AP: Pet Deaths Prompt Recall of Pet Food

[Eugene]

Pet Deaths Prompt Recall of Pet Food

By ANDREW BRIDGES, Associated Press Writer

33 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-
Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers
of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10
died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing
the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link
explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

-snip-

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot
numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web
site — http://www.menufoods.com/recall — early Saturday. Consumers
with questions can call [phone].

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American
retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food
companies. Its three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than
1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food
made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J.,
Henderson said.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_he_me/pet_food_recall

[Virginia Dare]

1. kicked and please rate this up so people see it!..n/t

[SnowGoose]

2. Kick for Kitty

nt

[HockeyMom]

3. Mom to a 16 and 11 year old "son" and "daughter"

Scary.

[mikelgb]

4. holy shit

I have to go get my sister's cat some wet food thiss evening

i hope there is a detailed list by then

[The Doctor.]

5. I don't feed my pets wet food, but kick for those that do...

:kick:

[roguevalley]

6. God, this is horrible. I buy Hundenflaken, "Solid Gold" for my fatties.

They keep their weight with this food. Its more pricey but good for their allergenic personalities. Dachshunds are that kind. Hundenflaken is imported from Germany I believe.

[Doremus]

20. Me too! Not many pet stores carry it unfortunately.

When I can't get out to the one store in our area that stocks it, I feed Nutro Ultra. I hope it isn't that one!

BTW, my holistic vet highly recommends Hundenflocken Solid Gold. Pricey but worth it for the furbabies.

[JanMichael]

21. ONLY Hund 'n Flocken for Scout the Wonder Mutt!

[left is right]

25. what a cutie

n/t

[roguevalley]

49. awwww. what a honey pot.

[CoffeeCat]

54. Oh my goodness...

...he could be in the movies!

He's the cutest dog I've ever seen...and I'm a total cat person.

Adorable!

:)

[Auntie Bush]

119. He looks like he has some Jack Russell in him.

[Hestia]

65. I do hope it is not Nutro either! Our kitty kitty gets 1/2 package

per feeding, along with their dry food. Man, it's the only food he'll eat...

[keepCAblue]

79. Nutro foil packs ARE included in the recall (as are Iams & Eukanuba)

Nutro Gourmet Classics and Nutro Natural Choice foil packs.

Iams, Eukanuba, Nutro and Petsmart's Authority, Sophistacat and Awards are the major name brands recalled. There are a slew of other lesser known brands as wells as Safeway's "Safeway Select" label and Walmart's and Krogers dog and cat food.

For a complete listing of the brands recalled, visit:

http://www.menufoods.com/recall

***NOTE*** Iams and Eukanuba are not on the above lists of dog and cat food. Proctor and Gamble, the parent company of Iams and Eukanuba, initiated their own recall on Friday of all canned and foil pack wet foods sold under the Iams and Eukanuba labels.

[knitter4democracy]

74. I do, too. It's the only good food I've found for Charlie.

He's a rescue, but he had horrible reactions to Iams and a couple of other foods when we first got him. I tried the Solid Gold, and it was the only thing he could digest right and want to eat every day. He'll do anything for their canned stuff.

[Lorien]

76. I buy Solid Gold, Innova Evo, Organix and Prairie Nature's Variety for mine

either no grains or very low grain so they don't get plump-plus all the foods are human grade, unlike what's sold in the grocery (though Petco is finally catching on, and they sell some human grade brands now).

[Timbuk3]

7. K&R

What can I say? I'm an animal lover.

I donated to the ASPCA after Katrina.

Thanks for posting this.

[devilgrrl]

8. The only wet food I feed my cat is canned tuna, chicken, salmon and turkey

or baby food. :shrug:

[kestrel91316]

19. FYI, I counsel my clients to NEVER feed fish to cats unless it's

an unavoidable ingredient in a prescribed therapeutic diet.

Cats are desert animals - direct descendants of Felis libyca, the desert wildcat of N. Africa - fish is an alien food item for them, like beef steak for horses, or grass for humans.

I see an extremely high incidence of gastrointestinal, urinary, and dermatologic disease in cats that eat fish.

[mikelgb]

23. interesting

why so much seafood flavored cat food?

and the pop-culture pervasion of cats LOVING fish?

my cats love tuna it is the only thing they'll eat that is not cat food (besides plastic)

and the dry food I feed them I think is like oceanfish flavor

no lizard flavor available....

what do you reccomend?

[kestrel91316]

34. ".....why so much seafood flavored cat food?" .........well, you get ONE guess.

This is America. It's all about the money. Fish is highly attractive to many cats (like crack cocaine is to humans) and so when they put fish in food, MARKET SHARE goes up. It's also a cheap ingredient.

Harvard MBAs get big bonuses for putting it in, would be my guess.

"....and the pop-culture pervasion of cats LOVING fish?" - that's easy. It's clever, effective MARKETING (ie brainwashing).

BTW, tuna is THE WORST. There is a strong statistical correlation between consumption of tuna by cats and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma, a deadly cancer in cats.

I recommend Science Diet or Max Cat dry, and avoid flavors that mention fish. Those two companies do not sneak fish into their dry food. Everybody else does. Check ingredient lists and you will see what I mean.

If you MUST feed a food found in the grocery store, Iams is a very well-made food but they do sneak a small amount of fish into all their dry. If a cat is eating Iams dry and is not having any GI or derm or urinary problems, I don't tell the people to switch, but it's not on my "approved" list.......

[toadzilla]

43. are you recommending science diet dry food?

i hope your talking about the canned. the primary ingredients in the dry food are animal by-products, corn, and rice. i mean if your talking about fish being biologically inappropriate what about corn and by products? that stuff is garbage, i wouldn't let my cat near it. my vet would crucify me if i told him i was feeding my cat science diet dry food.

