Pet food and other pet related recalls

[Arkangel]

Vets are now recommending people cook for their animals until the situation is resolved. Since they've been adding companies to the list every few days, I'm going to start cooking for my dog. Spot's Stew has recipes online.

Last weekend I went to the local natural health pet supply to check out what they had and possibly pick up Spot's stew or Merrick and found this sign in front of the store: "Our pet foods are not on the recall list. ARE yours?" The bragging really turned me off and I left. They don't need to put a plug in for their store at the expense of others. And who knows if other companies aren't yet to be added.

[Dragontears]

I'm really glad I only feed Spots Stew mixed with fresh stuff to my guys.

[Arkangel]

Here's an interesting little story from the FDA archives: http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/DFreport.htm

Animals slaughtered for meat are not euthanised with pentobarbital.

Horses used in slaughter are killed by captive bolt to knock the horse unconscious and then the throat is slit, as cows are.

Cat and dog bodies from shelters and some vet's freezers are sold to rendering plants to be used as hydrolyzed animal protein in cosmetics and shampoos. (Many companies list "hydrolyzed collagen on the bottle." ) Though they claim no DNA was found, if pentobarbital is found in pet foods, it is more likely to be from rendered euthanised pets, not from beef or horse meat.

Ugh. I am quickly becoming a natural food proponent.

[Zach]

Vets are now recommending people cook for their animals until the situation is resolved. Since they've been adding companies to the list every few days, I'm going to start cooking for my dog. Spot's Stew has recipes online.

Last weekend I went to the local natural health pet supply to check out what they had and possibly pick up Spot's stew or Merrick and found this sign in front of the store: "Our pet foods are not on the recall list. ARE yours?" The bragging really turned me off and I left. They don't need to put a plug in for their store at the expense of others. And who knows if other companies aren't yet to be added.

I actually don't mind that sign because I think a lot of people haven't even heard about the recall. The ONLY place I've heard about it is on this forum.

[Dragontears]

Vets are now recommending people cook for their animals until the situation is resolved. Since they've been adding companies to the list every few days, I'm going to start cooking for my dog. Spot's Stew has recipes online.

Last weekend I went to the local natural health pet supply to check out what they had and possibly pick up Spot's stew or Merrick and found this sign in front of the store: "Our pet foods are not on the recall list. ARE yours?" The bragging really turned me off and I left. They don't need to put a plug in for their store at the expense of others. And who knows if other companies aren't yet to be added.

I actually don't mind that sign because I think a lot of people haven't even heard about the recall. The ONLY place I've heard about it is on this forum.

are you living under a rock? There are signs in every pet section of every store I've gone in, as well as news reports on NPR and local radio stations and TV news channels.

[Shadowfax]

So now I'm a bit worried -- I can't suddenly switch my pets' food -- I did that once and it caused a massive urinary infection in my big cat.

[Zach]

Vets are now recommending people cook for their animals until the situation is resolved. Since they've been adding companies to the list every few days, I'm going to start cooking for my dog. Spot's Stew has recipes online.

Last weekend I went to the local natural health pet supply to check out what they had and possibly pick up Spot's stew or Merrick and found this sign in front of the store: "Our pet foods are not on the recall list. ARE yours?" The bragging really turned me off and I left. They don't need to put a plug in for their store at the expense of others. And who knows if other companies aren't yet to be added.

I actually don't mind that sign because I think a lot of people haven't even heard about the recall. The ONLY place I've heard about it is on this forum.

are you living under a rock? There are signs in every pet section of every store I've gone in, as well as news reports on NPR and local radio stations and TV news channels.

I never listen to the radio, rarely watch TV (only DVDs), and hardly go into pet stores! Many people get their pet food from grocery stores. I haven't seen a single sign at Safeway, Albertson's, or Walmart. I've also brought it up to 3 or 4 dog owners in our complex, and only one had heard about it....

Actually, I was in Scamps a couple days ago, but they didn't have any signs that I noticed. I mean, a little sign on the counter won't catch every person's attention....

[Dragontears]

The pet section in my post refers to non-pet stores, but they do have signs posted in PetCo as well. I've seen signs in Bi-Mart, CostCo, and Target warning about the food recall.
How do you find out about news? I dont' watch TV, but I listen to the radio and visit news websites. There are also random headlines on hotmail and yahoo as well if you choose to look at that kind of thing. I don't understand how anyone that owns an animal can not have heard about this.

[Zach]

Maybe when the news was posted here, I didn't realize it when I glanced over other headlines...I guess right now I don't get out to stores too much since we have night classes and practicums every day.

I will try to pay better attention

[Dragontears]

you better!





and for good measure:

[Tigergenesis]

Vets are now recommending people cook for their animals until the situation is resolved. Since they've been adding companies to the list every few days, I'm going to start cooking for my dog. Spot's Stew has recipes online.

Last weekend I went to the local natural health pet supply to check out what they had and possibly pick up Spot's stew or Merrick and found this sign in front of the store: "Our pet foods are not on the recall list. ARE yours?" The bragging really turned me off and I left. They don't need to put a plug in for their store at the expense of others. And who knows if other companies aren't yet to be added.

Really? I'm surprised at that because you have to be really sure to provide the right mix of nutrients, etc. Spots Stew has recipes - I've gotta check that out.

[evil pixie]

This is getting really scary. I hope that our pets food will be better regulated and more checks and higher standards put into place after this. What bugs me too is that you go to the store and buy a can of Iams for like .99 because it's supposed to be really good stuff, but the cheap-o no-name brand is the same stuff, just a different label! So far my dog has been lucky and neither of her food is on the list (she only gets dry anyways), and the shelter i work at has had 1 can of the Nutro, that's it. I have friends whose 2 dogs got kidney probs from eating Nutro's dry food though... they're getting better and on meds now. It just makes me sick...

