HAS EVERYONE HAD ENOUGH ????

[Mary K]

Sandy, Welcome, and don't take those remarks personal when someone says you are obsessing. All of us here have been accused of it, I am sure! (I began to worry last week that some of the people I vented to would think I was crazy!) I am crazy about my cats!        I am so sorry to hear about your dog. I am happy you figured out the cause and saved your second dog. Someone else will read your story and it will save their dogs!  Don't feel bad about what happened; life asks more of us than we can handle, sometimes, and you did what was best at the time. Take care!!

[Geff]

It looks like the Beneful issues go back at least to December of 2006:

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/beneful.asp

[Geff]

It just hit me, that deep down inside I'm seeing this as WHEN my cat will get sick from food, NOT IF. That's really sad. I'm dreading the time when the apparantly ok sample bags i have of Cal Natural run out in a few days.

My sense is that this is likely going to end up including random lots from almost all manufacturers by the time someone in power admits just how deep in the food chain this is & what the ingredient(s) is/are that are causing this. 

Reading Natura's web site one would draw the conclusion that they should be largely immune to this, but I've now read 2 reports of possible problems with their food in the last 2 days.

I've also read on the Itchmo blog (I have no idea if this is the truth) that US law states that pet food labeling only has to show ingredients that are used for 3 months out of each 12. That's one of the problems when the only information is coming from internet posts, some of it is going to be way off base. Thanks to Bush & the FDA for this.

[willyagogo]

Hi Geff!

I don't know about the 3 month rule......but......what I find MOST disturbing is the fact that they have 6 months in which to change their labels to show any new ingredient changes!

So, say for instance I have a pet who's been doing well on a certain brand of dog food is led to believe that it's OK.....when in fact new ingredients that have been added in the last couple of months (I speak of the "killer ingredients that save THEM money) still have a few months before they appear on the label! Unless of course they are tested independantly at the expense of concerned pet owners..and then they get busted!!!

This is why I chose to home-cook a little while back! To me, switching brands seemed to me redundant, for the simple reason that no matter how many labels I would waste time reading....how do I know which ones are missing ingredients on their labels!

I'm not a huge fan of Bush and his Administration either, but, it needs to be said that these pet food companies aren't very forthcoming in trying to expedite the research in this debacle!! They're holding out and misleading the consumer as long as they can ........and that is only going to come back to bite them in the ass!!!

What's next...Corn? I see that the same company from China also exports corn products! Sorry to say, but this is only the beginning and unfortunately many more pets will die unless owners take some time to catch up on "current" events...preferably from their computers......as the Media in Broadcast and Print form, seem to be pretty lax on this issue lately!!!

[Geff]

Hi Deanna - At this point i would assume that any grain sourced from China is suspect. The problem is, how do we know where it's sourced from & in some cases if it's even in the food?  The food I'm feeding right now lists "Brown Rice" as the only grain. The only other vegetable matter listed at all is "Flaxseed" & "Sunflower oil". That SHOULD be safe........... but who knows?

[willyagogo]

My sentiments exactly!!!.....Who knows? Except the pet food companies themselves? Who you gonna' believe?.........I believe this kinda' crap has been going on for a long time!

Last April for instance, My oldest Sheltie Willy (6 yrs) had diarrhea so bad and overnight it went from runny to watery with a great deal of Blood in it! I of course took him to the Vet who was baffled to be honest and narrowed it down to 2 things....he got ahold of something outside...or possibly Giardiasis (sp) to which he gave me some antibiotics to take home as well as a case of Hill's Science i/dcanned to "plug him up!" He also was vomiting at the time!

After a few days, Willy was getting back to his old playful self! Soon after, I heard about the Vitamin D recall.....MediCal was mentioned. I can't remember what it was exactly that was recalled...but the name was enough for me......I had been feeding MediCal dry dog food when he got sick......needless to say I chucked it.

To make a long story short....I was willing to accept the explanation via the Vet as to why Willy was sick without even considering that it could be the dogfood that I bought from a Vet's office!!!!! I think that many, many pets have died in the past from the trusted food that was given to them and the blame was pointed elsewhere!.......Like Willy...who by the Grace of God is still with me today!!!....

