Exclusive: Lab Finds Toxin In Unopened, Unrecalled Pet Food
The same Texas lab that has reported acetaminophen in pet food, has reported finding cyanuric acid after receiving an unopened container of Hills Science Diet Light Adult canned dog formula. This is the first report we have received that was tested from an unopened container. The picture above shows 2 more cans from the same batch.
Science Diet Light Adult formula has not been recalled by the manufacturer.
The lab report from Expertox obtained by Itchmo states that the tested product had a best before date of 01 2009 and had the lot number T0520917 7048. Cyanuric acid was reportedly found in concentrations of more than 400 ug/g — that’s micrograms/gram.
Hill’s representatives declined to be interviewed over the phone and emailed questions were not returned in time for this deadline.
An Itchmo reader tested the food based on veterinary tests on a dog. The reader’s email is after the jump. It has been edited to remove personal information.
Reader’s email:
I received today the test results on the canned food from the case lot my 4-year old Shih Tzu was eating from when her blood work indicated that she was in kidney failure. We did IV for 4 days, antibiotics for one month, and now fluid therapy once a week. She is still alive, eating home cooked food, has a good appetite, but I don’t know where her kidney levels are at present. Her BUN was 160 before the IV therapy. The BUN came down following 4 days on IV, but was still high when I brought her home.
The reader also said that another dog that did not eat the canned food had normal blood tests.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:38 am
Vindication, go Itchmo. So sorry for the doggy.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:38 am
Should add - just say no to Hills.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:45 am
Isn’t the 7048 the plant this food was made at? Does anyone know which plant that was? I’m going to be very interested to hear what Hills has to say. These pet food companies are a bunch of criminals. Even with food they know is contaminated, they don’t recall. I guess it’s easier to think we’re “over the top.”
June 12th, 2007 at 8:02 am
I took my new kitten to the vet yesterday for an initial exam and told the vet, who still is selling this poison, about the acetaminophen. He was shocked and very upset stating to me “this just will not end.” I told him I would keep him updated and I will send this new finding to him as well. The vets are unaware. I am going to send this to every single vet in the phone book.
I also convinced my husband’s elderly uncle and 15 of his friends in his retirement community to switch off of Hills. They all said the same thing…but the vet sells it so it must be good. I explained why the vet sells it and that it is not a good food at all and in fact it is a horrid food. They were really shocked and angry. They planned a shopping trip together to buy another food that I had suggested.
One vet at a time and one person at a time. We can make a difference.
I have a particular animus towards Hills because I was a sucker to the vet sells it marketing ploy when my six year old dog was a puppy. This little baby pooped 15 times a day (this is not an exaggeration), huge piles and itched. The vet’s response was premium foods do this, add some safflower oil. Instead I researched and switched foods and the poop went to twice a day and no more itching.
The vets are brainwashed and we have to deprogram them.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Yeah, it was bound to come. Thanks to all who test their own food, not waiting for the FDA to do it and cover the findings up. Now here is a story that will get your blood boiling! AND the FDA is trying to suppress it!
“Bayer Pharmaceuticals spreading AIDS via drugs on purpose.”
There are documents that were showed to the American Government, proving that Bayer knew, without any doubt, that their product was contaminated with the AIDS virus! Here is the MSNBC news broadcast that broke the story about this cover up where Bayer admits to distributing medication laced with AIDS in America to Americans until they got busted.
http://digg.com/politics/Bayer.....on_purpose
June 12th, 2007 at 8:11 am
I want to file a “NO CONFIDENCE” vote for our government and the FDA. IMO the only way to fix this whole situation is to throw them ALL out and start over.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Unfortunately this comes as no surprise. Hills Science Diet was found to be responsible for their products causing cancer in cats several years ago.
They finally pulled some of the affected dry cat food, but it’s still “Business as usual” with them.
Just like with automobile recalls, it is always too little, too late.
Why must it always take massive loss of life and injuries before those in this country in charge of such things finally hold the feet of those responsible to the fire?
Reprehensible! Not to be trusted! Dump them like the plague that they are!
