Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc. Issues A Voluntary Nationwide Recall

Food and Drug Administration ^ | 4/17/07 | news release

[girlangler]

Contact: Consumer Inquiries: (800) 829-4493 Media Inquiries: Daniel Bernstein 310-275-0777

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Pacoima, CA -- April 17, 2007 -- Natural Balance, Pacoima, CA, is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall for all of its Venison dog products and the dry Venison cat food only, regardless of date codes. The recalled products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. Recent laboratory results show that the products contain melamine. We believe the source of the melamine is a rice protein concentrate. Natural Balance has confirmed this morning that some production batches of these products may contain melamine.

The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by Natural Balance involving a small number of cats and dogs that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product.

Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should be seen by a veterinarian. We recommend our customers immediately stop feeding our recalled venison products regardless of date code and return unused product to their retailer for a full refund.

The products are packaged in bags, cans and zip lock treat bags and sold in pet specialty stores and PetCo nationally.

No other Natural Balance products are involved in this voluntary recall as none of our other formulas include the rice protein concentrate.

Although the problems seem to be focused on a particular production period of the venison products, over the last four days we have notified our distributors and retailers by phone and e-mail to immediately stop selling and return all recalled Venison dog foods and treats and the Venison dry cat food. Venison canned cat food is not involved.

The source of the melamine appears to be a rice protein concentrate, which was recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination.

None of Natural Balance's other dry formulas, none of our other canned or roll products and none of our other treats are involved with this voluntary recall.

We continue to work closely with the FDA in their ongoing investigation.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-829-4493 or visit the website at www.naturalbalance.net.

[girlangler]

Another recall, this time rice, instead of wheat, is involved.

Can you two hit your doggie/kitty ping lists?

[TheRobb7]

This recall is just GREAT.

NOW what will our Senior Citizens eat while trying to save up for their medication???

[HairOfTheDog]

Good grief. It seems this will not be over until we all stop buying dog food entirely.

Ping!

Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04

[dawn53]

We don’t use the Venison/Rice dry, but I have a few cans of the Venison/Rice product. At first the recall was just the dry Venison/Rice kibble. Looks like they’ve expanded it.

[GBA]

Great. I just fed mine some. I had switched to it after reading about it here. It sounded like it would be good for them and they do like the venison. Anyway, thanks for posting this.

[sweetiepiezer]

Another, aheesh.

[Mr. K]

Now its rice protien?

I am suspicious of this. The two products don’t seem like they are similar in production, and yet they have are producing similar symptoms.

What if the wheat gluten and rice protien were intended to try to get into foods for human comsumption? (most likely products would be baby food)

[Tomato lover]

Feed your cats raw chicken you can buy from the grocery. If it is ‘people safe’ there is a decent chance they will survive eating it.

I buy 10 lb bags of leg quarters and a package of gizzards/liver and grind it for them (bones and all) they have been eating this way for a year and are thriving. Never had one turn up his nose at dinnertime. :-)

Search the net for B.A.R.F. diet for pets. There is a very large group supporting this method.

regards,
TL

[girlangler]

I’m suspicious too, and have been reading labels on my own food carefully since all this came up.

[mom4kittys]

What a shame, this is Dick Van Patten’s company and he seems to take great pride in it.

[PGalt]

Thanks for posting. BTTT.

[Milwaukee_Guy]

USA Today: Rice Protein Sold to 4 Others

Supplier was identified as San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. CEO John Thacher said “his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms.” USA Today says of those five, only Diamond Pet Foods is named...

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/2007-04-17-premium-pet-food-recalled_N.htm?csp=34

[girlangler]

Thanks for posting this MG. I was going to ping you and couldn’t because I forgot to put the underscore symbol in your name.

I find it interesting Wilber-Ellis won’t name the other company that received the rice protein concentrate.

Also, remember about a year or so ago Diamond Foods had a recall, as dogs were dying from eating their food. Can’t remember what the problem was then, I never used that brand.

[girlangler]

Yep, here we go again. I don’t trust ANY of these pet food manufacturers anymore.

My vet told me the other day they STILL are getting sick dogs/cats in with problems as a result of the tainted food. And I live in a small, rural county. So, I can only imagine how many animals have been poisoned.

I also went to a CVS pharmacy the other day and noticed they still had some of the recalled food on the shelves. They may not have been from the lot numbers that were recalled, but I don’t care. No more commercial food for my two dogs and one cat. I have been feeding them homemade food since this began.

[rockinqsranch]

First wheat, now rice, and both grains are grown in different conditions/techniques.

From what I’ve read it seems Melamine is quite readily available in China.

I’m suspicious the Melamine is being added to bulk out the grains weight for profits. Curious.

[Ditter]

I have been feeding this food to my dogs for a year. Even though they are all fine, when I heard this yesterday I went to the Petco where I bought it and tried to talk to the manager. He didn’t have a clue about a recall of this dog food. He kept talking about the earlier recall of the foods containing wheat. Either this is not wide spread and not in our area (Houston) or he is an idiot. I am going to call the numbers that you provided. Thanks.

[girlangler]

You’re quite welcome. Like I told my vet assistant the other day, I will not feed my pets any more commercial food, as these recalls keep coming out with new companies added. I don’t want to find out AFTER I feed them something it is harmful to them.

Since this all began I have read what pet food is made of, and I wouldn’t feed that junk to my pets ever again, in fact, feel terrible I have been feeding them this stuff for years.

[Ditter]

I couldn’t reach them on the phone and my e-mail was returned to me. I was going to work on a painting today but I may be cooking up some dog food instead.

[GodBlessUSA]

I agree. I don’t trust at all now either. I noticed the same thing with a CVS here and it was on sale. The people at the register could have cared less. I was so angry. I was just thinking of going back to all natural with no wheat glutton brand. Not now. I’m going to stick with feeding my dog the food I prepare.