Maxymia,

Thanks for the update.  I hope the kitties continue to recover.  Sad that many were lost.

Good work that you're doing.  Do you get good cooperation from your vets and government?

That can be a challenge, here.

Furry hugs.

Hi Perseus,

Do you use twitter?  Just wondering 'cause I was searching there and thought I saw you.  

Twitter is fun, but a bit odd.

Looks like unwanted advertisements could be an issue.

Ha, ha, someone referred to the Nutro folks as "tweet-zombies".  Too funny.

Wonder if any of the vet groups have info on companion animal mortality?

It makes me think the problems have been there all along.

Ha, Ha.  That Kaffe is a cutie. 

May I contribute to this thread, 5Cat? 

Permission to post?  Kaffe, am I missing something here?

Hi there Cato and Hannie .

You guys jump in here and help us brainstorm.

My little pea brain feels like it's been in a storm.  Haven't done much posting today, but I did get to town and stopped by a local indie retailer.  You guys remember Clark Stride from Champion?  He chatted with us about the irradiation problem.  He and the distributor were visiting the retailer today, so I sort of, uh, invited myself to the party.

The retailer didn't sell Orijen, and I've been bugging her to get it.

Happily, she decided to sell it today, so I was her first customer.  I don't feed a lot of kibble, but the fur kids like an occasional snack.

Clark is nice, and clearly proud of Champion and their products.    

The oldest food I have is from 2003 when one of my kitties was at the emergency hospital, diagnosed with renal cancer.  I think the food is Science Diet.

Would be interesting to have it tested.  Back then, I didn't know that food could be lethal.  Duh?

I've always wondered if the cancer diagnosis was correct.

That's as far back as my memory goes.  Wonder if there were even earlier problems?

Just wanted to add that in the years 1998 and 2000, a few brands of dog foods, including Nutro (in 1998), were found by the FDA to contain pentobarbital residue. The cause of which has never been determined.   http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/DFappend.htm                                                         http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/dfchart.htm

I am sure there were 5cat. But unfortunately there is no way to know for certain.     That is unless you or someone else is able to dig something up.

Here’s an update from PFPSA.

PFPSA has been testing food for 2 years. If you’d like to help the testing effort, please go to http://www.pfpsa.org/news.html

Indeed, who will guard us from the guardians?

Well said, my friend.

“May 26, 2009: What a difference an international border makes! The European Union sets a maximum of 250 ppm zinc in all animal foods, with a recommended maximum of 150 ppm (mg/kg). (Scroll down to page 43) Compare that to the AAFCO maximum of 1,000 ppm in dog food and 2,000 ppm in cat food. By any measure of such things, the EU is light years ahead of the US in food safety. It makes a difference when food safety is regulated by industry lobbyists versus responsible professionals who recognize the fact they may have to consume the products they regulate.

Most of us remember the deadly pet food recalls of 2007. What few pet owners realize, however, is that AAFCO aggressively lobbied for allowing nonprotein nitrogen in pet food and in fact was able to slip the allowance past numerous state legislatures, including Washington State. By AAFCO standards, melamine and cyanuric acid in pet food was nothing more than a labeling violation, as AAFCO sees nothing wrong with including those substances in pet food at up to 1.25%. Using cyanuric acid, for example, by AAFCO standards, would allow 5,875 ppm cyanuric acid content in pet food, provided the label included a decidedly deceptive disclaimer of “This includes not more than 1.25% equivalent crude protein, which is not nutritionally available as protein”. The reckless and incompetent disregard for pet food safety by AAFCO is monumentally staggering. In one study, as little as 30 mg/kg day destroyed the kidneys of lab animals in six months. As an ancient Roman once said, “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” Who will guard us from the guardians?”

http://www.pfpsa.org/news.html

Effem/Mars/Nutro seems to be a real mess.

All that Quality stuff that's on their website - No way are they doing what they say.

If they were, they wouldn't have so many issues with the food, IMHO.

It's pitiful, really.

That's as far back as my memory goes.  Wonder if there were even earlier problems?

Just wanted to add that in the years 1998 and 2000, a few brands of dog foods, including Nutro (in 1998), were found by the FDA to contain pentobarbital residue. The cause of which has never been determined.   http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/DFappend.htm                                                         http://www.fda.gov/cvm/FOI/dfchart.htm

Coontuffy,

It's very much a group effort.  Those combined efforts are sooo important.

A good example - all those 800 pet owners who contacted Consumer Affairs.  The FDA can dismiss one, but not 800.  LOL, even though they'd like to.

For the past two years, I've researched this subject.

To save starting so many topics, I'll post new info here.  Some of it may seem unrelated 'cause it includes thoughts, theories and brainstorming - but there's a method to the madness.

All comments welcome!

5CatMom
₌^..^₌  

The PET FOOD RECALL of 2007 began because pets were sick and many had died.  The offical explanation was that pet food was contaminated with melamine and cyanuric acid.

This official explanation wanted us to believe that if melamine and cyanuric acid could be eliminated from pet food, the pet food supply would be "safe".

However, questions continue to be raised concerning the safety of US pet food.  Pet owners have submitted foods samples to testing labs, and lab reports indicate the presence of cyanuric acid, acetaminophen, and/or melamine.

See the results of food testing at Pet Food Products Safety Alliance:
http://www.pfpsa.org/news.html

In April 2007, Darling National, LLC, a rendering company in Wichita, Kansas, recalled 682,600 lbs of dry rendered tankage due to melamine contamination.  Dry rendered tankage (also known as "crax") can be used as a filler in low cost pet food.  

Although some US pet food companies are now testing for melamine, the threat is not over.  Pet owners are concerned about the LONG TERM effects of feeding food that may be contaminated with low level toxins, and food that may have poor nutritional value.  