June 12th, 2007 at 8:39 am
The killing goes on and the national media gives the manufacturers and the FDA a free pass. What a shame. Maybe if it were people dieing instead of animals they would think it was important.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:56 am
After posting that link about Bayer I did a little more investigating to find a NY Times article. It was dated May 22, 2003. Guess that happened while I was asleep, cause I would’ve been emailing some ppl had I been aware. Well, no more blindness occuring here. I am wide awake as are most of us. The FDA should by now be on notice that we are watching and will continue to watch.
http://www.eyeonfda.com/eye_on_fda/
June 12th, 2007 at 9:03 am
HomeGrown says: “Bayer Pharmaceuticals spreading AIDS via drugs on purpose.â€
There are documents that were showed to the American Government, proving that Bayer knew, without any doubt, that their product was contaminated with the AIDS virus! Here is the MSNBC news broadcast that broke the story about this cover up where Bayer admits to distributing medication laced with AIDS in America to Americans until they got busted.
http://digg.com/politics/Bayer…..on_purpose
……………………..
I watched the video. This is DEPLORABLE!!! This did not receive a lot of coverage. We can see what pull the pharmaceutical business has with the government. There is NO SAFETY in our country and NO PROSECUTION FOR KILLING PEOPLE, let alone killing pets. Doesn’t the “D” in FDA stand for “DRUG”? The FDA is too closely tied to pharmaceuticals and has no enforcement power, if they even wanted to use it.
Let’s do away with the FDA and form an independent agency that can do the job to protect our food and drug supply. I hope I never get ill and have to take drugs on a regular basis because it looks as if we’re playing Russian roulette every time we have to open our mouths: eating, taking drugs, & even brushing our teeth!
We need to demand the removal of people from various offices. We can’t wait until the new administration comes in. We might be dead by then. The more I read, the sicker I become at learning the depth of corruption large pharma and food companies engage in and the cover-ups that follow.
Thanks, HomeGrown, for giving this horror story some light! This is a Must-See video!
Where’s Steve to say “When do the criminal investigations start?”?
June 12th, 2007 at 9:04 am
From Hill’s website:
“Hill’s Pet Nutrition is a $1.5 billion, global division of Colgate-Palmolive and the maker of Science Diet® and Prescription Diet® brand pet foods.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Note to pet owners: Beware the global companies that are only interested in their billion dollar revenues. IMHO, such companies are not serious providers of safe, high quality pet foods.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:05 am
I somehow don’t think people would have priority. If it’s taken this kind of
heartache to take a look our four footed companions food, well….
Garyn- good work. Tell them all “way to go!”. Maybe they’ll ask their local grocer or favorite restaurant where their food is coming from as well.
Itchmo- thank you. Also, thank you to the people submitting the report (s).
June 12th, 2007 at 9:18 am
I had a cat Elmo-who I called “my little buddy” . He was 2 1/2 yrs. old, an indoor only cat, never been ill in any way, that all of a sudden stopped eating, became lethargic, and fluid started building in his lungs. Even after he became sick the vet said that he had to eat, so he gave me a syringe (minus the needle of course) to put the Science Diet wet into it to attempt to feed him, which he refused. He did not survive.I had to put him to sleep because his condition became so severe.
This was in the mid 90’s. What was I feeding him? Hills Science Diet dry AND wet. Who rec. the food to me? The vet. The vet was very concerned, and did not one but TWO autopsies on him but could find nothing–no reason for that to have happened to him. Of course back then they did not look for things like this-I’m sure it did not even cross his mind that it may have been the food, much less look for anything in it!
Oh, guess what the logo patch on the vets lab coat was? HILLS SCIENCE DIET.
I fell HORRIBLE about it to this day.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:20 am
FYI - The cans Don Earl sent it were ALSO unopened. They were Pet Pride “Turkey and Giblets Dinner” lot number APR 24 09, and Pet Pride “Mixed Grill” lot number SEP07 09.
And yes, a BIG Thank you to the people who made this report public. That’s what we need everyone to do.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Our cat died due to acute renal failure after eating Hill’s Prescription c/d dry food. Recently Hill’s has changed the formula of the c/d and is now calling it Multicare c/d. It makes me wonder about the previous formula. Has anyone received any communication from Hill’s re: reimbursement of vet bills?
June 12th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Hills what is wrong with you people? Yeah you care about animals…sure. Recall this stuff already!
