Company Initiates Recall of Dry Cat Food

FDA ^ | Friday, March 30, 2007 10:11 PM | FDA

[Sally'sConcerns]

FDA Finds Melamine in Wheat Gluten used by Hill's Pet Nutrition Company Initiates Recall of Dry Cat Food The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today notified Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., of Topeka, Kansas, that FDA testing has detected melamine and melamine byproducts in wheat gluten received by the company to make dry cat food. FDA is conducting an investigation into pet food products made with wheat gluten that contains melamine and their association with reports of injury and deaths in cats and dogs.

Because the cat food is sold exclusively through veterinarians, Hill's has notified veterinarians, and is voluntarily recalling the pet food containing the wheat gluten and will conduct its own testing.

Consumers who have any bags of Prescription Diet m/d Feline should discontinue use. They should speak with their veterinarian if their pet shows any signs of kidney/renal illness. Such signs include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting.

"FDA recognizes that pets are very important to the American people and our sympathies go out to those who have lost their beloved pets," said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration.

During two months in early 2007, Hill's Pet Nutrition manufactured Prescription Diet m/d Feline using wheat gluten from the same company that has supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods, Inc. Menu Foods, Inc. (menufoods.com/recall) has also voluntarily recalled products potentially contaminated with melamine. See http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html for more information on the pet food recall.

The Hill’s cat food now being recalled is labeled Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food. The products are:

4 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42770 10 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42790 The agency is continuing to work with Menu Foods, Inc., and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., to ensure the effectiveness of their recalls.

For more information, consumers may contact Hills Pet Nutrition at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Affecting prescription dry cat food. Hopefully this isn't the start of an increasing problem with all dry pet foods.

[LongElegantLegs]

They better not issue a recall of dry dog food or I'm going to be really pissed. My dog's neurotic enough without eating rat poison, thank you very much...

[Sally'sConcerns]

Seems as if the dry recall is starting out in the same manner as the recall for the wet food did. A kind of drip...drip...drip...splash!

[dandelion]

!!!!! I was feeding this to my kitty for years!

I was afraid of this, that the recall would get wider. I stopped feeding my dogs their dry food two weeks ago - and now I'm glad. Rice, eggs and greens, with ground up egg shells and cod liver oil mixed in... it's more work, but wow. I wonder how long these tainted ingredients have been in the pet food and we just didn't know it.

I paid good money to get my cat the best food available for him, and I was very pleased with science diet until now. I wonder - is the formula is really that much different than any other brand Menufoods makes? Or all they all the same, just mixed in different ratios?

Either way, what a wake-up call.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company. This listserv covers mainly Class I (life-threatening) recalls. A complete listing of recalls can be found in the FDA Enforcement Report at: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/Enforce.html

Hills Pet Nutrition, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Single Product, Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food, Only Product Containing Wheat Gluten
Contact:
Amy Thompson
785-368-5016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Topeka, KS -- March 30, 2007 -- In accordance with its over-riding commitment to pet health and well-being, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is voluntarily recalling Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food from the market. Hill's is taking this precautionary action because during a two-month period in early 2007, wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods. U.S. Food and Drug Administration tests of wheat gluten samples from this period show the presence of a small amount of melamine. Prescription Diet m/d Feline Dry represents less than one half of one percent of all Hill's products.

This is the only product Hill's currently sells in the United States that contains wheat gluten from any supplier. No other Hill's Prescription Diet® or Science Diet® products are affected by this voluntary recall. Hill's Science Diet Savory Cuts Feline canned cat foods, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution. Together with this earlier withdrawal, less than 1% of all Hill's products have been affected.

The voluntary recall of Hill's Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food involves discontinuation of all retail sales and product retrieval from sellers. This recall does not include Prescription Diet m/d Feline canned food which contains no wheat gluten.

Consumers should stop using this product and return it for a refund. All Hill's products carry a 100 percent guarantee, and consumers can receive a refund for recalled product.

Hill's expects to resume shipment shortly of a reformulated version of this highly beneficial product that will not contain wheat gluten. Please check with your veterinarian for an alternative Prescription Diet until m/d Feline dry is reformulated and made available again.

Following is a list of Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry products included in this recall:

Recalled product
U.S. & Canada UPC
Size

Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline dry food
52742 42770
(all lot numbers)
4 lb. bag

Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline dry food
52742 42790
(all lot numbers)
10 lb. bag

Hill's has been fully cooperating with the FDA since the outset of its investigation and made the decision to voluntarily recall these products in consultation with the FDA. We deeply regret any concern that this has caused our valued customers.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.

####

FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html

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[Pontiac]

Consumers who have any bags of Prescription Diet m/d Feline should discontinue use.

This is bad news.

I remember the other day listening to Rush talk about this. He said his cat eats prescription cat food.

I hope his cat is all right.

[backhoe]

FYI, FWIW:

–The Poisoned Pet Food Problem–

-here are some quick links.

Note, like all my stuff, you need to scan the “replies” sections for more links and info as well:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1809221/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1809248/posts

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-CRF-Support

The data base here is up to 2,400 dead pets now.
http://www.petconnection.com/

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1809067/posts

National Toxicology Program - Executive Summary: Chromium Picolinate
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm?objectid=6F5E980E-F1F6-975E-7CA23E823F2CB959

http://www.itchmo.com/read/voluntary-dry-food-reports_20070328

Doggie folks might like this link:

http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dog-food-recipes.html

Lots and lots of recipes for doggie ration and treats.

This is a fast cut & paste from the Dark Underbelly- always crosscheck, reference, and proceed with caution with internet sources.