Snarlah-I am sorry for your loss.  Unfortunately, I can relate all too well.  I lost 2 dogs in this whole snafu....natural balance food though.

There is no monetary replacement for these sweet dogs and cats.  $500 is about 10% of what my entire vet bill was and I still lost my boys.  What a slap in the face.

This just sucks beyond belief.

Joann-I hope you come back to this post and read it again!

I lost 2 dogs to NB venison and brown rice food recall.  Both became ill almost immediately after eating the food and we lost one of them 5 days after eating the food and the other one 8 days after.

So far, my experience with Natural Balance has been very good.  I have spoken personally with Joey Herrick (president), the vet on staff (can't remember her name)and Jennifer Freeman (vet tech on staff).  They have each called me...not me calling them...and have Fedex'ed me all the paper work to get my vet bills reimbursed.  I am expecting a check this week. 

I will let the forums know what happens from here.  Money will never bring my babies back but that was one extremely expensive vet bill.

I hope your dog is well and that you get what you need from NB.

I am doing better every day and so is my husband.  Thanks for asking.

I am going to volunteer with a rescue organization as a little therapy for myself until we are ready to adopt another couple of dogs.  Right now my house is way too quiet and way too clean but I think we need a little more healing time before we introduce another dog or two.  Who knows though....how does the saying go?  There is no therapy like a puppy lickink your face.

I am just heart broken when I read these messages about people having the same experience that we did.

Thanks again for asking about our well-being.

I am right there with you bk!  I used NB because it was filler-free and made w/ US products. 

I am now minus 2 dog family members and 5K in vet bills due to their Venison and Brown Rice dog food. 

They have promised me that they will reimburse me the vet bills but I have no $$ in my pocket yet and what I really want more than any amount of cash is my dogs.

I am a dip-doodle.  How do you post a picture?  I can't seem to figure it out.

Blue Buff has come out and said that Wilbur-Ellis is their supplier of rice protein and issued a recall.

Looks like Blue Buffalo is on the list now.


This is not like me, but I hope there's a special place in hell for the people that would do this kind of thing.

Thank you all so very much.  It really helps to be able to talk with others about this and feel like you might be making a difference in whatever tiny way.  I wll post a pic as soon as I have a chance.

Joey Herrick called again this morning.  I had emailed last night with the info that we had lost Jack and asked that the email be forwarded to him.  I will say I was surprised that he called b/c it seems like there may be some avoindance in other cases around Austin. 

Here are the Cliff notes, some of the info we knew already and some is new:

-Wilbur-Ellis was the supplier
-Diamond is the manufacturer
-melamine raises protein content so it may have been added to the rice in order for the product to meet the spec....waterig down the vodka so to speak.
-US company Mid West labs is now testing all their ingredients PRIOR to them going into the manufacturing process.
-Direct number for anyone that needs it:  818-897-7541

He again reminded me (no need to do that!)  to send in my bills so they could pay them.

I am so sad to report that we have now lost Jack too.  He was doing better yesterday but took a turn for the worse today.

We had visited him at lunch time today and just returned home when the vet called.  She heard him cough and went to listen to his heart and lungs.  She picked up an arrythmia and elected to do a chest xray.  His lungs had filled with fluid.  We got to the clinic to pick him up and take him to the criticalist at the specialty hospital.  By the time we got there he was going down hill right before our eyes.  We were out of options and he was done fighting. 

We are so heart broken to lose both of our dogs within 3 days of each other.  I have never felt such pain.

Sorry, I 've been away from my computer today. 

I spoke with Joey Herrick at NB.  He is the president of the company.

Amazingly, he is rallying!  He has been extremely lethargic and depressed but today he was kind of spry and had a wagging tail, wet nose and even went out to pee in the rain twice....which is something he never does.  I have the only Lab on the planet that hates water in any form (well, except the water dish). 

Anyway, we are not out of the woods but we will take any improvement.  The EC will probably run his labs again tonight to see how his creatinine is.  Upon diagnosis it was over 20, first re-check it was 18.2, yesterday it was 15.6.  That is still extremely high as normal is 0.4-1.6  The EC vet said he had never seen a dog still standing with creatinine levels as high as my two here.

Go Jack Go!

Holy Crap! 

I just got a call from NB.  They have confirmed melamine in their food.

I spoke with Joey Herrick (pres. of NB) again this morning.  To his credit, he has been very compassionate and responsive.  I am sure he is feeding his animals the food too!  Natural Balance will also be picking up our ever mounting vet bills...as well they should.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not defending NB in any way.  What has happened is inexcusable.  But they have responed to me personally in an appropriate manner.  I hope they continue to respond to pet owners this way.

I spoke with Joey Herrick (pres. of NB) again this morning.  To his credit, he has been very compassionate and responsive.  I am sure he is feeding his animals the food too!  Natural Balance will also be picking up our ever mounting vet bills...as well they should.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not defending NB in any way.  What has happened is inexcusable.  But they have responed to me personally in an appropriate manner.  I hope they continue to respond to pet owners this way.

Thank you too Loren.