June 12th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Janice,
Sorry about your cat, I hate this whole pet food mess. My littlest cat was on Hilll’s c/d also but I had mixed the dry after awhile with Eukanuba dry. How new was the bag you purchased the bag i had i believe i purchased in Dec, along with a case of c/d wet. Geisha fell ill on March 23rd and my other cat Topaz followed suit March 24th Topaz would not touch the c/d but they both ate the FF w/gravy. So I blame their illness on the new case of FF, anyway Geisha was twice as sick as Topaz and just was wondering about the c/d after reading your statement it gave me chills. They are now both on people food wet diet with Kumpi dry for vitamins.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Lori,
We bought a new bag of c/d on Jan. 9th. We were not totally our of the old bag, so we may not have started feeding the new until the 11th. On the 12th my husband took the cat to the vet because he was so lethargic. Not walking around or getting up at all. There was nothing wrong with his bloodwork at that time. We took him back in on the 13th and 14th (a Sun.) and in the middle of the night Sunday night, he started meowing loudly and could not walk. We called the vet who met us at 2:30 in the morning in the pouring rain. On the way to the vet’s office, the cat had a seizure. After a week of IV’s and a bill of $1300, the vet sent him home, but he would not eat or drink unless force fed. Blood work on the 25th and 27th showed worsening values for the kidney functioning, so we agreed (very reluctantly) to his being euthanized on the 27th. He was a companion to my 94 year old mother who has Alzheimer’s. It has been a devastating loss to our family. He slept on the foot of our bed every night. Thanks for your compassion.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Mad props to you, Itchmo. You are doing stellar work, a yeoman’s job, and truly merit all of the kudos that you get.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Janice,
What a terrible story, so not even 2 days into a new bag of dry your cat became that sick. I am so sorry for your lose, and what your cat had to go thru. Did you vet want to have the food tested ot was he like my vet didn’t want to get invovled.
There is no punishment strong enough for these horrible PF companies, and I really do not think it will ever end.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Time to MOVE into Action!
The minute I saw this story on the front page here, I thought just like Garyn.
To CALL as many Vets with this Information of Deadly Contamination as Possible this week {it’s a HUGE city just south of me here}.
I would like to do it buy Email and maybe a jpg attached, of one of the reports proving the Hill’s name in it, but we’ve not gotten that far yet in this.
except for this Email report. {to show the actual NAME of the food Company on the reports}
I will call and give DON’S URL.
It’s easy and simple. The page there for the Lab reports URL specifically.
Then they can click to the other Vital information there themselves.
For you other’s who’d like to do the same here is Don’s MAIN URL, go there and retrieve the Lab page URL {I’m going after I post this to check it}
To have ready to give Out to the Vets Offices!!!
http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com
We need to do this to Save more lives and to get it Out in the Public more.
I’d like to see it done before Hill’s gets out and does one of their grubby ’silent recalls’ and can Pretend like nothing is wrong! This allows them to look like ‘great’ folks!
Not this time.
THIS is Not “just melamine”!
This is PURE Poison to Our Pets!!!!
You’ll know if you call a Vets and the say they’ve removed it “already”.
That they’ve gotten those calls because of Hill’s reading This Thread!
If you can Call a few Vets on breaks or Lunch or in between working and things etc Please do it.
Pass along Don’s URL verbally to them.
Hill’s has Ignored this Long enough! They’ve continued to ALLOW Pets to get Sick and or Die!
{there is No DUH factor here!}
Call the TV Stations, newpapers an such or Send them an Email with Don’s URL in it; Send Itchmo.com’s Too!
They Want Proof They Got Proof!
{if the Media ignores you, then File that FCC complaint form like EHamilton suggest!}
Nope it’s Not just ‘a lil ol’ melamine’ anymore!
I AM Really Angry, How bout YOU?
{This pet parent and poor little dog have suffered Beyond words for WEEKS! I’m feeling so Badly for them; and so many others too. This Can’t keep going on!}
Call those Vets! Shake them into Reality!
Print out the Story and Deliver a copy to your Vets in your area if you can!
Them Knowing and leaving it Out there on their shelves is Criminal, Imho!
