Cat deaths linked to Orijen

[coontuffy]

Perseus, thank you so much for you help and your patience.
I am so very upst about this and hoping to heaven that I have not hurt the poor cats who came to me when they were thrown out.  I thought I was feeding them a good food.

I also did not want to sound like I was insulting Eagle Pack, I realize though, that competition is fierce.

There are reps from Champion on other forums, thankfully they finally showed up Cat World AU.  Time to ask some more detailed questions and I think I'll take them to Clark.

[GreyGhost]

WOW. I have been gone a while and just got back here and had no idea Orijen had yet another problem.

I read one post where someone said the bone issue didn't get any animals sick. I know of a few that got sick and someone I know got "cut" by one of those bones.

Back to this new deal. I myself have not trusted Orijen since the last problem they had. I have my reasons. I fed the food a long long time ago and while it did not hurt my dog I didn't feel it did anything special either. So i switched brands and then switched to raw. I feel they have slacked in many departments with their food. I myself do not think the irradiation is to blame. If it was then the other "few" companies would be having problems too. I find it odd that all cats were on Orijen. That in and of itself tells me there is something in there that should not be, or their formulation is off and causes deficiencies. Either way they are wrong and they need to step up and do something.

My other problem is they have lied before about their problems. They said the bones were safe. They were not. They were hard and sharp. They said they fixed the problem before they did. They did not list all the affected bag lot numbers.

I would be very cautious about this company. They have alot of iffy thongs going on. Too iffy for my comfort. There are many very good foods out there that do not lie and don't have these kinds of problems.

Just my opinion of course.

[Perseus]

I just checked the Champion Petfoods website, and the recall notice is NOT on their home page any longer; it's on the Orijen page instead.  And, there is a new update posted that includes their testing results:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/Australia_Consumer_Release_Nov28.pdf

They are now stating they did not know the foods were irradiated upon entry into Australia.  Yet, Michelle Granger, the Canadian Sales Manager of Champion Petfoods, posted on CatWorld:

"2. Yes, we did know about the irradiation process. The mistake that Champion has made was we assumed that because it is safe on "human food", it was safe for our dogs and cats."

I want to express my sincere regrets that this has caused to all of our fur parent-friends in Australia.  I am sending prayers to you and your kitties that this is resolved quickly and any kitties still suffering as a result will recover completely and most importantly live full happy lives with you.  As a result of the horrendous pet food recall in the States last year that killed so many of our loved ones, including one of my own, we are all following this very closely in the States and will continue with our questions and concerns being posted until WE feel we have gotten to the bottom of it.

One thing I want to point out to Champion Petfoods is that blame and denial is not good in these times.  We saw a lot of blame and denial going around during our pet food crisis in the States, and that’s not what we are looking for.  We’re looking for negative test results, assurances on safe pet food going forward, changes in testing protocols to prevent it from reoccurring, documentation of what caused the problem and as important assistance with the veterinary bills these pet parents endured as a direct result of Champion Petfoods negligence. 

Contaminated pet food liability is based on the care, custody and control of your products, and at what point the food became contaminated. During the irradiation process upon entry into Australia, the pet food was still considered in your care, custody and control, and it never transferred to the Australian government.  Therefore, the blame is with Champion Petfoods and not the Australian government as you had knowledge the pet food would be irradiated.

Please take my post as what it is meant to be, in that Champion Petfoods needs to assume the full liability for the cat deaths and illnesses that have occurred, as the first step in a long list of action items needed by your company, if we are ever to believe in your company again.

[GreyGhost]

I agree 100%. I get tired of these companies thinking we are all idiots and that if they say everything is fine then we will think it is fine. And if they say its not their fault and lie that we will believe them. After all the heartbreak last year you would think these companies would have learned something by now. I am totally disgusted that they are now lying and saying they didn't know. Just like they lied before. I just hang my head and shake it in disgust and disappointment.

My thoughts are with those that are going through this pain again. My prayers go out to those in Australia also.