[melnjones]

51. You have a good vet.

I hate it when vets recommend iams, which is what I usually see happen. It's crap. I'm also not a fan of science diet. My vet just switched to Blue Buffalo after I recommended it to her. Her cats love it:-) www.bluebuff.com

[candice]

58. Science diet foods aren't really that good...

Old Mother Hubbard's Wellness is one of the best pet foods for dogs and cats in terms of ingredients (human grade).
They have a web site.

[Lorien]

77. Neither would I

go for byproduct free, grain free human grade whenever possible. There are loads of brands that trump Science diet by miles-but they don't lobby the hell out of vets the way Science Diet does. A few to choose from:

Newman's Own
Organix
Solid Gold
Prairie Nature's Variety
Origen
Wellness
Petguard
Honest kitchen
Canidae
California Natural
Evanger's
Halo Spot's stew
Merrick
Natural Balance
Wysong

[badgerpup]

99. How about Diamond?

I've been giving my babies Diamond Maintenance for years- switched to Active Cat since there's a kitten in residence who won't eat the kitten formula- he prefers to eat the big cats' food.
So I mixed the two, said "This is ridiculous!" and switched to Active Cat formula...they all seem to be doing quite well.
Bright eyes, shiny coats, lots of energy :bounce::bounce::bounce:
and the only one getting bigger is the one who is SUPPOSED to be doing so.

[kestrel91316]

89. Ahem. There is nothing the least bit inappropriate about feeding

by-products. Cats need to eat all the animal "pieces-parts" for balanced nutrition, not just the muscle flesh we humans prefer. There is nothing wrong with corn or rice in cat food. It's ALL ABOUT PROPER BALANCE AND FORMULATION.

I see the fewest diet-related medical problems in cats being fed Science Diet, Max Cat, and Costco's Kirkland. I consistently see medical problems directly associated with feeding foods containing fish, too much plant protein (as opposed to animal protein), and also with canned foods in general.

I have been in practice for nearly 26 years and I pay very close attention to what my patients are eating so I can correlate diet with disease. I know what I have observed. I am sorry if this does not fit your preconceived notions of proper pet nutrition.

In veterinary school, our nutrition class during sophomore year was one of the very hardest in all the program. I paid attention, and what I learned there has served me (and my patients) very well through the years.

You go right ahead and feed whatever you want.

[libnnc]

102. My cat gets Science Diet dry daily

but I've heard that I should try to supplement that with moist food. I had NO idea about the tuna/fish problem. Thanks so much for posting that.

My late uncle was a vet in Western NC for over 40 years so I have great respect for what you do.

[keepCAblue]

123. depends on how you define by-products.

Alot of the by-products in commercial food, including SD and most of the cheaper brands, include the by-products from animals "not suitable for human consumption". Some of these animals are diseased. In addition, by-products can also include the feet, beaks and feathers of poultry -- not much nutrition in those components, no matter how much one tries to argue it.

And, yes, SD, does include feet and beaks in their by-products definition (tho you will never see this advertised).

If, by by-products, you mean the entrails (intestines) and organ meats, then YES, by-products are fine, but only providing they come from "human grade" slaughter animals -- and most of your store brand and inexpensive commercial pet foods are not human-grade.

[Seedersandleechers]

106. You are so right. My cats get whole ground rabbit and ground

deer only. Cats are 100% carnivorous

[redacted]

44. I had no idea, so should I feel guilty for coaxing my neighbor's cat out of

the redwood tree with canned tuna? Is it that poisonous for them? Or is regular consumption the issue?

<Rumor has it that our Max chased her up the tree, but he swears he only chases squirrels and birds. >

[kestrel91316]

90. A one-time treat is nothing to worry about, unless the poor cat was allergic

to it, lol. Then you might have brought about an acute case of what I call "tuna head" - the SEVERE facial dermatitis I see in some cats with dietary hypersensitivity to fish.

I wouldn't go out of my way to feed any fish, and especially tuna, to any cat. Some of them will have acute urinary tract problems and even obstruction after only a couple meals with fish. The same can hold true for cheap dry foods that cause the wrong urine pH, I might add.

[badgerpup]

47. How about tuna packaged for human consumption?

My owners guys really do enjoy the 'tuna water drained from Chicken of The Sea tuna fish...
:beer:

[kestrel91316]

92. I REALLY don't recommend ANYTHING associated with tuna for cats.

You never know when it might reach a tipping point and start causing serious trouble for your cat(s). Why risk it?

That's just me. I own a cat that is HIGHLY allergic to fish so I know from personal experience how little it can take to cause significant hypersensitivity problems. And if you have one that is having internal (GI) problems from it, rather than external (skin), you won't know about it until it gets pretty bad.

[keepCAblue]

124. Canned tuna also has high mercury levels...

which is why it carries a warning for pregnant women. It is also typically packed in water which has excess sodium.

[gardenista]

105. Wow, thanks Kestrel, you have really opened my eyes!

I had never heard that, and when I get a cat (soon!) I will never feed it tuna or fish.

My neighbors have had great success with feeding their cats raw chicken liver and turkey. The fat ones came back to a normal weight, and the skinny one gained. Their coats look gorgeous, and they all seem really happy and healthy.

The one who was a voracious over-eater now has a normal eating pattern.

They are very careful about proper storage.

[Critters2]

131. Yep, cats like it. But then,

my dog likes cat poop, too, but I don't feed it to her on purpose. And I like chocolate, but a steady diet is probably not a good idea.

