Dog Blog

Another company has joined a massive recall of pet food products, with the latest move coming after U.S. government testing found a chemical used to make plastics in certain brands by Ontario-based Menu Foods Inc.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition issued its recall Friday for its Prescription Diet m/d Feline Dry food, which is sold in Canada and the U.S. It’s the first dry pet food to be recalled.

Last week, angry pet owners in Canada filed a $60-million second class-action lawsuit against Menu Foods Inc., alleging its products made their cats and dogs sick or killed them.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Announces Voluntary Participation in Menu Foods’ Nationwide U.S. recall of Specific Canned Cat Foods.

In response to the Menu Foods, Inc. nationwide recall of wet pet foods, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. announced on March 16 a voluntary precautionary recall in the United States of a very small number of canned cat food products that are manufactured by Menu for Hill’s. This involves less than one half of one percent of Hill’s total product line.

This voluntary recall only affects Science Diet® Savory Cuts Feline canned products sold in the United States.

Hill’s is voluntarily recalling the following feline products:
1. Science Diet® Ocean Fish Dinner in Sauce Savory Cuts® Kitten, 3 oz. and 5.5 oz.
2. Science Diet® Beef Dinner in Gravy Savory Cuts® Adult, 5.5 oz
3. Science Diet® Chicken Dinner in Gravy Savory Cuts® Adult, 5.5 oz.
4. Science Diet® Ocean Fish Dinner in Sauce Savory Cuts® Adult, 5.5 oz.
5. Science Diet® Chicken Dinner in Gravy Savory Cuts® Mature Adult 7+, 5.5 oz.

Hill’s is recalling the product codes listed below. Product codes can be found at the bottom of the can. Only relevant code numbers have been listed here (‘X’s indicate irrelevant numbers).

1. . BESTBEFORE 09 2008
M06XXXXXX 4414

2. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4416

3. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4415

4. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4601

5. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4603

6. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M25XXXXXX 4457

7. . BESTBEFORE 08 2008
M28XXXXXX 4414

Hill’s made the decision to voluntarily recall these products in consultation with the FDA and in accordance with their guidance. The company regrets any inconvenience to its consumers, retail customers and veterinarians.

http://quikonnex.com/channel/page/Jeanesholistics-WholeDogNews

The woman suffered vomiting, foaming mouth – shw was trying to get her terrier to take a bite, too:

An Ottawa woman is recovering after eating dog food and then becoming violently ill, in a case possibly related to the rat-poison-laced pet food that has killed 14 dogs and cats and sickened dozens more across North America.

Elaine Larabie said yesterday she ate some dog food last week in an effort to convince her terrier, Missy, to do the same. Soon afterward, both Larabie and Missy found themselves in the hospital – Larabie at an after-hours emergency room, and Missy at Ottawa’s Alta Vista Animal Hospital.

For three days, she suffered a range of “confusing” and “embarrassing” symptoms, including loss of appetite, vomiting and foaming of the mouth. She also had problems urinating. She is now awaiting the results of blood tests.

Dog and cat owners around North America continue to be on high alert for tainted pet food – subject of a nine-day, North America wide recall – after reports of dying animals.

On Friday, investigators in the U.S. confirmed reports a rodent-killing chemical sprayed on Chinese wheat was found in the pet food. The manufacturer, Menu Foods out of Mississauga, Ont., issued the recall of 60 million cans and pouches of “gravy style” wet pet food, which is expected to cost the firm $40 million.

The recall covers dog and cat food sold under such brands as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba.

Menu Foods recall information 1-866-895-2708 or 1-866-463-6738

New York State veterinary health investigators announced that the pet food responsible for pet deaths around the country was contaminated with the rodent poison aminopterin.

Aminopterin is not registered for use as a pesticide in the United States, and it has been known as a potential source of birth defects in humans.

The president of pet food maker Menu Foods, which last week issued a recall of 60 million cans and pouches of pet food after a rash of animal sickness and death, said today that the company would reimburse pet owners who can trace their pets’ illnesses to the company’s products.

With the widespread notoriety of the deaths associated with the contaminated pet food, some are beginning to speculate whether the result could be greater regulation of pet food safety.

FAQs from Menu Foods: www.menufoods.com/recall/FAQ_Consumer.htm

Menu Foods recall information 1-866-895-2708 or 1-866-463-6738

- Menu Foods is experiencing a high volume of calls. They ask people to keep trying if the line is busy.

- The affected foods are canned or foil-pouch foods.

- Veterinarians recommend that concerned pet owners stop feeding their pets any of the foods on the product lists and switch to either a dry pet food or another brand.

- Menu Foods recall information 1-866-895-2708 or 1-866-463-6738

Recalled Dog Product Information

Recall Information 1-866-895-2708

www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html

Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Wegmans Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Meijers Main Choice
Mighty Dog Pouch
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro Ultra
Nutro
Ol’Roy Canada
Ol’Roy US
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride – Good n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Shep Dog
Springsfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Weis Total Pet
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

I was following this story all weekend in the papers – if you have not heard and you buy Master Choice, Compliments and Select brand foods for your pets – please read carefully:

One of North America’s largest pet-food suppliers has recalled some of the premium dog and cat food it sells through stores such as Wal-Mart and Safeway at a cost of up to $40-million after several animal deaths in the United States. Complaints are now coming in from Canadian pet owners. Some suspected Canadian cases of food-induced kidney failure in pets are emerging in the case of some premium dog and cat foods manufactured by an Ontario-based supplier.

The recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

For more information:

www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070317/pet_food_070318/20070318?hub=TopStories