[Bonkers]

I just checked the Champion Petfoods website, and the recall notice is NOT on their home page any longer; it's on the Orijen page instead.  And, there is a new update posted that includes their testing results:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/Australia_Consumer_Release_Nov28.pdf

They are now stating they did not know the foods were irradiated upon entry into Australia.  Yet, Michelle Granger, the Canadian Sales Manager of Champion Petfoods, posted on CatWorld:

"2. Yes, we did know about the irradiation process. The mistake that Champion has made was we assumed that because it is safe on "human food", it was safe for our dogs and cats."

I want to express my sincere regrets that this has caused to all of our fur parent-friends in Australia.  I am sending prayers to you and your kitties that this is resolved quickly and any kitties still suffering as a result will recover completely and most importantly live full happy lives with you.  As a result of the horrendous pet food recall in the States last year that killed so many of our loved ones, including one of my own, we are all following this very closely in the States and will continue with our questions and concerns being posted until WE feel we have gotten to the bottom of it.

One thing I want to point out to Champion Petfoods is that blame and denial is not good in these times.  We saw a lot of blame and denial going around during our pet food crisis in the States, and that’s not what we are looking for.  We’re looking for negative test results, assurances on safe pet food going forward, changes in testing protocols to prevent it from reoccurring, documentation of what caused the problem and as important assistance with the veterinary bills these pet parents endured as a direct result of Champion Petfoods negligence. 

Contaminated pet food liability is based on the care, custody and control of your products, and at what point the food became contaminated. During the irradiation process upon entry into Australia, the pet food was still considered in your care, custody and control, and it never transferred to the Australian government.  Therefore, the blame is with Champion Petfoods and not the Australian government as you had knowledge the pet food would be irradiated.

Please take my post as what it is meant to be, in that Champion Petfoods needs to assume the full liability for the cat deaths and illnesses that have occurred, as the first step in a long list of action items needed by your company, if we are ever to believe in your company again.

Hmm. Under the topic of "What's Next" on their website, they say they plan to "Reach out to the Australian families affected by this regretable circumstance."             I would be curious to know exactly how they plan to "reach out".

[coontuffy]

In my opinion, there are many unanswered questions and worse yet conflicting information as Perseus pointed out on 2 different forums, from 2 different Champion reps.

This was a food I was feeding my outdoor cats.
I have changed to another since the announcement of the Orijen problems with the Australia cats.

I doubt at this point I will use the 5 bags that I have.
As a matter of fact, I don't think I will return them, I think I will throw them away and eat the huge expense.  

There are many real unanswered questions out there and I extend my thanks to all who are digging for answers.

To all those from Australia who are going through this horror, I send you my prayers.

[Bonkers]

  Seems as though the people at Orijen need to confer with one another before giving the public "conflicting information". Just another example of how they tend to dole out misinformation to pet owners.

[coontuffy]

This came from another forum.
The research is from a most reliable source and an invaluable researcher.

"So if you're not processing the food in an AQIS approved facility, or have been approved by USDA for export to Australia, using approved New Zealand meats, it looks like the only option is the radiation treatment.  This is the reason you're seeing Eagle Pack try to drum up Australian business by claiming their product are not irradiated--they are in the US and have had the USDA approval and they're registered for export to Australia.  If you produce wet food, you don't go through this either."

Edited to Add:
So in my opinion Orijen had no choice but to irradiate and they had to know it in order to get their food into Australia.
I guess they just could not be bothered to see what the dosage was and what it might do to their food??  Still doesn't answer any of the other questions though about what else might be in their food that they don't have to list on an ingredient panel......maybe that ingredient was severely altered by irradiation.    

[Bonkers]

  In all fairness I suppose it could be that Australia irradiated the food in excessive amounts. But that does not excuse Champion Pet foods from saying they did not know their food would be irradiated. As far as Eagle Pack, from what info I can find, it is only the grains that they use in their foods that they claim are not irradiated. "This new star of the health food industry is an excellent source of quality fiber.  The veterinary dermatology group recommends using oatmeal on dogs with skin allergies, both as a shampoo and in the diet.  Our oatmeal is non-GMO, has not been irradiated, and contains no processing, chemical, nutritional or medicinal additives.  Oatmeal's high content of complex carbohydrates and fiber help stabilize blood glucose levels.  It is highly nutritious and free of sodium."    http://www.eaglepack.com/Pages/SP_Grains.html