[devilgrrl]

26. Thank you for the info...

I'll stop feeding him fish. :scared:

[roseBudd]

27. My 8lb boy born to a feral mom who has been 4 years asymtomatic HCM on atenolol gets pilling treats

For a pilling treat to work it has to be something the cat thinks is the tastiest. Initially it was canned rinsed cocktail shrimp. Now he will only eat and report for pilling for Fancy Feast Salmon in gravy. Since there is a possibility of a hepatic shunt, I need to know if he is eating. So Fancy Feast he gets. And Iams dry on the side.

[kestrel91316]

35. He's not getting a huge amount of fish with what you are doing, and

sometimes we have to settle for what WORKS, rather than what it technically BEST.

I tell my clients the best food in the world won't do any good if the cat won't eat it. Compromises are sometimes necessary.

I have a probable HCM kitty at home, and have him on atenolol for now. Really do need to get him to the internist for U/S, but with a murmur and tachycardia I know what's up. I'd bet serious money. He's a GOOD BOY and takes his pills without much fuss. I give him a soft-moist (non-fish) treat first, then rub the pill on another treat for flavor and pill him, then reward him with the second treat.

[roseBudd]

37. Pilling treats are the best! Amazing how trained they get. I pill on the back of an

upholstered chair with cat tucked under armpit.

What is obvious about my boy is that he has a serious liking for the shrimp and salmon catfoods and won't eat anything else. And it must be small pieces with gravy. And he won't eat the salmon I serve for supper. Fancy Feast is like crack for cats. They have some secret smell or taste they add. Anorectic cats will eat Fancy Feast.

[rocktivity]

55. Another triumph for deregulation?

:grr:
rocknation

[Extend a Hand]

83. baby food...that's a GREAT idea

I'm going to try that! I've never been real comfortable with rumors about stuff they put in pet food.

[stimbox]

88. feline vitamin supplements are needed if you feed baby food.

Devilgrrl, please go out and get some feline vitamin supplements with Taurine so your baby doesn't go blind.
Kitties need taurine for eye health. Baby food and canned food do not have all of the vitamins and minerals that cats need

[keepCAblue]

109. Be careful of the tuna...

Canned tuna has high mercury levels. Only feed it occasionally, not regularly. And almost all canned meats contain high amounts of sodium. I dump the meat into a strainer and rinse it with water before feeding to my cat. It helps to flush out the excess sodium.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Done. This is important! And could save lives...

:kick:

[EFerrari]

10. Looks like the products list will be up early tomorrow.

:(

[RamboLiberal]

11. K&R

[ceile]

12. I just bought Safeway wet food for my pups

but haven't fed it to them yet. So much for their "treat". I'm definitely checking that site tomorrow.

[melody]

13. Homecooked food for the next few weeks for my old kitty n/t

[Bluestar]

14. Their site is currently down

Why am I not surprised?

[vietnam_war_vet]

59. Not only is that site currently down.....

....there's now a porno/XXX gateway site! WTH?? Anyone else get this? I clicked the link several times and got this same diversion site each time. -- Michael

[Demit]

15. So it's just that "prime cuts" kind of crap, the kind with all the gravy?

That stuff looks bad to begin with.

And it's not only store brands, but major pet food companies could be affected too? Oh crap.

[roseBudd]

28. Fancy Feast Salmon in Gravy?

[kestrel91316]

16. Makes me glad I tell ALL my clients to avoid generic pet foods

(those that say "distributed by" rather than "manufactured by"). I'm making the assumption that these were generics (house brands).

This is inexcusable and horrible. Sadly, in America any damned fool can make pet food and many damned fools do.

[JanMichael]

22. Do you like Solid Gold?

The Hund n' Flocken?

Which is your favorite brand?

(free vet advice...god, I LOVE DU)

[kestrel91316]

30. I prefer Science Diet and Max Cat for my patients (I am a cat vet).

Those are the two that I see the fewest diet-related medical issues with.

I actually like Costco's Kirkland cat food, though it is technically a generic. I happen to think they have one of the TOP companies make it for them.

[tandot]

46. I feed my chihuahua mix Waltham Urinary SO (Royal Canin) dry food

He is almost 9 and the vet found crystals in his urine. He loves the food. It is expensive and I buy it from the vet. But, I'd rather buy cheap food for us and get him whatever he needs for his health.

My cat only likes Meow mix hairball control. We've dried wet food but he throws it up every time.

I forwarded that link to everyone I know. However, most of them feed dry food.



Thanks for the valuable information!!!

[napi21]

48. I switched to Kirklanddrychicken & vegies for my dogs about

a year ago, after reading several studies that rated different dog foods by their ingredients. I have 4 Bichons and I buy the small kibbble. They love it, and have been doing very well on this food. I know I was shocked when I read those reports and found that Iams (that lots of people think it GREAT) to be 6th or 7th on the list of top dog foods.

I only have 1 kitty, and he's 19 years old. I've always fed him canned fish or chicken cat food, and he's never had any problems. Maybe it's just luck, but he likes shrimp, fish, and chicken, and I'm not going to tell him no after all these years.

[keepCAblue]

82. Nutro (maker of Max Cat) is included in the recalled food...

Nutro foil packs (Gourmet Classics and Natural Choice) have been recalled.

[keepCAblue]

93. I'm a former Science Diet rep. I wouldn't feed my pets that crap.

Working in the commercial pet food industry has opened my eyes to the practices of pet food manufacturing, particularly by the "mega" brands such as Sci Di an Nutro. I'm also a pet care provider with a graduate degree in nutrition. One of clients, a kitty named Rufus, had been on Hill's (maker of Science Diet) Prescription Diet C/D dry and canned food for some five years, for struvite crystal/bladder disease. This cat looked terrible. Coat was dull and separated (that greasy look); his stomach bloated, and his temperment was generally poor. After considerable research, I found that current scientific thought is that it is the high carbs in dry (and some canned) foods that actually contribute to crystal formation, and that cat's such as Rufus should be on a high (quality) protein diet (with a protein/fat to carb ratio of 75%-85% to 15-25%) and they should not be given dry food, which is very dehydrating. Cats with bladder stone tendencies should have a high water intake to dilute out the minerals in the urine.

