Archive for April, 2007
First a reminder: The ASPCA’s website is providing a Pet Food Recall Resource Center, with FAQ’s, press releases and a complete list of recalled foods and treats. We recommend that pet parents bookmark, it and check it daily as the information continues to be updated.
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A pet food company has announced a nationwide recall of dog, cat and ferret treats that could be contaminated with salmonella. The bacteria could infect both animals and people handling the food.
The announcement is unrelated to the more extensive recall of melamine-tainted dog and cat food that led to kidney failure in pets around the country.
Eight in One Inc., a division of United Pet Group Inc., is recalling all packages of Dingo Chick’N Jerky, Dingo Kitty Chicken Jerky and Dingo Ferret Chicken Jerky.
Salmonella can cause serious infections in pets and children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. In pets, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fevers, vomiting, loss of appetite, lethargy and abdominal pain. Animals that do not get sick can infect other pets or humans.
The bacteria could also infect people handling the pet treats. Humans infected with the salmonella can experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps. It could also cause more serious problems such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract problems.
Eight in One has received a report of a dog infected by salmonella, which lead to further testing of this product. Some, but not all, of the samples tested were contaminated.
The treats were sold around the country at Target, PetSmart and other stores.
The company asks consumers to throw away unused portions of the jerky treats. To obtain a refund, call 888-232-9889.
Source: MSNBC
Some worried pet owners are grinding up meat in their kitchens and making their own dog and cat food because of the contamination scare blamed for numerous animal deaths.
Sales of pet food recipe books have also shot up since the nationwide pet-food recall began. But veterinarians warn that making balanced
meals for pets can be complicated and should only be a temporary remedy until the scare passes.
Nearly 100 store and major-brand pet foods were recalled by manufacturer Menu Foods Inc. on March 16. Three other companies have also recalled foods since then. FDA testing found that wheat gluten imported from China was contaminated with a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics. The FDA has confirmed about 15 pet deaths, and anecdotal reports suggest hundreds of cats and dogs may have died.
The FDA and the American Veterinary Medical Association are urging pet owners to switch brands if they are worried. The veterinarian group also warned that many common foods are not safe for pets, including salt, garlic, onions, grapes and chocolate.
Making pet food at home is “kind of like canning: You have to think about bacterial contamination. And how do you make sure it’s nutritionally appropriate and balanced for the animal?†said FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza. She added: “We wouldn’t object. We’d say be knowledgeable about what you need.â€
On Amazon.com, the cookbook “Real Food for Dogs†moved into the list of top 200 best-sellers this week. Here’s a simple recipe from the book that your dog will love – try it!
Source: MSNBC
A greater sensitivity of cats to a chemical found in plastics and pesticides could explain why they’ve died in larger numbers than have dogs after eating contaminated pet food, according to experts.
The small number of confirmed reports of pet deaths bolstered by a far larger number of unconfirmed anecdotal reports suggests cats were more susceptible to poisoning by the chemical melamine that tainted the now recalled pet food, officials with the FDA and ASPCA said late last week.
Testing by the FDA and Cornell University has found melamine in samples of recalled pet food as well as in crystal form in the urine and kidney tissue of cats who have died after eating the tainted foods. They’ve also found the chemical, in apparently raw form in concentrations as high as 6.6 percent, in wheat gluten used as ingredient of the recalled cat and dog foods.
Nestle Purina PetCare Co. said Saturday it was recalling all sizes and varieties of its Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. Purina said a limited amount of the food contained a contaminated wheat gluten from China.
Earlier this month, Menu Foods became the first pet food manufacturer to recall its products. It did so after cats began to fall sick and die during routine company taste tests of its wet-style pet foods, sold under nearly 100 store- and major-label brands across North America. Other than in the recalled products, melamine has not been found in other Menu Foods pet foods, the company said.
Chemical an ingredient in plastic
Melamine is used to make plastic kitchenware, glues, countertops, fabrics, fertilizers and flame retardants. It also is both a contaminant and byproduct of several pesticides, including cyromazine, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The United Nations Environment Program considers melamine of low potential risk, as does the EPA. The agency has sent FDA the database information it has on the chemical and will provide technical assistance as needed, EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said.
The FDA hadn’t found any studies of melamine in cats, and the results of only a single 1945 study that tested it on dogs. That study suggested the chemical increased urine output when fed to dogs in large amounts. Still, it’s well known that identical substances can have very different effects on cats and dogs. For example, the flea killer permethrin is OK to use on dogs but lethal to cats. The same could be the case with melamine.
Cats are very sensitive to many different chemicals, whether drugs, pesticides or plants. They have some unique physiological responses that make them susceptible in cases where we wouldn’t expect it in other species.
Source: Associated Press
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The ASPCA’s website is now providing a Pet Food Recall Resource Center, with FAQ’s, press releases and a complete list of recalled foods and treats. We recommend that pet parents bookmark, it and check it daily as the information continues to be updated.
