OT- Pet Food recall, pet owners please read

[NvmbrsDoom5]

Obviously this has nothing to do with ND or metal but I think it's important so just in case I'm posting this here.

REPOST:

Recalled Cat Product Information (March 16)
Due to dog and cat kidney failure and death in the US - check your cat & dog foods - many brands
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708 (USA)
Info should also be available on KDKA's website and at www.menufoods.com/recall.

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Best Choice
Companion
Compliments
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Fine Feline Cat
Food Lion
Foodtown
Giant Companion
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Li'l Red
Loving Meals
Meijer's Main Choice
Nutriplan
Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
Nutro Natural Choice
Paws
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Cans
Sophistacat
Special Kitty Canada
Special Kitty US
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Total Pet, My True Friend
Wegmans
Western Family
White Rose
Winn Dixie

Recalled Dog Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708 (USA)
Info should also be available on KDKA's website and at www.menufoods.com/recall

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Meijers Main Choice
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro
Ol'Roy Canada
Ol'Roy US
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride - Good n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Publix
Roche Bros
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Shep Dog
Springsfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Bros
Total Pet, My True Friend
Western Family
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet
Animal owners frantic on pet food recall - read please
Animal owners frantic on pet food recall By MATTHEW VERRINDER, Associated Press Writer
Sat Mar 17, 3:55 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070317/ap_on_bi_ge/pet_food_recall

UNION, N.J. - Pet owners were worried this weekend that the kibble in their cupboard may be deadly after the recall of millions of containers of dog and cat food sold at major retailers across North America.

ADVERTISEMENT

Menu Foods, the Ontario-based company that produced the pet food, said Saturday it was recalling dog food sold under 46 brands and cat food sold under 37 brands including Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba. The food was distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico by major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger and Safeway.

An unknown number of cats and dogs had suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, the company said.

Many stores that sold the affected brands frantically pulled packages off shelves.

At a Petsmart store in Union, Silviene Grzybowski became worried when the four types of Iams products she buys for her cat, Smokey, had vanished from shelves. The cat was very sick and had not been eating for days, she said.

"The vet told us to buy her her favorite food, but I'm going to call the vet right now," Grzybowski said, looking at an announcement Petsmart had taped to shelves announcing the recall.

A complete list of the recalled products along with product codes, descriptions and production dates was available from the Menu Foods Web site — http://www.menufoods.com/recall — and consumers also could call (866) 463-6738.

Menu Foods' chief executive and president Paul Henderson told the Associated Press on Friday that the company was still trying to figure out what happened.

He said that the company had received an undisclosed number of owner complaints that dogs and cats were vomiting and suffering kidney failure after eating its products.

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 from Dec. 3 to March 6.

In Omaha, Neb., Susan Balvanz said she sometimes feeds her five cats packets of sliced meat and gravy sold by Nutro Products, one of the brands affected.

"I've done so much research on pet food. It didn't surprise me but it scared me all the same," said Balvanz.

She said her 9-year-old cat, Boots, was especially fond of the food but seemed to have lost its appetite in the last few days.

At the Missouri Valley Veterinary Clinic in Bismarck, N.D., veterinarian Jacob Carlson has been referring worried pet owners to the Menu Foods web site.

"We've had a lot of calls," Carlson said, although none of his patients were sick.

The company said it makes pet food 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.

 

[Jasonic]

Just to follow up, I believe this is only an issue for "wet" food, not "dry"

 

[ScientistOfDarkness]

I heard this and freaked out since I feed my dog and cat Nutro Natural, but luckily they both eat dry food. There's a lady that lives next to me fed her dogs something that was recalled, and all 5 are sick and in really bad shape. The pet store is paying her vet bill which is almost at 10 thousand dollars. Hope everyone's furbabies are okay!

 

[NvmbrsDoom5]

Damn I'm really sorry to hear about your neighbors dogs, that's a real shame. That really upsets me.

 

[dan of bereavement]

They just recalled a bunch of baby food too. I think it's called "Earth's Best"

 

[kleo706]

We lucked out. Decided to introduce wet food to the diet then faltered b/c we wanted to do research on what was good.