I switched this cat to a combination home-made recipe plus Evangers (a high quality, organic meat-based food with a higher protein/fat to carb ratio), and added filtered water to each of Rufus' meals to ensure adequate water intake. Within a week this cat had transformed into the picture of health. His coat is shiny, bloating is greatly decreased and his temperament is completely changed. He now has loads of energy, plays and is far more affectionate then when on the Hill's Prescription Diet. He gets reqular urine analyses to check for struvite crystals, but so far none have been observed. What a difference qualtiy food can make.

[shortcake]

121. Innova

evo 46% protein. What do you know about it? dogs

[kestrel91316]

128. Hm. My patients on all the Prescription Diets look GREAT.

That is, until their diseases really take hold and they are dying (like renal failure). Same for the cats on Science Diet. I am very satisfied with it, and Max Cat.

You don't happen to work for Evangers now, instead of Hill's, do you? For that matter, did you EVER work for Hill's, lol? Anyone could claim that. Especially a competitor.

[Critters2]

133. Science Diet is voluntarily recalling cat food made by Menu Foods

Just thought you should know.

[Rhiannon12866]

24. I get prescription food from my vet for my older dog

And Eukanuba puppy food for my pup, since my vet recommended it. Think we're okay?:scared:

[kestrel91316]

31. I wouldn't worry. Though it will be interesting to see what the problem

turns out to be..........

[Rhiannon12866]

36. Thanks! I thought I was probably okay, since I ask my vet about these things

Because I want my guys to be healthy. He believes that what we feed our pets is the most important thing that we can do to determine their health. But this is still really scary, since I posted a similar thread awhile ago in LBN, cross-posted to the Pets Group, about another brand of pet food that was killing animals. My guys are important to me, so thanks so much for the feedback... I've bookmarked this thread, so I can find out what's going on with this, as well...:-(

Rhiannon:hi::yourock:

[crikkett]

126. in 1995 Nature's recipe recalled its food because of a toxin found

in spoiled wheat
http://www.jordemm.com/article3.htm
This page starts with a rant but a press release is beneath it. From that:

We initiated this voluntary recall as a result of phone calls registering consumer complaints which varied from dogs declining to eat the food to experiencing mild vomiting. Upon further investigation and research, we determined that products with the dates of May 17, 1995 through July 20, 1995 may contain mycotoxins found in some grains, including rice, corn, wheat, oats and barley, harvested in specific geographic regions of the country.

[Djinnjinn]

32. P&G Pet Care Announces Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods' Recall

P&G Pet Care Announces Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods' Nationwide U.S. and Canadian Recall of Specific Canned and Small F
l

DAYTON, Ohio, March 16, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the recent Menu Foods, Inc. nationwide recall of wet pet foods, P&G Pet Care has announced a voluntary recall in the United States and Canada on specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch "wet" cat and dog food products manufactured by Menu Foods Inc. Emporia, Kansas plant with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197. This voluntary recall is part of a larger product recall by Menu Foods Inc., a contract manufacturer that makes a small portion of canned and foil pouch 'wet' cat foods for Iams and Eukanuba as well as other non-P&G brands. (continues at linked article)

P & G Recall

[Rhiannon12866]

38. Thank you so much! This was extremely helpful!

My pup gets 10 oz. cans of Eukanuba puppy food, which are not on this list, and I was able to check the codes, which were not there, either... Whew. When I saw Eukanuba, I was worried. Thanks from me and Jack, who had surgery yesterday, so he's already had a pretty tough week...:-)

Rhiannon:hi::yourock:

BTW, my two little dogs are on my sig, but here's the puppy in action, LOL.:D

http://www.dogster.com/video/373080/Jack_vs_charlie_tug_of_war_iii

[keepCAblue]

81. Eukanuba wet (canned) food has been recalled. Don't feed it to your puppy. n/t

[Occulus]

62. Could you make a separate thread telling us what you know about feeding cats?

I had no idea about the carcinoma correllation with tuna. My cat absolutely begs for a bit, and in the past I've given him a piece or two. From what you said, though, I should never have given him any.

I didn't know this, and I suspect many other cat owners here don't, either. Could you post a thread sharing that information? Please?

[keepCAblue]

97. Not so. Recall includes some premium brands...

Iams, Eukanuba and Nutro

[UndertheOcean]

17. Try only eating canned food for a month , and see what will happen to your health...

How can daily intake of canned food be acceptable for pets I don't know.

[melnjones]

52. actually

a lot of people recommend limited daily intake of canned food for cats because they need the moisture content. I've heard vets and trainers recommend it. With dogs it's not bad as a treat...and besides, if it's contaminated you only need a bite or two to get sick. No one is talking about canned food only diets here.

[choie]

18. WHAT? Why the hell are they waiting till tomorrow?

"Your pets could die from eating our toxic food brand! Wait till tomorrow to find out!!!"

That's just freakin' great.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hang a left]

50. I apologize for my deleted post.

I was speed reading and thought you said something different.

My bad.

[AzDar]

33. Kick!! n/t

[CreekDog]

39. This suggests buying but holding pet food for a period before using it

I've often thought of buying bags/cans in advance, like a few months in advance so that I'm always using the stuff that's been out there at least a couple months so that I haven't fed any to my pet before it's recalled.

