment by Ann H — May 21, 2007 @ 9:53 am
http://money.cnn.com/2007/05/2…..2007052111
Wonder if Duane invited her to dinner…
Comment by Ann H — May 21, 2007 @ 9:53 am Quote from a.m. article:
A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Wu Yi arrived in the United States Monday for two days of talks that will spotlight tensions over U.S. trade deficits with the Asian export giant.
Ahhhhh - it’s not about food safety; it’s not about poisoning people and pets in this country; it’s not about falsifying documents and smuggling…. it’s about money.
*That* is what our government is so all worried about.
What else is new?
Comment by MaKo — May 21, 2007 @ 10:09 am
I printed this article to remind me that we are making a difference and to encourage me to go on each day. I also keep many people informed about the issues from my daily visits to the petconnection blogs. Not everyone has a computer or the time to follow the issues.
Congratulations to us on behalf of our fur kids. It’s as simple as that.
Comment by Sindy — May 21, 2007 @ 10:10 am
This is good news. I told dh that the awareness that is creeping into society about this issue, that is causing some companies to rethink their position on various things, including buying ingredients from china (thinking Misson and Tyson on that), is ALL due to the power of the internet.
Look, nobody was covering this other than a brief blip on tv here and there. Then CNN took the lead, but not aggressively - but even that was the result of bloggers pushing. And there has been much forward momentum building beyond that, each day. This the first thing that has made me feel less hopeless. Still miles to go, but very heartening to even be gaining an inch on this crisis.
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 10:14 am
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO WATCH THIS VIDEO REGARDING THE SAFETY OF OUR FUTURE FOOD. WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW. SIGN THE PETITION IF YOU AGREE.
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php
Comment by SMITH111 — May 21, 2007 @ 10:19 am
The subject came up with dh, because he walked into Safeway in Portland, and point blank asked the produce chick if the broccoli came from China - to which she vehemently said absolutely not. He said she acted as though this wasn’t the first time that was asked. And yes, I credit the internet and blogs with that developing awareness.
Of course, I asked dh where DID it come from, and he said he forgot to ask. I have some holes in his training that I will be addressing:)
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 10:23 am
I went into Safeway and asked about the produce and not much was from the U.S. and some from South America. I bought what was from the U.S. only.
Hint, if it’s out of season, then it is from afar.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Gina, cute office. Is that a Sheltie or a Collie? I had a Sheltie and she would pull my son around the neighborhood (him sitting on a skateboard) and that little dog was a bundle of pure joy!
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 10:38 am
That’s Drew, my Sheltie. He is a perfect gentleman and the most well-behaved of all. And — get this — I am his FOURTH home! Of course, this time, it’s FOREVER.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 21, 2007 @ 10:40 am
Drew is lucky to have you. He’s a sweet baby - you can tell!
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Are we in a trade deficit position due to trinket sales arrangements?
Or has the Chinese 4 year ban on our beef pushed us into a deficit trade position? Are there any other “bans” on the chinese side, which have messed with the original premise of our trade with them, thus putting us at a deficit? Because otherwise, they are a big country with billions of consumers, and we are eager to export everything including the kitchen sink and grandma. So how could we have gotten into a deficit situation?
Anyone know?
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 10:44 am
You are gonna need the cat keyboard program over at itchmo or this
http://www.kittykeyboardkover.com/
Trust me on this.
Comment by E. Hamilton — May 21, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Linda - I am writing up a “cheat” sheet of questions for him to take shopping. He really isn’t stupid (we are both in the same profession, same degrees) but he is very male in the way he shops, if that makes sense. He was so excited about how good the oranges and sea bass were that I just didn’t get into right then. We will start fresh with a rules list and get those new shopping habits in place. But of course, there are no steadfast rules in the long run. I have to start somewhere with him, lol.
Even before the food crisis, he just chose not to be the brightest bulb on the tree about what he bought:) And like me, we are getting to be of an age where change makes us cranky.
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 10:49 am
TC -
Oh AMEN to that! The change making us cranky part.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 10:58 am
*spies Gina’s added pic*
Gina -
There is no way in heck that can be a pad with dogs. It’s way too freakin’ clean. Uh-huh. Y’all must camp out in the south forty, right?
Comment by Ally — May 21, 2007 @ 11:12 am
(or kitties for that matter)
Apologies for omitting Clara.
Comment by Ally — May 21, 2007 @ 11:13 am
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 10:44 am
I don’t know how much has changed in 20 years, but when I was over there, China had 2 currencies: domestic and tourist. Foreigners are only allowed to use the “tourist” currency, and can buy anything they want with it. Citizens use the “domestic” currency, and cannot buy things in most urban shopping centers, hotels or airports. As a result, these bastions of western capitalism are mostly empty, to this day (from what I’ve read).
Comment by Palomino — May 21, 2007 @ 11:21 am
RE Comment by Jill — May 21, 2007 @ 8:12 am
“I mean IE7 does not work for me either.”
Jill, for the better part of Sunday I was able to access the general pages on this site, but everytime I accessed the blog I was immediately kicked off [MS Error report diaglogue box came up]. I do not use Fx; I use IE6.
I went to a friend’s house and tried it from his computer, which has IE7 and got kicked off there [blog page only].
As mentioned before, I can’t/won’t use Fx or IE7. Still, I’m protected with other firewalls. And, as always, this is the ONLY website that gives me grief.
There was some Black Dog maintenance done on petconnection.com about 2 weeks ago when this problem first surfaced.
Today I appear to get into the blog page just fine.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Black Dog says they found a “syntax error” and it’s fixed.
Fingers crossed!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 21, 2007 @ 11:29 am
LA Times article - well-deserved for all your hard efforts and sleepless nights and crampy wrists, Gina and Christie.