[Perseus]

I just checked the Champion Petfoods website, and the recall notice is NOT on their home page any longer; it's on the Orijen page instead.  And, there is a new update posted that includes their testing results:

http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/Australia_Consumer_Release_Nov28.pdf

They are now stating they did not know the foods were irradiated upon entry into Australia.  Yet, Michelle Granger, the Canadian Sales Manager of Champion Petfoods, posted on CatWorld:

"2. Yes, we did know about the irradiation process. The mistake that Champion has made was we assumed that because it is safe on "human food", it was safe for our dogs and cats."

Update:  Michelle Granger has posted on CatWorld today that Champion Petfoods did know the products were being irradiated; and that the press release on the Orijen website stating otherwise is wrong and will be corrected.

[Perseus]

This came from another forum.
The research is from a most reliable source and an invaluable researcher.

"So if you're not processing the food in an AQIS approved facility, or have been approved by USDA for export to Australia, using approved New Zealand meats, it looks like the only option is the radiation treatment.  This is the reason you're seeing Eagle Pack try to drum up Australian business by claiming their product are not irradiated--they are in the US and have had the USDA approval and they're registered for export to Australia.  If you produce wet food, you don't go through this either."

Michelle Granger from Champion Petfoods posted on CatWorld today that it costs them $10,000 per ocean container to irradiate the food and they "are not trying to take the cheap way out".   There had to be some executive decision made at sometime at Champion based on some research as to why they don't use the process Eagle Pack uses, verses spending $10K per ocean container.

[Perseus]

Here's an interesting article on the Internet Pet Vet by Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM.  Dr. Andrew Jones is a Veterinarian in Nelson BC, Canada, where he owns the Nelson Animal Hospital (www.nelsonvet.com). He has been in practice as a small animal Veterinarian since 1992, after graduating with his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan.

"There are reports of this happening at a few places in the U.S.- so I suspect that irradiation is not the cause..I would look at a toxin called Salinomycin, this caused similar problems and cat paralysis in 1996 in the Netherlands."

Full story here: http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/toxic-orijen-cat-food

Information on Salinomycin.  It appears to be used as a "growth promoter" in animals like chickens, sheep, etc., to fatten them up; but then get into the food supply chain and into kitty's dinner:

In April 1996, an outbreak of toxic polyneuropathy in cats occurred in the Netherlands. All cats had been fed one of two brands of dry cat food from one manufacturer. Chemical analyses of these foods, stomach contents, and liver and kidney of affected cats revealed contamination with the ionophor salinomycin. Epidemiologic and clinical data were collected from 823 cats, or about 1% of the cats at risk. In 21 affected cats, postmortem examination was performed. The affected cats had acute onset of lameness and paralysis of the hindlimbs followed by the forelimbs. Clinical and pathologic examination indicated a distal polyneuropathy involving both the sensory and motor nerves.

Other links about Salinomycin:

http://www.vetpathology.org/cgi/content/abstract/36/2/152
http://www.springerlink.com/content/h2783201066g7677/
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178681094589.htm

[Bonkers]

"There are reports of this happening at a few places in the U.S.- so I suspect that irradiation is not the cause..I would look at a toxin called Salinomycin, this caused similar problems and cat paralysis in 1996 in the Netherlands."

Full story here: http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/toxic-orijen-cat-food

       Well isn't this interesting. I wonder if there is a way this vet could confirm the reports of illness in the US? Just because we have not heard of any problems with Orijen in the United States, does not mean that none has occurred. I hate pet food companies!!!!!

[robfdavis1971]

While stating cats are sick on this food w/out giving links to these confirmed reports he hocks his own product....kind of fishy in my view....and feels like IMHO a play on people's emotions......

P.P.S. You can try my New Supplement- Certified Toxin
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[TAZ]

This Dr. Jones has apparently been contacted by one of the Australian Veterinarians involved, and it has been determined that his report was unfounded. He is about to publish a retraction, apparently.

So says the Champion rep on CatWorld forums.