June 12th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Hills should face criminal charges.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Itchmo, you will be rewarded. PFI and Hills, your money will not go into the coffin with you, how are you going to re-pay your debts then??
June 12th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Itchmo, you are the BEST.
Now we can print all this out and take it to vets who are selling this crap. Vets turning against Hill’s would be a huge impact, because a vet has a lot of influence on pet owners.
ITCHMO ADMIN: The real credit goes to the pet owners who are getting their food tested.
June 12th, 2007 at 11:02 am
Here is the URL for Don’s LAB Test Result page there. You can send This URL in Email to Vets, or give it to them Verbally on the Phone!
Make a list of those that poo-poo you!
http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/lab.html
That’s It, Now Go GET EM!
June 12th, 2007 at 11:14 am
I did a new post *just* for Hill’s Prescription Science Diet reports on my blog… it includes references to the test results posted here and at Don’s. Hopefully vets will pay attention now! The list of foods that should be recalled, but aren’t, is getting way too long.
http://petfoodtracker.blogspot.....e-for.html
June 12th, 2007 at 11:24 am
I KNEW IT. All of us that suspected Hill’s were correct. I hope everyone has kept vet records of their pet’s health before and after beginning the Hill’s foods. Also the receipts for the foods. Should it be proven the Rx is tainted also then I have all my ducks in a row. It won’t surprise me to discover all the wet foods are tainted. Rx and the Science Diet line. When three dogs in the same household all go down eating the same brand of food then something “just ain’t right”. The vet I was taking my girls to will get a copy of this today since he kept saying I was at fault for my second dog becoming sick by feeding her table scraps - which I did not do. All my babies were eating was the Hill’s foods. Had I known in March this was going to happen I would have had a necropsy done on the first baby girl that died on 03/16. Hill’s has never seen such a distraught woman as I was when that dog died. I am having a hard time as it is trying to adjust to her passing, but this just makes it unbearable.
How do I go about - Hill’s reimbursement of vet bills? Does anyone know if I can hit them with cremation cost also? It won’t bring my dog back, but by gawd it can help expose this nightmare. I promised my baby girl that I will not let her death be in vain.
June 12th, 2007 at 11:32 am
[…] Adult formula has not been recalled by the manufacturer.” Read Itchmo’s blog post about Science Diet’s poisoned pet food > Find out which pet foods are unsafe […]
June 12th, 2007 at 11:53 am
time to start pressing criminal charges. (well, it’s way past time, imo)
remember folks, many states have felony animal cruelty laws and intentionally poisoning pets fits the felony description.
has Hill’s made any safety statements, if so, archive those links now! same with any other suspect food. especially ones that have been alerted and denied. these %^&** need to be held accountable.
*censors self yet again so I don’t offend anyone!*
June 12th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
OK, assignment for today in the Alice Army is tell the vets, tell the vets the truth and if this does not break the Hills spell on them then they can go back to being toads!
Garyn Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Garyn you go! That is wonderful and effective action.
You are a great example!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Hill’s - quit killing our pets, you murderous #$%^&%$. You will all go to $%^&!!!
Our country is at it’s lowest point if our goverment cannot stop these people from selling poisonous pet food. I’m beyond shock and dismay. I am profoundly embarrassed to be called an American, if this is what our government is about.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I know it was Hills Z/D that killed My cats. I can’t prove it yet, but it will come out.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
YaYa Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Time and past time, I am with you YaYa !!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I have a question—I thought I read that the cyranuric acid in the wheat “gluten” flour was a “by-product of melamine” ??? (I have lost some intelligence thru this) so please correct me or explain why this has shown up without melamine showing up..???
June 12th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
And don’t forget to spread the word to other pet blogs, pet sites, this news needs to reach every single pet parent you can find!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
E,
I will do the assignment!
I went to the Forums yesterday, but decided that this ol’ lady isn’t technically ready for forums! I spent almost an hour on there trying to navigate my way around and got frustrated and decided I am spending enuff of my time on these blogs, so will stick to them!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
I posted this on a different thread, but was wondering if there is anyone near Ames, Iowa that could attend this to represent us?
This is a conference to be held in Ames Iowa by a coalition working for food safety and to protect U.S. family farms and ranches.