You provided the rest of us with a place to learn, to become aware, to share facts and experiences, to comfort, to grieve. I know I speak for all of us when I say that we all are indebted to you both.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Yeah, Black Dog!
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Abigail Goldman has been a great friend to all of us during this time.
I speak from personal experience, having contacted her regarding a curious, possible connection having to do with the Lijun Mao. She investigated my findings and determined that the Chinese melamine general manager Lijun Mao was not the same as the polymer biochemist in southern CA. I appreciated her efforts in getting the facts.
For all her efforts, a big thank you.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 11:40 am
The Pulitzer prize should be awarded to this blog for meritorious public service in bringing a highly complex issue of paramount importance to the public in an arena where they can get up-to-date information, ask questions and express opinions. If Joe Pulitzer were alive today, he’d probably be a blogger!
Comment by pat — May 21, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Thank You for letting me know what was wrong. I now can get into the blog.
Comment by Jill — May 21, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
To me, it feels like all of we bloggers are on a large team, and sometimes we make big strides which makes us feel so good. Of course, the captains (the blog site owners)are the ones who make it all possible.
However, since Menu Foods lawyer said food importing from China will halt until Menu Foods believes it is safe food. Wonder if this victory is only temporary for us.
I heard about this website from listening to CNN which quoted this site on the news when crisis first broke out.
At hearing the first pet food recall, I told my daughter this is going to be a big story—never knew it would explode all over the world.
Comment by Evelyn — May 21, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Comment by Evelyn — May 21, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
“To me, it feels like all of we bloggers are on a large team, and sometimes we make big strides which makes us feel so good.”
I have always believed in the following:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can
change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Congratulations to all!!! finally, food safety is being taken seriously! and it’s not just a group of hysterical pet owners!!!!
An article of interest is in the WSJ today ( I don’t have the URL, and it’s by reg) but it says due to the cost of corn because of ethanol the ranchers and cattlemen are having to feed the hogs and cattle,etc. Trail mix,chocolate,fritos,potato chips,burnt cookies, etc.,etc. Doesn’t sound like healthy meat for the table….. the question on a dog list(where the article was posted)was: what this might mean for corn based pet food…
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
I have a very old gog and have been reading about givcing dogs asprin for pain. But Ii have heard human pain meds. can kill them.
Do you know any pain meds I can give her. Asprin etc. otherwise healthy just hips are hurting. I give her Glucosamine but I’mm looking for PAIN MED. Thanks very much Ern
Comment by Ernest — May 21, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Ernst,
take your dog to the vet and ask for something that helps relieve joint pain.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
please do not give aspirin to dog.
It has killed cats.
Chocolate has also killed dogs and cats.
Please take him to a vet. Cortisone shots might be in order, but I am not a vet.
Comment by Evelyn — May 21, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
Ernest, by all means take your arthritic dog to the vet, but be very wary of metacam, which some vets prescribe “off-label”, sometimes with deadly consequences.
Comment by pat — May 21, 2007 @ 1:30 pm
I wrote to the NY State Lab for information about their initial testing of aminopterin and just received a reply. I’m encouraged that the reason we haven’t heard much about testing is that they have been designing test protocols for various chemicals, etc., and are prepared to start testing pet food samples from pet owners. Hopefully, we’ll start hearing something in the near future. (This is the lab that gets special homeland security funds and is especially state of the art, I’ve read.)
Here’s the reply:
“…responding to an e-mail that you sent… regarding the NY State Food Lab and testing of pet food for aminopterin. It is true that both the FDA and Cornell University were not able to duplicate our lab’s finding of aminopterin in pet food; we suspect this was due to the breakdown of aminopterin in the pet food samples we tested. Very limited testing has been performed on pet food for aminopterin since shortly after we reported our findings the focus was directed to melamine and related compounds. Only one other lab (in Canada) found aminopterin in pet food, in this case at very low levels. Our lab is currently testing pet food for melamine and related compounds in addition to aminopterin and other potential toxins. We have devoted a great deal of time and effort into developing and validating methods to test pet food and are just now at a point where we can test the many samples we have collected from pet owners whose pets became ill or died. Thank you for your interest; we have an excellent laboratory program dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure food supply for humans and animals.”
I questioned what he meant about FDA & Cornell’s failure to replicate and his statement about the breakdown of aminopterin in the samples they tested, and he responded:
“Regarding the breakdown of aminopterin……… Aminopterin has been reported to be light sensitive, unfortunately we failed to shield our original samples from light and believe this may be the reason for aminopterin becoming undetectable by our lab and others within days of our initial finding. We performed limited aminopterin stability testing in our lab and found that aminopterin stock solutions that were not protected from light demonstrated a reduction in detectable aminopterin over time.”
Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
Folks, please don’t give out veterinary advice. Especially incorrect advice.
Ernest, your dog needs to see your veterinarian. Aspirin is fine for most dogs, but there are other options that may work better.
As we say here, get off the ‘Net and call your vet.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 21, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Gina is right.
Sometimes I refer to my holistic health care for animals book - well really I own several. I can’t remember what they said about pain and specifically joint pain; but I do take my dogs to the vets, all too frequently it seems these days, and have used pain meds after their surgeries, especially with Moses and his cancer tumor, but I would start with the vet and ask for side effects and long term use etc.
Hopefully your old dog sleeps in a soft place, rug or bed, and maybe there is some ointment that can be rubbed on its muscles or joints - but I wouldn’t use anything unless you know it won’t hurt your dog. I’m not an expert in this area. I believe in “caution” when it comes to meds.
One of my hounds had a growth removed on it’s foot and that dog howled and cried until the entire neighborhood was miserable. I made a trip right back to the vets at 10:00 pm at night for pain meds. Thanks to those pills we both could sleep.