[Mary K]

Good Morning, Pet Lovers, I was afraid to turn on my computer this AM and check the pet news. I can imagine what you are all going through. It still makes me ill. Please don't panic, just like you wouldn't want to do in a fire! You have enough information gathered to make a good decision about what to feed your pets. And another day or two of less-than-perfect nutrition fed with loving hands won't hurt. I would avoid commercial at this time. Getting angry only helps if it moves you to action; otherwise it saps your much needed energy. Everyone and their pets will be in my prayers today. I often think there may be an answer to this that we don't want to know, like someone tainting some basic ingredient that would be used in the majority of US pet foods. That would not be the fault of  individual companies, except to the extent that their testing standards were slim to none. It would certainly explain the confusion going on beneath the surface. This is evil.  In my first post I said I hadn't been this angry since 9/11. Food for thought, only...I certainly don't want to sound paranoid.
PS: Do something nice just for you this day-you deserve it!!

[Mary K]

Here is my update, folks. Many may not agree with me but I had to make a decision today. My #3 kitty, that I found outside a few years ago and converted to an indoor cat last year, just went back outside. It tore me up but she would not eat my cooked food or treats. Her preferences have always been dry food or mice and birds under the house. Rather than see her become malnourished, I let her out this afternoon. I almost fed her the dry she was craving, re-read the latest news, and then changed my mind about that. Well, she is happy, now! She always sat at the window and looked longingly at the leaves and nature flowing by. She will be better nourished than the indoor cats, at this point. What a sad and sorry state our world is in when we have to let some of our pets resume hunting for their food because our commercial food is poisoned.   

[Geff]

The one potential problem with that is if any of your neighbors are feeding recalled foods outside.............

[Mary K]

Geff, I hadn't thought of that but I don't think so. I live in a really remote area and the few neighbors around only have outdoor dogs in fenced areas. She wouldn't go near their homes! Besides, when she lived out before, one of the reasons I brought her in was that she was killing so many birds and chipmunks-several a day!! And getting fat!! Yes, I feel a bit guilty, now, but she's having a ball out there. I still can't believe what we have to go through. I am grieving the loss of a simple life with my pets. I know this is true for everyone. That was no small thing to give up. And we took it for granted!!How are you getting along?

[willyagogo]

Good Morning Everyone!

I just read that JC has just lost Jack....her second "family member" in 3 days! This is so horrible!

I'm sure that many people are doing this.....but I have to ask......Are ALL the Presidential "candidates" on everyone's mailing list?.....and how about the Celebrities who are "animal lovers" like those we see on the ASPCA programs!! I would like to see these people starting up (or at least funding) some protests...or at the VERY LEAST...publicly addressing the Pres. Candidates about making some changes in regulations that would prevent these mass murderers of our fur-babies again!!........For God's sakes!!!....Paris Hilton walks around with her beloved little Chihauhau in her purse all the time...isn't she disgusted with all this? Why doesn't she use her voice to do something respectable and helpful?

Time for a coffee!!!.....

[MissLori]

I've limited the foods I feed my cats to the companies who say they use ingredients from the U.S. only, though now I'm not sure if that means they use U.S .suppliers who might buy from China or not. This is just so complicated!

[Geff]

I noticed this morning that my routine now includes checking here & itchmo immeadiately on first boot, even before my email.

[willyagogo]

Hello everyone!

Geff....I was doing the very same thing, till about a week ago.

Now, my routine includes channel surfing all the Morning News programs first. As the plot thickens.....I want to to see what they are saying (which still isn't enough) to warn the Public about the Pet food recalls!

Then.....I come on the computer to read what is REALLY happening! By switching my routine....I am now aware that we need to be more persistant....in not only contacting the Media.....but, giving them the insight to how more dangerous and ever-expanding this tragedy has become!!!

I wish,.....and this is a big wish......they would have a discussion on this topic and allow viewers to participate (they can screen calls if they have to) via phone, e-mails etc....instead of just watching a "ticker line" that gives the vaguest of information!

[Cindy Nevarez]

You know, I am pretty sure the media are not reporting it enough because they don't want to be accused of over-reporting, or giving equal reporting when in comparison to human-related tragedies. To which I say Bull! At the very least this ongoing tragedy is way more important than Anna Nicole Smith!