Exclusive: Lab Reports Melamine In Unrecalled Dry Pet Food Exported From US
A lab report provided by a reader indicates that a sample of Country Value Puppy formula exported from the US contained melamine. The report obtained and translated by Itchmo states that the sample was tested by a South Korean university’s veterinary research center. This report has not been verified in the US. Country Value is also sold in the US, but has not been recalled.
This is also the first report of a lab — besides Expertox in Texas — reporting on possible contamination of unrecalled pet food.
Jim Fallon, a spokesman for Diamond Pet Foods, said that the food with the best by date of March 2008 was made in September 2006 at their South Carolina plant.
The lab reported finding melamine concentrations of 346.21 parts per million, a number that is higher than the amounts typically found through cross contamination according to the manufacturer Diamond Pet Food. Fallon also said that they have received no calls regarding Country Value through their recall hotlines. Diamond is working on pulling the retained samples and will test them for melamine and says they will pursue this “aggressively and cautiously.”
Diamond has recalled several products in recent months due to melamine contamination. The Itchmo reader also wrote that the importer denied that the food was contaminated.
The FDA could not be reached in time for comment.
The ingredient list for Country Value Puppy formula is after the jump.
Top 10 ingredients in Country Value Puppy formula according to About.com
Meat meal
Whole grain ground corn
Rice bran
Corn gluten meal
Chicken fat (preserved with mixed toco-pherols)
Wheat flour
Beet pulp
Natural chicken flavor
Flaxseed
Potassium chloride
June 8th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
GEEEEEZ, what is going on with Diamond?/
Consolidation of many companies to raise profits, is hurting not only human health but our furry friends.
Sandi
June 8th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
What comes around goes around….
June 8th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Lets see: Oh….its Mela-Friday again….with the recalls. You haven’t let us down Itchmo…Thanks for the info…..
What’s going on with Diamond Foods….Dec 2005-Jan 2006 your dry dog food was contaminated with Aflatoxin. Then in 2007 your food was tainted again and it just keeps getting worse.
I’d like to know how often do you test your product? Why is it up to pet owners to test your product.???
June 8th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
does anyone know or has heard any further on the kitty that passed/had cystals/lab said Melamine toxic from Artemis? also a Diamond produced food I believe.
I *think* it was here that i read it . . .
June 8th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
WTF do they mean by aggressively and cautiously? Recall the mela-crap, then test it. NO MORE DEAD ANIMALS!
June 8th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
So much for 151 Safety Checks by Diamond. And if this isn’t bad enough. I regret to inform you…..
Growth in organic dairies tests supply of feed
Farmers’ challenge: Feeding all these cows organically
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113101/
Make sure to read the last paragraph on the first page. You might want to put a hat on so when your head explodes the pieces don’t fly everywhere.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Makes me wonder if they (FDA) really tested the corn gluten. Maybe they just tested a clean batch.
Its got to be in the corn gluten. What are the chances that other countries have been getting the contaminated corn gluten, but we didn’t.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
It was probably the wheat flour. Remember, the wheat flour was spiked and passed off as wheat gluten and rpc..
June 8th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Homegrown - Maybe the 151 quality checks was for their food, not food that they produce for other companies….
June 8th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Yeah, maybe, but then it wouldn’t explain why the Diamond Lamb and Rice was tainted.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
I spoke with the folks at Midwest Labs today, to see if they would be Good to include in the lists of Labs for our needs for testing. They were very nice.
The gentleman even tests his own dogs food there to make sure it is safe to feed his own dog. {tho explained the product is about 1 meal a day and his wife makes a ‘homemade’ one for in the evening, they’ve stocked up several bags of the ’safe’ one}.
Tho he said they do NOT test for Acetaminophen and he had not heard much about that yet. {so I explained more on that and to come here to find the Reports and links etc}
He said it would take approx. 3 weeks, to even set up their lab to Test for Acetaminophen. And they are not sure if even if Numbers of folks Asking for it IF they would. {he said that would be more like a “pharmacology” type of testing, since it is a ‘drug’}
They DO test for the Melamine and Cyanuric Acid.
It’s: Midwest Laboratories
13611 B. St.
Omaha,Nebraska 68144
Phone# 402-334-7770
The Test cost: Melamine only: $120.00
The Test for: Cyanuric Acid only: $120.00
The Test for BOTH at the Same time is: $180.00
IF you’d like only these *two* tested for in samples, you can call them and ask how you need to ship them etc.
They are an *Independent* Lab, no funds from the Gov or Food Industry.
Their website is:
http://www.midwestlabs.com
I hope this helps if you are interested in these 2 being the only testing you might want.
June 8th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
When the recalls first began I contacted many pet food companies.
At the time, I was considering using Solid Gold dry which is made by Diamond, their contract manufacturer.
Diamond never answered my email or returned my phone calls, so I decided NOT to use Solid Gold.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
PetSmart just responded to my phone call and email about the Acetaminophen and the Texas Lab reports, and the scanned test results.
“The information regarding the aecetominophen is not based on facts, at this time. We are investigating this story and have found nothing to substantiate these allocations at this time. PetSmart will make the right decision when the investigation is done. Thank you. ”
Due to that response, I will no longer buy from PetSmart.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
If a pet food company is a member of the PFI then why bother asking anything else? That is ALL you need to know. Do you want to give Duane a raise for insulting you and lying-I sure don’t!
The PFI and Duane will only go away for good, if not straight to hell, when WE quit paying them! If membership in the PFI and Duane become a liability for pet food companies then they will drop the PFI like a dead pet. It is not like they understand loyalty . They will screw Duane as fast as they screwed us and the pets.
I hope the fact that THIS country shipped POISONED pet food out to other countries gets a big clue by 4 upside the head to some people.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
In August/September 2006, W-E stated it began dealing with Binzhou Futian for RPC; they never stated if that was the only product purchased from them or not. Anyhow, W-E was the supplier who sold the RPC to Diamond for NB; it’s likely Diamond purchased other material from W-E–not just the RPC.
Record shows that Binzhou Futian was where the tainted corn gluten which went to South Africa originated as well:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/.....78624.html
DAVID BARBOZA; The New York Times Published: June 5th, 2007
Counterfeits not without consequences
“But few companies here were as successful as Binzhou Futian, which in 2006 won contracts to ship pet food ingredients to major suppliers in the United States and South Africa. The American and South African middlemen say they found Binzhou Futian through online advertisements and commodity-trading Web sites. The companies did not bother to visit Binzhou’s factories or to investigate its background or its export record.
““I’m not sure of the introduction, but I think it was through Google search,†said Leon Ekermans, a marketing director at Bester Feed and Grain, a South African grain trader. “We were told by an intermediary that they were once a government company and made good feed.â€
“Asked whether Bester researched the supplier or visited China, Ekermans acknowledged that it hadn’t. “We tested samples,†he said, “but it was very difficult to test for melamine.—
Binzhou Futian has 3 current items for sale on a well-known trading site:
Granule Corn Gluten Meal posted June 3, 2007
Fish Meal posted May 29, 2007
Corn Gluten Meal posted may 24, 2007
They have the same website URL as Wudi Jinliang Corn Development Co., Ltd., whose sell offers are similar to Binzhou Futian’s. They are connected and Binzhou Futian appears to be boldly doing business under its own name at the trading site beginning with the letter “A”.
My thought would be that Diamond purchased items other than RPC from W-E and that W-E purchased more than RPC from either Binzhou Futian or one of their aliases, Wudi Jinliang Corn Development Co,. Ltd. and it was used in the Diamond made foods.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
When they said there was no Contamination and no recall of Nutra Nuggets, while telling Itchmo there was - that was it for me on Diamond also. I had an older bag of Chicken Soup Adult Cat Food - and it is at the bottom (because Baby Girl not really liking the Eagle Holisti Dry - was thinkin of gettin just a small bag of chicken soup for her).
Then - bam, another one. Methinks its another cross-contamination? Not. Its in there, and good.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
That is horrible menusux! It is like we are turning into a rogue country haboring these outlaw companies churning out poisoned pet food just because they can get away with it here. And now we are even exporting it! These outlaw pet food companies are cherry-picking the worst companies to do business with in China by picking the cheapest sources and doing ZERO due diligence in checking them out. We are the Afghanistan of poison/shoddy pet food production.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Reminds of what Union Carbide did in Bhopal, India. Except now they’re doing it here.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Even without the melamine, IMHO this looks like junk to me, aren’t dogs primarily meat eaters??
Meat meal
Whole grain ground corn
Rice bran
Corn gluten meal
Chicken fat (preserved with mixed toco-pherols)
Wheat flour
Beet pulp
Natural chicken flavor
Flaxseed
Potassium chloride
June 8th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
And who knows what is even in “meat meal”? The whole concept of pet grade food is an open door for the ethically challenged. They know the payouts in litigation are capped and that the criminal charges might be trivial. (They hope.)
June 8th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
“Doug Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Even without the melamine, IMHO this looks like junk to me, aren’t dogs primarily meat eaters?? ”
I wouldn’t buy that formulation for Dog or Cat - you are correct.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
“A lab report provided by a reader indicates that a sample of Country Value Puppy formula exported from the US contained melamine.”
Ha, now just sit back and watch the Pet Food Companies self destruct. It went around….now it’s coming around!
June 8th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
And while your head is exploding, you realize that melahogs and melachickens have been with us for some time–dating back to at least September 2006, when the Country Value was made.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Doug, Flaxseed is the only decent and healthy ingredient in that whole list!!!
June 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Elizabeth said,”Doug, Flaxseed is the only decent and healthy ingredient in that whole list!!!”
And even flaxseed is known to cause itching reactions with *some* dogs.
Lorna
June 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
How can a pet food company put a contaminant like this in a “puppy food” and have no personal feeling that they are making a puppy sick. This sounds to me as if they don’t mind selling their product and giving a child poisonous food! I called Diamond back in March to check out the Diamond Variety Medium Biscuits, they said there 151 checks but did not include the CA, Melamine, A & A, so I am wondering if 150 of the checks was a check mark on one paper that was moved from one desk to another desk only. I sent our treats for analysis, should here soon of a problem.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Homegrown - actually that means we’re going to be hearing that is “false” or not true…
Instead of self-destructing.. they’re manufacturing spins- and one retailer, PS, IMO is helping them - and not interested in the welfare of our pets. Caution doesn’t seem to be in the PFI’s vocabulary.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
straybaby re artemis
I remember that as well. I no longer use Artemis but still would like to know if the food was contaminated.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Is there any safe food? I have been cooking for my dogs but they have a weight problem and I’m afraid I am over feeding them.
I don’t know if I can ever go back to feeding them all commercially prepared food . Until lately I was not aware that they used animals that had been euthanized to make dog food. Maybe some of the poision is coming from that.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Sylvia, I am not sure the payouts are capped in the advertising/quality suit against the PFI. I think it may be capped in the ones related to the pet food recall.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
How about starting a fund to independently test pet food on an ongoing basis? I welcome animal welfare organizations to start the ball rolling, but it may be up to us.