Best of luck to you Ernest.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
I just found this VERY LONG — 100 line — 1 paragraph article regarding Colony Collapse Disorder, dated 5-14-07, in the Weatherfod Democrat.com (AP article). — FRIGHTENING —
———————————————
Mysterious killer of America’s honeybees could make dinner a bland meal
BELTSVILLE, Md. (AP) — Unless someone or something stops it soon, the mysterious killer that is wiping out many of the nation’s honeybees could have a devastating effect on America’s dinner plate, perhaps even reducing us to a glorified bread-and-water diet. Honeybees don’t just make honey; they pollinate more than 90 of the tastiest flowering crops we have. Among them: apples, nuts, avocados, soybeans, asparagus, broccoli, celery, squash and cucumbers. And lots of the really sweet and tart stuff, too, including citrus fruit, peaches, kiwi, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, cantaloupe and other melons. In fact, about one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even cattle, which feed on alfalfa, depend on bees. So if the collapse worsens, we could end up being ‘‘stuck with grains and water,’’ said Kevin Hackett, the national program leader for USDA’s bee and pollination program. ‘‘This is the biggest general threat to our food supply,’’ Hackett said.
Read more of this long & very informative article about the bee colony collapse disorder and — HOW — it’s going to affect your dinner plate:
http://www.weatherforddemocrat.....55635.html
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
This will raise your blood pressure, from dailykos
Organic? USDA may let Chinese rice starch and rBGH pass: by The Werewolf Prophet
“These rule changes would allow 35 non-organic substances to be included in a food or beverage that would still be allowed to display the “USDA Organic” label!”
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo.....155517/252
Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
http://online.wsj.com/public/a.....?mod=blogs
This is the link to the WSJ article, which says it is in the free section, and I have already read it. Hope it works. Called “With Corn Prices Rising, Pigs Switch to Fatty Snacks.” The part I didn’t like is this one liner:
“He began feeding his hogs trail mix about a year ago, after Mr. Funderburke told him a local manufacturer was looking to dump surplus mix that was either too salty, sprinkled with cardboard or otherwise unfit for human consumption. Mr. Smith recently got a truckload of chocolate chips and his pigs seem to like them. “I’ve heard no complaints,” he says.”
That reference to cardboard and suggestion of “things otherwise unfit for human consumption.” How far will take be taken?
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
Congratulations to all the sites recognized for their Herculean efforts over the last 9 weeks and still going strong. Thank you for being here for us to learn and share information.
I know that you’ve saved many lives and have churned out numerous savvy consumers, a wave of people demanding answers and disclosure, a wave that will only swell as the human food-importation-regulation issue spreads to other media outlets and government officials who HAVE to address the issues because THEIR CONSTITUENTS DEMAND IT.
And yes, since the lid has been forever blown off the largely self-regulated pet food industry, we are so much the wiser, even though our pets had to suffer and die for these revelations. They will not have died in vain as we are just beginning to see the initial inklings and directions of what will be taking place. And we will see more as we keeping questioning and pushing.
We are much more consumer savvy about food safety as well as nutrition (pet and human). As consumers, we are and will continue to drive the market with our requests for information and demands for products that we declare safe. We do this with our voices, fingers on the keyboard, and by opening our wallets to those companies that want to come along with us.
For us, we are moving as much as possible to organic, locally-grown camp for meats, produce, and dairy. For the last several years, we’ve also tried to be “UN-consumers as much as possible,” choosing to buy at garage sales and second hand shops, not because we can’t afford it, but to lessen the demand on the production of more and more goods.
We really need a paradigm shift in our lifestyles and need to examine our true “needs” vs. our “wants.” Look at all of the “de-cluttering” shows on TV now due to our “need” to have this and that. Satisfying our “wants” just perpetuates the need for more production — most likely from China.
When you think about it, China is actually quite civic minded and environmentally conscious — clearly their country of toxic industrial wastes by putting them in the foods, toys, nutritional supplements, medicines, and household furnishings they send to us — and we even PAY them for turning our stomachs and landfills into toxic waste receptacles and ask for more. It’s time we as families analyze our lifestyles and adhere to some spending principles.
It was stated here a few days ago that pet food sales are down 4%. What if consumer spending in general (especially of Chinese goods [not just FOODS from China] also dropped by 4% or MORE?
Comment by petlover — May 21, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
How can they possibly mess with “Organics” does that mean certified Organic as well? Time to chant “peace”, burn incense, and ring little bells.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Thanks Gina and Kristie!
I’ve visited my local butcher for free range beef and lamb for my family and the dogs.
I’ve joined a CSA from a local organic farm and we will have fresh veggies and fruits all summer for a very reasonable fee.
I’ve changed the direction of my shopping so I can stop at a co-op for local cheeses, milk and breads.
No more major grocery chain stores for us! After trying to shop for US grown and processed foods and high fructose corn syrup free foods for the past month, I finally found the REAL solution.
Comment by Angelique — May 21, 2007 @ 2:42 pm
http://www.regulations.gov/fdm.....-0062-0001
Here’s the regulation.
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
Kat,
I was going to quote the “Einstein on Bees” again, this seems like a good thing here, but ran across now much debate on whether or not Einstein even made the remark:
http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/einsteins-bees/
I don’t know where the bees have gone but they seem to be all over the place where I live and hike. Maybe they are just not in the right places.
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 2:57 pm
“…but be very wary of metacam, which some vets prescribe “off-label”, sometimes with deadly consequences.”(Pat)
Pat , can you direct me to documentation re:deadly consequences?
By “off-label”,do you mean contrary to directions? If that’s what you mean I don’t need documentation….I get that part.
