Dog and Cat Food Recall

Usa Today is reporting that even more pet foods have been added to the recall list, including Alpo Prime Cuts canned dog foods, and Prescription Diet Feline Dry Food.

Purina's recalled products include: 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs. They have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date. This information should be checked on the bottom of the can or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons.

If you have any of these pet foods, return them to stores for a refund, or throw them out. Purina says that consumers can receive the full replacement value of the recalled products. Consumers can visit the Purina website at http://www.purina.com or call 1-800-218-5898, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT, to receive more information.

-Sherry

A friend of mine asked what it was safe to feed your dog. I told her "leftovers", but then I went to the Merck Veterinary Manual to make sure I wasn't leading her astray.

Turns out chocolate isn't as bad as we're all told. For a 100-pound dog, you're talking about 12 pounds of milk chocolate just to cause the heart to race. In other words, it's about as dangerous to dogs as it is to humans.

Avocados are supposedly bad for dogs, too, except it's Guatemalan avocados that they warn about. The only ones I've ever seen in stores are the Haas variety, which is a California avocado. However, avocados are even higher in fat than chocolate, and the dog will be vomiting and have diarrhea from the fat content long before the persin in the avocados is problematic.

Grapes? They have no idea why grapes should be a problem - but the Merck Veterinary Manual says it appear to cause symptoms at 3.2 pounds of grapes for a 100-pound dog. I know eating grapes is addictive, but isn't a big bunch of grapes about 1 pound? I don't think most people would have enough on hand at one time to present any danger.

Macadamia nuts aren't listed as hazardous on the Animal Poison Control Center site. I've never known a dog to eat nuts, in any case.

Of course, if you want to be *really* safe, you could always feed your cat mice, and feed your dog cats....

Your worst humiliation

is only someone else's momentary entertainment

This is one time I am grateful not to have a pet what with the worry that the food could kill it, but I still want another furry friend. :)

Back when we had loads of cats and dogs, we fed them almost every brand of pet food on the market. I got so fed up (no pun intended) with cats literally covering up their food and the dogs picking at the dish, that I borrowed a couple of "pet cookbooks" from the library. Then I bought cheap hamburger, saved those bits of leftover beef roast and turkey, threw in veggies and broth, some baby rice cereal, and made my own pet food. I figure if I could share my fried chicken with my cats, and it didn't kill 'em, I could certainly cook up a big tupperware container of ground beef and other leftover dinner meats, mix it up with veggies and broth, and give it to them. Woo hoo! They loved it, and they ate every bit. No snubbing, no covering it up like yesterday's litterbox. LOL!
And I saved $$$ not buying commercial pet food only to see it go to waste.

Maybe it's time, and for good reason to get out the leftovers again.

That sounds like a good idea, Pam. I've been thinking about that too lately, that maybe I should just make my own pet food for our dogs. All these recalls.. very scary, and lots of pets are sick with kidney failure now due to the contamination. First they said it was rat poison, now they're saying the contamination is some type of plastic used in fertilizer for the wheat. Most all "wet", canned foods with wheat gluten are on the recall list. I had always fed our dogs Alpo (none with the date code on the recall list, thank goodness), but stopped giving them any canned foods at all after the first day of the recall.. and they've had nothing but dry food since. They're not too happy with it either -- so maybe I'll do as you said, and make my own dog food for them.

-Sherry

Even more pet food products have been added to the recall list. Looks like -anything- containing wheat gluten is now being recalled.

These are the new additions, return these products to the stores or throw them out:

Del Monte Brands, Pet Treats

• Jerky Treats Beef Flavor
  
• Gravy Train Beef Sticks
  
• Pounce Meaty Morsels Moist Chicken Flavor Cat Treats
  
• Ol' Roy Beef Flavor Jerky Strips Dog Treats
  
• Ol' Roy Beef Flavor Snack Sticks Dog Treats
  
• Ol' Roy Bark'n Bac'n Beef & Bacon Flavor Dog Treats
  
• Ol' Roy with Beef Hearty Cuts in Gravy Dog Food
  
• Ol' Roy with Beef Hearty Strips in Gravy Dog Food
  
• Ol' Roy Country Stew Hearty Cuts in Gravy Dog Food
  
• Dollar General Beef Flavored Jerky Strips Dog Treats
  
• Dollar General Beef Flavored Beef Sticks Dog Treats
  
• Happy Tails Meaty Cuts with Beef in Gravy Dog Food

Sunshine Mills said today they are recalling 22 brands of dog treats and dog biscuits, including wal-mart brands, due to contaminated wheat gluten.