For example: members of this ‘fund’ could contribute a small amount of money each, and even select which pet food to test. Anyway, it’s a thought.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Starbaby, it was Me who told about the Artemis. The cat was eating Artemis dry food. the vet report said He died from Melamine toxcidity. He was full of crystals. It was a Norweigen Forest cat. Poor little kitty.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
There is a good cat and dog food company called Flint River Ranch. Check out their site. After the recall I put all my animals on there food. It’s amazing, it’s worth checking out!
June 8th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
I wonder too about “safe” food…………
June 8th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Another E-Coli BEEF RECALL
Tyson Fresh Meats, shipped to Walmarts in 12 states, 40,440 LBS.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/19126782/
Sounds like it was Fresh not frozen, and place in the meat coolers next to other fresh meats?
Don’t think it was those frozen meat patties.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I still want to know what foods the acetaminophen is in????
June 8th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Thanks, YaYa, It says it wasn’t sent to N.C., but My daughter just bought some yesterday that said Fresh ground beef. At Wal-Mart.
June 8th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Trudy Jackson Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
I still want to know what foods the acetaminophen is in????
Until they decide to release that info (or if someone can stumble on it through careful snooping) - there is nothing we can do.
Sorry bout kitty.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
http://www.petfoodindustry-dig.....?u1=friend
June 8th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Has anybody checked with ConsumerLab.com about testing pet foods?
http://www.consumerlab.com/aboutcl.asp
June 8th, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Saw an unusual commercial today, A&W’s issue with McDonald’s using New Zealand beef in their burgers. And saying A&W uses 100% USA Beef.
I’ll never figure out how shipping “things” on a huge ship in cargo containers, could be cheaper than Beef from right HERE! Gees the Fuel alone must be- BOING!
What a waste. Not to mention the polution on the seas.
I don’t visit either but glad it’s Not from China! LOL
Tho I feel New Zealand is a Very safe country for food stuffs. {I do use New Zealand lamb when it’s available in my homemade Cat food mix/mush now, tho don’t notice much dif in prices.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Trudy Jackson Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Starbaby, it was Me who told about the Artemis. The cat was eating Artemis dry food. the vet report said He died from Melamine toxcidity. He was full of crystals. It was a Norweigen Forest cat. Poor little kitty.
http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/petfoods_pg1.htm
Artemis
Fresh Mix Line, Osopure Line, and AgaRx Line is made by Diamond Pet in Lathrop, CA.
According to their website, Artemis had their entire product line tested for melamine–they posted their results on their home page 5/8/07 & 5/18/07:
http://www.artemiscompany.com/index.asp
http://www.artemiscompany.com/.....Feline.pdf
Feline Fresh Mix (Diamond)
http://www.artemiscompany.com/.....uct=feline
Since they’ve tested everything beginning in late April, according to their posted test results, I’d believe the melamine was present at Diamond before the recalls–just like it was with Country Value. I don’t see any gluten-type ingredients in it, so unless Diamond took the liberty of substituting or this was cross-contamination, it’s possible that the melamine was present in a non vegetable protein ingredient.
This company appears to be trying VERY hard to produce quality products; there was a news article about them not long ago and how their business was really taking off as a result of the pet food recalls.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
I wonder if the melamine and other additives to gluten has anything to do with corn being grown to turn into ethanol? There have been predictions of shortages for food . Who would benefit from doing this deliberately? Everyone is growing corn and much less of other grains.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
To Trudy,
Please don’t hold your breath waiting for the manufacturers and/or the FDA to come forward with the names of the foods testing positive for acetaminophen. They would be more than happy to delay and stall, as they have in my case, until the story fades away.
My feeling is that it is up to the pet owners to keep this story in the news. I am doing what I can. At this point I am somewhat dissapointed that some of the national media contacts that I have made have not gone with the story yet. I get the feeling they are waiting on the FDA to make some more substantial comment or finding before they get involved. If that is the case we may be waiting a while.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Haven’t seen this before, not sure if its been posted so here it is.
Help Change The Pet Food Industry
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.c.....cials.html
June 8th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
AnnH, I called ConsumerLabs and left my phone number for them to call back regard: food samples for contaminations for litigaton purposes. That was on Wens. and Nada back.
{litigation purposes is on their website too} But they’ve not called back. Had lots of “stuff” in their voice mail about this and that tho :-P
Lots of yada yada on their phone voice mail there. :-(
June 8th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Trudy Jackson Says:
I still want to know what foods the acetaminophen is in????
Yeah, me too!
I just came accross an article that pulls some things together a little bit @ consumeraffairs.com-http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/06/pet_food_recall56.html
(hope this link shows up!) Anyway, in this article it says this:
“The lab tested more than a thousand samples of different pet food for the past month, according to KTRK. In more than two dozen samples, the lab discovered either cyanuric acid or acetaminophen in the foods.”
In MORE THAN 2 DOZEN SAMPLES—-so now we have to wonder if it’s 12 or more DIFFERENT brands, or different varieties within the same brand?!? just freakin wonderful…
also, if you click on the videos @ the website then go to the “pet food recall” video ( which is from earlier in the recall), they make no mention of melamine, instead they speak of rat poison–which I’ve read here as well–so which is it rat poison, melamine, or both?
June 8th, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Ann H
I was in touch with consumerlabs.com back in March re pet food tedsting. I am a member. As of then, they did not test. I will contact them again and see what upgrades they have made, if any.
June 8th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Here’s the phone# for ConsumerLabs
{who I’d think would be Wonderful if they’d get back to people, for testing, info etc, if they’d return calls}
Anyone else wants to leave a messages and see if they call You back, is welcomed!
ConsumerLabs:
White Plains, NY.
914-722-9149
June 8th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Is there anyway to figure out if cyanuric acid mixed with acetaminophen results in the formation of aminopterin the rat poison that the NY state lab first found?????
June 8th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
RE: Consumer Labs
Thanks everybody…
I think a talking point is that salvage pet foods go back into the human food supply via farms.
I did send them an email and totally forgot about that until I hit send :)
June 8th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Here are 3 of the foods reported by owners to have tested positive for acetaminophen:
1. Pet Pride - Dons story: http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/chuckles.html
2. Science Diet Sensitive Stomach- My story( go to May 21 11:00 pm entry by Steve M. ):
http://www.itchmo.com/read/vol.....s_20070328
3. Science Diet Light Adult- submitted by Sharon
All 3 Toxicology Reports can be viewed here:
http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/lab.html
June 8th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Hmm…I am also wondering about employees working for some of these companies. Serial Pet Food Poisonings…some wackos doing some of this for sport…terrorist plants…Pet Food Companies with an agenda…who hires these people? There needs to be some step-up in security, agree?
June 8th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
PegH Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Is there anyway to figure out if cyanuric acid mixed with acetaminophen results in the formation of aminopterin the rat poison that the NY state lab first found?????
good idea–so I did a google search and found this:
The compound (melamine)is known to be moderately toxic, which is why veterinary toxicologists question whether melamine metabolites (such as cyanuric acid hydrolase), which are created during melamine production may be causing pet deaths.
Comparing it to table salt, Steven Hansen, DVM, a board-certified toxicologist and executive with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), said melamine has twice the toxicity of acetaminophen.
http://209.85.165.104/search?q.....&gl=us
sorry for the long url–don’t know how to do tiny url!
June 8th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Acetaminophen chemically is: C8H9O2N
The CAS# is 103-90-2
Also called: Paracetamol.
The CAS# is 9000-11-7
Made from the amide of acetic acid and p-Aminophenol.
{****NOT**** aminoptrine! fyi}
June 8th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
MEK,
I have suggested to both Hill’s and the FDA that we could be dealing with a criminal situation. If they don’t get their acts together shortly and give us some answers soon I may try to find someone in the FBI who likes animals and doesn’t think they should be poisoned on a regular basis.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Cyanuric Acid on Wilkepedia site.
A portion from “Applications
“FDA permits a certain amount of cyanuric acid to be present in some non-protein nitrogen (NPN) additives used in animal feed and drinking water.[4] Cyanuric acid has been used as NPN. For example, Archer Daniels Midland manufactures a NPN supplement for cattle, which contains biuret, triuret, cyanuric acid and urea.[5]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanuric_acid
June 8th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
Regarding safe pet foods… I’m still pretty comfortable with Natura products (Innova, Evo, California Natural) and I’m very happy with the way their president responded to the initial recall (no Natura products were recalled, but they do use menu foods for production, and supply their OWN ingredients) and their quality control increases since the recall.
For my own pets, I have been using Orijen. It’s canadian, and it’s slowly becoming available worldwide. Grain free, human grade meats, all canadian sourced… and not horribly priced, either (not a deciding factor, but definitely a bonus). I’ve been in contact several times with their nutritionist and the company in general and I’ve been very pleased with their product and procedures.
That said, of course nothing is guaranteed these days. However, I’ve been pretty involved in pet food for the last ten years and these are the only two companies I still have full trust in.
It’s a very sad day when we have to pay for our own testing to ensure safety… and even then… you’d have to test every single bag. The entire industry has been untrustworthy for a very long time, but now it’s just gone right to hell in a handbasket. :O(
June 8th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Very good Idea SteveM.
I also wonder about the proxcimity of one {or many} of the Chinese Factorys for FOOD stuffs, being near a
Chemical/drug Manufacturer who’s just up the road too. Considering the absolutely HORRID Water {and other} Pollutions in China, well where the Heck do they get the WATER to process All Foodstuffs???????????
Many of those *factories* are in close locations to each other over there.
I really don’t think they Ship in Clean water for things, but that’s MY opinion.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Ever wonder how acetaminophen could get in the food chain. Check out slide #3 here:
http://www.epa.gov/esd/chemist.....-drugs.pdf
June 8th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
What am I missing here with this picture?
1. The news gave hours and days to Imus being fired.
Brittany Spears hair being buzzed was on day after day until it was starting to grow again.
Washed up Rosie O’Donnell has major coverage about nothing but crap. Paris Hilton is on constant coverage as if it was a national crisis.
2. The pet food contamination had less coverage than the amount of time for a pet food commercial.
I don’t about anybody else, but I haven’t heard a word on the national news about the contaminations and recalls concerning people food or about the FDA.
I guess we are expected to prioritize individual celebrities crap or their lament about their self-inflicted disasters instead of prioritzing nationwide contaminants that seriously affects the rest of us.
The news coverage needs to get a grip on reality instead of covering like a cheap tabloid newspaper.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Heres another interesting article:
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/.....ophen.html
June 8th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
SteveM
Ever wonder how acetaminophen could get into the food chain………..
analgesic and used to control the Brown Tree snake. Which brings me bak to my original thought………If melamine and its related compounds were added to grains that were being protected from brown tree snakes, using acetaminophen……..could the mixture of those 2 compounds have formed a new compound of aminopterin?
Does anyone remember the NY sate lab that found it? Was it at Cornell?
June 8th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Wow!! The internet is full of information. It’s in the water!!! Check out the first contaminent on the list here:
http://www.sfei.org/reports/SO.....shrunk.pdf
June 8th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
Steve you are the best.
