Pet Food Recall: 60M Containers Affected by Menu Foods

[Moonbear]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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.

Story continued at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/17/petfood.recall.ap/index.html

There's a pretty extensive list of brands affected. Most are store brands, but also some Iams and Eukanuba products from one P&G plant. The article link above has the list of store brands. You can go to www.iams.com to get information about the Iams and Eukanuba products affected.

With all the pet owners around here, I thought this should be shared.

 

[Cyrus]

You should feed your cat people tuna. Its good for their heart, and a lot healthier. God only knows what's in Cat/Dog food.

 

[turbo]

The manufacturer produces "wet" foods for dozens of brands and hundreds of products, many of them industry leaders. Offer your dogs and cats only dry food with home-made amendments until this is sorted out. You owe it to your pets. Any canned or bagged foods with "gravy" are suspect until further notice.

 

[Moonbear]

You should feed your cat people tuna. Its good for their heart, and a lot healthier. God only knows what's in Cat/Dog food.

Untrue. The cat and dog foods are formulated to be nutritionally balanced. If you only feed tuna, you may have a malnourished cat. Tuna isn't a balanced diet for any pet.

What you're saying is as wrong as someone suggesting to feed a baby only cow's milk because who knows what's in baby formula.

I had a few cans of Eukanuba for Ember that don't match the plant codes for this recall, but I'm going to hold off on that to make sure the recall doesn't end up more extensive before feeding her those. I never use store brands for pet food. Mostly, her food is Science Diet, and that's not affected by this recall. She only gets a little bit of wet food anyway, more as a treat, because I prefer she eat dry food as her primary diet to keep her teeth healthier.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I just fed Jellyroll a Lean Cuisine dinner.

 

[turbo]

I just fed Jellyroll a Lean Cuisine dinner.

Please reconsider this! People who eat over-spiced high-sodium low-calorie pre-packaged meals have only themselves to blame when their nutritional requirements are not met. Pets have no choice. My wife and I offered a wide choice of foods to our ferrets, but primarily we fed them Iams kitten food because of the high protein content. Lefty would climb all over me if I didn't share steamed clams or spaghetti with him, and all of them would flip for a raisin every once in a while. We like our chili HOT! and Lefty would beg for chili when he smelled it. I'd give him a little sauce, meat, and beans, and he would lap it up, run around rubbing his mouth on the carpet, then come back and beg for more. That was my guy!

 

[larkspur]

Our local news showed a couple who lost three of their seven cats to renal failure caused by the cat food.

 

[Cyrus]

Untrue. The cat and dog foods are formulated to be nutritionally balanced. If you only feed tuna, you may have a malnourished cat. Tuna isn't a balanced diet for any pet.

What you're saying is as wrong as someone suggesting to feed a baby only cow's milk because who knows what's in baby formula.

I had a few cans of Eukanuba for Ember that don't match the plant codes for this recall, but I'm going to hold off on that to make sure the recall doesn't end up more extensive before feeding her those. I never use store brands for pet food. Mostly, her food is Science Diet, and that's not affected by this recall. She only gets a little bit of wet food anyway, more as a treat, because I prefer she eat dry food as her primary diet to keep her teeth healthier.

I never said feed it only tuna. She used to eat Tuna, all natural dry food, milk, grass...when she wasnt trying to steal my chicken. :grumpy: But we never gave her that crap from a can. Even when we did, she wouldn't eat it! (She was smart, or spoiled...take your pick).

 

[Math Is Hard]

Please reconsider this! People who eat over-spiced high-sodium low-calorie pre-packaged meals have only themselves to blame when their nutritional requirements are not met. Pets have no choice. My wife and I offered a wide choice of foods to our ferrets, but primarily we fed them Iams kitten food because of the high protein content. Lefty would climb all over me if I didn't share steamed clams or spaghetti with him, and all of them would flip for a raisin every once in a while. We like our chili HOT! and Lefty would beg for chili when he smelled it. I'd give him a little sauce, meat, and beans, and he would lap it up, run around rubbing his mouth on the carpet, then come back and beg for more. That was my guy!

Too late! But it was a one-time thing. I've never fed her a frozen dinner before. She normally eats Merrick catfood, a premium brand that doesn't contain corn fillers.

