Comments on: Coordinating Pet Food Testing On ItchmoForums.com

By: Itchmo: News, fun and product info for cats, dogs and pet owners. » Recall Update: Friday

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:11:10 +0000

[…] Hereâ€™s our guide to making sure your test results are as accurate and trustworthy as possible. Share your test results with other pet owners and coordinate testing in this thread in our forums. […]

By: Cathy

Cathy — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:45:01 +0000

Are there any recommendations for which labs to use that are reasonably priced and reputable? I’ve looked online and am not sure how to choose a reputable lab. Prices are all over the place. Frankly, my MasterCard has $5k in vet bills, my dog is dead and as much as I would like to help other pets, I have to be sure my dollars are not going to be wasted by someone else who just wants to make a buck.

Also, if something does show in the testing, what do I do with that information? I really appreciate all of the information I get here, however, I’ve sent email to this site and a few others and haven’t received replies, so I don’t even know if they are read.

Help?

By: Itchmo » Blog Archive » Recall Update: Thursday

Itchmo » Blog Archive » Recall Update: Thursday — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 08:11:23 +0000

By: K. Hettig

K. Hettig — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:22:58 +0000

We have had a pond with a waterfall for over 3 years now. In it are a mix of 36 Koi and goldfish. We have kept everything the same in taking care of them. Two weeks ago, my husband bought a different brand of food for them, called “Blue Ridge Fish Hatchery Koi & Goldfish Food All Season”. Our fish did not like it. They started acting different. Every day we started to find dead fish. We spent $200 on oxygen plants and a new bubbler, thinking that might be the problem. Yesterday, we watched them on their side dying in the water. Our last resort was to try and drain the pond as much as we felt safe to do so. Today, we have 2 Koi and 1 goldfish left. The frogs are still alive though. We are not sure it was the food, it was just the only thing we did different in the 3 years. If someone knows about anything else that could have went wrong, please let us know. Thanks

By: Itchmo » Blog Archive » Recall Update: Monday

Itchmo » Blog Archive » Recall Update: Monday — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 08:11:19 +0000

By: D. Lane

D. Lane — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 20:42:01 +0000

I have been trying unsuccessfully to find a lab to test my dogs food. I have had a very sick dog and have done all Doctors test. Dog better now off dry food. But the only lab I have fund after calling 36 is the one in Houston and one in Florida but they will charge ANOTHER 500. after all my vet bills- I can not afford to do this. Any more suggestions of a more reasonably priced lab?

By: YaYa

YaYa — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 05:38:35 +0000

Icthmo Admin:
Do you have a P.O. Box address that we can send our donations/funds into for all of this?

Sure would appreciate one!

Thanks!

P.S. Will this particular post stay on the Front page of the website, or at least be ‘refreshed’ for the front page, so we can get to it {and new pet parents see it}?? {it has all the directions and link for the Forums for this too in it etc.}

ITCHMO ADMIN: If you wish to send us a check, please email us and we’ll provide a mailing address. We will promote the testing instructions in future recall updates.

By: pam

pam — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 00:56:35 +0000

just want to say thanks to ben & emily…this site has kept me sane and my animals safe. you are the new york times and wall street journal of this pet food nightmare. chopper, princess, wolfie and i are so grateful…

By: Wendy44

Wendy44 — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:19:17 +0000

Labs Forever: Please let us know as soon as you get the results, my dog eats California Nautural Lamb and Rice

By: Boot

Boot — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:39:23 +0000

Great idea to test our pet food. By the way, where are the animal welfare organizations? We sure could use their help to fund independent testing of pet food. Or, perhaps we could start our own ‘kitty’ fund to provide for pet food testing. That way, we could test on an ongoing basis.

By: PonceMom

PonceMom — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:24:02 +0000

Having worked in a testing lab, it would be better if you could deliver the sample in person for chain of custody purposes.

By: PonceMom

PonceMom — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 19:41:04 +0000

Intertek-Caleb Brett in Houston is doing testing of pet food.

By: e wem

e wem — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:52:11 +0000

it is good to learn of any lab that does such tests. I was searching our local directories and it is difficult to know who is what and how good are they. I even worry about the impartiality of testers, in case they get most of their income from businesses.

This place is too cool. Instead of just complaining people are doing something pro-active that might help all pet owners

By: Labs Forever

Labs Forever — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:37:04 +0000

Have sent in 5 items of dry dog foods/treats (California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice, NutroMax-Large Breed for Puppies, Diamond Variety Medium Biscuits, NuproSupplements and Tizwhiz) for testing to Expertox to verify that the companies findings of “Being Safe” to give to our labs and a puppy as have plenty of the bags of foods/treats. Started having problems in March and several vet bills, did UA tests, UA C&S, including x-rays, blood tests, etc. Have organized the data. Never have had problems with our labs until March - May of this year. The FDA in Cincinnati said our dogs symptoms were not the same…our dogs did not die, asked about early symptoms - had no answer, the gentleman said “Not to send the food items to them, they have to send it out and pay, so have to send to our own laboratory. He was pleased to get the information on the foods with the numbers, but no follow-up from the agency. When I get the results will be pleased to give you copies, regardless of the findings.
Question…If the food item for testing is out of the same “LOT” and production line, then all of that food should be recalled, isn’t that what happens to vaccines for humans???? I really like the “Silent Recall” and suggest someone start that, as auto makers have done that for years! Does someone have the data organized from the blogs of dogs/cats sickened, symptoms/diagnosis/lab results from their vets, outcomes of monitoring/dates and the food they were eating, including the changes in diet that improved the heatlh of those fortunate to be living?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:43:42 +0000

Ben and Emily…and Nemo. Thanks for your incredible efforts. Great picture—you are all beautiful!!!

Nadine Long