I need to get this nailed down for personal reasons concerning my 15-year-old Airedale and you sound as if you might be able to help…
Lorna
Comment by Lorna — May 21, 2007 @ 3:08 pm
Metacam problems:
http://tinyurl.com/7jzjm
Comment by Linda — May 21, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
Maureen - as I’ve written before, my 2-year-old perfectly healthy dog suddenly got very very ill on the 1st Sunday in Jan. and the vet thought rat poisoning. She had blood, both fresh and digested in her stools & liver involvement. Lots of pills, subcutaneous fluids, rice and boiled chicken breast and she got better, 2 weeks later, started adding the same food, same bag, and same treats - very sick again. Now the emergency vet says couldn’t be the pet food because that ONLY causes kidney damage because of Melamine crystals and her kidney function was fine. So it must have been sudden life threatening FOOD ALLERGY to her lamb and rice kibble or INFLAMATORY BOWEL DISEASE. (The treats and kibble are NOT part of the current recall.)
Everyone stopped looking at aminopterin when the NY lab findings couldn’t be reproduced. Now that the lab knows WHY - exposure to light - When will we start seeing NEW recalls based on aminopterin contamination? Is aminopterin the unmentioned “sensitive” contaminant? Or is there yet another one after aminopterin? Can I bite someone?
Comment by Kristi — May 21, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
RE Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
Maureen, I’ve been tenaciously watching for info on aminopterin. All has been quiet for too long, and I’ve never accepted that aminopterin isn’t part of the recall problem. So your info is welcomed reading.
My gut instincts about aminopterin have caused me to email Dr. Maxie at Univ of Guelph a month or so ago, encouraging him to continue testing for aminopterin. Haven’t heard anything about that lab lately. What are they up to?
I understand that few, if any, chemical testing protocols have been written for some of these toxins [e.g., ammelide and ammeline]. This is a new frontier.
In any event, I FedEx’ed some food for testing to a lab in Texas - being examined for melamine, cyanuric acid, and aminopterin as you read this. Yesterday I started a forum on Itchmo’s site under “Help with My Sick Pet,” called “Melamine Testing of Food: Lab Results”; http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=564.0 The purpose of the forum is so that pet parents can post their own lab results for those pet foods tested for toxins. Hopefully the information will be helpful to some.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
Kristi,
I think it’s encouraging that at least this NY St. lab is continuing to investigate for a variety of contaminants, including aminopterin. I was afraid they were zeroing in on melamine alone, when it could be melamine, cyanuric acid, AND god-knows-what-else.
The lab said:
“Our lab is currently testing pet food for melamine and related compounds in addition to aminopterin and other potential toxins.”
Re: the redacted 5th ingredient. I’ve posted a boring piece with a link to the FDA’s recently released protocol for testing melamine. I believe the 5th ingredient was on that link and it was indeed a “standard” — something the tester adds when testing (to measure other ingredients by). If I can find it again, I’ll post it again if Itcho doesn’t mind.
Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
I’ve done a lot of research on aminopterin - a very close cousin of methotrexate, which I’ve been taking for 15 years for an autoimmune form of arthritis. I can tell you that after all this time a small dose of the drug makes me sick, although I’ve adjusted. so imagine how a small animal would feel taking it.
I would encourage you to have the food, if you still have it, tested for aminopterin.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
I just heard from the FDA investigator in my region. They are still really, really busy. They are still tracking complaints. It isn’t over.
TC
Thank you for finding the link to the WSJ article. I found it interesting not only because I wonder what value meat will have when animals eat only junk food…but is it the begining of we need imports to feed the hogs and cows…
Maureen,
I’m wondering now too if that is the sensitive 5th ingred., someone here or at Itchmo said a few weeks ago: melamine is palatable to the masses as a cause but “rat poison” could lead a mass revolt! Soccer moms would not want to hear - rat poison..
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 3:45 pm
Ernest, by all means take your arthritic dog to the vet, but be very wary of metacam, which some vets prescribe “off-label”, sometimes with deadly consequences.
“Off label” how? Metacam is a approved for use in dogs (although not cats, but we’re talking about a dog here).
I do agree that ALL the NSAIDs, including aspirin and also herbal COX-inhibitors, need to be used with much more caution than is typically used, but this is a pretty dire warning and serves really just to scare rather than inform.
Comment by Christie Keith — May 21, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
I sent a webform email on Fri., to Diamond Pet Foods because they do not have anything posted about their recall…
Here is my email & their comment today.
Comments:
I CAME TO YOUR WEBSITE TO FIND RECALL INFORMATION — BUT
YOU DO NOT HAVE
ANYTHING POSTED. I HAVE HUNTED ALL OVER….
————————-
Dear Kat,
Thank you for your inquiry.
I spoke with our website designer who informed me that
there will be a
recall link added to our Diamond website very soon.
Sincerely,
Pam Libbert
Customer Service Representative
Diamond Pet Foods
1-800-442-0402
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 3:53 pm
I’m on email distribution for the FDA recall information. In their current email of today, the FDA advised that there was going to be a conference for biochemists and FDA in Orange County, CA. I’m part of neither group, but what the heck, if I went, I could probably learn something, right?
The notice said, “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the following conference: 10th Annual Educational Conference co-sponsored with the Orange County Regulatory Affairs Discussion Group (OCRA). The conference is intended to provide the Drug, Device, and Biologics industries with an opportunity to interact with FDA reviewers and compliance officers from the Centers and District Offices, as well as other industry experts. The main focus of this interactive conference will be product approval, compliance, and risk management in the three medical product areas. Industry speakers, interactive questions and answers, and workshop sessions will also be included to assure open exchange and dialogue on the relevant regulatory issues.”
