Posted on 03/16/2007 2:53:30 PM PDT by Dysart
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.
"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.
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.
The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.
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 (866) 463-6738.
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.
Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.
"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.
The company alerted the
Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.
Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.
Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.
Nutro is on the list too
"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source,
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Hi,Dita,,,I can't remember the name of the mold that grows
on/in wheat,,,(ol'timers dee~zz's),,,killed people in Russia many years ago,,,toxic-mold,,,something...?
Hopefully your kitty kat is all over that stuff,,,
You mite still call the vet and tell them about this,,,
Today is the springer's vet-day,,,shots etc. Po'Puppy !!!
Her owner has her wearing a pink-rhinestone collar !!!
Looks like "Tinker~Bell Jr.",,,(shakin' head)...
Harley is havin' Back-flip Tantrums cause they left him
Home...LOL;0)
Purina (Iams and Eukanuba) is not on the list, but is doing a voluntary recall because they get "wheat gluten" from the same source that Menu does...
And, then there is this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hills Pet Nutrition, Inc., Announces Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods Nationwide U.S. and Canadian recall of Specific Canned Cat Foods.
Topeka, KS (March 16, 2007) In response to the recent Menu Foods, Inc. nationwide recall of wet pet foods, Hills® Pet Nutrition, Inc. has announced a voluntary precautionary recall in the United States and Canada of a very small number of canned cat products that are co-manufactured by Menu.
Hills is voluntarily recalling the following products:
1. Science Diet® Kitten Savory Cuts® Ocean Fish 3 oz. and 5.5 oz.
2. Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Beef 5.5 oz.
3. Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Chicken 5.5 oz.
4. Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Ocean Fish 5.5 oz.
5. Science Diet® Feline Senior Savory Cuts® Chicken 5.5 oz.
No other Hills products are affected by this recall.
Hills Pet Nutrition, Inc., is taking this precautionary step to protect the health and well being of your pets. Hills has received no reported cases of illness. Consumers of other pet food brands manufactured by Menu Foods have reported a small number of cases of cats becoming ill with loss of appetite, vomiting, and lethargy which are potential signs of kidney failure.
This voluntary product recall involves discontinuation of all retail sales and product retrieval from consumers. Consumers should stop using the affected products immediately. Consult with a veterinarian if any symptoms are present in your pet. All Science Diet products carry a 100 percent guarantee, and consumers can receive a refund for recalled products. For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.
Hills is recalling the following product codes. Product codes can be found at the bottom of the can. Only relevant code numbers have been listed (Xs indicate irrelevant numbers).
1. .
BESTBEFORE 09 2008
M06XXXXXX 4414
5. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4603
2. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4416
6. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M25XXXXXX 4457
3. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4415
7. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4414
4. .
BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4601
Hills Pet Nutrition, Inc., has informed the Food and Drug Administration and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on this issue. The company regrets any inconvenience to its consumers, retail customers and veterinarians.
http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_en_US.htm
__________________
YET... Millions of people(babies) are murdered in America annually..
ON PURPOSE...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold
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some info here...
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http://www.toxicmoldusa.com/mycotoxins_in_humans.htm
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could be this stuff,,,Ergot is what I couldn't member...
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Thanks for the list of foods. After spending $182 on our cat we see that what he's been eating is on the list. Normally he only eats Friskies because he's very picky but we've been able to pick up a few cans of Best Choice in between. One of what he ate is on the recall list.
Fortunately he was young, less than a year old and appears to be ok after his trip to the vet. Who knows whether it was the food or something else weird. Of course, we think it's the food now.
Oh, these are not vaccinations, but insulin shots. She's diabetic.
Whoa! This is scary. I feed Ol'Roy chunks & gravy in cans along with dry dog food. I checked the list and Ol'Roy is on the list but not the cans I get. Most of the cans on the list were the slices and gravy and some other chunky canned food I haven't seen in my store. I have a Jack Russell Terrorist and a Blue Tick Hound and they have both been fine, thank goodness. I was feeding the Alpo chunks & gravy but they like the Ol'Roy better.
I did the BARF diet on the Siberian Husky I had because that was all he would eat. He did good on it and wouldn't eat anything else. I traded him for the Blue Tick because he was so picky. The Blue Tick will eat anything.
That is a beautiful Siamese cat. We have a Flamepoint Siamese. She is the best, most loving cat we've ever had.
We also have a Boston Terrier. We make her food from scratch. Pork shoulder, vegetables and rice. We grind it with the Kitchen Aid. It actually turns out to be cheaper, but is bit time consuming. We started making it because everything we fed her from a can made her fart to most vile smelling gas.
What parts of human is the Kibble made from
:~O
...and it would be Bush's fault
Oops, sorry. I had a diabetic Golden Retriever once. Had to give him 22 units of insulin, twice a day (unless he got in the trash) then he needed more. I think I may have had a few units along the way myself when I stabbed myself with the needle.
EVERYONE, please stop feeding your pets whatever brands are on the list now!! Throw it out or take it back to the store. I am preparing my cat's food myself, cooking the chicken. Protein is what our cats and dogs need anyway, especially our cats.
My cat was very ill during the past week. Vons began to stock a new food called Priority about 3 wks ago. Neither they nor any others were carrying Whiskas anymore, and she won't eat Friskies. So I started her on the Priority. It cannot be coincidence that she got sick.
Another good link about pet foods.
http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1
I feed my cat both Purina kibble and Friskies canned food. The differnce btween the ingredients is amazing. The first three ingrdients listed on the canned food are liver, beef, and chicken. Not chicken or beef by-products, chicken meal, etc. I thought Purina kibble was a higher quality kibble, but even though it is, the ingredients label contains a lot of crud. I`m going to make some major changes in what my cat eats.
Actually, two of our cats are Bengals, the white one is a Savannah kitten.
They are terrors! Especially at 5 am.
I have thought about doing the raw thing but my wife just isn't into it and it's not worth the arguments that are sure to occur when I tear up the kitchen.
Whatever will fit into the chipper-shredder!
Have you ever seen Fargo??
Anyone here feed Innova kibble to their cats or dogs? I`ve been reading that it`s supposed to very good.
Hi Count, so far so good for Brigid; she's laying on the bed, gazing at me lovestruck...LoL.
I thought of you and Harley when I was just at the market... saw a doggie toy called TireBiter. It is an actual small (7" diameter) rubber tire with a big braided tassel off of it, but I think for larger dogs. Pore Harley would break his jaw on it...:((
Okay, I've heard of ergot before although, according to the article it is not as much of a problem as it once was. I see mention of aflatoxin, which I have also heard of, abundant in peanuts and I guess in some grains.
Even some very natural foods, such as vegetables, can contain toxins in large amounts, such as oxalic acid in spinach and beet greens.
Apparently, it isn't known yet what ingredient or ingredients are causing the problems from Menu Foods, but we've always been warned against feeding much -- if any -- grain to our pets, especially corn and wheat I think. I know Trader Joe's puts rice in their own brand canned cat food.
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