The products include:

• Pet Life Large Peanut Butter Biscuit
• Pet Life Large Biscuit
• Lassie Lamb and Rice Biscuit
• Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
• Companion's Best Multi Flavor Biscuit
• Stater Brothers Large Biscuit
• Ol'Roy Peanut Butter Biscuit
• Ol'Roy 4 Flavor Large Biscuit
• Ol'Roy Puppy Biscuit
• Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuit
• Champion Breed Large Biscuit
• Perfect Pals Large Biscuit
• Stater Brothers Large Biscuit
• Nurture Chicken & Rice Biscuit
• Nurture Lamb & Rice Biscuit

-Sherry

Hi Gang,
A feed that we used on the farm for our dogs was a bowl of chicken feed with a few eggs mixed in to wet it...the dogs loved it....

Have a good one,
Dave

Boy, that's a new one for me.

Yes, dogs love eggs - too much. The only times I've heard of farmers giving eggs to their dogs, though, they were eggs with lots and lots and lots of pepper - to discourage the dog from collecting the eggs before the farmwife did.

(My apologies to those who find the term farmwife demeaning. I consider it to be as much an accolade as "rocket scientist" or "brain surgeon".)

Your worst humiliation

is only someone else's momentary entertainment

At the time we had more than enough eggs...our farm was a small one..we had around a half a million birds at the time...

Have a good one.
Dave

A half million birds would certainly be enough to keep you in giblet gravy, wouldn't it?

Your worst humiliation

is only someone else's momentary entertainment

The American Veterinary Medical Association has published a one page list of all the pet food affected by the recall, with links to each individual company's website. You can also see at a glance which formula of each brand is affected by the recall, whether it's canned, pouch, treats, etc.

Recall List

-Sherry

More pet food has been added to the recall list... this time, it's Natural Balance pet foods. The manufacturer says that consumers should immediately stop feeding their pets Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog food, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. Do not continue using any of these products, regardless of the date codes on the cans or bags.

Several news agencies today are reporting that yet another ingredient, "rice protein concentrate", seems to be contaminated with melamine..

-Sherry

When I was on the Natural Balance site a few days ago, they were pointing out that NONE of their pet foods were packed by Menu Foods, and none of them used gluten as a protein source.

The products that were recalled used "rice protein concentrate" instead. There seemed to be a problem with one lot number, of one product. Natural Balance has recalled not just that lot, but ALL lots, and not just one product, but all four that used rice protein concentrate.

This is actor Dick Van Patten's dog food company. Their stuff is pricey, but it seems to be good. Our Alaskan Husky, Isaac was extremely fond of their Duck and Potato dry dog food; he turned up his nose at most dry foods. Isaac died last September, and we got Marie then, a german shepherd, and she's been gulping down just about everything except (Cadillac canned dog food) so we didn't see any need to let her know about expensive feeds.

Of course, whatever we're eating, that's what Marie likes best, so Blondie's been cooking larger batches of most everything, and we all eat the same. I tease her that she's giving me dog food, but she says I claim Philly girls can't cook anyway, so it really doesn't matter, does it?

Your worst humiliation

is only someone else's momentary entertainment

Although my Ladydog isnt here to be advantaged from the list, it is a wonderful thing you do keeping this updated for everyone that does have a petperson in their lives. So i thank you for your trouble and i do keep up with it.

Lioness

Lioness

You're welcome Barbara. I try to keep up to date on this, it's difficult when it seems every day they are adding more and more pet foods to the recall. First it was the wheat gluten, now it's the rice protein concentrate.. and they still don't know for sure. It's scary for anyone with pets.

If anyone finds other info, feel free to add it to this thread. At least we can try and keep the info all in one place here and up to date for everyone with pets.

-Sherry

New recall info

Pet Food Recall Expands to Third Company

The Associated Press
Friday, April 20, 2007; 12:34 PM

WASHINGTON -- A third company on Friday recalled pet foods made with an imported Chinese ingredient only recently found to have been contaminated by an industrial chemical.

The pet food ingredient, rice protein concentrate, is the second found in the U.S. to be contaminated by melamine. Previously, testing revealed that wheat gluten also had been contaminated.

Royal Canin USA said it was recalling some of its dry dog and cat foods made with tainted rice protein concentrate.