As I read on I noted that they want big bucks to attend. Lowly students pay $400/person. Yikes. All I can say is that if this is how the FDA collects part of its revenue, no wonder they’re so tight with the manufacturers and other industries and not the public.
Here’s the link to the docket:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-6052.htm
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
“Metacam problem”
Keep in mind that the side effects described on the link regarding Metacam are similar to any other NSAID. Ask the vet,
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
Ernest,
The recent advice on this blog is good. See a veterinarian. Absolutely. There are some wonderful drugs available, however, NONE should be administered without appropriate bloodwork first. Some animals are highly allergic to some of them. Appropriate blood work should help to determine if your pet is a good candidate for the drug.
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
Re: the mysterious 5th ingredient
Here’s the FDA’s May 7th protocol for testing melamine.
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=.....p;gl=us%7C
I can’t find the posting I labored over, but here’s what it said in a nutshell. I think the 5th ingredient that was redacted was just what the FDA indicated, a “standard” used in testing for melamine, etc. I think it’s benzoguanamine which you’ll see on the site above. I saw the original list of 5 and it was melamine and the usual suspects, and benzoguanamine.
Note the FDA doesn’t say in this protocol to test for aminopetrin, so I’m glad we learned from the NY State lab that they are including in their testing.
Comment by Maureen — May 21, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
“I understand your safety concerns with respect to the consumption of cloned animals and genetically engineered food . In a thousand page risk assessment released late last year, the FDA declared that cloned meat and milk from cloned animals were safe for human consumption. As you may know, H.R. 992, the Cloned Food Labeling Act , would require the FDA to regulate a cloned food labeling system for meat sold in the United States . Currently, this bill is pending in the Committees on Agriculture and Energy and Commerce. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, please be assured, I will share your views with my colleagues should this legislation come up for consideration before this committee.”
I got this from my Congressman who is on the Ag committee. He totally skipped the genetically engineered section. Looks like they are labelling one industry at a time LOL. Dang.
Anyway Congressman David Scott “Congressman David Scott” imaga13 at mail.house.gov
Since he’s on Ag and the cloning labelling is there.. write :)
Comment by Ann H — May 21, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
Someone wanted to know why there is such a trade deficit with China. Since China has one forth to one third of the world’s population, China’s greatest resource is people. There is a policy in place for a job for every worker — meaning that even though industrialization and mechanization would make some jobs obsolete, China would rather have many low paying jobs, than fewer than paid more.
Currently labor is so cheap in China that many countries just cannot compete in a global economy and are moving parts of their companies there.
For example, Purina is owned by Nestle S., a Swiss company which is now building a 10 Million plant to manufacture pet food in China!
http://chinapet.notlong.com
In addition, China now owns a large portion of American debt. This has to have inpact, so maybe someone who is good at macro-economics can explain becsuse I’d like to know too.
Now I keep reading China is set to export chickens to America! (and another outbreak of Avain Flu ti China recently too!) Egads, if the pet food companies do all the testing they promise to do, could be after all this the pet food is the only food ‘safest’ from continimation????
Comment by Rose L — May 21, 2007 @ 4:15 pm
We have tonight & tomorrow to post our opinions for the organic standard modification of 38 substances:
—————————
http://www.regulations.gov/fdm.....-0062-0001
Title National Organic Program (NOP)—Proposed Amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (Processing)
Subject National Organic Program: Allowed and prohibited substances; national list
Document Type PROPOSED RULES
Document Sub-Type N/A
Page Count 13
Effective Date
Date Posted 05/15/2007
Comment Start Date 05/15/2007
Comments Due 05/22/2007
Implementation Date
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
Comment by Kat — May 21, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
heh, i left my *opinion* ;) thanks for the link! i’ve also passed it on . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 21, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
Earlier today Smith111 posted a link to a 40 minute video about CODEX regulations that will not only restrict our use of food supplements, but will also mandate what unsafe food additives to our food! Well worth watching and supporting! http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php
This food situation is scarier by the minute!
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
Ernst & Maureen- Ernst ask your vet about chewable baby aspirin. I have a ( yr old lab mix w/a really sensitive stomache ! He had trouble w/ all the nsaids. My vet put him on chew. baby aspirin only as needed & a powdered tums type formula for horses. You can add to meals. I loaned the container to my neighbor but will post the name tomorrow.
Maureen- Accutrace is testing for all the toxic additives. They have an ad on Itchmo & will give a $5 discount to bloggers. The owner Teri is a pet owner & developed special testing to catch small amounts. They just tested a sample for me last week. Went to extraordinary lengths to get me an answer.
Comment by Leslie k — May 21, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
Anybody seen this one?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05.....nted=print
Comment by stephen — May 21, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
Stephen - has anyone read the name of the Chinese company that sold that?
Thanks to Gina & Christie & everybody! I don’t remember how I got here either :) but it has been educational and probably saved my furkids.
For Geneva’s (my youngest cat now 14mths old) health I had stopped 3/11 with her gravy foods and eliminated them from her diet. Too late I’m afraid for helping her with her health issues. She’s doing great. I think having given her a variety of the recalled foods may have been a bit of a catch 22 for us. On Jan17th she got deathly ill and during the exam they found she was FeLV+. That made the vets say in March that it wasn’t the foods. None of her companions before I got her in October and none of her companions since October have FeLV. She has periodic predictable “crashes”. I had made a lot of changes, interferon, corn syrup, CliniCal, NutriCal, electrolytes, prednisone, and aggressive antibiotics and got them from every 10 days to 17 days. I don’t even have a prognosis on her other than it appears to be immune mediated neutropenia and uncommon. She get an abnormal temp of 98-99, lethargic, weak, disoriented, won’t eat..limp. This last crash was again back to 12 days. We lost 5 good days, however she didn’t get cold, remained cognizant and would even swipe at her string-string, would eat on her on, didn’t have to be put in the incubator or have subq’s, and it only lasted 36hrs and my intervention wasn’t as stringent as before (hourly). I don’t know where we go from here.
