Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Something pet owners should know...


A few days ago, my Mother was watching the news, and she saw that there has been a massive pet food recall. An extensive list of pet foods sold under a variety of brand names that are all manufactured by the Menu Foods Income Fund Co. of Canada have been recalled due to a growing number of cats and dogs who have become ill after eating the foods. There have been several reported cases of pet death that may be linked to the recalled pet foods.
I've noticed that my cat has not been eating much lately, and she threw up a few days ago. I was getting a little worried because she's getting pretty old, but then we looked up the list of cat foods that were recalled, and she's been eating one of them. My dog also has been sick for a few days, and she has vomited a few times in the last two weeks.

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The cause of the deaths among the affected pets has not been determined, although all of those that died developed kidney failure after eating the affected product, the FDA said. The test involved 40 to 50 dogs and cats, the agency noted, adding that Menu Foods has started testing the pet food in question, but so far also has not found the source of the problem.
Speaking with The New York Times, Menu Foods spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said the timing of the deaths has been linked to the company's use of a new supplier of wheat gluten. She did not name the supplier, but said that the company switched to another supplier of wheat gluten as of March 6.
Dogs or cats that have eaten the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure should be taken to a veterinarian. According to the FDA, kidney failure in animals is characterized by loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting.
The agency is also requesting that people with sick or deceased pets who believe their pet might have consumed one of the implicated products contact a state complaint coordinator. A list of coordinators can be accessed at the FDA Web site (http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html).
The FDA and the Humane Society advise consumers who have any of these products to stop feeding them to their pets.
Check the website to see if you have any of the food on the recall list. If you have any of the brands that are listed, you should stop giving it to your pet and contact the company.
Menu Foods is notifying retailers and is arranging for the return of all recalled products. The FDA is conducting an investigation and working with Menu Foods to ensure the effectiveness of the recall.


In addition to their Web site, Menu Foods has a consumer recall hotline at 1-866-895-2708.






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2 comments:

Nikki Neurotic said...

I've been hearing about that, but my dogs mainly eat dry food (that isn't affected), and Alpo which isn't on the list. I hope your dog and cat are alright, have you taken them to the vet's?

Thanks for the warning.

March 20, 2007 at 3:06 PM
Moonbeam Baby said...

We called the vet this afternoon. Our pet's symptoms are not too bad, but the vet said to keep an eye on them for a few days.

The vet also said that they have a dog there now that is suffering from the effects of eating the bad dog food.

Poor thing...

March 20, 2007 at 3:36 PM

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