 

[ShadowLioness]

I initially freaked when I heard the story on the news last week. Thankfully I do not feed my cat the wet food or even any of the brands listed. After the story broke, a good friend of mine directed me to a website that sells only natural pet food. This site also details the horrific garbage that is put into most pet food you buy at the store. I knew that it wasn't perfect, but I had no idea it was that bad. I immediately felt like a complete ass for feeding my cat this filth for so many years. Here I was watching what I was putting into my own body, but feeding my animal junk. I encourage you guys that have cats/dogs to visit: http://www.naturespet.com

I ordered samples to see if my cat will eat it. If so, no more store bought food for her! Sure it is a bit more money, but it's no worse than buying organic food for yourself.

 

[kleo706]

The main thing to bear in mind with cats and food is they are carnivores. Therefore something like Friskies whose label pretty much translates to "85% sawdust with ground up chicken feet and some floor sweepings from our human products division" is really bloody bad for them. In addition to the supermarket foods lacking in biological necessities, some of the fillers in 'em can cause nasty complications. (For instance, we swapped over to Nutro and Gus "mysteriously" lost his urinary tract blockage).
And FYI, there are some fantastic mass-marketed foods available. For instance, Innova has products formulated to mimic a raw diet. From what I've been told by those who use it, the reduction in necessary quantity totally negates any cost shift. Still, if $12 for 7lbs poses a problem there's Wellness which ain't bad either. There are a number of other really good ones out there but I mentioned those two in particular because
a) they're the ones we're debating after research.
b) people are saying Pet Supplies "Plus" has taken to carrying them and they are in Chicago.

 

[kleo706]

The main thing to bear in mind with cats and food is they are carnivores. Therefore something like Friskies whose label pretty much translates to "85% sawdust with ground up chicken feet and some floor sweepings from our human products division" is really bloody bad for them. In addition to the supermarket foods lacking in biological necessities, some of the fillers in 'em can cause nasty complications. (For instance, we swapped over to Nutro and Gus "mysteriously" lost his urinary tract blockage).
And FYI, there are some fantastic mass-marketed foods available. For instance, Innova has products formulated to mimic a raw diet. From what I've been told by those who use it, the reduction in necessary quantity totally negates any cost shift. Still, if $12 for 7lbs poses a problem there's Wellness which ain't bad either. There are a number of other really good ones out there but I mentioned those two in particular because
a) they're the ones we're debating after research.
b) people are saying Pet Supplies "Plus" has taken to carrying them and they are in Chicago.

 

[ScientistOfDarkness]

I initially freaked when I heard the story on the news last week. Thankfully I do not feed my cat the wet food or even any of the brands listed. After the story broke, a good friend of mine directed me to a website that sells only natural pet food. This site also details the horrific garbage that is put into most pet food you buy at the store. I knew that it wasn't perfect, but I had no idea it was that bad. I immediately felt like a complete ass for feeding my cat this filth for so many years. Here I was watching what I was putting into my own body, but feeding my animal junk. I encourage you guys that have cats/dogs to visit: http://www.naturespet.com

I ordered samples to see if my cat will eat it. If so, no more store bought food for her! Sure it is a bit more money, but it's no worse than buying organic food for yourself.

Did you get the Flint River Ranch? I used to give that to Ramses, he liked it and it made his coat really shiny. I used to feed it to the dog but he had some stomach issues with it.

 

[ShadowLioness]

Did you get the Flint River Ranch? I used to give that to Ramses, he liked it and it made his coat really shiny. I used to feed it to the dog but he had some stomach issues with it.

Yes! In fact I received the samples on Friday. I did the taste test like the package instructed. One side of her bowl was filled with the new food and the other had her current food. She b-lined straight for the Flint River Ranch. I couldn't believe it! I've got a bigger bag of the food on the way along with some treats. I tried giving her some of the treats she always eats yesterday and she stuck her nose up at them. I've already noticed an increase in her energy. One vote from me for this stuff!

 

[kleo706]

It seems the tainted wheat gluten was shipper to a dry food manufacturer as well. They are not saying who until 100% positive they used it. Thus far the only recall has been Prescription Diet m/d Feline Dry cat kibble. Since no names outside of that have been given. If you are worried (and seeing as the vagueness is pretty high right now), try to find a wheat-gluten free dry food your kitty.