Geneva is priceless. A little clown in a cat suit. I have to give Miss Kitty a tranquilizer when Geneva is sick. Miss Kitty is her surrogate mom and really nurturing to Geneva.
Yesterday, she found the syringe I use to assist feed & water her and she marched off with it. When I saw & got behind her to get it she ran. Guess she’s tired of that and wanted to hide it :)
I just know that the tension and worry about the on-going recall brings me to tears often.
Comment by Ann H — May 21, 2007 @ 6:06 pm
Imagine a world in which you couldn’t trust the food you eat ——-
Unfortunately I don’t have to imagine it, it is already here.
Comment by Alasandra — May 21, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
My Gina, but Ms Clara has grown so much already! Is she a full Maine Coon? She is beautimous!
Comment by Sandi K — May 21, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
Another FDA “low risk” assessment???
A widely used diabetes pill raises the risk of heart attacks and possibly death….
studies revealed a 43 percent higher risk of heart attack for those taking Avandia ….
FDA officials issued a safety alert on Monday and said they most likely would convene an advisory panel, but planned no immediate changes to the current side effect warnings on the drug’s packaging.
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
Somewhere I did see an article, like the one you found in the NYTimes, about a new find of bad toothpaste in Panama.
Got a kick out of the NYTimes version, as it added the factoid that nobody was too worried about it because people spit out toothpaste.
Hey! No worries! Sure, there is a component of anti-freeze (as I understand it, correct me if I am wrong), one that proved fatal when ingested in cough syrup. But you’d never swallow even a tiny bit of toothpaste when you brush. Right? And heck, how fatal can just a tiny bit of anti-freeze be, anyway?
Pass me another STUPID sign, I am running low.
Comment by TC — May 21, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Ann:
That’s all I saw, but I imagine with some digging the name might be out there. The key is the last sentence about how counterfeiters use the glycol in place of the glycerin because it’s cheaper.
This is the exact same thinking and criminal practice as adding melamine to fake protein content. What is most worrisome is how rampant and pervasive this behavior is in China. It’s one thing to pirate cds, dvds, watches, etc. (which they are infamous for), but they seem to have absolutely no scruples when it comes to adulterating food either.
Sadly, we are now coming into direct contact with a seriously unethical society. We can only hope that shedding as much light as possible on them will lead to a change. The global economy has changed to such an extent that we will never be able to rely purely on local American production ever again.
Comment by stephen — May 21, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Cat and their human companions must unite against Menu Foods. The Cat Gergiev explains how Menu Foods is trying to sucker the human companions of cats into settling so that Menu Foods can avoid punitive damages: “Menu Foods Expects To Oppose Class Action Certification; Offers To Settle Individually.”
Comment by Pierre - A Cat From France — May 21, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Here’s some interesting things about the USA and China- HTTP://www.iht.com/articles/20.....php?page=1
I hope this works.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 21, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
Sandi … she’s not a Maine Coon, although she sure looks like one, yes?
Miss Clara went to the vet this afternoon, for preventive care and to say hello. She is all of two pounds already, at almost 11 weeks.
We scheduled her spay for next month. I can’t believe how rapidly she has adapted to life with four dogs.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — May 21, 2007 @ 7:05 pm
Glad a bunch of the hard working bloggers got noticed. I’m wasn’t able to be included because I couldn’t give Abbe my real name. For those of you who don’t know, I had my blog shut down for criticizing violent rhetoric on an ABC/Disney radio station. I got a cease and desist order and was told they would “sue me for everything I’ve got” So, I just provided some background to her.
(In case you are interested in my story
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01.....wanted=all
and here
http://www.usatoday.com/news/n.....tles_x.htm
I have to say that as great as the press is doing, they are still being controlled by the FDA and USDA in the press conferences. I want more questions! I wrote 25 of them and said, “If you don’t ask for a format change they will keep limiting your info.”
This isn’t some 3rd quarter conference call with lower than expected profits. Lives are in the balance here.
Comment by spocko — May 21, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Donna has some questions, and here is my big question:
What POSSIBLE reason could they give for NOT naming the name of the farms where the 23.5 million chickens came from? The 56,000 hogs?
That would be my first question.
Next, where did they go? (I’d have to call them to find out. By the way, I’m pretty sure that I know the answer to this question. But I don’t want to get sued by Big Chicken.)
And I would expect the other members of the press to keep asking the question and if they are given vague answers to respectfully suggest that the pubic really does have the right to know.
MILLIONS may say, “We agree with you. This chicken is as safe as houses.” (Especially since it has plastic in it…) But maybe I would like to know what brand it is so that I can feed my cat something different. Why risk a repeat on the exact same animal that got sick in the first place. I really really want to hear their logic and then later if there are any problems we can say, “Well you HAD the opportunity to give us the names, but you didn’t
Comment by spocko — May 21, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Yes Gina, she really does have alot of the Maine Coon appearances, our girl KiKi was part Maine Coon and she looks so much like Clara when she was little. One thing about KiKi and I dont know if it is an actual Maine Coon trait or not, is that she had the absolute softest silkiest fur I have ever seen/felt on a kitty. Her fur was so silky that she never got hairballs and if she did, they were a rare occurance and I could just slide them out with my fingers! And I might add thank goodness for that as she absolutely hated to be brushed. If she could flip me off, she would have after her brush sessions, she hated them so badly.
Comment by Sandi K — May 21, 2007 @ 7:32 pm
Thank you Smith111. The Codex Alimentarius video was quite interesting, to say the least. http://www.healthfreedomusa.org
Comment by elliott — May 21, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
(Follow-up to Spocko’s question.)