Consequently, pet owners are developing new diet strategies and making new food choices.  Real Food, either raw or home cooked, is now on the menu for many pets.  

Is the pet food supply contaminated with low levels of toxins?  Are pet food nutrients inadequate?

There seems to be waaaay too much cancer, GI, liver and kidney disease in pets.

WHAT'S KILLING OUR PETS?  


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cathy Brown re:  Asia Recall of 2004
http://jvdi.org/cgi/content/full/19/5/525


New York Laboratories Identify Toxin [Aminopterin] in Recalled Pet Food
http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AD/release.asp?ReleaseID=1598

FDA report shows how company [Diamond] missed toxin that killed dogs
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/mar06/060315b.asp

The 2006 Aflatoxin Recall
Dogs keep dying: Too many owners remain unaware of toxic dog food
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Jan06/dogs.dying.ssl.html

US House Subcommitte on Oversight and Investigations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F3sXXwSVWE&mode=related&search=

Harvard Law School Student, Re:  Pet Food Industry
http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/784/Patrick06.html

Chronic Heavy Metal Poisoning - Silent Killer in Pets, Dr. Gloria Todd
http://www.byregion.net/articles-healers/HeavyMetal_Pets.html

The Dog Food Project's Ingredients to Avoid
http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

Animal Protection Institute:  Get the Facts:  What's Really in Pet Food
http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

May 10, 2007:  USA Today:  Pet food probe: Who was watching suppliers?  
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/2007-05-10-pet-food-cover-usat_N.htm

March 17, 2008:  A year after pet food recall, still buyer beware
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/23505218/

May 12, 2008:  Anatomy of a Pet Food Catastrophy
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/86/8619sci3.html

May 13, 2008:  Another website dedicated to victims:
http://www.petfoodnightmares.com/

August 19, 2008:  See Food Testing Results at Pet Food Products Safety Alliance
http://www.pfpsa.org/news.html

August 20, 2008:  Dr. Michael W. Fox:  Why Most Manufacturered Pet Foods Should Not Be Fed to Dogs & Cats
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id81.html
 

Here's a brief recall history for Effem/Mars/Nutro:


March 2004 - Pedigree Recalled in Asia http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2004_March_15/ai_114410165/

Reference:
Cathy Brown article - 2004 Recall was due to melamine/cyanuric acid
http://jvdi.org/cgi/content/full/19/5/525

March 2007 - Cat Food Recall
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/brand_list.cfm?brand=Nutro%20Products&pet=Cat
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/brand_list.cfm?brand=Nutro%20Natural%20Choice&pet=Cat
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/brand_list.cfm?brand=Nutro%20Max%20Gourmet%20Classics&pet=Cat
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/brand_list.cfm?brand=Nutro%20Max%20Cat%20Gourmet%20Classics&pet=Cat

August 2007 - Red Flannel & Krasdale Dog Food Recalled due to Potential Salmonella
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/mars208_07.html

August 2008 - Pedigree Recalled due to Potential Salmonella
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/marspetcare08_08.html

September 2008 - Everson, PA Plant Contaminated with Salmonella, Dry Food Recalled
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/marspetcare09_08.html

Reference:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/584489_print

October 2008 - Special Kitty Recall (Potential Salmonella)
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/mars10_08.html

April/May 2009 - Greenies Recall
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/05/nutro_greenies.html
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/NUTRO+Pulls+Greenies+Dental+Chews+from+Supermarkets-a01611860931

May 2009 - Nutro Dry Cat Food Recall (Excess Zinc, Deficient Potassium)
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/nutro05_09.html

References:
Hundreds of Consumers Complain About Nutro
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/nutro.html

EPA Not Interested in Melamine Residue
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/1999/September/Day-15/p24047.htm

PFPSA Tests Food
http://www.pfpsa.org/news.html
http://www.pfpsa.org/nutro1.pdf
http://www.pfpsa.org/nutro2.pdf

High Levels of Zinc and Copper in Nutro Products?
http://www.petfoodindustry.com/ViewContent.aspx?id=22724

Nutro recalled some dry cat food on May 21, 2009 (just prior the the Memorial Day holiday), but the story continues.

Here's a May 26, 2009 article from Consumer Affairs:

During the FDA’s visit to her home, Cheryl says the agents told her Ember’s death was a “high priority.” The agents said they were rushing Ember’s health records and lab results to the FDA’s veterinarian in Maryland -- and promised to immediately test the Dalmatian’s food.

“The FDA agents seemed extremely upset that Ember died,” Cheryl says, adding the agents planned to also test the bag that Ember’s food came in. “They did not look happy. When they opened the bag of her food, they did not want to touch it and said it smelled like petroleum.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/05/nutro_foia06.html


Reference:

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/nutro05_09.html

Help get the word out by posting recall news on as many sites as possible, even if they're not pet related.

Here's a legal blog which posted the Nutro recall, and provided a link to ConsumerAffairs.com where about 800 (or so) consumer Nutro complaints are posted.  Notice that you can comment on the article.

http://www.foodpoisonblog.com/


This aquarium forum doesn't focus on dogs and cats, but it has more than 25K members, and there's a thread, "The Water Bucket", for various topics.  Looks like Rockylou posted the Nutro recall news.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/water-bucket/62633-5-21-09-nutro-recalls-dry.html


(Rockylou visits various medical, chemistry, and engineering forums. Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to save the links.

On good authority, I know that Rocklou collects duct tape and plastic sheeting (as recommended by the Department of Homeland Security), and is an avid fish keeper.  But he knows absolutely nothing about some of that other stuff.

No matter.  Rockylou knows how to write simple sentences, and click the "post" button.)