Facinating article!!
June 8th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Let’s all go back to pet food recall 101. What is on the label is not always what is, or is not, in the product.
June 8th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Last link tonight. It’s all over our environment. I suspect it’s just working it’s way up the food chain along with a thousand other contaminents. Here it is:
http://www.wcp.net/column.cfm?T=T&ID=2199
June 8th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
elliott Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
Let’s all go back to pet food recall 101. What is on the label is not always what is, or is not, in the product.
Hey Elliott! Wouldn’t that be nice? Then we could all just avoid those foods listing ingredients such as melamine, cyanuric acid, acetaminophen. etc, although, I might pick up a few cans to feed to a pesky ex-boyfriend or two. :)
Honestly, though, how friggin hard is it to put some simple, safe ingredients together and sell them? I don’t understand the need to manipulate ingredients, except, of course, to gain profit. Jerks
June 8th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
Nice tidbit-
According to an industry group, China makes 70 percent of the world’s penicillin, 50 percent of its aspirin and 35 percent of its acetaminophen (often sold under the brand name Tylenol), as well as the bulk of vitamins A, B12, C and E.
http://www.miamiherald.com/103/story/128699.html
June 9th, 2007 at 12:02 am
Was it not Diamond Pet Food that had shards of glass at one time???
June 9th, 2007 at 12:06 am
3 letter word !! WAR !! They don’t have to fire a missle. These countries own us in the U.S.A. But lets keep sending all the jobs and products over seas. We don’ t need work here in the U.S.A. We is “Stipid” people dahhh… wake U.S.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:08 am
Get a load of this:
LAB REPORT ON ACETAMIONPHEN AND CYANURIC ACID
“Test results conducted by ExperTox, a fully accredited lab, confirmed the presence of acetamionphen and cyanuric acid in a mixture of Pet Pride “Turkey and Giblets Dinner” lot number APR 24 09, and Pet Pride “Mixed Grill” lot number SEP07 09. Additional tests have been requested to determine which variety, or if both, are adulterated with the substances. It is significant that melamine was not detected in the samples, as melamine is the marker for the Chinese grain products.
>>> “The obvious conclusion is pet deaths were caused by Menu Foods illegally adding cyanuric acid which was adulterated with acetamionphen, rather than Chinese gluten which was adulterated with melamine.”
June 9th, 2007 at 12:09 am
The above LAB REPORT is found at www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/lab.html
June 9th, 2007 at 12:17 am
Note to Chuck - I purchased Instinctive Choice canned cat food from Healthypetnet and it is the one product they make that is manufactured at the menu food plant in South Dakota. I had purchased a case, but didn’t purchase another one.
Question: What happened with pets being fed Artemis? I have been feeding the Artemis canned cat food, but if there is a problem, please let me know. I am so paranoid with feeding now and I have 3 cats. Maggie is healthy (now, after a UTI, that just so happened to occur while I was feeding her the recalled Nutro). Peaches has kidney stones and Hacoona has IBD. None of them eat dry food and they are eating Halo Spot’s Stew, Merrick, Evangers and Artemis.
Thanks for any Artemis info.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:24 am
menusux: Futian Biology attempted an import May 29th. It’s on the current ORA/OASIS:
http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/5/ora_oasis_c_cn.html
BINZHOU FUTIAN BIOLOGY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD., CHINA
SHANDONG CN-NOTA, CN 251900 SEA-DO 336-7635775-2/1/1
70YY-99 RICE PROTEIN CONCENTRATE PACKED IN BAGS
31-MAY-2007 POISONOUS
????? I’VE BEEN WONDERING ~WHO~ ORDERED THIS ?????
June 9th, 2007 at 12:35 am
Congresswoman DeLauro Press Release
http://www.house.gov/delauro/p.....08_07.html
June 9th, 2007 at 12:48 am
to Chuck and Betty:
I’ve posted before re: HealthyPetNet’s Life’s Abundance cat food. If anyone has ever bothered to listen to the live chat every week with the vet, you will see that she refuses to answer questions about the manufacturing of the food: she insists that’s the “business” part of the organization and she doesn’t know about it. When I e-mailed some straightforward questions to them, I got a form marketing letter in return. When I wrote again, I got no answer–until I cancelled my autoship: miraculously, an “answer” the next day!
I think their manufacturer of dry food, Ohio Pet Foods, is pretty good: USDA inspected. But I don’t kid myself that they are doing any better checking than anyone else. And their canned food is still manufactured by Menu. The formula of dry is OK, but I think Innova or Innova Evo is better.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Kat,
Take a look at the timing here–this is a “sell” offer by one of Binzhou Futian’s other business aliases–Wudi Jinliang Corn Development Co., Ltd:
http://www.bizn.com.cn/n1/113/
Rice Protein Concentrate 4/24/2007 10:33:13 AM
http://www.bizn.com.cn/n1/113/18531.asp
Rice protein concentrate (feed grade)
Protein: >65% Coarse ash:
June 9th, 2007 at 1:00 am
Whoops! this got cut off:
Fat:
June 9th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Sorry, Kat but the rest of this isn’t going through for some reason.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:03 am
Thanks for all the info everyone. Oh Yes Steve M?
I wondered what state you lived in and did you purchase your pet food in a vets office or a pet store. The reason I am asking is because my Vet called Hills and spoke to their Vet and they said they were investigating it but that they did not think it was a problem in our area. I am from Kansas. But It might be good for others to know what part of the country you are from so that they may want to check out their Hills pet food too. I really wondered where your Hills was made. Does Hills only have one plant? In Kansas? My cat eats the Hills and will not eat home made or fresh food at all. I have been slowly trying to get her off it and mixing it with other dry. She is nine and getting skinny too. I am scared at this point for her.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:07 am
To Chuck:
Are you, by chance, a HPN distributor? Innova’s wet food is, indeed, manufactured by Menu–that’s why I don’t buy it. The dry food they manufacture themselves. If you don’t want anyone to support Natura because they have a contract with Menu for some of their product lines, how do you justify your support of HPN, as their canned foods are manufactured by Menu, too?
June 9th, 2007 at 1:08 am
Home grown really good article on the organic dairies. I thought it was wild that they said they could not find a high protein feed in the U.S. so they were getting it from China. WEll I guess so.. China really knows how to make wheat flour into a high protein mix. And yes I seen the Wilbur-Ellis imports soybeans fro China each month.
Heaven knows where it is going. My daughter and grand child drink soy milk and that scares me to death now!
June 9th, 2007 at 1:09 am
ie Life’s Abundance–remember farmed catfish is fed pelleted fish food (but then chicken & pork have melamine, beef has e. coli…………)
June 9th, 2007 at 1:13 am
No wonder we’ve not been bothered so much by terrorists lately—we’re hell bent for doing our own selves in! If acetaminophen is in water, it’s everywhere! Our pets are the canaries in the coal mine–we need to pay real close attention. We need to make more changes in addition to the pet food! And I don’t mean stop taking Tylenol, I mean stop having headaches!
June 9th, 2007 at 1:17 am
as the W-E rep says about feeding those organic cows:
“I have customers that are looking for six railcars a month of corn, and I can’t get that quantity coming from anywhere in the U.S.,†she said, adding that the harder-to-find, high-protein feed is coming from China and other countries because “it’s where you can get it.â€
love that high quality high protein feed from China–much better than our poor quality cra…..
June 9th, 2007 at 1:23 am
High Note–I just found a good soy milk: Edensoy organic, the one without anything but North American organic beans & water (hope that water isn’t from China!). No flavorings, no supplements added. From their website:
“Edensoy Unsweetened, Organic
EDENSOY Unsweetened is made of only the finest organic USA soybeans and reverse osmosis purified water. No sodium added. Smooth, delicious, and nutritious it contains 12 grams of heart healthy whole soy protein, essential fatty acids (EFAs - omega 3, 6, & 9), and is in low sodium. Gluten Free. Promotes Cardiovascular Health*.
Ingredients:
Purified Water, Organic Soybeans”
Kids may not like it without all the sweetner & vanilla. Organic Valley also gets its beans from the US, but it has the vitamins added, which of course are probably from China.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:27 am
When I was a child my father had a milk cow. He sure didn’t feed her soybeans, in fact there’s an old family story about the year the hay crops failed and the cow had to eat potatoes. I think the rest of the time she just ate hay.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:34 am
I’d like to know what US companies have had their food and drug products rejected for import due to contamination or toxins. We don’t hear much about that.
This secret handshake mentality c*** has to end.
If the S. Korea lab is on target, good for them. About time someone else
named names.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:02 am
thomas Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
I wonder if the melamine and other additives to gluten has anything to do with corn being grown to turn into ethanol? There have been predictions of shortages for food . Who would benefit from doing this deliberately? Everyone is growing corn and much less of other grains.
===========
I just keep going back in my mind about the GMO crops with cryomazine, which breaks down into melamine, etc. Dr. Steve Fox, you may have seen it posted on different blogs. We know there is the potential for cross-contamination of GMO crops and over expression of genes. I hate to be a Sci-fi paranoid, but I can’t get the possibility out of my head. Unintentional cross-contamination could indeed cause a food shortage, or leave us no choice but to eat gmo crops.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:04 am
PegH Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Is there anyway to figure out if cyanuric acid mixed with acetaminophen results in the formation of aminopterin the rat poison that the NY state lab first found?????
==================
I think a good way to find this out is for someone who has had food tested at Expertox to ask the chemsists.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:10 am
Steve M. Says:
June 8th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Heres another interesting article:
http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/…..ophen.html
================
I wonder what happens when acetaminophen mixes with cyanuric acid?
June 9th, 2007 at 2:27 am
DMS what an awful thought - being forced to eat GMO crops. That just brings to mind Soylent Green with Charlton Heston.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Chuck two things ….First: Evo, Innova and Ca Natural DRY are made in their own plants they will be opening their own canning plant soon see their site..they test too and certify no melamine next as to your ..beef. comment….well, my dog is allergic to chicken and turkey so some foods do need to use fish..lamb.. beef or Buffalo for dogs like mine….
To all I am waiting to see if Natura updates their site to include cyanuric acid and pain killers…so far I did get 1 letter saying they are and have tested on the cyanuric acid but I do not SEE it on an update on their site…Can someone else check? sometimes my browser messes up and the info I see is not updated
thanks
June 9th, 2007 at 4:10 am
[…] NEW: Lab report says melamine detected in a sample of unrecalled Country Value Puppy formula. […]
June 9th, 2007 at 5:56 am
is special kitty dry food safe?
is purina dog dry dog food safe?
June 9th, 2007 at 6:01 am
“The FDA could not be reached for comment.”
what a surprise.
June 9th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Has anyone here taken even one economics course?
The companies are profit driven, sure. But they are also under huge pressure to provide a CHEAP product. It’s called free market. And we all know that in a relatively short time, maybe a couple years, people will have forgotten the lessons here and will once again be driven by trying to find a cheap pet food.