If anyone in the media is reading tonight, below is a compilation of questions for the FDA from some of the bloggers since the last FDA press conference.
- Has all contaminated pet food been removed from shelves and storage?
- How is/was that contaminated pet food being handled after recall?
- Some contaminated products ended up in livestock feed. How did that happen? Is there no protocol of what to do with contaminated product?
- What will pet food companies and manufacturers do with all the contaminated pet food that was recalled? How will it be disposed of (hopefully, not to other chicken, pigs and fish).
- Why is USDA/FDA unwilling to name companies who distribute chicken and pork products that consumed contaminated feeds. If a Health Department inspection of a restaurant and resulting score (with detailed records) are available for public view, then why not companies who sell questionable products? Obviously these products have USDA approval and should be public record.
- If 46 shipments of vegetable protein have arrived from China since 4/27, why have they not been tested at port of entry by FDA? It would seem this would be priority due to the pet food recall. Why wait for exporters or importers to do something they have shown no responsibility for thusfar?
- How will a memo of understanding ensure my food is safe?
- Test imported protein concentrates for Melamine and Cynaric Acid. After one reject, trade is banned permanently with that company. Period. After 2 rejects in one month, imports of protein concentrates banned from entire country for 5 years. Melamine in food isn’t a natural occurrence like bacteria etc. This is greed.
- GMP — Good Manufacturing Practices Certification stamp (little logo) on labels of products with imported ingredients that meet American safety and quality standards and submit to random unscheduled inspections at any time without advanced warning.
- What is the melamine Dry Matter Analysis of the kidneys of the chickens who ate the Melamine feed?
- What is the cynauric acid DMA of the kidneys of the chickens who at the tainted pet food in their feed? Don’t have it… why not?
- What number, expressed in parts per billion, must be seen in tests before USDA or FDA will declare a melamine-contaminated food or meat unsafe to eat?” at no time has anyone one said, “if a test comes back with a concentration of more than XX parts per billion, it won’t be allowed in the food supply
- Why the FDA is downplaying the toxicity of Melamine to the public yet warning all it’s agents about toxicity and not allowing pregnant FDA women to test for Melamine? Just 25g a day of Melamine will kill a healthy sheep in about 9 days– (maybe you can figure out a question from that fact from AVMA)
- Want more complete, timely information about who is involved in a recall. (voluntary or mandatory)
- Want Press Conferences that are not “one question, one follow up.”
- The spin and the 16 deaths have to be stopped
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
Information, looking for:
I spoke with an FDA investigator today, and she asked me a question that I was not aware of.
She asked if my vet had sent my dogs urine to a lab where they would add a chemical to see if crystals formed.
I was not aware that a lab in the US offered that service? Does anyone know??
My dogs urine has been looked at for cystals - none have been seen. Her urine and blood values have been abnormal. So this sounds like a possibility….
Thanks for the info-
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
Comment by Elliot 8:44pm
The video on that website explains the protocol for the “risk assessment” FDA and others conducted.
It sure doesn’t give ME a comfort zone that my food is safe!
Very good questions, Donna
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 8:55 pm
Katie,
Did she give any additional info regarding that question?
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
spocko - apparently, not everyone has a sense of humor. Keep on Keepin on.
Comment by elliott — May 21, 2007 @ 9:19 pm
Hi Donna
No other info. She just asked me if I knew or my vet knew it could be done by a lab. I’m sending her my dogs history tomorrow and vet info. I guess I will have my vet call them. I thought maybe someone here might have had something like this done. I thought I was following everything here really close. Or, maybe she didn’t explain herself very well.
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
I heart Donna.
Comment by spocko — May 21, 2007 @ 9:25 pm
Katie,
I would ask your vet about that question. Also, I would call a lab and ask them for their input.
I recently sent some samples to AccuTrace. I had emailed them several times with questions and they were great responding. I’m sure any of these labs could explain.
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Donna,
Thank you. I’ll call AccuTrace tomorrow. I just want peace of mind for me and my dog. I feel like my vet is thinking, well there’s kidney involvement and nothing can change it - now it’s lots of water, a kidney diet and monitoring for life. But, I’d still like peace of mind.
Katie
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
Nutra Nuggets by Costco have tested postive for Melamine. . . article here
http://www.ksee24.com/Story.as.....oryID=6812
Comment by Bonni — May 21, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
sorry they are not BY Costco but sold there.
Comment by Bonni — May 21, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
RE Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 9:28 pm
Donna, would you check out the forum I started and if so inclined, add information regarding the lab results? We can all benefit. The forum is at
http://itchmoforums.com/index.php?topic=564.0
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
Thanks, spocko.
I’m still new at this, but I can organize! Guess I lost my best client for a reason — lots of time to “stand up for Fido”.
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 9:40 pm
Comment by Katie — May 21, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
if you don’t find out through your vet or the FDA, try the Canadian lab.
Comment by straybaby — May 21, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
Lynn,
Will be glad to post when I get the results. The issue with my dogs’ food was related to some unknown black flecks in the kibble. Decided to have it tested for myself.
Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
“What POSSIBLE reason could they give for NOT naming the name of the farms where the 23.5 million chickens came from? “
and what happened to the 20 million that seemed to have gone *poof* from the briefings last week . . .
Comment by straybaby — May 21, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
RE Comment by Bonni — May 21, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
I’ll be traveling tomorrow. Can someone contact Nutra Nuggets re melamine in the product? Here is info: 800-977-8797
Office Hours: 8am-5pm, M-F, CST
Address: PO Box 156 Meta, MO 65058
Their webpage http://www.nutranuggets.com has NOTHING about melamine or recall on it. Their “contact me” won’t function.