 

[edward]

I've have always wondered why most dry cat and dog foods contain ground yellow corn meal?

Birds love it, with kitty's dish outside they even risk a horrible death getting it. Kitty was a tiger cat that just showed up one day and decided to stay. Her Majesty the Queen Bee aka wife preferred that KC aka Kitty Cat stay outside.

Old cat caught a cactus wren one day , but the bird got away minus one leg. The strange thing is the blasted bird came back.

That bird had to adjust to hopping on only one leg, so it had to hop from side to side in an unusual manner to keep its balance. I started tossing the dry cat food up on the roof for the bird. Old cat could get up there but couldn't sneak up there. About a year later old cat disappeared, most likely becoming an entree for some coyote.

Cactus wrens have a distinctive call, kind of like three or four small stones being spun around inside of a tin can. In the mornings I would hear the bird and I would go outside and the wren would land on top of the patio wall and hop around from side to side on the one leg while I put some cat food on top of the wall.

The bird seemed to thrive on the stuff. I ended up buying cat food for a bird. I did noticed that the bird could never get a mate. Apparently there are no considerations for the handicapped in the wild. After a couple of years the little cactus wren disappeared.

Odd but all very true, I even had people stop by just to see the one legged bird.

 

[edward]

Two more companies have added some of their products to the recall. I don't remember them being on the previous list.

Meanwhile, two other companies — Nestle Purina PetCare Co. and Hill’s Pet Nutrition Inc. — announced Saturday night that as a precaution they were voluntary recalling some products made by Menu Foods.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/

Nestle Purina PetCare is a big distributor of the "Mighty Dog" labeled canned and foil pack (pouch) pet foods. They have a similar product for cats.

Edit: The Purina recall is for the Mighty Dog foil packs only.

The Mighty Dog pouch products and pouches in multi-pack cartons have code dates of 6337 through 7073, followed by the plant code 1798. This information is located on the bottom or back panel of the pouches or cartons. Specifically, if the code following the "Use By" date begins with four numbers from 6337 to 7073 followed by the plant code 1798, then the pouch is included in this voluntary withdrawal.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/purina-voluntarily-withdraw-mighty-dogr/story.aspx?guid=%7BE9BDB7B3-0B54-453A-9D4C-2F20A483CC8D%7D

 

[MadScientist 1000]

Whoops... Moonbear, should I be OK if I ate a whole bag of pet food? I hope so because I don't feel so good... *Vomit*

 

[Moonbear]

Hill's too?! And I thought I was safe with Science Diet. Meh, Ember didn't eat the wet food yesterday anyway. She used to like it as a treat, but has gotten really picky about it lately.

Cyrus, first, you did not specify that you were NOT suggesting only tuna. You seemed to be saying that should be given in lieu of food specifically formulated for pets. Nonetheless, it remains that it is not a balanced food for them. When you start mixing foods, you risk that the careful balance of a formulated diet is thrown off by what you're giving as snacks. Even when I give treats, I only give those that are balanced nutrition (for some reason, Ember loves the hairball formulation of adult cat food above all else she is offered, so she gets that for treats, along with her teaspoon of wet food at dinner time).

Why would you think wet food is any worse than dry food in terms of formulation, though? Perhaps you need to take an animal nutrition course. The two advantages to feeding dry food over wet food are 1) the dry food is better for helping keep tartar off their teeth (keep in mind it is not a substitute for brushing your pet's teeth though), and 2) you can leave the dry food out all day so the pet can eat when they are hungry on a more natural schedule rather than having wet food put out once or twice a day, which really isn't ideal...they'll tend to overeat because they are so hungry by the time the food arrives...imagine yourself only being fed one or two meals a day on someone else's schedule with no snacks between). But, in terms of nutrient balance, it's just as good (barring this recall where they've screwed up on the protein content).

edward, corn meal is a source of protein. You'll note that on pet foods, there are multiple protein sources. This is because different sources contain different ratios of amino acids, and they are combined together to ensure all the essential amino acids are included in the formulation. Other factors that go into the formulations are digestibility of the nutrients (you want the pet to USE the nutrients, not just excrete it in larger amounts of feces), fiber content (again, a balance between proper gut motility and excessive waste production), palatability (a balance between the pet has to eat the stuff, and they have to not like it so much they just gorge themselves on it), making sure all essential amino acids and vitamins/minerals are included, and how well they achieve satiety (this helps your pet regulate food consumption...when they've had enough nutrients to maintain a healthy weight, they need to feel full, and not get hungry again too soon).