Look how many people still insist on buying their pets from pet stores or backyard breeders, even though the only way to put them out of business is to STOP buying from them. People just don’t want to put their money where their mouths are.
I hate what’s happened with the pet food. I think it’s a huge wake up call to the entire country that we need to be more careful about quality rather than just price. But….
Look at the big picture. If we stop sourcing foreign materials, prices go up. That’s called INFLATION. Then the economy goes down. The answer isn’t as easy as we would like it to be. Look at your food budget. Can you shell out 15% more every week? Are you willing to?
Better controls cost money. More cost means higher prices. Period. Yes, I’m all for better controls. How about this? Let’s raise/add on a food and drug tax on EVERYTHING across the board just for the purpose of better testing and controls. I’d vote for that one instantly. But how many other people would? The bottom line is, and has always been, money. Sorry, that’s not going to change.
If anyone has followed the decline of the US dollar, they will find it’s strongly tied to China and the HUGE amount of money they have invested in the US. Surprised? Not many people are aware of that. The situation is not as simple as those of us who live in our own little worlds would like to think it is. It’s easy for us to sit and dictate what can/should be done with our limited knowledge of the big picture.
But I also want to say, and this won’t be popular, a lot of the people who are screaming the loudest (not necessarily on this board, because I think people who are even visiting Itchmo care a lot about their pets) are those who are feeding bottom of the barrel, grocery store brands that they buy for $10 for a 40 pound bag. They are the ones who are forcing the industry to source the cheapest cra* ingredients they can find. Yes, some of the big brands were part of this whole mess, but to a VERY small degree compared to the cheaper brands. Look at the recall list. It’s STILL almost all grocery store and “private label” brands. If someone is feeding their “love more than anything” pet the cheapest food they can find, I think that’s a statement of their true priorities.
If people REALLY want to make a difference, they need to stop buying the cheapest sh** they can find and think about quality. Come on, do you think that anyone who is buying one of the generic pet foods is really trying to do the best thing for their pet?
Ok, off the soap box. No, I don’t work for a dog food company. Yes, I’m sick over what’s happened. But the answers aren’t as easy as a lot of people seem to think they are.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:27 am
Nice post Barb. To go along with the points you make I would like to add the following to this uphill battle for change:
First we have the FDA, a United States Government funded organization under the umbrella of the Department of Health and Human Services. Their mission, most would assume, is to insure our domestic foods and drugs are safe. But because of their position in our government they are beholden to the special interests that permeate and corrupt the very entity set up to protect our citizens. Corporate influence is at epidemic levels in our government IMO.
Second, the interests of our mainstream news outlets, and what’s in the best interest of the citizens to be informed of don’t always mesh. Just as the FDA is influenced by lobbyists, our mainstream news outlets become beholden to advertisers. Are they really going to put themselves out there too much to report on contaminents in pet food when they are making $$$ from the manufactures. How many pet food commercials do you see on CNN, ABC, CBS, ABC, etc. ? Corporate influence in our mainstream media and news outlets is rampent.
Best of days to all!
June 9th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Steve, I agree with your post too.
and I’d like to point out that the FDA’s total annual budget is only 1.9 billion dollars. US Fish and Wildlife’s budget is 1.6 billion. The presidential campaign budget for 2004 election was over 1 billion. Defense industry, let’s not even go there. Frankly I think I’m under more threat from tainted food than from foreign invaders.
The American public spent 141 BILLION DOLLARS on FAST FOOD last year. Put that next to the FDA’s budget, which is supposed to cover ALL foods, ALL drugs, ALL medical devices, Pet food……
I think some priorities are very skewed.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:37 am
I think we’re going to see alot of these toxic flash firea pop up until all the product that has been contaminated is either consumed ( God forbid) or pulled and tested. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that samples of products produced when these first tainted shipments arrived should be tested. We can’t go back to when it veryfirst started, but we can go back to when it started killing our fur angels.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:38 am
I have an opportunity to serve on a citizens advisory committee for one of our local senators. I think I might do that…
June 9th, 2007 at 8:41 am
I have only found two foods not made by menu and the others
only two foods are made by their own canneries and plants
those were
eagle pack and merrick
they have there own plants and are made by their own people
also use organic (no peticides or crap) and from what I understand they feed their own pets their own foods so these are the one I feel safe with.
I switched to merrick when all this started and so far its been good
also the company does answer your questions and does not walk around the issues.
as far as the other brands even wellness and the so called good brands of foods I found have some connection or have some or all of their foods made by menu but when asked they walk around the question and will not give you a straight answer and when you call them on it then they just stop answering you altogether as i found this to be what wellness did to me . I no longer use any of their foods.
But this whole thing sounds fishy to me . this is a really big recall and it seems to be never ending . sounds more like its intentional I think they need to look further and beyound accidental contamanation too
June 9th, 2007 at 8:50 am
chloe,
The short answer is that many of us are avoiding foods from BIG BRANDS, BIG BOX STORES, GROCERY STORE BRANDS, and/or contract manufacturing companies.
Try to find a specialty store near you that sells “natural” food, or order online.
Research this website and get help in the forums.
Also see: http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/
June 9th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Unless I’m mistaken, Eagle pack canned is made by Menu. Evangers has its own cannery and also co-packs candidae and felidae.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am
PS Merrick is owned and operated by the owners of the country’s largest rendering plant. On the same property too.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am
I’m trying to set up a meeting with the Congressman from my district (he’s a newbie). Anyone from the Northeast interested in attending, send me a pm on the forum. I’m listed as suelovescats there. Thanks.
(I’m a different Susan)
June 9th, 2007 at 9:09 am
If you don’t want to eat Frankenfood, you need to look at some of these brands. There is also a link in the upper right-hand corner to “Take Action”.
http://www.krafty.org/
June 9th, 2007 at 9:16 am
barb–I agree totally with you, I don’t think most people are going to change. My sister & mother just won’t listen to me on this & are feeding their pets junk. I quit sending Itchmo reports to them because they just won’t see this for what it is. It’s too much trouble to really look into this & make the change, too scary, too expensive. I tried to talk my sister into swtiching to Canidae for her pets but she says its too expensive & she has to drive too far to get it, yet she has no trouble driving all over the place to shop for the people part of the family & go to all her social functions.
My mother is limited to where she can buy her food since she depends on my sister to take her to the grocery store & won’t ask for more that that. I bring her pet food once a month but I think she’s still buying from the grocery store in between. She has a case of FF in her cupboard with wheat gluten & just couldn’t believe it could be bad. She said she wouldn’t feed it but I suspect she does. My co-workers & the students I teach are the same way–if it’s not directly listed on the FDA list, it’s OK. I’m not seeing a huge change in the way people are going about their lives, or a huge concern about our food supply, beyond those of us who use these sites.
And there is soooo much even we don’t know. as someone said a few days ago, we’re just starting to see the tip of the iceberg. We think we’re informed now, but I think there is sooo much more going on out there. I think the greed, corruption & evil is much much bigger than wha’t we’ve seen the past half year. I’m listenening to an audio book right now called The Outlaw Seas that talks about the total lack of control of the shipping world. If you want to see how very little control there is in the real world, vs. our little padded fuzzy (or so we want to believe) American lives, read this. The author narrates it on the audio book & is really good. Very scary stuff.
June 9th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Ann and Susan, good luck with the political/advisory board thing! That would be at least a foot in the door of this thing.
Also Ann what is the web site for the Platinum products you use?
Thanks!
June 9th, 2007 at 9:30 am
To High Note,
I am from Florida (or in some instances Flori-duh!
I purchased the Hills food from a national chain pet store. I do not know how many manufacturing plants Hills has but I would be very wary of the response your Vet received from Hills. Their response that they “did not think it’s a problem your area” is frankly incredible to me. What information is that based on? That response indicates they either know more than they are revealing or they are still in the calming coverup mode.
My advice, based on my experience, would be for you to find another food for your cat and never think twice about that decision. You have to understand that I was very patient with Hills. I was not and am not out to sully them. But the fact is, they were not interested in my reporting to them that I thought their food was contaminated. They wanted me to send in a request for reimbursement for my Vet expenses and be done with me. No interest in finding out if their food was responsible for my cats death. They only decided to pick up a sample after I informed them I was posting my story on the net. I guess maybe their PR Department got involved after I revealed my web postings to them.
June 9th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Some here might be interested in this book. I read it a few years ago and did change some of the ways I evaluate and purchase products based on it.
I have to admit though to not being as vigiliant as I should. This ordeal now is changing me rapidly though.
http://www.amazon.com/Fateful-.....0060931833
June 9th, 2007 at 9:53 am
I’m glad I have been “an itchmo member” almost from the beginning. I also am saddened that some new members that are giving their opinions ~ without having read through all the information first ~ may be posting what other new members will take as fact simply because this site has been a vital source of factual information.
For safety’s sake, if you are a new member, please check out the archived info. Itchmo’s covered alot of ground since February.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Lisa Clay and jean s : thanks for the info on HealthyPetNet. Their website did not state who made their product and only that they used US suppliers which does not mean US ingredients. So they are made by Menu. That is all I need to know.
The same thing about Flint River Ranch, I cant find out who makes it or where the ingredients are from
barb I understand economics 101 which I took at college and it is true the companies are supplying the cheap stuff the public demands but they are also supplying the same cheap unsafe product in the higher priced so called premium product. They are mislabeling the product to con people into thinking they are buying American pet food
This is where economics 101 ends and price fixing, price gouging, false advertising, false labeling, lying, cheating, scamming and defrauding the public takes over. And pet murder too.
For instance it would cost $50 per cow to test every cow in America for mad cow. That is pennies a pound increase on finished meat, but even if I wanted to pay it, and I do, I am not allowed to buy it because of complicity of the cattlegrowers and the government who have stopped individually tested beef from being allowed for sale.
Although I am poor, I buy a ground beef that costs me almost 5 dollar a pound to avoid beef fed animal product. But even at such high price this beef is not allowed to be tested for mad cow.
I don’t call that a free market. I call it a captive market.
Similarly from this web site we can see a demand for pet food with USA grown ingredients, manufactured in the USA. It may be a limited demand, but many at this site are willing to go to extremes to find such a product
No company is obligated to make such a product. However, many of the pet food companies are using every type of evasion to con people into thinking their pet products meet the standards of itchmo customers
Farmers have to sell their goods to the highest bidder of lose the farm to taxes. So the good food is being shipped out. Some is reprocessed and the dregs are coming back to us in pet food, while the middlemen become rich and foreigners are eating better than us on our food
We are working like dogs every day to try and figure out what is a lie and what is the truth.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:03 am
In regards to change. Many folks did not Buy Cheap. Many bought some of the more Expensive brands, and got Burned badly. Because the Expensive stuff was made in the same places and in the same manners as the cheap junk. The companies deceive.
And for What-ever the reason an ‘owner’ chooses a brand, Ill health and death should Never be the results of that choice.