Perhaps an overreaction, but this is probably the third dog/cat food recall in the past 1-2 years and all of the recalls involved dogs and cats simply dying from the food. So in my view, it's not overreacting, why let my pet be the "guinea pig" so to speak.

[candice]

60. Sad, but a good policy.

I buy only the premium quality brands and haven't had any surprises yet. I need to start making my own for their health.

[slampoet]

40. Three store brands and all three stores have labor violations.

What a freekin surprise!

[Straight Shooter]

41. Thank you!

I feed my dog Abady dry, and Solid Gold for canned. She's safe, but I've sent this message along to all my friends, cut-and-pasted the article, with the link, too, and asked them to pass the message on.

What a horrible thing, to feed your pet and then go through watching him or her break down and die. :cry:

[RamboLiberal]

42. Alert - IAMS and Eukanuba among recalls

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/

[ebayfool]

45. .

[OnyxCollie]

53. I feed my dogs Innova dry food.

It costs a hell of a lot and it's a pain to find, but I think it's the best.

I work in a grocery store/pharmacy with a clientele that ranges from poor to kinda poor. I'm saddened by the people who buy the 20 lb. bags of dog "food" for $4.99. I'm sad they can't afford anything better, I'm sad that most people are too ignorant to know any difference, and I'm sad for the pets that have to eat that stuff. I stock the "treats" made in Mexico out of who knows what and wonder if the people buying these have any idea these may be harmful to their pet's health. I let out a small sigh whenever I see a box of Moist & Meaty has been sold.

My store carries those Iams foil packets. I'll have to see if those are the ones being recalled.

Here are my babies, the true source of happiness in my life.

[Lisa0825]

56. What beauties!!!

:loveya:

[Rhiannon12866]

57. What beautiful dogs! I can see why they're your babies!

I have dogs, too, and they're on my sig line, two eight pound wonders and both rescue. I was worried because my puppy gets Eukanuba, but it was recommended by my vet. He believes that feeding your animals good food is the best way to ensure their continued good health, but this only makes sense. He's had me cook for my dogs, as well. But, as you've observed, most people don't think much about it, think that if it's made for pets, it must be okay. I've previously had dogs who were prone to seizures, so I've learned to be very careful, nothing with additives or colors. I figure that if you're going to have a pet, it's your responsibility to take the best care of them, since they're your responsibility for a lifetime. :-)

Here are my guys, Meneken and Jack: :loveya:

[OnyxCollie]

61. Our dog, Andre, died a few years ago.

We used to feed him Bil-Jac. He would leave big, smelly, messy poopies. "He's runnin' rich," we would joke.

Then he got cancer.

We did everything we could. Chemo, blood transfusions, etc, Didn't help. As he lay dying, we offered him fresh beef and chicken. But he wouldn't eat that. He wanted Bil-Jac.

Never again.

[Rhiannon12866]

64. I am so sorry, my friend, but I also know what this is like.

I adopt older dogs, from rescue, so have had eight dogs in my life, which I'm embarrassed to admit, since I'm not that old, but two already had health problems. I adopted two cockers who had a history of seizures, and that's when I learned to be careful about food and treats, only the best for my guys. And I appreciate the effort that you made for Andre. He was very fortunate to have had you. I've brought two of my dogs and one of my cats for acupuncture, which most people wouldn't think of. But I was trying to save two lives, and my beloved Barney was 18 and had orthopedic issues, and my vet is excellent, also offers alternative medicine, which also includes herbs, supplements and special diets. He's had me cook liver for them when they wouldn't eat and chicken and rice when they needed a bland diet. I could go on, LOL, since I've fought for my pets' lives, as well, but eventually lost them.;(

I lost my sweet little Sara last March, to Cushing's Syndrome. This broke my heart because this was sudden and it's unusual to lose a dog to this. I believed that she was doing so well. Since it's a disease of older dogs, they generally eventually die of something else. She was the second dog that I had with this, so I had researched it to death. I was not looking for another dog, since my little Meneken had already lost two sisters, and I just hadn't the heart to go through this again. But a vet tech who used to work for my vet contacted me about a puppy that she was helping to foster, since she remembered Meneken, and they're they're the same unusual breed, Brussels Griffon, and he was irresistible and they are unheard of in rescue. So I now have an 11-month-old puppy and I now realize the reason I always adopted older dogs, LOL. He actually had surgery yesterday, was neutered and they repaired the hernia which was the "flaw" which was the reason that he couldn't be sold. So we've had a rough 24 hours, but he's back to his crazy little self, LOL.:D

Here's Sara, who I still miss every day, so I understand your feelings about Andre. We spent a horrific weekend at the Animal Emergency Clinic and they tried everything, too. *sigh*:loveya:


And here's Jack, my puppy, in action: :D
http://www.dogster.com/video/373080/Jack_vs_charlie_tug_of_war_iii

[mr1956]

63. Link found

I found a link to info about the recall. It seems the recall list will be available after 6 am on Saturday.

More Info

[carla]

66. I quit the commercial animal food

for my pet after the death of my ACD. My new dog, Blue Stella, is only fed raw meat. Chicken with bone left in, beef, lamb heart, occasionally some intestine or stomach and a trout on the weekend. She also gets a day-old dead baby chicken daily. She hasn't needed any vaccinations (aside from rabies, for travel purposes). She recovers from injuries and illness with enviable speed, her breath smells better than that of most humans, her coat is shiny and clean and her energy is always fantastic.
Give up on "grain-based, bone meal added, vitamin-fortified, commercially produced pet food", it is the equivalent of feeding your children McDonalds fat-food and mono-sodium glutamate with white refined sugar. Dogs are not far removed from wolves, and cats are close to their family-lineage as well. Both of these animal types are carnivorous and don't digest grain-based food very well.
Want to know more?