I feed some variety of foods to Ember for just such situations as this...she is used to eating primarily dry food, but should something happen that she can't be given dry food, or if she ever needs medication that needs to be snuck into wet food, wet food isn't strange to her, so she can eat that. In this case, I'll be withholding the wet food for a while, but she has dry food she likes and eats.

However, those who primarily feed wet food may be facing a dilemma right now...their pet may be refusing to eat dry food if suddenly switched, and since you may want to entirely avoid the wet food, mixing the two is not much of an option now. If you find yourself in this situation, here is a suggestion to help them make that transition. Mix boiled ground beef with cooked white rice in about a 1:1 ratio. This is not a perfect diet, so you don't want to do this for a long time, but it is very palatable and is what vets will recommend if you're having trouble getting a pet to eat and just need to sustain them until they have adjusted to a new diet or regained appetite from an illness. Mix the dry food in with the hamburger/rice mixture, gradually increasing the dry food: hamburger/rice ratio until the pet has transitioned to a dry food diet. Make sure you leave out more water than usual. If they are used to getting some of their water from wet food, they will consume more water when eating dry food.

If your pet is eating wet food because they have dental problems and cannot easily chew dry food, you can make a mash out of the dry food by soaking it in water.

 

[Cyrus]

Cyrus, first, you did not specify that you were NOT suggesting only tuna.

Thats because you assumed something I never said. :grumpy:

She used to eat dry food too. I thought I said that already

She used to eat Tuna, all natural dry food, milk, grass

Either way, she would never eat the cat food from a can. She would smell it and walk away. Considering that she lived for over 10 years and had a soft shiny coat, I think she was eating quite fine.

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/9229/pict0034np6.jpg

She was a nice cat. The funny thing is that I have never come across another cat that has the same kind of coat as her. She had no other colors than the one shown. Most other cats of her type have other colors mixed in.

 

[Astronuc]

I wonder what's with the "wheat gluten"? I know cereal is added as filler.

Interesting coincidence - http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?SID=mail&articleID=A1018BD684F0C6A62F01999A180E764B%20%20%20&chanID=sa003

PARIS (Reuters) - Environmental group Greenpeace launched a fresh attack on genetically modified maize developed by U.S. biotech giant Monsanto, saying on Tuesday that rats fed on one version developed liver and kidney problems.

Greenpeace said a study it had commissioned that was published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Technology showed rats fed for 90 days on Monsanto's MON863 maize showed "signs of toxicity" in the liver and kidneys.

Greenpeace is hardly objective in such matters, but it does raise the question of whether or not large corporations like Monsanto take the necessary precautions when introducing modifications to the food supply. I prefer non-modified food stuffs myself.

We use Purina's Friskies for the cats, so we'll have to watch. Fortunately, I did not see Friskies on the recall list.

As for rice, I think that is appropriate for dogs, but not cats. Cats need a higher level of high quality protein than dogs. In the past though, we have added pumpkin to the cat food for fiber. This helps cats pass hairballs.

 

[edward]

Astronic

I think you are safe with the Purina Friskies. I got a bit curious when I read that 5.3 ounce pouches were involved. I have Purina Mighty Dog in 5.3 pouches that I add to dry food to get old dog to eat the stuff.

When I googled, "Purina recall". I got quite a shock. Purina had not been included in any of the lists of companies and brands. Even in my morning paper Purina is not listed.

It turns out Purina buys the 5.3 ounce pouches from Menu Foods, which is the company behind all of the problems. Other Purina foods are supposed to be OK.

I hope my dog Blanca is going to be OK. She has survived encounters with Javelina, coyotes, and bob cats. At 12 years old It would be a shame to see her taken down by human error.

 

[edward]

I wonder what's with the "wheat gluten"? I know cereal is added as filler.

Interesting coincidence - http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?SID=mail&articleID=A1018BD684F0C6A62F01999A180E764B%20%20%20&chanID=sa003

Greenpeace is hardly objective in such matters, but it does raise the question of whether or not large corporations like Monsanto take the necessary precautions when introducing modifications to the food supply. I prefer non-modified food stuffs myself.