In the case of prices, going up, Menu raised their prices at least twice before getting in the CHEAPER poison ingredients {to cheapen THEIR costs} yet never passed the saving On to the consumers. Just pocketed the over-priced profits. Their financial statements tells it all.
I’d say Most Food producer have done the Same thing in this country. Buy cheaper and cheaper and sell HIGH.
And Never passed the savings on to the consumer or even a percent of the savings.
It’s one reason so many companies “show a profit” right now.
IF they were to change their purchase methods and buy Decently, wholesome and Good foods from now on; they should sell it at the CURRENT prices that they’ve previously been cheating US by.
They need to learn to eat the losses that an Honest change would demand. And regain the Trust of the consumer at the same time.
It’s all been Artificial, like bait and switch, like fraud. And Definitely Not, “Real” foods.
The foods have turned into Cheap crap with Cheap ingredients tainted with gawd only knows what now and they Still charge More and more and for What? PROFITS, not their cost/expenses to produce it. We’ve been ripped off for approx 10 years now inmy estimations.
That’s why the Economy is “So Good” right now.
IT”S ALL FAKE. The foods and their ‘expenses’. ALL Except their Profits.
They must change their methods to find ways to deliver Real and Nutritous foods at decent and Humane prices PERIOD. Let the best survive, to feed us Decently!
This is Food. Not the concrete that paves my sidewalks. I can live without the concrete but Not the Food.
BTW, I think there is More regulation for concrete safety and quality and legal enforcement of said, than with FOODS!
Hmmmmmm, must not be under the FDA’s {unenforceable} regulations and standards! :-P
My opinions and end of rant!
June 9th, 2007 at 10:04 am
petslave,
I agree. There is so much we don’t know about. Thanks for the book recommendation.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:09 am
YaYa - long time no blog! I have all three of my furbabies on Plantinum now, and within 1-2 weeks you see an amazing difference! You can only purchase it direct form the company, or through your vet. The website is www.platinumperformance.com. They make an amazing product. It was recommended to me by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgekins. She’s thevet that testified at the subcommittee hearings hen the pet fod mess started.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Did anyone else bristle at this info from Diamond: “The lab reported finding melamine concentrations of 346.21 parts per million, a number that is higher than the amounts typically found through cross contamination according to the manufacturer Diamond Pet Food.”
Typically found?
June 9th, 2007 at 10:24 am
E wem,
If by “cattle growers”, you mean ranchers, your statement is incorrect. It is the meatpackers, in conjunction with the ISDA that do not want to test for BSE.
June 9th, 2007 at 10:28 am
We just had a White Shepard mix puppy (11wks) given to us and I’m considering using dry mixed with home cooked. I have a shih tzu which I only home cook for now, but since this new puppy is probably going to weight near 100lbs in the future, I’m thinking I’m going to need alittle help with the mixture. I would be so happy to hear everyone’s feed back before I make my decision. I’ve looked at the forums and I think I’ve seen the most popular brands to be Canidae, Merrick, Calif. Natural…..would love to hear the lastest on what everyone thinks…
June 9th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Thanks YaYa for spelling it out … it’s not a rant…it’s frustration at having to repeat the same responses over and over to clarify mistaken assumptions.
(I couldn’t believe that anyone could still be using the “CHEAP food” rational.)
June 9th, 2007 at 10:36 am
(Oops. Lost the “e” in rationale.)
June 9th, 2007 at 10:36 am
Steve M. I too thought that was a strange response from Hills. I do not think my Vet caught it like I did. They told her at first that they did not think any thing was wrong and then she spoke to them again and they said that she did not have to wrorry about any of the food in her area. I just do not think she picked up on what they said. But I did. It stuck out in my mind. Not My area! I of course wondered What area for other people with animals.. I also wondered if Hills had other plants. But to tell the truth I think they only have the one in Kansas and if this is so. It sure would not make a difference in what area it was. Thanks Steve
June 9th, 2007 at 11:05 am
I was just thinking last night about all this crap in the pet food and as I was brushing my teeth I got to thinking about the toothpaste again. the FDA said do not use any toothpaste from China. Well how the heck are we to tell? Yes they pulled the ones off the shelf that had manufactured from China but what about the companies that only have distributed by? They will not say manufactured from China on them? Nor will anything that we eat. Now even organic milk suppliers buy a lot of their soy products from China too then this tells me that there is not enough of vitamins, preservatives, soy, and so many other things that go into our food and the manufacturers are buying so many things from China because this is their only source. We do not know from the labels on our products where the additives may come from or where they are even made. Almost everything I pick up says distributor on it.
There is not a way the American manufacturer any more can get all of the things they need to make up a product in this country any more. China with their lower prices has put too many of them out of business.
We need to change the the laws in this country. Quickly! We have to change the labeling in all products. More things must be checked that come from foreign countries. Too many things get passed by and are ending up in our food supply and our pets food supply.
It will do no good just to have the manufacturer on the label. The ingredients could still come from China. We need it to say some ingredients come from China and also that it has been checked for possible tainted ingredients on the label. This is the only way that we could be sure that something is not tainted. We may not even be sure at that point since we have to rely on the honesty of the manufacturer telling the truth.
Personally I feel like I can’t eat! I had chicken breast last night and I only buy the good stuff. But even then I wondered in my mind if the company was telling me the truth about their product! I could not finish eating it. I brush my teeth and wonder if my toothpaste is truly all American. Okay so I am going over board! But still I wash out my mouth really good because I feel like I may have anti freeze in it and may swallow some.
I do not want to buy any pork and there is not a single fish product in the store that does not come from China. Guess I will have to start fishing because I do not want to buy any fish that is from tainted waters.
I feel like I am going to be poisoned somehow anyway without knowing it. I can either stop eating, brushing my teeth, and even washing or… give up living at all!
I smoke and was trying to stop! Now I think why worry about cancer!
Then I think about my sweet cat and my adorable dog and know that I may be feeding them melamine in my home quicking or pet food. Either way they will get it too. If not in the cooking of homemade or in the dog food then in the vitamins and preservatives.
They have to eat and my family has to eat but what at this point? I have wrote to several different federal officials and ask what about the dog food getting melamine in it from all the chickens they let out? What harm could it cause them? Yes they said little harm to us but no one and I mean no one has said a word about the harm to our pets!!! IF all the pet food manufacturers are checking their food and they use these chickens in it then it will have to show up in the food and how are they going to decide how much is too much for our pets? Or will they just sell it as it is?
All of these go though my mind and I am sure they have would through several of yours. What can we do? Is it a losing battle? I do not know at this point. I wish I was very rich and maybe then my voice would be heard.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
YaYa:
“And for What-ever the reason an ‘owner’ chooses a brand, Ill health and death should Never be the results of that choice.”
Right on! Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I’m retired & on a fixed income but I have always bought “name brands” because I thought we were talking about good, wholesome food for my dog. Silly me. I can see why people go generic because we don’t all have lots of money but your statement is absolutely, positively correct. I don’t think any pet parent buys generic food thinking it’s going to sicken or kill their pet……it just fits within their budget.
I’m no different from anyone else……as a pet parent, I have been absolutely shocked by the info I have learned since the recall. I never would’ve thought that the premium food was made with the same ingredients as the generic or that a lot of those ingredients were coming from out of the country. And even more shocked to find out that food that I’m eating also contains ingredients from out of the country. Something I never even thought about but sure do now. However, as we all are finding out, trying to read a label to find out if the product is safe is an exercise in futility. I see so much of “distributed by” which tells you jacks***. So you play Russian Roulette not only with pet foods these days but with your own food for your family.
I don’t know what the answer is but I’m willing to go along with E. Hamilton & whatever her plans are…….I’ll gladly join the EPPB (E’s Pet Parent Brigade) if it will shake up these people, both in our non-caring government & big business. They need to see what they are doing to our country & everyone in it. We need to join together & shake things up a bit…..even more than what the off-the-wall, hysterical bloggers have accomplished so far.
And once more: thanks to Itchmo for giving us a place to get together & rant & rave & also for keeping us up to date. All of the pet websites have been a blessing to me through this.
My rant is now over……….
June 9th, 2007 at 11:37 am
I read on the internet that when a company list ‘meat meal” instead of say chicken meal or beef meal that the meat could be anything. Which can include out dated meat from the grocery stores, road kill, dog and cats from shelters, pets.. etc.. Some of the medicines they were on and the drugs they use to put them to sleep do not render out. Real sick. Talk about a witch’s brew! I wonder how much of that ends up in our pets food?
June 9th, 2007 at 11:41 am
Deb G - yes it gets expensive home feeding big dogs. I to have a small dog, 15 lb schipperke, & it wouldn’t be anything to just feed him home cooked meals. But add my 2 big dogs, brother & sister at 70 & 55 lbs, & I’m feeding 3-4 lbs of meat a day. Even with the cheaper cuts at $2 a lb, this is really draining my pocket. I didn’t think about it until you said it, but I may try going to half Canidae dry this summer for the big dogs when my job cuts back & I enter the too poor to home cook zone.
Problem is they have a lot of food sensitivities so I’m not sure they will do as well on the dry. They are doing GREAT on the all home cooked so it will hurt me (and them) to put them back on commercial dry. Nice thing about home cooked is I know the baseline ingredient list they do really well on, then can add one ingredient to see how they react. So far, NO to corn & chicken–in 2 days they are chewing themselves to pieces again. I’m trying pork right now so they can get some variety from beef, but they’re not doing as well. Even with the lower cost meats, they probably are still getting better quality than most commercial foods.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:45 am
sorry, that was me on the anonymous posting
Gerry–I have seen reports that they have actually found the sodium phenobarbital in pet food, proving that euthanized animal are put into pet foods. Also some outright admissions to that by rendering plants. They have to do something with all those killed unwanted & sick pets, so why not make some money on it. China isn’t the only one recycling their waste products into the food chain!
June 9th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Martha, My Head Exploded over the 346.21 ppm in the Diamond samples/test results! That’s OVER The TOP! Even if the FDA says melamine isn’t “toxic”, THAT reading Has to be Deadly! Good Gawd!
It’s become a free-for-all. Or like a contest to see Who can get in the Most in the foods!
Was there ANY *Food* at all in the sample left? after that much melamine? Duh!
Ann! LOL
Thanks for the Platinum link! I kept forgetting the “performance’ part :-D
Didn’t you use this for your horse too? If so, Did you see any/worry about, the horse getting ‘hot’?
I try not to supplement mine in hot weather any-way with the Vita-plus, it’s just too much added nutrition for her, makes her ‘hot’ {as do some foods, trial and error, we’ve found at the Barn for all of them, settled on the Kents, which they get only 2x’s a day, and has everything they really need}
I’m not breeding her either so she’s good to go as it is. But wondered about the Platinum for the horse too.
What do you think Ann?
How many weeks has it Been now Gang?
I’ve lost count. :-(
June 9th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Hi DebG, you know, I do homemade wet for my Cat and Kumpi Dry for her dry bits she insists upon.
At this Stage and point in This nightmare I will NOT argue about the very few “safe” foods left right now. It just is not meaningful imho. Unless a 5 alarm fire hit one of them.
