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Fungus Forces Recall of Dog, Cat Food
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | December 23, 2005 - 5:14 a.m. | The Associated Press

Posted on 12/23/2005 9:28:52 AM PST by Buddy B

Fungus Forces Recall of Dog, Cat Food

ALBANY, N.Y. — A pet food company has advised retailers to stop selling some of its dog and cat food that may be contaminated with toxic fungus after several dogs got sick and some died.

The fungus produces poisonous aflatoxin. Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning include lethargy, loss of appetite, yellowish eyes and gums, and severe or bloody diarrhea.

The 19 recalled varieties of dog and cat food were made by Diamond Pet Foods and sold in New York and 22 other states and under the brand names Diamond, Country Value, and Professional.

(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: aflatoxin; dogfood
Read and heed...
1 posted on 12/23/2005 9:28:54 AM PST by Buddy B
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To: Buddy B

Dang! Now my elderly mother won't have any Christmas Dinner!.........


2 posted on 12/23/2005 9:31:03 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him)
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To: HairOfTheDog; Slings and Arrows

Caution PING


3 posted on 12/23/2005 9:32:08 AM PST by FairOpinion
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To: HairOfTheDog; Slings and Arrows

Caution PING


4 posted on 12/23/2005 9:32:09 AM PST by FairOpinion
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To: Buddy B

Prescription Science Diet only!


5 posted on 12/23/2005 9:32:42 AM PST by rintense
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To: Buddy B

Just received the following alert from the 'CTCA Coton de Tulear e-Zine':

Company recalls tainted pet food
17 deaths may be linked to pet food contaminated with fungi

Friday, December 23, 2005; Posted: 4:43 a.m. EST (09:43 GMT)

A golden retriever being treated in Ithaca, New York, after eating the tainted food.

RELATED
• View recall information

FACT BOX

The affected products:
• Diamond Low Fat Dog Food
• Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food
• Diamond Maintenance Dog Food
• Diamond Performance Dog Food
• Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food
• Diamond Puppy Food
• Diamond Maintenance Cat Food
• Diamond Professional Cat Food
• Country Value Puppy
• Country Value Adult Dog
• Country Value High Energy Dog
• Country Value Adult Cat Food
• Professional Chicken & Rice Senior Dog Food
• Professional Reduced Fat Chicken & Rice Dog Food
• Professional Adult Dog Food
• Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food
• Professional Puppy Food
• Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food
• Professional Adult Cat Food

(CNN) -- One of the nation's largest dog food producers has recalled some of its products in 22 states after receiving reports that they caused death and illness, a company executive said Thursday.

In a letter to thousands of its suppliers, Diamond Pet Food announced it found aflatoxin in products made at its Gaston, South Carolina, plant, said Chief Operating Officer Mark Brinkmann.
Products made at the Gaston facility are shipped to Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Vermont and Virginia.

Five cat food products and 14 dog food products were recalled. (View recall information)
Aflatoxin is a poisonous substance produced by fungi that grow on grains, including corn.
Brinkmann said he wasn't sure how many animals fell ill from the toxin, but the 22 states' veterinarian's offices reported a total of 17 deaths and 24 illnesses believed linked to the tainted pet food.

Investigators were at the South Carolina plant Thursday trying to determine when the contamination began, state Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers said.

"We were pulling samples yesterday and this morning," he said.

In its recall announcement, Diamond states that its in-house analysis has determined that "shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 1."

Symptoms that an animal may have ingested aflatoxin include yellowing of the whites of the eyes or gums, bloody vomiting or stools, lethargy, loss of appetite and increased water consumption.
Since other illnesses can cause the same symptoms, it is important for a veterinarian to check any suspected cases, experts said.

Brinkmann said the company was alerted to the problem last Friday by a veterinarian in New York state, who said he had seen three dogs that were exhibiting symptoms associated with liver disease.
"They were all three on one of our foods," Brinkmann said.

The company issued the recall Wednesday for foods containing corn produced at the South Carolina plant between September 1 and December 10.

The suspect items are marked with "best by" date codes of between March 1 and June 10, 2007. They contain an 11th or 12th digit, "G," signifying the Gaston facility.

The plant routinely takes samples of each half hour of production and is sending those samples to laboratories as part of an investigation into how the contamination occurred, Brinkmann said.
He urged consumers to check any product they may have before feeding it to their pets.
Diamond Pet Food, a family-owned company, is based in Meta, Missouri, outside Jefferson City.


6 posted on 12/23/2005 9:33:35 AM PST by WashingtonStateRepublican
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To: Red Badger

What are Republicans gonna feed to the poor now?


7 posted on 12/23/2005 9:33:45 AM PST by reagan_fanatic (Darwinism is a belief in the meaninglessness of existence - R. Kirk)
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To: Buddy B

Who are these "Fungus Forces"? Are they federal or state agents? Is the Fungus Forces' department on-budget, or off?


8 posted on 12/23/2005 9:35:21 AM PST by Shalom Israel (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.)
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To: reagan_fanatic
"What are Republicans gonna feed to the poor now?"

-Bulk food from Sam's Club?
9 posted on 12/23/2005 9:35:40 AM PST by WashingtonStateRepublican
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To: reagan_fanatic

I guess we're gonna havta' be generous and buy some day old bread and cakes for them...............Dang! there goes my new Mercedes.........


10 posted on 12/23/2005 9:38:04 AM PST by Red Badger (And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him)
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To: FairOpinion

related:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1545310/posts

Aflatoxin is one of the most potent natural carcinogens known. Alternative grains not susceptible to aflatoxin are the way to go.


11 posted on 12/23/2005 9:44:58 AM PST by rusty millet
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To: Lady Jag

FYI


12 posted on 12/23/2005 9:47:05 AM PST by Seadog Bytes ("Benedict Arnold was a 'war hero' TOO ...before he became a TRAITOR.")
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To: FairOpinion
I'm sorry I missed these pings! It is a good caution...

I've pinged this the thread below twice, on the same subject...

Deadly Pet Food - Diamond Pet Foods

13 posted on 12/23/2005 9:56:56 AM PST by HairOfTheDog (Join the Hobbit Hole Troop Support - http://freeper.the-hobbit-hole.net/ 1,000 knives and counting!)
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To: Seadog Bytes

That fungus sounds nasty. My guys eat Bench & Field, don't like anything else and have for years.


14 posted on 12/23/2005 11:58:45 AM PST by Lady Jag (Honor - Dignity - Courage - Troll Consumption)
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To: Buddy B

Clio only gets Purina One.
15 posted on 12/23/2005 12:03:03 PM PST by ElTianti
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To: Lady Jag
Oh Wow. ...I'da thought YOURS would be wanting something 'more substantial'... especially with the reported 'troll shortage' ongoing...


16 posted on 12/23/2005 2:01:59 PM PST by Seadog Bytes ("Benedict Arnold was a 'war hero' TOO ...before he became a TRAITOR.")
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To: Seadog Bytes
...I'da thought YOURS would be wanting something 'more substantial'

I said catfood, not fresh food.


17 posted on 12/23/2005 2:48:58 PM PST by Lady Jag (Honor - Dignity - Courage - Troll Consumption)
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