Pet Food Manufacturer Says No Sign of Contamination

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/21/national/main2593555.shtml ^

[hunter112]

Astute folks like you and I have known for years about that gas delivery truck, but finally, the truth is becoming known for pet food companies. I've long felt that they were just milking the public with their claims of being "better", and "if you love your pet, then spend the extra money on him."

I despise trial lawyers, but I might just be rooting for them in the coming lawsuits.

[chessplayer]

"My cat, 17 years old, had complete kidney failure after I switched to Iams Senior based on a "recommendation" from his vet Dec 19th. and died on Dec. 27th."

Sorry to hear about that. I feed my cat a mix of dry and canned food. Being a carnivore, strictly dry food diet is also unhealthy and can lead to a lot of problems for cats. Here are some links with a lot of good info about it.

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.felinefuture.com/nutrition/bpo_ch4.php

http://www.thepetcenter.com/imtop/catweight.html

When I went shopping this afternoon, I found some gluten-free canned cat foods. Friskies Fancy Feast.

"The following are Fancy Feast flavors contain NO wheat gluten and are below 10% carbs:

Tender Beef Feast (brown label color)
Tender Beef & Liver Feast (magenta)
Tender Beef & Chicken Feast (red)
Gourmet Chicken Feast (dark pink...be careful, this looks just like another chicken variety with gluten!)
Turkey & Giblets Feast (olive green)
Tender Liver & Chicken Feast (orange)
Chopped Grill Feast (kelly green)
Flaked Fish & Shrimp Feast (true blue)
Savory Salmon Feast (orange)
Flaked Ocean Fish Feast (pink)
Tuna and Oceanfish Feast in Aspic (teal label)
*Remember that it is a good idea to limit serving fish to just a few times a week."

http://www.felinediabetes.com/glutenfree.htm

[Enterprise]

This is a real eye opener isn't it? And now I want to know too, who supplied the wheat gluten?

[tobyhill]

It's not only lawyers in this case, it's the Veterinarians that put their endorsements on the products and making claims we now know are fudged about what's better.

[maryz]

It could be that Menu does only the manufacture -- according to specifications provided by the brand owners. I think that kind of arrangement isn't uncommon -- just clean the machinery between the different batches. Of course, it would be another scandal if the high-priced foods were the same as the bargain brands, but I think it's unlikely.

[Enterprise]

Now you've raised another good point. Suppose some Vets get "encouragement" by certain pet food companies to "recommend" their brand?

[Enterprise]

Bump for the list you provided!

[tobyhill]

I only wish I knew before I changed his diet. Thanks for the sites because I will bookmark it for the next pet I get.

[ScudBud]

Remember too, that in spring cats will shed out their winter coats and self grooming will cause hairballs. I give mine petromalt, which prevents those, and brush them (when I can catch them).

[Trust but Verify]

What you describe is not kidney failure, it's a common disorder caused by crystals in the urine which in some cases block the urinary tract and cause the cat to be unable to eliminate urine. They will be MISERABLE unless catheterized by your vet. There is a surgical procedure that could fix it, but some people cannot or will not pay for it and put the cat down instead.

[chessplayer]

"Now you've raised another good point. Suppose some Vets get "encouragement" by certain pet food companies to "recommend" their brand?"

VERY good point.

[Enterprise]

Ha ha. My little cat gives me evil eye when I catch her and brush away the loose hair.

[Political Junkie Too]

Recently my dachshund died...of kidney failure. The dog was ten years old and had been sick for an entire year.

Sorry to hear about your dachshund. My 7 year old dachshund was just diagnosed with Cushings Disease, so I wonder if that's what yours had and you didn't know it.

Cushings is caused by a tumor on the pituitary or adrenal gland, and causes over-productions of the hormone cortisone. It's the cortisone that destroys the internal organs, like the kidneys. It's extremely prevalent in dachshunds, and normally doesn't show up until around age 6-7. Many people mistake the symptoms for just growing older, so when the dogs are finally diagnosed at average age 10, the prognosis is about 2 years. If caught earlier, there are drugs to bring the cortisone levels back down, but the condition never goes away, and the dogs should live to about age 12 anyway.

Did your dog have an increase in appetite and water drinking? Did you see an incontinence where the dog was previously house-broken? Did you notice any hair loss on the sides of the torso, or listlessness and weakening of the legs?

Just wondering.

-PJ

[chessplayer]

"Bump for the list you provided!"

Thanks!

[hunter112]

Of course, it would be another scandal if the high-priced foods were the same as the bargain brands, but I think it's unlikely.

It seems to me that the answer to that question could be determined scientifically. We're likely to find it out as the lawsuits march forward. In the meantime, if I had pets, I'd feed them the cheapest stuff available, and might supplement it with vitamins.

[chessplayer]

"Thanks for the sites because I will bookmark it for the next pet I get."

You`re welcome.

[Political Junkie Too]

The Pedigree website still says that they are not a part of the recall and all their products are safe. I feed my dog the Pedigree canned foods, but only very small amounts at a time because he's so small.

-PJ

[org.whodat]

They will get sued and know it.

And how many people have offed their own pet to get on the bandwagon. Give a cat Tylenol and he Will die of kidney failure.

[Dallas59]

I wonder if people were eating this stuff..."Underpass Suprise"..

[Political Junkie Too]

My dog has been eating Innova dry food for almost 8 years now. I give him a little bit of Pedigree wet food in the evening, too. Never had a problem.

-PJ