Someone posted above the petfoodlist dot com site. I’d check there see what might work for you, for an ‘outside’ source.
My Cat is picky and likes the KumpiKat and I spoke to Evy and read about the ingredients. I would have liked a completely grainless food, that I could walk out and buy. Not possible here. There is very little grain in my KumpiKat. Rice flour and oatmeal. That’s it.
I do feel a Safety factor with this Dry food. FAR over the “usual” brands you can go out and buy.
I’m not looking for PERFECTION!
Just Safe, palatable, nutritious food for my Cat. {her choice}
We are Too limited right now for those who can’t do it Al all the time. And it keeps getting worse. It doesn’t pay to get into arguments over these limited few. I’ve seen it. IMHO
And some folks can’t afford to toss out the baby with the bath waters to go TOTALLY “organic, free trade/fair market” etc RIGHT Now, due to the Vet Bills they Have etc. A whole lifestyle change right now, is not practical for many nor All at once right now.
Boycott, I say, yes, whole Life alteration Now too? Maybe. But I’ll not frown on those who Can Not at this time.
Doing it bit by bit, and changing when things run Out is good.
Nuf said to the choir.
DebG that’s my advice. Boy 100LBS to come- Boing! LOL
I wish you Good Luck!
June 9th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
High Note, I can’t be absolutely postive on this, but think that Topeka, Kansas is THE hub for the majority of Hill’s foods. {I did a search on them just this week and that’s all that I found}.
They’ve got the hook-up {Vets and speciality shops} and funds to get it, Any-where.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
petslave:
I have one 60-lb dog that I’m cooking for so I can well imagine what it costs for two big & one small dog. I use about 1/4c Canidae & the rest home cooked (little rice, carrots or green beans & either chicken, ground beef or liver w ground eggshell). I have tried a few of what I consider safe foods & none of it seems to agree with her, even in small amounts. So far Bench & Fields Holistic (from Trader Joes) & Canidae are the ones she seems to handle ok. So I may have to stick with these. I may try Innova dry…..California Natural didn’t agree with her……when I brought it back, the pet store owner told me I should try a sensitive stomach formula…..by a manufacturer I won’t trust again in this lifetime. I just looked at him & said “I don’t think so but thanks anyway”……I’d rather have a little upset tummy than a dead dog.
I know it’s more expensive but right now I honestly don’t feel good about giving her all commercial, no matter how good it is. If any of this stuff is recalled, I’d feel terrible. At least in very small amounts, I figure it can’t do much harm. I also supplement with a multi-vitamin in case I’m not giving her the proper nutrients. I don’t know what I’d do if I had more than one dog. Don’t think I could afford it.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
YaYa
Did you know Natura’s Innova EVO dry cat food has no grain in it? My cats like both EVO and Flint River Ranch dry. So far no problems.
June 9th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
aggresively (yes) and cautiously (no) ….thank god we have itchmo nipping at their heels, so to speak.
June 9th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
RE: Previous post on MidWest Labs.
I’m concerned with your comment that MidWest does not even test for acetaminophen. If we have apparently discovered a new toxin, then why would the lab not test for that toxin. So that would mean that any analyses going through MidWest will never show the results of acetaminophen.
Do other laboratories test for acetaminophen?
June 9th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I am so greatful to the people who send messages on itchmo. What a great learning tool!! I had been feeding my dogs Diamond with other well known brands trearts. My dogs were vomiting and had diarhea. So I took them off Diamond and tried another brand then tried Diamond again . They started vomiting and diarhea . I switched to California Naturlas so far so good and California naturals treats. I do not let them get treats at the bank or other businesses I furnish the treats.
Perhaps along with contacting the tv. media as was suggested on a post yesterday we should also write letters to the editor of our local papers.
The parent companys of some of the pet food companies advertiseon the tv and in the paper , they also own stock in the media. Many of the large agri businesses do also.
Is any one familiar with Associes Cooperative? I looked State farm insurance up on www.transnationale.org and Associaes own state farm . Is this a world wide organization of farm bureaus?
June 9th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
to high note - if an item says “product of usa” then it is made here with usa ingredients. if it says “made in usa” i was told that it means the corporation is based in the us. we have to stop buying items from china and when profits go down, perhaps companies will get the message. no, that’s too simple.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Concerning the postings about GMO’s … Is everyone aware of the contamination to the USA rice crops in the southern states. Triple contamination into GM strains out of control… here is a short snip but link and you will read more and more destruction to our rice crops… not a good thing AT ALL
Press Release from GM Free Cymru 6th March 2007
==========================
GM rice contamination disaster spirals out of control as a THIRD contamination incident is identified.
Today it is apparent that the GM rice contamination incident in the USA has spiraled out of control, in spite of the best efforts of rice farmers, millers and food packagers in a complex “damage limitation” exercise. It has also been revealed that there have also been at least THREE separate GM contamination incidents, involving contamination by different “Liberty Link” varieties developed by Bayer CropScience.
http://www.gmfreecymru.org/new.....ch2007.htm
READ All of this article, it will send you spiraling
June 9th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Lou, I asked about the acetaminophen and he said they do not test for it right now and their Lab is not set up for it. {this means what ever supplies or equipment to do the testing is not in their Lab as of right now}
He said one reason Why is because, it is a Drg/pharmaceutical. Not a considered a “chemical” or that classification, etc.
What’s needed is a Forensic/toxicology type Lab {another one} in addition to- like Expertox/AccuTraceTesting, specifically.
{Expertox also does *Drug testing* for Employments fyi}
I’ve got a couple more to call and check next week on my list that hopefully ARE Indepentent, non-Gov or Food Industry-aligned or funded.
I did find another Great one, but alas, it is in the UK- sigh. Would be hard and expensive to send specimens to them :-(
Also the fact many Labs work with/for the Interests that We are suspicious of; we Do Not want that sort of Lab “on our team” :-)
BUT we Need more than 1 or 2, so that or If these need to be Used in Court cases they can Not say: “partial- favoritism OR “PAID-expert-witness”.
The Acetaminophen is NEW by 2 weeks or so. We must find Labs that do the Whole ball of wax now IMHO.
I also know several of the more familiar Labs in the country, Send Their specimens To Expertox- like Quest Labs for example. {I’ve spoken to the Lab manager at AccuTraceTesting so I know, and that ExperTox IS Their main Lab}
I hope this helps with your question? I’ll keep searching :-)
MaineMom! I’ve got the EVO on my list to try next. {I’ve had so many bags here I’m dizzy! LOL Tho quite a few in the begining sat on the counter {I’m leary!} and Sure as SH__, A Recall happened- before it was Opened! “Good Foods” for a Premimun Price too. Took them back and got refunded.
Also ones that as More Info was out and researched- Its gotten tossed OUT! Bam!
I Emailed and Called Flint- Nada back- OFF my List to keep contacting them. {2x’s is Good by me to send/call to Them!} {that was more than a month ago}
I Appreciate Good Customer Service as well. Lack of communications Is a No-No with me. :-)
I “love” the ones that were all yackkittyyack BEFORE if I asked where how when for Grains, but got specific- vitamins origins- And you never hear back! Bam- Off my Lists- or in the trash!
Thanks for your Input, she doesn’t eat alot of Dry so a 4LBS is half gone only, it will be a while to ‘try’ something different. {AND the Brat has gotten Really Spoiled with my Wet- homemade here! Wants it More and more! She was Never like that with previous canned Wets. LMBO}
June 9th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Just a note to everyone feeding Evo canned cat and kitten food. It is made at the Menu plant in South Dakota. They do not use grains, but they do use Menu. Once I heard that, I stopped feeding it. Call me paranoid.
There were some earlier postings about problems with Artemis. I am feeding their canned cat food which is made for them by Evangers. However, I am curious as to what problems were found with this food, because I am trying to stay current.
Regarding feeding cheap or expensive food… I had posted about this about a week ago… basically stating that even if you can only afford a store brand (and I was in that situation for many years), it should still be free of contaminants. Most people buying cheap would like to buy better quality, but until they can afford it, they usually don’t. Until I could afford it, I did buy store brand. I know people who can only afford store brands for themselves. Either way, it should be SAFE to consume.
June 9th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
For the poster concerned with the expansion of biodiesel and the possible feeding of byproducts…….. notice article states they are looking into replacing corn with crude glycerin byproducts for feed in swine.. oh yeah.. save that corn for fuel and give us pork fed on this crap !!! geeze….
Biodiesel Byproduct Effective in Swine and Poultry Feed
US - With the rapid expansion of ethanol and biodiesel production in Iowa, there are questions about possible uses for what remains after these alternative fuels leave the plant. So far, the use of ethanol by-products in animal feed has received most of the attention.
But researchers at Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Services also are studying a biodiesel by-product in swine and poultry feed.
Biodiesel often is made from soybean or vegetable oil, with crude glycerin the resulting by-product. This compound, which currently is used in such things as hand lotions, cosmetics and shampoo, is a pure energy source.
“With an increase in biodiesel production comes a surplus of crude glycerin,” said Mark Honeyman, animal science professor and coordinator of Iowa State’s Research Farms. “And with an increase in ethanol comes higher corn prices. Since corn is fed to pigs primarily for its energy value, we’re studying the possibility of replacing corn with glycerin in swine feed.”
Brian Kerr, an ARS research leader and collaborating associate professor of animal science, directed the glycerin feed trials. In a metabolism study, both nursery and finishing pigs were fed at levels of 5, 10 and 20 percent glycerin. These studies showed the glycerin is readily used by pigs and has an energy value similar to corn.
In a related growth study, 5 and 10 percent glycerin was fed to pigs from weaning to market weight. Results showed equal growth performance between the glycerin-supplemented diet and a more conventional corn-soymeal diet.
Kristjan Bregendahl, assistant professor of poultry nutrition, conducted a metabolism experiment with 48 laying hens. Typical feed rations that included corn, soybean meal, meat and bone meal, and four levels of crude glycerin - 0, 5, 10, or 15 percent - were fed to the hens to determine the energy value of the glycerin.
“We found the energy in crude glycerin was used with high efficiency by the hens,” Bregendahl said. “And we saw no adverse effects on egg production, egg weight, egg mass or feed consumption in this short experiment.”
One problem identified in the swine metabolism trial is that the diet containing 20 percent glycerol would not have flowed well in a dry self-feeder so Honeyman said the 10 percent inclusion level may be the upper limit. Bregendahl described the laying-hen diets that included 10 to 15 percent crude glycerin as “rather sticky.”
There also are questions about how glycerin might impact meat quality. The swine project includes carcass data collection and meat quality evaluations, with those results pending.
Another question centers on the fact that when biodiesel is produced from soybean oil, methanol is used in the process. Methanol can be toxic, so Honeyman said swine and poultry producers interested in trying glycerin as part of a feed ration would need to work with the biodiesel plant to make sure methanol levels are below the Food and Drug Administration approved level of 150 parts per million in the glycerol.