We realize that we are nobody’s primary source for news, but we have noticed that even though the tainted pet food issue has continued to become more dire, it has actually become more difficult to find updated information about it. Local news outlets have long since moved on to bigger and better stories, meanwhile more pets are becoming seriously ill and dying. So we will continue to provide you with the news and information that we find because we know how important the health of your pet is to you.
The following information regarding potential additional pet food recalls is from the Associated Press:
The U.S. is blocking imports of wheat gluten from a company in China, acting after an investigation implicated the contaminated ingredient in the recent pet-food deaths of cats and dogs.
The Food and Drug Administration took action against wheat gluten from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China, after the U.S. recall of nearly 100 brands of pet food made with the chemically contaminated ingredient. The pet food, tainted with the chemical melamine, apparently has resulted in kidney failure in an unknown number of animals across the country.
Wheat gluten from China has been suspected in the outbreak since the first of multiple recalls was announced in mid-March. Even more pet food could be recalled in the next few days, though there probably has been no contamination of human food, FDA officials said Monday.
The FDA reported last week that it had found melamine in samples of the vegetable protein source used in the recalled wet and dry pet foods and treats, as well as in cats that died after eating contaminated food. Melamine is used in plastics, countertops, glue, fire retardants and other products. Its toxicity to dogs and cats is unknown, but it is not allowed in food in any quantity.
More recalls may come
The imported product was only minimally labeled but apparently went only to pet food producers. The FDA considers the contamination an aberration since wheat gluten generally is not considered a product at risk for contamination.
FDA officials said its nationwide investigation could turn up more pet food manufacturers that used the tainted ingredient, prompting even more products to be recalled.
Menu Foods, a major manufacturer of nearly 100 store- and major-brand pet foods, announced the first recall March 16. Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc., Del Monte Pet Products and Nestle Purina PetCare Co. all have since recalled some of their products as well.
The FDA’s import alert notifies its field offices to detain any wheat gluten offered for import from the Chinese company. The order also recommends inspectors screen all wheat gluten from China as well as from the Netherlands, a country through which transshipping of Chinese products can occur.
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You can also obtain current information about the recalls directly from the FDA on their website.
Did you know that the movie version of “Charlotte’s Web” becomes available on DVD today? Did you know that during the filming of the movie in Australia, 46 different pigs took turns starring as Wilbur? But it was not a spelling spider who came to their rescue when the filming was completed, it was executive director, Bernie Williams.
The pigs came from a local breeder in Australia and once they were on the set, they were treated like celebrities. The animal actors playing Ike the horse, Samuel the sheep, and the entire supporting cast of geese, chicks and cows also received the star treatment. They enjoyed comfortable stalls and trailers and the same attention and adoration as the human actors providing their voices in the film did, including Julia Roberts and Robert Redford.
Once shooting was completed, all the animals went back to their barnyard homes – except for the pigs. Bernie was not about to return them to the breeder and to where that would eventually lead. He personally took on the responsibility of finding good homes for them. He eventually contacted the Animals Australia organization and their pro-pig campaign, “Save Babe” for help. He then got Paramount behind the plan and they donated $60,000 to help fund the adoptions through Animals Australia who managed to find homes for each and every Wilbur. Bernie said “I’m happy they’re all in good homes.. They’re safe for life.”
Nestle Purina PetCare Company is now recalling all sizes and varieties of its Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. Purina says a limited amount of the food contains a wheat gluten from China that was found to be contaminated with a chemical found in plastics and pesticides.
Late Friday, a dry cat food was added to the list of recalled items for the first time. Hill’s Pet Nutrition said its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food also included the tainted wheat gluten. Both companies used the same supplier that provided wheat gluten to Menu Foods. The Canadian company has recalled 60 million containers of wet dog and cat food sold under nearly 100 brand labels. Investigators are still trying to determine how many pets have been affected, and exactly what is causing it.
With the FDA now confirming that consumers suspect dry pet food may have sickened or killed their companion animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called on the FDA to immediately expand the pet food recall to include all dry varieties subject to complaints until they are chemically tested for safety.
PETA will also ask the FDA to investigate Iams in order to find out if the company knew about the contaminated food before calling for a recall. According to PETA, Pennsylvania resident Yvette Faulkner, whose cat Sassafras suffered kidney failure and had to be euthanized, states that Sassafras ate only Iams’ dry food.
Reports indicate that Menu Foods, Iams’ manufacturer, may have known about the contaminated food as early as February 20. The recall did not go into effect until March 16.
“Nearly a month elapsed between the first reports of illness and death from contaminated products and the recall-time during which countless cats and dogs may have been sickened and died,” says PETA Vice President Bruce Friedrich. “We’re calling on Iams and other companies not to gamble with animals’ lives and to recall all dry food products that are the subject of complaints immediately.” The Food and Drug Administration however, says it has no plans to suggest a wider recall and veterinarians say they’ve seen no trend of dogs and cats getting sick from eating dry food.
