I need to apologize for being so defensive on the animal food posts yesterday

[hang a left]

I have been following all the threads on the recalled pet foods. I have 5 cats and 2 small dogs all on Iams foods for years.

I thought maybe their was some hysteria going on regarding the dry foods making animals sick. I started to get a little concerned so I contacted Iams and was ASSURED in no uncertain terms that all their dry foods were not affected and that in fact they manufactured all of their dry. After this conversation I got a little uppity in a couple of threads and for that I apologize.

Well, I wake up this morning and find out that Iams and Eukanuba dry diet food has been added to the recall. With a new pet food being added every 6-12 hours and companies running for cover and being dishonest, I can no longer trust any of these pet foods.

I am going today to the local feed store and replacing my 35 pds of left over Iams dog and cat food with a Natura product that was recommended by a poster. Upon researching the price points I found that the dog food is less expensive than Iams, however the cat food is a little more expensive. I am just hoping that the animals will eat it.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. AT this point, I have no idea what to feed my two little dogs.

They have been eating dry food for their entire lives, and this current batch seems to be okay, but I'm not buying any additional food until this is over.

I've cooked up some turkey breast for them and they're getting that with some rice.

[Breeze54]

2. How To Make Your Own Pet Food Recipes

How To Make Your Own Pet Food Recipes

As a pet owner, no doubt you want to give your dog or cat the best care possible.
And caring for your pet means feeding him the best diet you can.

Animals, because they are color blind, choose their foods by smell.
Most dogs like gamey flavors best, as well as liver, fat, garlic,
onions, horsemeat, lamb, beef, cheese and fish.

Cats enjoy chicken, liver, fish, turkey, lamb, and yeast, and prefer fresh
to aged flavors. Remember that cats are fussy eaters and it is not wise to
continually feed them their favorite foods. Soon they will refuse to eat
anything else; it is your job to see your cat has a balanced diet.

Warning: Do not feed cats onions!

Animals do not need salt added to their diet as the natural salt in the food is enough for them.

Dogs may eat any vegetable they want, but cats should not have any starchy veggies,
like peas and corn. Some dogs and cats even enjoy fruits!

It's a good idea to always add a grain, such as Kibble, wheat germ, cooked oatmeal
or whole wheat bread to meat dinners. For dogs use 75% carbohydrate foods
(grains and vegetables) to 25% meat; for cats use half carbohydrate foods to half meat.

You will find, once you begin making your own pet foods, that it is really relatively
simple and you will save some money as well. Remember that all pet foods should be served
at room temperature; don't serve food cold from the refrigerator nor hot from the stove.

Incidentally, you should know that cats should be fed three times a day,
while an adult dog needs only one meal a day.

Here are some pet recipes you can make at home:

http://www.healthrecipes.com/pet_supply.htm

Hope that helps!!

-----------

I love the name of this recipe! :rofl:


BARF Dinner (med size dog) ;)
http://www.treatworld.com/index.php?detailed=47


211 Pet Food Recipes
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/pet-food

[InvisibleTouch]

8. Regarding grains:

Different animals will have different reactions to different grains. Some of my dogs get diarrhea from oatmeal, while others are fine with it. You may have to experiment a bit. I've found that organic brown rice, well cooked, is nicely tolerated by almost everyone.

[Dr.Phool]

16. Chicken Soap?

:rofl:

[DBoon]

17. I'm told onion is very bad for dogs

it causes a type of anemia that can be fatal.

As for garlic, well it can only improve their breath!

[havocmom]

23. I love the " CHICKEN SOAP" recipe

though I have never thought to give them a bath... :hi:

[LeftyMom]

6. Home cooking works pretty well for dogs.

I get the impression it's much harder for cats, but for dogs pretty much anything that keeps people healthy works for them, provided you avoid the few things they can't have (chocolate, rasins, whatever the others are- I don't know, I'm a cat person.)

There've been a few discussions about what brands are still trustworthy. If you look in the pets forum, there are some threads by Lorien that deal with cat food, I know you need dog food info, but she has very high standards and any brand she thinks well of I'd feel safe feeding.

FWIW, Trinny (my kitty) is on Natural Balance and Nature's Recipe, and I haven't heard anything bad about either brand. If she was any healthier we'd have to leach her, so they make good quality stuff.

[LostinVA]

12. My mom is making organic chicken breast and rice for her dog

He's a 16-year-old Westie.

[Greylyn58]

22. I've been feeding my boy Sheridan

Nature's Recipe, made by Del-Monte Pet Products. He has skin allergies so the Vet said to feed him a food without wheat(which some dogs have allergic reactions to) Nature's Recipe has No Wheat, No Beef and No Corn. He loves it and it has been a good food for him.

