Did you know there is a pet food recall?

Question

Pet Food Recalled Amid Reports Of Pet Deaths
Cats, Dogs Suffered Kidney Failure

POSTED: 9:09 pm CDT March 16, 2007
UPDATED: 9:38 pm CDT March 16, 2007

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 -- www.menufoods.com/recall -- early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call [phone].

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, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' 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.

All of your answers are good, so I ask you to vote for best answer, please.

Answer 1

Yes, I found out yesterday. I have already bought hamburger that I am going to feed my dogs instead of any dog food. I can't seem to get a clear idea of which pet foods are affected, so they are NOT getting nothing unless I PREPARE IT MYSELF!

Answer 2

Regarding the food recall:

There is a lot of panic happening with this recall - I work in a very busy vet clinic and we've received numerous phone calls. I'd just like to make a few comments:

1. The foods being recalled are listed on the menu foods page. Read the labels and codes on your cans or pouches to see if those are included in the recall. Don't just throw your foods away - several companies will take back their products for a full refund (some of the larger ones being Science Diet, Iams, Eukanuba) REGARDLESS of whether or not they are recalled. They have always had a 100% guarantee on any of the foods they make.

2. If you are at all concerned, regardless of whether your animal is showing signs, make an appointment with your vet. Your vet can do a full exam including palpation of the kidney's to feel for any irregularities and bloodwork can also be done to ensure your animals kidney's are working correctly. This bloodwork is commonly called a "kidney profile" or "renal profile". Although prices vary at clinics, ours is about $40 - which is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

3. While renal failure is a serious issue (aka kidney failure), please understand that this is a common illness in animals (more so in cats), especially as they age. Kidney's aren't made to last forever, and animals have had kidney disease and failure for as long as we've treated them in the industry. There are numerous things that can affect kidney health, not just the food an animal eats.

4. Yearly bloodwork can be done and should be done on all animals. These screening profiles are especially important as the animal ages - the older you get, the more your organs need to work to keep you going. It's the same with animals. The other benefit is that it gives the veterinarian a "baseline" to compare future bloodwork to, which helps the vet determine the best course of treatment for your furry friend.

5. Panic is not a good response! Just because someone on the internet writes "the sky is falling" doesn't mean you should believe them. Call your veterinarian. They are the professionals with the information and degrees to know what they are talking about.

6. DO NOT feed your animals foods that you make yourself without the guidance of a vet. I see so many responses here that say "feed your cat chicken you cook yourself" - but do those people really know what a domesticated cat needs for it's nutrition needs? Cats need a variety of minerals, fats, vitamins, oils, protein sources, and carb sources in their diets in very specific amounts. These are important for sight, hearing, cell growth and repair, bone structure, etc etc. A vet can give you recipes on how to make your own balanced pet food with the proper ingredients if you're so inclined. Pets can become very sick with if they are fed unbalanced diets so you may be doing more harm than good. Some of those illness include kidney failure, liver failure, congestive heart failure, blindness, diabetes, fatty liver syndrome, IBS, and the list goes on.

Answer 3

We are sad to report that our 7 yo Toy Fox Terrier “Pedro” has been at the vet since 8am 3/15. He has Acute Renal Failure. He ingested about (6) 5.3 oz packages of affected “Hill Country Fare” dog food. His second set of tests Saturday showed some improvement, but the results remain toxic. We’re hoping that we have better news in the morning, but our vet is not optimistic.

After calling the Menu Foods Recall hotline I have this to report: They are only “Taking Messages for Menu Foods” and cross-referencing the “list” Menu Foods provided them. BTW…that list has changed several times since it was first released late Friday but the date on the lists still show the original 3/16 date (which wasn’t posted until 3/17). It just seems the have moved way too slow to diagnose the cause of this and are providing absolutely NO information to pet owners. I think it’s too little…too late.