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Dry cat and dog food included

Pet Food Recall: New Companies Added, Dry Cat & Dog Food Included
By Jeff Freeland
Apr 20, 2007

Pet food recall, more dry dog and cat food added to recall list - The massive recall of pet foods has expanded again with the recall of products containing rice protein concentrate imported from China. Blue Buffalo, of Wilton, Conn., said it was recalling all of its Spa Select Kitten dry food labeled "Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B." The reason for the recall: The foods are contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers that can lead to illness or fatalities in animals if consumed.

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To summarize, these 3 companies have added their products to the recall list: Natural Balance, Blue Buffalo, and Royal Canin. Some news agencies are reporting that 5 pet food companies have used the tainted rice protein concentrate.. so this list may be incomplete right now. If you use any of these foods, stop immediately:

• Natural Balance
  
• Blue Buffalo (edited: April 27 update - ALL canned pet food and biscuits)
  
• Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (available only in veterinary clinics) Dry Dog Food — Canine Early Cardiac EC 22(TM) — Canine Skin Support SS21(TM) Dry Cat Food — Feline Hypoallergenic HP23(TM)
  
• Royal Canin Sensible Choice (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
  Dry Dog Food — Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior — Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy — Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult — Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior — Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult

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The two ingredients to watch out for are wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate.

Purina.com says that their dry foods do NOT contain either of the contaminated ingredients, and that the rice used in their foods did NOT come from China, and is not included in the recall.

Some vets in South Florida are now advising their clients to stop giving any commercial pet foods to their animals, and to feed them 'people food' instead...

-Sherry

Pet Food Recall: Farms Quarantined, More Cat & Dog Food Recall Worries
By Jeff Freeland
Apr 25, 2007

There are new details about the pet food recall. Now the nationwide pet food recall that began March 16 with wet cat and dog food has grown to more than 100 brands of wet and dry food and treats. Health officials now say some of that contaminated pet food was fed to hogs in as many as six states. It's not clear yet if any of the hogs entered the food supply for humans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that salvaged pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was fed to hogs in six states. [AVMA says that the melamine contamination has been traced to hog farms in California, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Utah, and possibly Ohio.] The FDA also said it is investigating whether a poultry farm in Missouri got contaminated food.

Read the entire article here

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Pet Food Recall: Second Importer May Mean More Poisoned Cat & Dog Food
By Nancy Streets
Apr 24, 2007

More than a month since the massive pet food recall, it still seems products are added to the list every few days. Dog and cat lovers and owners are more confused than ever. Ever since the FDA began recalling more than 60 million cat and dog food products on March 17, things have been turned upside down for pet owners, baffled over what food to buy their pets. Pet owners are learning that brand name and cost aren't enough to protect their pets from eating food poisoned with an industrial chemical used to make plastics.

Two Senators have what they say is evidence that a second suspected importer of vegetable proteins might have introduced even more contaminated ingredients into the pet food industry, including the latest rice protein,(so far, this is wheat, corn and rice) and they are calling on the FDA to publicly identify the company, and the pet food companies which they say received the ingredients but haven't yet instituted a recall.

Read entire article here

-Sherry

New dog and cat food brands added to the recall list today, due to possible rice protein concentrate contamination:

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From Drs. Foster & Smith Website

As part of this precautionary recall Drs. Foster & Smith requests that customers discontinue feeding the following products purchased during the periods listed, until all FDA testing is complete:

* Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14180, 14262, 14263, or Adult Lite Dry Cat food item numbers 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865 purchased between January 22, 2007 and April 19th
* Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14178 and 14179 purchased between February 2, 2007 and April 19, 2007
* Only Adult Lite Dry Dog (Item #'s 14178, 14179, 14180, 14262, 14263) and Adult Dry Lite Cat foods (Item #'s 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865) are included in this precautionary recall.
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As of today, the three ingredients to watch out for are wheat gluten, corn gluten, and rice protein concentrate. Check your pet food labels.

-Sherry

Nothing has been recalled, and nothing has been announced officially, but the FDA now is assuming that these products are present in some foods for humans, not just pet foods.

I don't know about you, but I'm taking a VERY close look at any canned foods that contain gravies or sauces.

Regular pasta should be OK, as the standard of identity says it is made from wheat flour and water, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to make your own; a pasta machine costs about $25, and the pasta tastes better, anyway. Most everywhere I've lived, I have been able to buy homemade egg noodles; they probably are safe, and they taste better than the big brands, anyway. I wouldn't buy oriental noodles, not on a bet.

I've gotten out the bread machine, and we're going to switch to strictly homemade bread until this gets settled out. Gluten and "protein concentrates" are MUCH more expensive than flour, so that should be safe, but bakers sometimes add gluten for extra "rise" in their bread.

