Emergency recall of dog food after pets poisoned in China

[Bonkers]

   "Some dogs eating "Optima Puppy Lamb and Rice Dry Dog Food" have been poisoned by aflatoxin - a naturally occurring toxic chemical that comes from a fungus found on corn and other grains.

It can cause severe liver damage.

"Three dogs have been confirmed dead, and they all ate the batch of Optima food," said the Shanghai Naughty Family Pet Co, a pet clinic on Hongqiao Road. These dogs were fussy about their food, had diarrhea and vomited, all symptoms of aflatoxin exposure, staff said.  An imported feedstuff registration list posted by China's Ministry of Agriculture shows that the Optima dog food's production enterprise is Australia-based Doane International Pet Products.

But Tan said her purchase order said the food was made in the United States. "American-made Optima is a very famous brand. That's part of the reason I chose it," Tan added."
 Optima is made by Doane Pet Care which is owned by  Mars.                                                                                                                                                      http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2009/200901/20090112/article_387776.htm

[Therese]

I just posted an update to this on the blog over at PetsitUSA.com

http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=1509

[Bonkers]

  "``To the best of its current knowledge, the Optima-branded pet food which appears to have caused these reported incidents in the People's Republic of China was not manufactured by, or under the authority of, Mars or any of its affiliated companies,'' the company said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press.

The statement from Mars didn't say whether its Optima brand is sold in China, and a spokesman didn't immediately answer a request for more information."              http://www.kfwb.com/pages/3645060.php?                                                                                                                                                                                                 I find it rather odd that when I Google "Optima Pet Food" the only thing that comes up is the Doane/Mars company. Also, I can find no info on the Natural Pet Corporation who claims to be the Australian distributor of this food. This smells really fishy to me.....................