Also pet owners BEWARE…they are saying if your pet’s food is not on the list then to continue using it. Well that list has changed so much that we have unopened food that according to the list for over an entire day it was “ok”. Today’s list shows they are on the recall list! If you’re feeding your pet “wet” food made by this company you are at risk…they seem to be clueless. Switch to dry food or one of the few (Purina is one) that have their own plant.

This company should pay for everyone's Vet bills and costs (not that it will bring any of our beloved pets back) and then never make another dime or...another package of pet food!

Answer 4

I can't believe how many people have lost their pets to this. That is just so sad. It seems like nothing is safe to eat these days even for our pets. I am sorry for all your losses. I know it's like losing a best friend. These companies need to be sued, there is no excuse for their actions. Whatever got in the pet food at these plants should never have happened.

Answer 5

SOOOOO sad. My two older cats LOVED this stuff. They fell ill to renal failure a day apart and we chalked it up to awful coincidence. After many attempts of 2 vets to save them, they did have to be euthanized (I said i would never make this choice but when they were suffering so bad it was something I HAD to do). One died on Feb 16th 2007 and the other on Feb20th 2007. They ate the recalled pouches of Wal marts "Special kitty", 2 a day. I now know that this was NOT coincidence. I am devastated beyond belief. I wish i could sue them. They will say that it is because my cats were old...well that just means that there poor little bodies couldnt handle the poision they were given. I hope there is a class action suit. i spoke to the FDA's veterinarian and he said there deaths fit the time frame exactly. He encouraged me to please report it to the MENU brands hotline...well that number has conveniently been disconectedn this morning. I dont see how they can do this to people...I lost my 2 best friends. Of course, my kitty that didnt care for there food is fine. Mmmhmmm. It is obvious and i am heartbroken.

Answer 6

Full information about the pet food recall, including which kinds of cat food and dog food are affected, is available on the Menu Foods website:

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/

Answer 7

My (otherwise healthy) four-year-old cat is currently undergoing treatment for kidney failure induced by consumption of contaminated food implicated in the recall. The batch that sickened him was NOT listed in the initial recall.. it wasn't added to the Menu site until earlier this afternoon. If you are in possession of chunks and gravy foods from ANY of the brands that have been recalled, I strongly urge you to discontinue use immediately, regardless of whether or not the lot numbers or sell-by dates correspond to those listed on the Menu Foods site. Additionally, keep checking the Menu recall list- it has changed (additional brands and lots have been added) and may continue to do so.

Answer 8

That is horrible. I think that they should be careful and test these products before putting it on the shelf for our pets. I give my kitties the Special Kitty can cat food for treats. Normally they will eat dry food. I'm glad that I haven't given them any can food in a while. (Eventhough my AngelBear thinks I should)

Peanut butter and animal food... what else will be recalled this year?

Answer 9

I put down my 8 year old (Petunia)cat 7 days ago due to kidney failure. Thank goodness I still had the IAM's orange pouches left. Yes, the numbers matched. I have 3 other cats that did not get this food. Petunia ate this food for about 1 1/2 week before I noticed the weight loss, mouth salivating, hiding in closet.
Took to vet right away, blood test results:kidney failure, I put Petunia down right away, he was that bad!

I am MAD! I can't get through to MENU FOODS, busy, busy..I did talk to IAMS, gave info, they said they would call me back!

I need a lawyer for class action suit....I have the proof.....Petunia was a healthy cat, never a problem!

Answer 10

Yes! I think we've all heard about it by now. It's very sad. I personally suspect that a number of vengeful employees were likely responsible for the poisoning of the nationally distributed products (though the company would probably never admit to it). I hope there's a federal investigation into this tragedy. It saddened me when I saw a local news reporter on T.V., who had to have her beloved dog, "Duchess", put down. I cried. I own several cats, but I love ALL animals, and was very upset by the tragic news. I can sincerely empathize with all those pet owners, who lost a loved one. My heart goes out to them.