Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04
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.
LOL!
Actually, we threw out the cat some months ago (put it to sleep). Best move we ever made :). Now it's just the dog and Science Diet.
I'd certainly like to know, I don't have any deer meat to feed my kids, but I'd like to know if Iams is in this recall!
My cat was diagnosed with a kidney problem last month. He usually eats the generic cat food we get at Ralphs (Kroger). (!!!!)
We got a new puppy in November and before we brought her home I did a lot of reading about the Raw diet (not for me) and other healthy alternatives.
I never knew that wheat and corn, both are used as fillers in normal kibble, can cause serious allergy problems in both cats and dogs. Our last dog had bad allergies and we probably spent $1000 or more at the vet trying to figure out the problem.
And don't get me started on the different meat "by-products" that go into animal feed.
Now we only feed grain-free wet and dry foods that use human grade cuts of meat. The animals love it and we haven't had to make any unneeded trips to the Vet.
If you have not heard about it: its a diet around 60% raw meaty bones - I'm talking raw chicken winglets, necks, and the like. The other 40% is raw/pureed vegetable and fruits and other things.
oh, and in case anybody is wondering about the old maxim "never feed chicken bones to an animal", it MUST be raw. Any cooked chicken bone can easily kill a dog, as the cooking makes the bone brittle and splintery.
Guess I'll feed my girl deer meat tonight.
and if I wasn't 600 miles from home, I'd be feeding my dear meat tonight..:)
Is it the meat or gravey that is bad?
People were advised to avoid such brands as "Killer Kibbles and Bits", "Roadkill"catfood and "Deadly"dogbones unless it's for a pesky neighbors pet that won't stay away from your garbage can.
I don't know how your girl feels about venison but my wife's cat would insist on it. He's not normally real big on people food (except for canned tuna or salmon) but becomes a pest when game is on our menu.
mark
I wonder if that explains why the cat barfed on the carpet in 3 rooms, and will only eat dry food these days.
If her brand shows up on the list, the company is going to owe me a carpet cleaning.
Thanks.............
BTTT!!!!!
"Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said."
That's probably the best way to answer your question. Don't think they have a handle on this yet.
Well, we're safe. Ours comes in the gigantic dry dog food bags. Whatever brand is on sale.
Mutt and Jeff do just fine on that. Maybe the table scraps has something to do with it. :-)
I wonder if this is related to how many pet food manufacturers use euthanized dogs and cats in thier pet foods?
http://www.answers.com/topic/pet-food-1
http://www.petcaretips.net/euthanized_pets.html
My dogs eat a species appropropriate diet too.
I prefer Tom Lonsdale's (author of Raw Meaty Bones) approach, and do not feed the veggie slop. I don't give any supplements either. I will give them our leftovers, because we eat pretty well, but not in great quantity.
Basically, it is just raw meat and raw bones. Mostly the whole chicken, cut into parts, my guys haven't needed to see the vet for anything in the past 7 years but the legally required rabies shots.
Don't let Mutt and Jeff read #38, or there may be a mutiny in the PeteB570 pack quite soon.
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