Kerr, Honeyman and Bregendahl, along with other Iowa State researchers, have a series of funding proposals in the works to further examine the use of crude glycerin in diets for nursery and finishing pigs, sows, broilers and layers.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/.....ultry-feed
June 9th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
LisaClay, I was looking at the rare grainless type DRY food of EVO. I make my wet. I will keep looking and adding to my list to research, Before, I choose one.
Heck I might end up trying to dehydrate my own wet in the Future, and chop it into Bit size dry pieces; for my Cat and see how that goes.
I would Not use the Canned EVO tho, just due to the Menu firm. But speaking Limited choices for Grainless here, it’s a Very short list.
Moon, the other night mentioned a food line called Active life {tho there was an expriration date issue on those purchases. I looked Into the Main Company: Called- Fromm Family {in Wisconsin}- they have THAT “named line” of food too.
It Looks Very good. Have not called them yet tho.
I was hoping Moony would let us know if they found out about the Date stickers on Active Life from Fromm Family soon.
Fromm Family also sells overseas.
{even their Rice comes from Holland because it is “clean”, they have riceless too- many varities of flavors}
June 9th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
WHAT? INGREDIENT IN PRODUCTS LIKE BEN GAY AND ICY HOT KILLED THIS TEEN? - CHEMICAL ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN….
_____________________________________________________________
Teen Dies From Muscle Cream Overdose
Saturday , June 09, 2007
A budding teenage athlete has died after ‘overdosing’ on a common topical muscle cream.
The medical examiner announced on Thursday that the 17-year-old track star, Arielle Newman of Castleton Corners, N.Y., died from a toxic dose of sports cream, the Staten Island Advance reported.
Ellen Borakove, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s officer told the Advance that the Notre Dame Academy track star’s blood contained lethal amounts of methyl salicylate, the active ingredient found in muscle rubs such as BenGay and Icy Hot.
Borakove said the petite girl used the topical medication excessively, allowing the poisons to accumulate in her body over an undetermined amount of time.
Newman was found dead in her home on April 3. The initial autopsy was inconclusive, which led to speculation her death was linked to a party she had attended the night before.
“I am glad this shows (Arielle) didn’t die of her own doing. But this is a tragedy that could have been avoided,” her mother, Alice Newman told the Advance.
Methyl salicylate, also known as oil of wintergreen, can be toxic if overused, but deaths from topical application are extremely rare.
Borakove said this was the first case she had come across in 20 years at the medical examiner’s office.
Poisoning from swallowing the substance is more likely, but death from ingesting it is still very uncommon. Just one teaspoon of pure methyl salicylate can be fatal if swallowed by a child.
“Even though this is an extremely rare case, it points to the danger of over-the-counter products, whatever the case may be,” said Dr. Manny Alvarez, the managing health editor of FOXNews.com. “Everyone needs to pay attention to over the counter products, even the products that seem safe can be deadly if used improperly.”
http://www.foxnews.com/printer.....82,00.html
June 9th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Thanks to YaYa & Petslave for the feedback on the “safe/safer” dry dog foods. I went on my shopping trip and ended up purchasing Eagle Pack. I’ve seen postive postings about it here and on the forums but I would love to hear from all of you any comments good or bad. I’m going to give it a try with the Shepard mix and maybe with my shih tzu. The shih tzu has been on home cooked for over 2months and loves it, doing great. Thank God we stopped the Nutro. So, any comments please feel free to share. Thanks!
June 9th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Krista, I heard part of that story. I missed whether they said she spread it on Large parts of her body and/or just used it over and over “all over” etc. Did you hear?
Gees and that took 2 months to come out as a warning story?
Very sad.
June 9th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
YaYa
I don’t know, think she used it daily on her legs, track star I believe. But dang… we are just one big chemical society aren’t we? It gets more bizarre everyday.. Is this really our country?
Steve points out the massive amount of pharmacuticals dumped over and over in our water supply…
The toothpaste is in question, even dollar stores have different formulas on major brands like Crest, Colgate - different from the grocery stores.. verified by snoops, I’m sure you all saw that one..
Over in the forums they are talking about Chinese products for kids like play eyeshadows and stuff containing lead.. gave a link for info and all to see that poor childs pic, as we have that chit here too..
We don’t know what to feed our pets… I lost one and have another on sub -qu’s… presently using Canidae/Felide, don’t trust the RX formulas that my CRF cat needs..
The Gentically modified rice that has God only knows what chemicals are in it.. All returned from Europe/Japan to us as unfit.. Did they dump that on the pet food market back in Nov 2006? who knows what.. well they left it on our shelves for us to eat and USDA fast tracked it for apporoval. - how typical… Quote from Japan.. “We will watch and see for the next 10 years how the Children of America do” meanwhile ban the rice from USA
The biodiesal companies wanting to save the corn for fuel and feed the hogs/chickens the byproduct glycerins instead of real food corn..
Melamine, cyanuric acid, rat poison, acetamitaphen, glutens, wheat flours, never ending..
If there is anything to come out of this pet food ordeal, we should realize that our pets WERE indeed the canary in the coal mine… Wake us up to many things..
SAD is the word for the day…
Oh and we are considering sending over our chickens to China to be processed and then sent back to us for retail.. I’ll have to look for that article link.. But China promised they would clean their machines and only use what we sent to them, never their SARS chickens.. yeah right..
I guess I had better stop for the time being… GAWD !!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 9th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
High Note - which Hill’s are you feeding?
June 9th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Thing about the Rice and Japan, They Loved {past tense} OUR Rice. When I lived over there for several months, I learned alot. Among them how they Really prefered OUR Rice from the USA over their own home-grown types.
{I asked lots of question while over there to Learn}
Just this one thing makes me really sad too, we had rice Every meal. {other things make me sad about it as well, but} When your diet revolves around 1 item in particular, I understand.
I know they are Smart and Strict about what they “let in” in Japan too. Don’t blame them one bit either.
And about the Ban on USA Beef, they Send inspectors HERE to look over the packers facilities. The last I remember reading on the last check {last Fall?} was tat they Refused to lift the Ban becausethey found that ‘Spinal bones’ were found {chips of it} in/on the meats.
They feel this is a Big No-No due to the BSE etc, being a Brain/Spinal/neurological Illiness; and THAT {just spinal bones chips alone} was just {cut} TOO close to the “Issue”.
Wish Our Country was as Picky about being “Clean” and wanting to Protect We Americans. :-(
They Are, Protecting their Future over there. Imho
June 9th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Sandy- I spoke to Natura about testing in Cal Natural on Wed. They said they were notifying their lab about the acetaminophin. They & Accutrace & Canidae said it should show up in cyanuric acid tests.The Natura people are checking Itchmo to keep up with what is being found in foods.
June 9th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Deb G. I am currently fostering a 108 lb Doberman. When he first came to me, a 30 inch at the shoulder bag of bones, he ate a gallon of kibble a day. The animal welfare group I work with was providing the food for him, some of it was pretty nasty but we figured it had to be better than the nothing he had been eating…..Then came the recall–we threw away all the grocery store food in the house, including the Nutro (thankfully not lamb and rice) that my dog was eating, did a bunch of research and settled on Kumpi. The big guy continued to eat a gallon a day for about a month, then went completely off his feed for about a week. Another trip to the vet, lots of worry, then he started eating again, only about 2 cups in the morning and 2 at night. He has put on 33 pounds, no longer gets ribby looking after a long walk, is healthy and happy.
Just wanted to let you know that in my experience with big dogs, they don’t really eat that much more than average size dogs—Oops gotta go, need to get dogs in out of the hail!
June 9th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
On Yahoo News:
So far, there has been no official word of any animals getting sick from the pet food.
huh?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/kgtv/13454328
June 9th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Thanks Randy, good to SEE it reported tho a Really “abreviated” Version! I think the reporter: Michelle Kirsh, should have added a few more of the facts. But since those Facts come from ‘Private’ Citizens who sent in their Own samples, after sick pets; probably decided to leave that out.
Amazing how one person/place will take the Labs “word/results as fact” and another won’t.
We can only Hope MORE Facts, keep squeezing “their” BUTTS in the Crack of the Door, tighter and tighter till they Squeal out Loud!
June 9th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
From Consumer Affairs
http://www.consumeraffairs.com.....all56.html
This one has more information.
June 9th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
RE: Testing Labs
FYI - MidWest Labs does all the testing for Natura Pet products.
Leslie K — regarding tests for acetaminophen –
The lab equipment would have to be set up to “read” acetaminophen, irregardless if it is set to read cyanuric acid. The two chemicals would have a different make-up, so identification would have to be different.
June 9th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Okay I’m back! Am also dog-sitting this week, one of the dogs is afraid of thunder, he had escaped and I got there just in time.
To continue what I was trying to say—my vet and I figured that the reason the dobe stopped eating was that he had finally gotten all the nutrition he had been lacking and just wasn’t hungry the week he didn’t eat, now he’s stable nutrition-wise. Our other two dogs did a similar thing just not as pronounced.
I imagine when your puppy is grown his food intake will be about the same as the foster dobe’s, although from past experience I will say that until he’s through growing he will eat a lot. The cheaper the food, the more he will eat, trying to get the nutrients he needs.
When the recalls started, my housemate and I had no clue how we were going to afford better food, but so far we are managing, just because we have to.
June 9th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Makes perfect sense to me Kathy. I’m glad he’s doing So well :-D
Randy, Ahhhhhh, now That’s a Much Better story/reporter covering it. :-)
The more places THAT particular story hits, the Better for Us. Take this thing Seriously.
It sure Rocked Us here these past couple of weeks.
{as If we’ve not been Rocked Enough already!}
It’s a Very Very Scary ingredient to pop-up. Could even be Criminal in the source, some think.
June 9th, 2007 at 6:15 pm
Boy, can I ever empathize with those who have commented on the cost of home cooking for large dogs. (120 pounder, here) Even with occasionally using less popular meats like hearts and gizzards, stocking up at sales, and purchasing”half price” packages of meat on their last day of code, my food bill has skyrocketed since March. And of course one must include the cost of veggies and starch in the recipe, too.
My peace of mind and the visible change in my dog’s fur, plus his excitement at meal time has made me feel it is well worth the financial sacrifice, though. But what REALLY got to me was when I stopped to realize that if it costs this much to have quality and safe ingredients then what the heck can possibly be in commercial bags that sell at 40 pounds for $30.00!
Well, yeah, I guess we just found out, didn’t we.
June 9th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
For info on GM food, see “Killer Foods” at:
http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox
Also read Dr. Fox’s article, “Largest Pet Food Recall Ever” at this site.