It is hard to find an unbiased opinion from either side of the issue. The GMO corn is really getting around. I am pretty sure that it was approved for use in animal feed only.

Problem is corn is corn and it all looks alike, the last I read it was found in the Taco shells at Taco bell.

 

[light_bulb]

on feeding tuna only, it will cause a vitamin k deficiency, mix it with some dry food.

 

[Cyrus]

on feeding tuna only, it will cause a vitamin k deficiency, mix it will some dry food.

What, you can't feed a cat mcdonalds!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

We have had great luck with Hill's Science Diet [dry food] for cats. One of our kitties died suddenly at age four, most likely due to a blood clot, but the rest have lived twelve to eighteen years. Our Einstein is now sixteen and living on Fancy Feast canned food [because of his missing chompers].

 

[Moonbear]

We have had great luck with Hill's Science Diet [dry food] for cats. One of our kitties died suddenly at age four, most likely due to a blood clot, but the rest have lived twelve to eighteen years. Our Einstein is now sixteen and living on Fancy Feast canned food [because of his missing chompers].

Yep, that's what Ember gets (the kitten formula right now, but I'm starting to give her little tidbits of the adult formula to prepare her for transitioning to a new diet in a few months...she thinks the adult food is a treat ). But, ooh boy was she miffed yesterday when I didn't give her any wet food. She's used to getting her dinner time treat of wet food. She was getting into EVERYTHING last night to express her displeasure at this oversight. If the problem with the food is just a protein imbalance, I'm not too worried since that's not her primary food and she gets so little of it, but if there's some contaminant or something causing trouble, then she's going to be kept off it.

 

[Cyrus]

Does she go outside to eat grass, or do you have something inside for her to eat?

 

[Moonbear]

Does she go outside to eat grass, or do you have something inside for her to eat?

She is an indoor only cat. We've had that discussion before. No reason to risk her health by sending her outside.

If your cat is eating grass, you should get it checked by a veterinarian. It can be a sign of GI problems, or a nutrient deficiency. It's not normal for them to eat grass.

 

[Cyrus]

Errrrrrrrrrrr, no...

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/nutritioninformation/f/FAQ_eatgrass.htm
http://www.felinefuture.com/health/catseatgrass.php

Cats eat grass for digestion to help them vomit.

Im sorry, but it is normal for cats and dogs to eat grass sometimes...


This is why you don't lock cats up inside the house...there are things outside that they need to have...but I am not going to get into that. I think its silly to say "No reason to risk her health by sending her outside." Do you ever take her ouside to play when your there with her? I hope you do!

You don't lock her inside the house 24-7 do you? That would be cruel.

 

[Artman]

My doggie gets Purina One Lamb and Rice dry only, mixed occasionally with some bread or toast (she loves bread and toast). So far, not on the recall list.

 

[light_bulb]

every cat I've ever had has eaten grass no matter what the diet, then they all barf it up.

 

[Moonbear]

Errrrrrrrrrrr, no...

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/nutritioninformation/f/FAQ_eatgrass.htm
http://www.felinefuture.com/health/catseatgrass.php

Cats eat grass for digestion to help them vomit.

NO, simply no. Vomiting doesn't mean helping with digestion...vomiting means something is wrong with them to make them sick. They eat grass when their stomach is sick...i.e., GI problem.

Im sorry, but it is normal for cats and dogs to eat grass sometimes...

No, it is a sign something is wrong with them. If your cats and dogs do this often, there is something wrong with them.

This is why you don't lock cats up inside the house...there are things outside that they need to have...but I am not going to get into that. I think its silly to say "No reason to risk her health by sending her outside." Do you ever take her ouside to play when your there with her? I hope you do!

You don't lock her inside the house 24-7 do you? That would be cruel.

We've had this debate before, and I stand by my decision that it is cruel to leave them wandering around outside. Perhaps I should leave Ember to her brother's fate to be run over before reaching 6 months old? And, no there is absolutely NOTHING outside that Ember needs that I cannot provide for her inside. Again, it's neglectful to just toss your pet outside and think they can fend for themselves.

But, since this thread was about pet food and pet food recalls and you can't seem to stay on topic, I'm locking my thread. The news is out and we're not going into a long debate again about this so you can argue out of ignorance on pet care.