[keepCAblue]

85. Good decision...

I'm a professional pet care provider and nutritionist (graduate degree in biochemistry). Research has shown that feeding cats, which are true carnivores, a strictly kibble (dry food) diet is one of the leading causes of bladder and kidney disease, due to the excessively high amount of carbohydrates the dry food contains. Also, dry food is dehydrating for cats. Most cats drink very little water and the dry food literally acts like a sponge when it hits the cat's digestive tract, dehydrating the cat internally. Either a natural diet, with a 65-75% protein/fat to 25-35% carb ratio, or a high-end canned cat food such as Evangers, Natural Balance or by Nature, all which have a relatively low carbohydrate (hence, grain) to protein/fat ratio. The wet (or canned) foods have a 70% water content which helps the cats maintain proper hydration. A diet high in quality protein (not by products) will naturally maintain a slightly acidic urine pH, reducing the likelihood of struvite stone formation (a common problem in cats, now believed to be caused or at least exacerbated by high carbohydrate/grain diets). It is also important for cats with bladder and/or renal (kidney) disease to have lots of water intake, as this will flush the kidneys and bladder as well as dilute out the magnesium and other minerals which form crystals. Adding extra filtered or purified water to their wet or home-made food will help to hydrate kitties that do not like to drink water from a bowl.

Beware of commercial foods for cats that list corn, wheat or rice as among their main ingredients (within the first 3-4 ingredients). These are foods which are excessively high in carbs and thus may contribute to bladder and kidney disease and/or struvite crystal formation, a serious condition in cats which, in some cases, may require surgery.

[kestrel91316]

129. Hm. Most my patients are on high quality kibble only, and I rarely see

urinary problems (except those in the elderly related to low USG-induced bacterial cystitis). I DO see the occasional urinary obstruction in (usually new patients) cats eating CHEAP dry food and/or food with fish.

The biggest factor in FUS/cystitis in not dry food consumption. That's overly simplistic. The wrong proportion of animal protein to plant protein can result in urine too alkaline, and that, combined with high Mg content in the food, sets the cat up for Magnesium ammonium phosphate crystalluria.

But you knew all that, right?

[Behind the Aegis]

67. More info....

The Facts You're Looking For:
- only "cuts and gravy" style wet food is affected
- list of specific brands will be released Saturday
- includes most store brands, including Walmart, PetSmart, Wegmans, Safeway, Kroger
- includes Iams and Eukanuba brands (Procter & Gamble)
- Purina is also involved, so Alpo, Mighty Dog, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Friskies may also be affected

---snip---

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

---snip---

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

more...

[bobbie]

68. Please keep us posted

Luckily I've been feeding them Promise.
I think/hope it's safe.

[Hekate]

69. Well darn. I've had to switch our 16 y.o. cat from dry to wet due to illness

He was throwing up and losing weight, yet very hungry, so our vet gave him a barium x-ray to see what was up. Turned out to be a blockage of "either grass or fur" so the Rx for that was a lot of cat-laxative to start with. He retired from hunting last year, but ever since he barfed up an entire mouse at the vet's he automatically gets treated for parasites whenever he's there.

Aside from the laxative I fed him a lot of very tiny meals each day to make sure the food would stay down, and found by experimentation that the kibble still didn't agree with him but wet food did. I'm feeding him three or four times a day now, and his stomach is nice and round and he's less bony.

We've switched around on brands a bit over the years, but overall I usually go back to ONE kibble for both the cat and dog, with a dab of wet on top for flavor. I thought dry was supposed to be better for keeping their teeth clean.

Currently he's getting canned Friskies, but I will certainly be checking out this recall.

I can't post a pic of Othello, but he's a huge black longhair with gold eyes. In his prime he was 15 pounds of hunter, bigger than our sweet-tempered cockapoo Betsy, who is only about 10 pounds of fluff. Sometimes we used to hear a thud on the hood of our car; that would have been Othello jumping down from the roof of the house. He has been known to hide behind the hall door and pounce at Betsy -- a cat-game it took her awhile to get used to.

His territory includes the neighbors across the street. Their elderly mother used to tell me that "Attila" liked to sit below the bird feeder and watch the birds. I told her he thought it was a snack tray, and that's why I won't have a bird feeder at my house.

I feel like I'm eulogizing my cat, and I guess I am. He's not been all that well over the past year, and about two years ago I insisted he learn to stay overnight in the garage instead of roaming out the pet door all night. I could tell he was slowing down and was afraid he'd end up as dinner for one of the coyotes or raccoons. He didn't like it AT ALL in the beginning and made noises like he was being murdered, but eventually he got used to his soft bed and the other amenities, and now when I put him out there he's ready for bed.

Hekate

[femmedem]

73. Oh, it is so hard to see them slowing down.

Othello sounds like he's a wonderful spirit. I have a long haired black cat with gold eyes, too. He's magnificent.

Othello could be having heart trouble, which is to some degree treatable.

[Silver Gaia]

70. The lists are up now (at the link in the OP).

http://www.menufoods.com/recall

I don't know if it's OK to post these lists here or not, but if the site gets jammed in the morning and you can't get in, here are the brands they have listed, and a number to call. If you go to the link posted above, the name of each brand is a link that downloads an Excel file listing the UPC codes etc. of that brand that are involved in the recall.