Look at this website for more info on the group organizing it. Anyone in the area is welcome and encouraged to attend this. Or anyone outside the area that can afford a plane ticket.
Conference Two: Taking Action
Gateway Hotel and Conference Center
2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames, IA 50014
June 19-22, 2007
Click Here to Register Now
Join us to work together across industries, across interests, and across American to strive for better trade policies. The current extreme globalization model is not working, and America is unilaterally giving up its jobs, farms, food safety and environment for the benefit of a few multinational corporations and financiers. This conference will build upon our efforts for a more just trade policy for America.
www.prosperousamerica.org:80/
June 12th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Cyanuric acid has been used for years as a source of NPN (non-protein nitrogen) so it’s sounds like “they” are still spiking the grains.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Another thought: If we could organize by “joining” an informal organization, and have someone attend this to represent our concerns?
June 12th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Not good news for MF today—stocks falling down 23%—-about the same number my healthier cat has kidney function! Looks like that pet food company pulling out has had an effect.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Thanks Susan–I guess my brain cells are shot.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Susan Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
and when they are done spiking, they give it a nice coating of melamine!
and we all know how *that* mixes with cat urine . . .
has anyone tested fish meals? (speaking of Melamine wrapped feed!)
June 12th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Carol Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
“(I have lost some intelligence thru this) ”
many of our brains are on overload with all this new info and research!
June 12th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
So again the question comes up as to which was suppposedly the contaminated ingredient. Hill’s website stated that the recalled food was the only food that had wheat gluten in and therefore the rest was clear. Obviously people with sick pets don’t care at this point exactly how it happened the damage is done. But the manufacturers are once again exposing why partial recalls don’t work, because either they don’t know which ingredients are supposed to be in, and/or they have no control over what someone is putting in their formulations. At first we were assured they had it all under control with recalls, which now mean nothing as unrecalled food is suspect. This is far more serious than OOPS we made a booboo, now see, we’ve fixed it. I stand by my position that no food is safe until the whole mess shakes out. I’ve still heard stories on dog sites of people’s dogs being ill on unrecalled food. There’s still a problem out there.
June 12th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
furmom Says:
June 12th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
furmom , those sites NEED to know about this, please tell them quick before Hills puts the strong arm on Ben, everyone make copies of the front page RIGHT now.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Garyn said: The vets are brainwashed and we have to deprogram them.
I don’t have time to deprogram vets, especially since I’m supposedly paying them to protect my animals health (NOT). And most are not taking the time to learn what they should already know, since profits as usual are the name of their game. But this may change when petowners start sharing their experiences, getting and exchanging information.
I do have time to study up. I decided long ago that protecting my pet’s health is a do it myself affair. Vet’s cannot be trusted to protect my pet (in fact I feel I must protect my pet from their harm). The information on the ingredients in these foods and their effects on pets is out there (has been out there). The information on harmful vaccines is out there. The information on vet protocols is out there. Change what you are doing and tell other petowners your experience. We need to influence petowners to stop buying the crap. That’s the only thing that’s going to change the system.
Well done Garyn.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Please look.
http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....?u1=friend
If you click on the page the print gets larger. You can also forward or back through the magazine with the arrows at the top.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
straybaby said: has anyone tested fish meals? (speaking of Melamine wrapped feed!)
I’m just waiting for this to come up. The “inconsequential” amount in each fish fed tained feed would be concentrated in meals and also processed at high heat (which if I recall, was cited by labs as a factor in making the toxins more potent?). On the other hand, since the FDA whitewashed the danger and the farmed fish can still be sold to humans for higher price, it’s we who may be eating them. But the concentrated meals used in the majority of petfoods are a big if. Aside from the fact that they are not actually “better” than unprocessed protein ingredients.
June 12th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I just looked at a brand of dry cat food on-line and the first three ingredients were: salmon, salmon meal, whitefish meal. In other brands fish meal was listed near the top. So this stuff will be right back in the pet food again. And we’re seeing from the testing the cyanuric acid is already there. The loathing I have for the PFI, the FDA, and these companies is more than I can say. I don’t think I could stand to go back to 2 months ago!
June 12th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Urgent Recall on Toothpaste, just posted on the FDA site
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmr.....06_07.html
I’m not familiar with these but if you are, beware