It's a bit of a pain to play it safe, but the food will taste better, so it's not like it's a dead loss. The biggest danger will be with eating out, especially with chain restaurants, where the restauranteur isn't free to substitute known-safe products for regular products that may be questionable....

It's an amazing coincidence.

Not only am I married - but my wife is, too!

3 more canned products added to recall, due to contaminated rice protein concentrate

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Because of the canned pet food recall initiated by American Nutrition Inc., Diamond Pet Foods has announced it is withdrawing a limited number of canned products manufactured by American Nutrition. This action is limited to three specific canned products:

*Diamond Lamb & Rice Formula for Dogs 13 oz. cans
*Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Kitten Formula 5.5 oz. cans
*Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Puppy Formula 13 oz. cans.

The release adds: Diamond Pet Foods is taking this voluntary action after learning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed rice protein concentrate used by American Nutrition contained melamine, a substance not approved for use in food.

Diamond Pet Foods
------------------------------

And, to make it even worse: these brands of pet food do -not- list rice protein concentrate on the ingredients label.. and yet American Nutrition says that these three specific products "may contain rice protein concentrate". Diamond Pet Foods says this is due to an "error as a result of a manufacturing deviation by American Nutrition".

The FDA is investigating.

Edited to add: Blue Buffalo just announced that they are recalling ALL of their canned pet foods and biscuits. Their foods are distributed through Pet Smart.

Blue Buffalo is calling it a case of "product tampering", and says that "American Nutrition, Inc. (ANI), the manufacturer of our canned dog and cat foods and biscuits, informed us that they had been adding rice protein concentrate to our canned formulas without our knowledge or approval. Apparently this has been going on for some time, and ANI only chose to inform us when the FDA began an investigation of their rice protein concentrate supplies", and that the rice protein concentrate is contaminated with melamine from Wilbur-Ellis.

-Sherry

Many brands have now been added to this seemingly never-ending recall list, including all varieties of Schnucks brand pet foods. The news reports say that cross contamination has occurred, and the list of ingredients to watch out for has grown. In addition to wheat gluten, it now includes rice gluten, rice protein, rice protein concentrate, corn gluten, corn gluten meal, corn by-products, soy protein, soy gluten, proteins, and mung bean protein.

Also, don't assume that because you see particular kinds of dog or cat food in the stores, that it is safe -- a huge amount of the recalled foods are still on the shelves in stores.

The info below is new, from a press release yesterday.
Menu Foods
Visit the page for the long list of all the new additions to the recall.

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Menu Foods has previously recalled wet cat and dog food produced with adulterated wheat gluten supplied by ChemNutra Inc. Menu Foods is now expanding the recall to include cuts and gravy and select other products which do not include ChemNutra wheat gluten but which were manufactured at any of Menu Foods’ plants during the period that ChemNutra wheat gluten was used at that plant, to the extent they have not already been subject to a recall, due to the possibility of cross-contamination. Menu Foods has received a report from a customer and has received study results, both of which indicate cross-contamination.
----

-Sherry

Royal Canin USA announced yesterday that they are issuing a recall on eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven Kasco dry dog and cat food products, due to tainted Chinese rice protein concentrate.

The following eight Sensible Choice dry dog food products and seven
Kasco dry dog and cat food products with date codes between July 28, 2006
to April 30, 2007 are being voluntarily recalled:

SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Adult (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Lamb and Rice Reduced (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) Chicken and Rice Large Breed Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Adult (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Senior (Dry Dog Food)
-- SENSIBLE CHOICE(R) NATURAL BLEND Puppy (Dry Dog Food)


KASCO(R) (available in pet specialty stores nationwide)
-- KASCO(R) Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Hi Energy (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Maintenance (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Mealettes (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Mini Chunks (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Puppy (Dry Dog Food)
-- KASCO(R) Cat (Dry Cat Food)

Pet owners should stop feeding their pets the dry dog and dry cat food products listed, and should consult with a veterinarian if they are concerned about the health of their pet.

Pet owners who have questions about the voluntary recall of Sensible Choice and Kasco dry pet food products and other Royal Canin USA products should call 1-800-513-0041 or visit the web site at www.royalcanin.us.

I have 2 dogs and 5 cats indoors and 5 cats that are stray cats and kittens.. Thanks for the info on the pet food.. My cats have been eating meow mix.. They are ok so far.. My dogs likes kibbles and bits..