Recalled Dog Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708

1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
2. Authority
3. Award
4. Best Choice
5. Big Bet
6. Big Red
7. Bloom
8. Bruiser
9. Cadillac
10. Companion
11. Demoulas Market Basket
12. Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog
13. Food Lion
14. Giant Companion
15. Great Choice
16. Hannaford
17. Hill Country Fare
18. Hy-Vee
19. Key Food
20. Laura Lynn
21. Loving Meals
22. Main Choice
23. Mixables
24. Nutriplan
25. Nutro Max
26. Nutro Natural Choice
27. Nutro
28. Ol'Roy
29. Paws
30. Pet Essentials
31. Pet Pride
32. Presidents Choice
33. Price Chopper
34. Priority
35. Publix
36. Roche Bros
37. Save-A-Lot
38. Schnucks
39. Springsfield Pride
40. Sprout
41. Stater Bros
42. Total Pet, My True Friend
43. Western Family
44. White Rose
45. Winn Dixie
46. Your Pet

Recalled Cat Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708

1. Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
2. Authority
3. Best Choice
4. Companion
5. Compliments
6. Demoulas Market Basket
7. Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog
8. Food Lion
9. Foodtown
10. Giant Companion
11. Good n Meaty
12. Hannaford
13. Hill Country Fare
14. Hy-Vee
15. Key Food
16. Laura Lynn
17. Li'l Red
18. Loving Meals
19. Main Choice
20. Nutriplan
21. Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
22. Nutro Natural Choice
23. Paws
24. Presidents Choice
25. Price Chopper
26. Priority
27. Save-A-Lot
28. Schnucks
29. Sophistacat
30. Special Kitty
31. Springfield Pride
32. Sprout
33. Total Pet, My True Friend
34. Wegmans
35. Western Family
36. White Rose
37. Winn Dixie

Mods: If I did something wrong in posting these lists, please just delete. Only trying to help.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

71. Thank You!

Thank You,From my Fur-Babies Too!

[Silver Gaia]

72. You're welcome!

Big hugs & smoochies to your fur-babies! :)

With 6 cats and an elderly dog, I was concerned about this, too! My cats get a dollop of wet food every night along with their dry food, and I never use the stuff in the pouches. I make my dog's main food from a recipe my vet gave me (and mix it with a bit of dry food soaked in warm water), so he doesn't get any canned or pouch food. None of the brands I use, wet or dry, are on these lists, though. WHEW!

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

75. Other brands have been recalled, too

I feed my cats Science Diet, and they have issued a recall for some of their foods, too, even though they are not listed on the Menu Foods website.

http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_US.htm

The best thing to do is to check the website for the manufacturer of your food, just to be sure.

[Lisa0825]

78. I heard Iams was in the recall, but I don't see them in the list. Eukanuba either.

[keepCAblue]

80. Iams and Eukanuba ARE in the recall...

From yesterday's AP article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_bi_ge/pet_food_recall

"The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said."

[Sadie5]

84. Nutro Maxx for small dogs

Is all I feed. I have two rescues now and being older, it is very important to keep that weight off. I lost a rescue last year to Diabetes and she ate the Royal Canin for Diabetics. So far I have only fed dry food with healthy treats.

[keepCAblue]

91. Nutro, Nutro Max , Nutro Natural Choice canned & foil pack food has been recalled.

I don't like Nutro dry food primarily because Nutro's labeling is deceptive. Nutro employs a deceptive labeling device known in the commercial pet food industry as "grain splitting". What they do is, instead of listing just "rice" they'll break the rice down into its three components: ground rice, rice flour, rice bran. The reason they do this is because if they were to simply list "rice", it would be the #1 ingredient, not the meat or meal which is the most important. Most commercial foods, Nutro included, have far too much grain (wheat, rice, or corn). The Nutro Max's "Mini Chunks" (for small breeds) has the following top-listed ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Wheat Flour, Ground Whole Wheat, Rice Bran, Poultry Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Rice,...etc.

Here's an example of "grain splitting" by Nutro:

Example from Nutro's "Natural Choice" dry dog food:

Lamb Meal, Ground Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Bran, Soybean Oil, Sunflower Oil...etc.

[Lisa0825]

94. I am just saying they do not appear in the list on the company website.

Maybe P&G is playing "better safe than sorry," even if the foods were not on the Menu Foods list? :shrug:

[keepCAblue]

96. No. Menu Foods makes Iams and Eukanuba. It's more likely that...

P&G refused to authorize Menu Foods to list their labels so that they could *handle* their own recall and press releases, for greater control of info dissemination. Very typical of mega-corporations to do this.

Here's an excerpt from the P&G press release (Friday, 3/16):

"Dayton, OH (March 16, 2007) – In response to the recent Menu Foods, Inc. nationwide recall of wet pet foods, P&G Pet Care has announced a voluntary recall in the United States and Canada on specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch “wet” cat and dog food products manufactured by Menu Foods Inc. Emporia, Kansas plant with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197. This voluntary recall is part of a larger product recall by Menu Foods Inc., a contract manufacturer that makes a small portion of canned and foil pouch ‘wet’ cat foods for Iams and Eukanuba as well as other non-P&G brands."

More at ink: http://www.iamsco.com/en_US/jhtmls/iamsco/news/sw_in_News_page.jhtml?li=en_US&bc=C&pti=IN&ai=3885

[Lisa0825]

98. Ah, thanks. Sounds like that is setting themselves up for trouble...

If I bought Iams, and saw that my brand was NOT on the recall, and didn't happen to hear about P&G's separate notice (which I had not til you), I would think my pets were safe.

[keepCAblue]

108. See post #104 ... Hills Science Diet also MIA from recall list n/t

[Silver Gaia]

112. Direct LINK to IAMS & Eukanaba LISTS

http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/data_root/html/product_article/ProductRecallList.htm

[keepCAblue]

114. Good find! Thanks! n/t

[keepCAblue]

116. Pet Essentials is sold at Target. It's Target's house brand.

This brand is on the Menu Food list for dogs. It should be noted that this is Target's store brand.