PetSmart sells it in different varieties. They also make cat food. They have a good website. Check it out.

http://www.naturesrecipe.com/#

[lazer47]

3. This is not a commercial

But you might like what I feed, I use Science Diet, It can be expensive but well worth, not having to worry

[Evergreen Emerald]

11. some of it is on the list

I use Science diet too. But, it seems that daily new brands are added to the recall list.

It is very scary.

[lazer47]

14. Most Science Diet Dosen't have Gluten in it

[Evergreen Emerald]

24. I checked both my dog and cat food

they have corn gluten, which (so far) is not affected. The scary part is that every day, a new brand is recalled. I am putting away the treats!

[Lobster Martini]

4. Said this before on another thread, but still...maybe worth saying again

I use a 50/50 combination of Newman's Own Organics and homemade food for my dog (Bessie, the Defender of the Blog), and I've discussed her diet with her vet and her chiropractor. Newman's Own Organics has a list of ingredients on its Web site.

[Buzz Clik]

5. No need to apologize.

You are (or were) a loyal Iams customer because the product served your pets well. In reality, that has not changed. Iams included the dry food on the recall list out of fear of litigation, not because of some knowledge of tainted food.

We have a young dog eating Iams puppy food. He's eaten a third of the bag already and is doing just fine.

This ranks up there with the tainted Tylenol scare and the time they found two grapes laced with cyanide.

[LiberalHeart]

13. How did I miss this? Iams dry is recalled???

My daughter's dog is on Alpo dry and is sick today, vomiting bile. Never been sick before. But Alpo dry isn't recalled, right? Just the wet?

[Buzz Clik]

15. It's in the OP. I assume he/she is correct.

[hang a left]

20. Alpo was also recalled this morning. nt

Get the animal to a vet STAT

[Warpy]

7. Thank you for posting this

My fat old crotchety kitty is on the diet Iams. She's been on it for about six weeks, so I'm hoping the enormous bag was produced pre recall.

In any case, she's as feisty as ever. If melamine is the contaminant in dry food, I'm not overly worried. It has a relatively low toxicity and must be fed over a couple of years to cause kidney stones.

I wouldn't feed it to a kitten or a young cat. My old gal is 13 and likely to peg out before effects are felt.

I think the contaminant is likely found in the corn component and I doubt any dry food is exempt. Wet food was a disaster--diarrhea in a long haired kitty is extremely unpleasant for both kitty and caretaker human--so she'll need to be on dry food or starve.

There are recipes all over the web for making your own cat food. Avoid the vegetarian ones, cats and dogs are meant to eat meat.

Good luck to all of us and our furry family members.

(and no, this is serious, we can't be defensive enough)

[wtmusic]

9. I thought the D in DU stood for "defensive"

jk no worries

I would have to apologize for about half of my posts

[InvisibleTouch]

10. No worries...

...It just goes to show you that we can't trust what the corporations say, and this incident should teach us all to be on our guard, and to become much more self-sufficient.

To the megacorps it's all about profit, and they will do and say absolutely anything to wring out a few more bucks. That's true not only of pet food companies, but of the companies that produce human food and health products as well. Anything they can get away with, they will, and we trust them at our own risk.

[AZBlue]

18. No need to apologize.

They are our little ones and it's a very emotional issue. It's scary and frustrating and so confusing. I'm at a loss as to what to feed my cat - I stood in Petco for 45 minutes the other day, finally settled on a brand, brought it home and found it it comes from Menu too. So, now it's going back! I'm ready to burst into tears I'm so frustrated and worried.

[juno jones]

19. Posting this again in case it helps someone

My cats are staying healthy. I have been feeding them friskies wet and 'nutra nuggets' dry (which I can get at costco and my local store). It's not as fancy as Newmans but right now we don't have the money to switch. These seem to do the trick and doesn't cost as much as Iams, etc. I just lucked into this combo, it makes me shudder to think I was feeding Iams kitten and a house brand wet food I was getting from a discount store until just 4 or 5 months ago...Don't know what I would do if I lost my little guys (just 1 year) so quickly!

[eppur_se_muova]

21. "products sold under 95 brand names"

Menu Foods Limited<1>, based in Streetsville, Ontario, Canada, is the largest maker of wet cat and dog food in North America, with its products sold under 95 brand names<2>, which the company identifies as supermarkets, big box and pet product retailers and wholesalers.<1>

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_Foods

No wonder it's hard to keep track. Four major factories, in widely separated locations.

If we don't try to protect our "poor dumb animals" against such things, it is beyond them to protect themselves. They can't even tell us when they're sick, or their food tastes funny -- that's what the "dumb" (i.e. mute) means. So no apologies needed for trying your best.