[Bird_Brain]

What bugs me too is that you go to the store and buy a can of Iams for like .99 because it's supposed to be really good stuff, but the cheap-o no-name brand is the same stuff, just a different label!

That necessarily is not true. Just because they are manufactured at the same plant, doesnt mean that they are the same product. I am sure if you compared the ingredients and guaranteed nutrients in 2 different brands that were made at the same plant, they would be different. Honestly, the only thing that Iams and Nutro have in common is some of their products are manufactured at the same plant and I know for a fact that Nutro products are different than Iams products.

[KyleWeiss]

I'm also disappointed at the retailer's end of how they're treating the pet food problem. If this had something to do with people foof, of course there'd be quite a different reaction.

KW

[evil pixie]

What bugs me too is that you go to the store and buy a can of Iams for like .99 because it's supposed to be really good stuff, but the cheap-o no-name brand is the same stuff, just a different label!

That necessarily is not true. Just because they are manufactured at the same plant, doesnt mean that they are the same product. I am sure if you compared the ingredients and guaranteed nutrients in 2 different brands that were made at the same plant, they would be different. Honestly, the only thing that Iams and Nutro have in common is some of their products are manufactured at the same plant and I know for a fact that Nutro products are different than Iams products.

Well i had a friend who worked at a manufacturing plant and they made pills, and she told me that they would literally be making let's say Tylenol, and then next would be the Meijer brand and they were the exact same thing, just a different coating and/or label on it.

[Bird_Brain]

I can see what you mean. Its like comparing Benadryl with the Equate brand. However, these are the same drug, diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Just packaged in different labels and charge you double for the name brand stuff.

However with this dog/cat food situation, it is different. I went to both Nutro and Iams websites and found Canned cat food, the Ocean Fish flavor, to show that they are not the same product, even though manufactured at the same place.

Nutros Natural Choice Complete Care Adult Ocean Fish and Tuna

Fish Broth, Mackerel, Chicken, Tuna, Chicken Giblets, Lamb Liver, Wheat Gluten, Beet Pulp, Sunflower Oil, Dried Egg Product, Glycine, Guar Gum, Menhaden Fish Oil, Herring Meal, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Sodium Carbonate, DL-Methionine, Sodium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Taurine, Chicory Extract, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (minimum) 8.00%
Crude Fat (minimum) 5.00%
Crude Fiber (maximum) 1.00%
Moisture (maximum) 82.00%
Ash (maximum) 2.50%
Linoleic Acid (minimum) 0.70%
Magnesium (maximum) 0.022%
Zinc (minimum) 50 mg/kg
Vitamin E (minimum) 50 IU/kg
Taurine (minimum) 0.05%
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) (min.)* 0.012%
Ascorbic Acid (minimum)* 10 mg/kg

Iams Ocean Fish Entree Adult

Ingredients
Meat Broth, Ocean Fish, Beef Liver, Chicken, Brewers Rice, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Ground Whole Grain Barley, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Guar Gum, Salt, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Brewers Dried Yeast, Flax Meal, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Biotin), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Taurine, Caramel, Titanium Dioxide, Tricalcium Phosphate

Nutrient (percent)
Crude Protein not less than 10.00 %
Crude Fat not less than 5.50 %
Crude Fiber not more than 0.50 %
Moisture not more than 78.00 %
Ash not more than 2.20 %
Magnesium not more than 0.025 %
Taurine not less than 0.05 %
Omega-6 Fatty Acids not less than 0.80 %*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids not less than 0.10 %*

[Tigergenesis]

What bugs me too is that you go to the store and buy a can of Iams for like .99 because it's supposed to be really good stuff, but the cheap-o no-name brand is the same stuff, just a different label!

That necessarily is not true. Just because they are manufactured at the same plant, doesnt mean that they are the same product. I am sure if you compared the ingredients and guaranteed nutrients in 2 different brands that were made at the same plant, they would be different. Honestly, the only thing that Iams and Nutro have in common is some of their products are manufactured at the same plant and I know for a fact that Nutro products are different than Iams products.

Well i had a friend who worked at a manufacturing plant and they made pills, and she told me that they would literally be making let's say Tylenol, and then next would be the Meijer brand and they were the exact same thing, just a different coating and/or label on it.

I think that's different. You are talking a name brand versus a generic store brand product. I don't know that it is the same with pet foods. If so, I doubt it's such a high quality food like Iams being the same as a generic store brand. I would imagine it would be more like another low quality food being the same as the generic.

[mouseinamilkbottle]

U.S. blocks wheat gluten linked to pet food recall

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070403/hl_nm/petfood_dc

[Tigergenesis]

Pet Treats With Salmonella Recalled
Company Recalls Dingo Treats

POSTED: 9:45 pm EDT April 2, 2007

WASHINGTON -- There is yet another pet food recall.

Eight in One is recalling packages of its Dingo brand dog, cat and ferret treats because of concerns over salmonella. The company said the bacteria could infect both animals and people handling the food.

Monday's announcement is not related to the recalls of tainted food that has led to kidney failure in pets around the country.

The recall involves Dingo Chick'n Jerky, Dingo Kitty Chicken Jerky and Dingo Ferret Chicken Jerky.

The company asks consumers to throw away unused portions of the jerky treats. To obtain a refund, call 888-232-9889.

[Tigergenesis]

Wheat gluten is one ingredient I've always avoided in my dogs food - now I am even more grateful for that than ever. I couldn't even remember what it was so I looked it up and thought I'd share:

Wheat gluten is the tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when wheat is washed to remove the starch.

Wheat gluten is a cheap by-product of human food processing, the result of washing wheat and letting the starchy liquid dry. It offers almost no nutritional value, and serves mostly to bind the food together.