[Silver Gaia]

117. You're most welcome...

It was NOT easy to find, so I figured it would be a good idea to post it. This REALLY pisses me off!

[stimbox]

86. Human grade ingredients only.

Boy, I learned the hard, heart-breaking and expensive way.
My kitty Momo died last year due to complications due to feline diabetes.
Had to put him to sleep after his kidneys failed after about 6 months of him being injected 2x daily with insulin.
That was the hardest decision in my life. I still cry about him. Commercial non-human grade catfood killed him slowly and painfully.
From what I learned from the research my girlfriend did about feline diabetes, I will NEVER, EVER feed my other kitty, Chibi, food that contains fish, animal by products, organ meats, and/or grains of any kind.
It's Wellness brand Turducken for her.

[OhioChick]

87. Wow....

That's one hell of a recall list. I assume that Science Diet is okay? Hope so......my dogs are eating it now.

[sellitman]

95. My Dog gets Purina One and my cats get Regular Dry Purina.

Plus they always have plenty of water.

Is this ok? They seem healthy.

[Corgigal]

100. dry is fine..well this time

Mine are eating dry purina one also. I see mighty dog, in pouches have been recalled, but not the ones in cans. I can't find pedigree listed anywhere. I have pedigree pouches and just fed them one an hour ago. Not the gravy kind, but I have those too. Scary to think you can just poison your pet like this.

[Silver Gaia]

115. Purina is recalling 'Mighty Dog' pouches...

Looks like everything else made by Purina is 'safe'?

More info here: http://www.purina.com/company/press/2007/MightyDog.aspx

[VegasWolf]

101. Our neighbor just lost her two dogs because she feed them the tainted Nutra and Nutra Max brand. nt

[gardenista]

103. Oh no, that's so sad!

I'm so sorry to hear about that, what a terrible loss!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

104. Hill's "Science Diet" included in recall but not on official list.

Some Science Diet moist cat foods are being recalled voluntarily.

List of recalled products: http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_US.htm

[keepCAblue]

107. Those slimy bastards. How many other "premium" brands are not on the list?

This just pisses me off. Hills Science Diet AND P&G (Iams and Eukanuba) both refused to have their brands listed on the Menu Foods website. MF'ing corporate slime.

[Silver Gaia]

113. I'm fucking PISSED, too.

How many MORE dogs and cats will DIE because of this??? :grr:

The P&G lists were not easy to find, but I did locate them. I posted a link to the P&G lists above (#112).

Edited to change post#. I goofed!

[Critters2]

132. One of my cats gets Hill's Prescription C/D

Of course, it's not on the list, but now I'm suspicious. I wonder if it is made by Menu Foods, and if there are other alternatives. How would I find this out?

[kestrel91316]

135. The Prescription Diet line is NOT involved. The foods made at

Menufoods in KS were all made at that factory because of their special equipment for making the fakey meat cuts and gravy stuff.

[Critters2]

138. The thing that makes me mad is that Hill's behaves as if they're

manufacturing their own special foods at their own special plants, using special ingredients. Now it turns out they're outsourcing the manufacturing at a plant that doesn't even buy WHEAT locally in KANSAS!! I really doubt that Hill's is any more careful with their ingredients or manufacturing process than any other company. And for what it costs, it ought to be made more carefully. This just borders on fraud.

[redacted]

110. FIFTY brands are posted on their website!

How can there be alternatives and choices among manufacturers of pet food with FIFTY brands made by one outfit?

And, of course, it looks like the plants are run by a hedge fund. No surprise there either.

So far the Wellness brand of dry food isn't yet on the list. If anybody learns otherwise, please post!

[kestrel91316]

136. Virtually all of those brands are known charitably as "generics".

Except Iams/Eukanuba. That one was, frankly, a shocker for me.

Check the labels on all those small, obscure brands - they all say "Distributed by" rather than "Manufactured by", which has always been a big red flag for me indicating marginal quality.

[Joanne98]

111. A girlfriend of mine dog died last weekend. The vet didn't know why.

I wonder if this is why.

[NYC]

118. That's a dreadful thought.

Whatever the cause, I'm sorry your friend's dog died.

[Joanne98]

120. That's. I sent her the link to this article....

[keepCAblue]

122. New website consolidating the Pet Food Recall info

Quick and dirty, but it contains all the info from several diff press releases, news articles, etc. consolidated into one site. It's a work in progress; info will be added as it develops.

http://www.howl911.com/petfoodrecall.htm

[9thkvius]

125. Anyone hear anything about the cause?

So far, all I can find is that there are a few references to a problem with the wheat gluten used in these foods, and that somehow this is causing renal failure in these dogs and cats.

Any of our vets/pet nutrition experts know why wheat gluten would do this? A disease or contaminant in the wheat? A pesticide or other chemical perhaps? Could it have anything to do with GM wheat?

So far, nothing on the list is anything Rerun (my dachshund) eats, but the list seems to be getting bigger.

[Neshanic]

127. "Oh, there's a big difference in brands of dogfood" Bullshit.

I am not feeding my dog any food made by a "soylent green" company that makes dog food for all of Western civilzation.

Proctor and Gamble can go fuck themselves, along with Purina and the whole scam artists that make up the pet food industry.

I started making my own dog food.

[wordpix]

130. glad my cats like only Friskies

[Critters2]

134. I wouldn't be surprised if Menu Foods is making Friskies, too

They're making every other medium-priced brand.

[kestrel91316]

137. Nah. Friskies is HUGE. They have their own factory. Probably several.