To add insult to injury. once again Costco wins the trophy for being “reluctant” to do a d*** thing. Two weeks before they recalled their Kirkland food I was hounding them for info regarding who made their “private label” and they refused to provide the info. I’m boycotting Costco. Anyone else?
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
RE Comment by Donna — May 21, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
Thanks, Donna. I sent one of my samples to AccuTrace, too. Teri advised it came in over the weekend, so they will be testing. They’ve been super.
Many labs wouldn’t test my food because they had other priorities, which I totally understand. Samples from dead or ill animals are higher on the priority list than my sample. [I wanted a brand new bag of dog kibble tested PRIOR to feeding it to healthy dogs. They call that a “quality control” test.]
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Straybaby,
The possible reason they wouldn’t name names of the chicken farms is because they probably belonged to one of the big packers that have the FDA/USDA in their pocket.One night I stayed up late doing Google searches which proved that Tyson was going into the chicken business in China, and I suspect that is why USDA had written the rule to import cooked chickens from China!
I didn’t just fall off of the turnip truck and am well aware that our govt agencies are corrupt, but the extent of this awful corruption with no concern for our food supply is almost unbelievable.
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
RE Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
It frosts me that MY tax dollars pay these hooligans. [I’m being polite.]
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
Comment by Lynn — May 21, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
i never shop Costco as it’s not convenient for a non-driver like me, BUT, I have recently discovered Amazon’s grocery area (all ships free!!) I can get my green household products and things like Bob’s Red Mill grains/beans, a whole bunch of water packed no salt added clams etc for the cats, and many other things. i’ve been cruising the managers specials 50% off or more ;) what’s nice was i could check all the companies out via the net and see where the seafood etc was coming from. just wanted to toss that out there as an option for you while boycotting Costco.
my UPS guy is gonna think i’ve gone mad! ;)
Comment by straybaby — May 21, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
In regards to the L.A. Times article…
Pet Connection was/is the vehicle for thousands of pet owners who were/are searching for the truth…
there is always power in truth.
Comment by Marcy — May 21, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
Comment by Elaine — May 21, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
oh, i totally agree with you! names would be nice, but i’ve moved on to other sources. i just wonder why they think by not mentioning 20 million chickens we will forget?! and WHY they think WE don’t care about our food and where it’s coming from?!!!!
*grrrrrumble*
Comment by straybaby — May 21, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
re ernest’s comment
just searched their site for aspirin and they have a ntural alternative for this too. it’s called zinopin http://www.healthydirect.co.uk/0514.htm
quite expensive, but could be what you are looking for.
Comment by Mainswiggans — May 22, 2007 @ 1:40 am
re ernest’s comments
sorry. this comment should have come prior to the one above:
try this stuff: http://www.healthydirect.co.uk/0706.htm
it’s bascially a glucosmaine supllement for pets but contains msm, chondroint and vitamin c too. my wife’s been usign the human version of the same supplement for years for her arthritic ankles and she takes it with their natural pain killer called inflamol (http://www.healthydirect.co.uk/0444.htm). could be worth a try, but i’d definitely go with what some of the other guys have said and consult your vet first.
Comment by Mainswiggans — May 22, 2007 @ 2:07 am
“what happened to the 20 million that seemed to have gone *poof* “
My guess is they are being sold and consumed right now.
Comment by Donna — May 22, 2007 @ 7:59 am
Herbs- I have to tell you something about an herb I took. I have always taken them and had always bought them at Wal Mart. And I thought they were made in the USA. My husband had been home for only a week after His by-pass surgery. I took this herb I had just bought and right that minute starting getting sick. I was freezing, vommiting and going to the bathroom all at once. It got so bad, I laid down on the bathroom floor. On the cats blanket, and could hardly move. I have been sick plenty of times but I never go to the hospital. I tried to call for My husband. He finally came in and I said call the ambulance.We got to the hospital and My blood pressure was 60 over something? Anyway, they filled Me full of fluids and sent Me home. I felt better. I thought it was because of My husband and My nerves for the last 2 weeks. well, 2 weeks later I took the herb not thinking, and this time the same thing happened and I couldn’t stand up. Couldn’t talk but tried to. Shaking all over and freezing to death. By the time i got to the hospital My blood pressure was only 40 over something and they rushed Me into the trauma room and got the paddles ready. I knew what was happening, just couldn’t move or talk. They said i was turning blue. Anyway, I spent 3 days in intensive care. they didn’t believe it was the herb and wouldn’t test the bottle. So when I got home after a million tests, I called the FDA. They did send a man out who looked at the pills , took pics of them and took pics of the rapper they were in. I never heard back from them. I guess it wasn’t important. Now, I find out the ingrediants came from China. Now it all makes sense. We wouldn’t want to blame China would we? I never thought about it again until this mess and then I checked where My vit. and herbs are really made. China!!!
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 22, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
Trudy,
What herb did you take? Just so the rest of us don’t make the mistake and buy it.
Comment by Elaine — May 22, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
I know I would have been lost without this blog.
Comment by Pamela J. Betz-Baron — May 23, 2007 @ 8:17 am
Elaine, sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I shut down early last night. the herb I took was from Wal Mart brand name - Spring Valley-It was Grape Seed Extract. Everything I’ve read about it says it’s good. But this came from China, which I didn’t know. And on one site says- May contain residues from the chemical substances used in it’s processing. I think it sure did contain Something??? Trudy
PS- Let Me know you’ve read this.
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 23, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
Elaine, I posted the answer to your question. Did you see it yet? Trudy PS- about the herb
Comment by Trudy Jackson — May 23, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
this site has been incredible for many people…. I just feel bad for the people who haven’t found sites like this and are relying on the media.
Comment by lablover — May 23, 2007 @ 3:25 pm