June 9th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
i think it’s worth stressing as it seems continually ignored or avoided rather suspiciously by those who should be finding out EXACTLY what killed pets around the world-
seeing as it appears the poisonous items( perhaps it’s more than just one or the other-maybe some things had acteminophen and others had the melamine and some had both. maybe we’re not dealing with just one cause/deadly component but MANY) seem to be( no one has scientifically came out and really proved it to my mind but i could be missing something) associated with GRAIN products perhaps it would be best to at least look at the growing and processing of the grain and the chemicals involved therein.
someone may be able to definitively state this, so help me ou,t but was the contamination with melamine seen in other distinct, seperate manufacturers? if so, it wasn’t just Menu Foods dumping the crap in there for some unknown reason. that means in all likelihood if all these companies got grain product derivatives seperately from China then the contamination really started there.(i have to go to the pet food place with a 5 page list in my hand to pick a food. it’s hard to keep up on everything Menu foods makes . and then some companies won’t say where they are made. it’s daunting.)
that there is a high probability that the GRAINS hold the key to the source of and whys of the contamination is found in the 3 items which even the useless tools at the FDA agree should not be in animal food and feed that continually are mentioned in lab findings in dead animals and tested suspect foods :
melamine
acteminophen
cyanuric acid
we’ve pretty much established that the chinese companies were dumping melamine in to boost protein content. melamine is also used as a polymer binder in GMO crop seeds. this polymer binder is used in making the crops with built in time release insecticides, fungicides, pesticides. this is so the plant makes it’s own pesticides once sprouted. it is very controversal. Monsanto has been testing GMO wheat it was prohibited from testing in surope and america in..China.
acteminophen and cyranuric acid are both registered pesticides in the united states. seeing as china allows many pesticides for use that the western world does not one can only assume they allow there use. acteminophen is also mentioned in the patent for a pesticide in the binding coats on GMO seeds.
the glaringly obvious link-surely to scientists who test for poisons in these circumstances- should be the freakin’ grain. every poison found is used in the growing and production of GRAINS whether experimentally or not.
as for the person who asked about aminopterin- it is also associated with the production of grains-GMO grains with time released pesticides in particular. it is used as a gene marker in genetically modified items.
it was NOT developed as a rat poison-it’s an man made substance that was marketed and used to combat tumours in cancer patients. but it is highly toxic and other drugs took it’s place. it inhibits folic acid synthesis. it is not listed as and cannot be used as a pesticide. i feel that they are obscuring it’s real most common use now- as a gene marker in GMO foods. blaming the chinese for using it as a rat poison is convenient and perhaps devious. other cheaper rat killers are available to the chinese.
many chemicals it should be pointed out that are used as pesticides are also drugs for beneficial human use. acteminophen is something many of us have taken for a headache. warfarin which really is used as a rat poison is a blood thinner. vitamin D3 , chlorine are all used as pesticides.the issue is whether some companies should be genetically modifying crops to have them produce their own pesticide. perhaps we’re seeing the result of all this screwing with genes and potentially deadly poisons.
June 9th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Mittens, I definitely have Agreed on this aspect of the contaminations.
And because these Huge conglomerate Companies acted like it’s a Nat’l Security issue, they Won’t own up to this aspect.
It’s just Too Strange ALL of what We are finding, is turning Up In, FOODS!
Heck they Use DDT in China yet today. And that took Years of Banning and recovery Here to get rid of it.
China seems not to care What they allow in as long as it can eventually be Shipped out. Great Gov regulation huh, as we well know.
And we can’t find the Truth {due to their Government} on the effects of these things on their Own poor people. Makes it even harder to find out What WE’VE been dealng with then.
It’s still very much a Closed country, UNLESS they want to Export some *thing*.
Maybe, just maybe, long long down this Horrid road; the People of China themselves will Finally benefit too from this, Not only US and Our Pets.
That’s if, we ALL, Survive this insanity!
{I still hope with the acetaminphen showing up IN FOOD, maybe some sort of LAW Enforcement will get involved!}
June 9th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
PLEASE do Not miss the Beef Recall Info on the Homepage at Itchmo!
It’s Increased to Huge proportions.
June 9th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
ok, I never saw this before…whats GBM?(from my response from Dad’s):
Dear Connie,
Thank you for contacting us with these concerns. We have been keeping
up with All of the new findings, and are in touch with both the FDA and
the GBM. We also still do stringent testings on each and every
ingredient we bring into our plant…and always have, even before all of
these terrible happenings.
Your pet is still safe with us.
Sincerely,
Melanie J. Banks
Dad’s Customer Service
June 9th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Connie, maybe it has something to do with “Grain” or “Growers”? I’ll see what I can find if anything.
Is it “Dad’s” Foods?
June 10th, 2007 at 1:53 am
I got to wondering about the brown tree snake thing after reading about it on here the last few days–snakes don’t eat grain, so how to they poison them with acetaminphin? Looked it up & got this interesting tid bit–wonder what else is poisoned with this bait? (these snakes are invasive species on Guam & Hawaiian Islands where they are decimating native birds & small mammals)
http://www.usda.gov/agency/ocr......51304.doc
“Our wildlife biologists are currently putting a small amount of acetaminophen in dead mice, and placing them in locations that are attractive to the snakes. Research center scientists are also in the process of developing a synthetic, edible gelatin bait that contains acetaminophen and could be shaped like a lizard, one of the brown tree snakes’ favorite prey. Distributed aerially, the synthetic lizards and mice containing acetaminophen could significantly reduce the brown tree snake population.”
June 10th, 2007 at 1:59 am
They say the pet food manufacturering plants are really filty. I can see mice being ground up in the food too and anything they have ate. sick..
June 10th, 2007 at 3:27 am
Connie, I found nothing for GBM. Not on the Dad’s website or thngs on web search. Well cept Green Belt Movement; I seriously doubt that was it! LOL
I really wish these companies would look elsewhere First before the FDA site. It takes THEM For-Ever to post anything in a Timely manner to ward off Bad things Imho. {kinda that re-active not Pro-active idea we Need}
June 10th, 2007 at 10:32 am
yes I am using Dads & the reply was from dads. My daughter said “Great Big Market??” :) (I havent looked for GBM yet myself. Been very busy.)
I had emailed asking if they were keeping up on everything since the glycerin wasnt glycerin & the acetaminophin(tylenol is just soo much easier to spell!) was now being found. The above was their reply.
btw just for others personal references I bought a bag of (Purina) kibbles & chunks 8-12 weeks ago, but my dogs wouldnt touch it from day one ..(wait…) so I was feeding it to the possums on the porch(out of the original bag).
I went out of town last weekend for 48 hrs had forgotten to buy more Dads(virtually out) & the man of the house found the kibbles & chunks in the closet & decided to feed THAT to the dogs, with the cooked meat & juice on top of it( I REFUSE to buy store canned anymore). In 48 hrs!!!!!! I had 1 sick dog & 3 sick cats, 2 of which are peeing blood & one who just couldnt pee. Yes yes we went to see doc & several of them are now taking pills & we’re fixing the issues, but Im watching 21 like a hawk AGAIN.
So PURINA…STILL WANNA TELL US THERES NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR FOODS? This is the 2ND PURINA food thats made my animals sick since Jan! The first was Beneful . (garbage man will take the kibbles & chunks, friday)
This is why I switched to Dad’s. Anything that was a plant, is grown in the usa
June 10th, 2007 at 10:36 am
High note:
Then you REALLY dont want to know whats in some of our human foods LOL :) (but for the sake of sensitivity I wont go there! I heard one thing several yrs ago & it took me 5 yrs!! before I COULD eat that food again.)
June 10th, 2007 at 10:38 am
ironically Im now not upset when my hairy kids go out & kill themselves lunch. At least all I have to worry about that way,are worms. ewwwwww
June 10th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
How do you all find this good information? This is wonderful. Thanks to everyone who has done all this research. I wouldn’t know were to start. You have all helped me more then you can amagine.
June 10th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Lou - thanks for the info that Midwest does all the Natura testing. That is in fact confirmed on their website here http://www.naturapet.com/about......asp?id=22
That means, since we now know Midwest hasn’t tested for acetaminophen, that no Natura products have been tested for it. Bad news…
June 10th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Connie,
Please don’t throw the poisioned Purina out - send it to a lab for testing!!
June 10th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Regarding Life’s Abundance by Healthy Pet Net (verified by company 3/28/07)
One product manufactured by Menu Foods but not in the suspect facility
Most products are manufactured by Ohio Pet Foods
Products do not contain wheat gluten or corn
All products are human quality
The web site said they tested for melamine and their products negative. I’m glad they are testing for the melamine but I’m worried about the other toxins that have been found. I would also like to know what when a company tests for one or all of these toxins what level of detection are they testing at. Melamine is not our main concern anymore.
June 10th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Yes Connie! Please at least SAVE the Purina if you can’t afford to have the testing done right now. Keep it In the Original bag and roll it up and put the Bag into some Zip-Loc bags and away on a dry dark shelf.
Write “Do Not Feed/use” and todays date, on it.
When the time is right or necessary we might need that tested!
You pets are having a Dramatic reaction. Blood in Anything is no small issue! It can indicate Kidney damage and ureters and bladder. The peeing around things is a symptom of this as well. They can not help it. Please watch them carefully. Possibly get them to a Vet.
There is a Reason the Pets would not eat it earlier. Some can not resist the temmpting trick we try to get them to eat. :-(
CONNIE WHAT are the Codes/Dates etc and formula of the Purina? Dog/Cat? Both? PLEASE Post them here!
WHERE it was purchased?
This is Important!!!!
BarbaraM, Hi there. Some of us hav been surfing and searching the Net for years for other things; some of us have been since THIS Fiasco or when we noticed pet’s being Sick.
This has become a multi-layered Problem for us, and we just keep Digging :-D
Hoping it Helps ALL of Us.
Welcome!
June 10th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Hi Randy, I agree, Melamine is a ’smaller’ issue but when the cyanuric acid is there too and those 2 combine, Bam for sure.
Don’t get me wrong the Melamine is Not a safe or even disclosed ingredient and Does Not belong there at all.
And it’s Unacceptable by all of Us.
But now we know we’ve got other even more toxic things to worry about, and those can be Alone or in combination with one or more of the others.
LOU state the fact that Natura is testing at MidwestLab. They test ONLY for Melamine and Cyanuric Acid. Not Acetaminophen too.
As much as I liked speaking with the itelligent folks at MidWest Lab, I’d say this is Not a Comfortable thing to trust Foods to knowing about the Numbers of Acetaminophen Found now. {Unless they change and ADD Acetaminophen testing soon.}
Natura should Get this in their thinking as well.
I don’t know How we’d be able to get levels or any more info from a manufacturer Randy. They don’t seem too “chariatible” to any of US or Our Pets over this.
Acetaminophen doesn’t give a Cat parent much time to Do or think about much of Any-thing. As it Kills Cats more frequently and Faster.
And ALL Vets need to Address/treat it as if, THIS Is The poison, First, if a pet comes in Sick!
IMHO
June 10th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
1. we’ve been to the vet, that part is covered.
2. paper bag is foil (?) lined & unsavable Both ends ripped open now, plus bag was NOT sealed between possum feedings. However, I did put a ziplock bag full in the dark dry closet, plus a ziplock bagful in the freezer
3. this WAS a #40 bag of purina kibbles & chunks, bought in state college PA , SOMETIME between march & april?8-12 weeks ago is the best guess I can narrow it down to, possible a couple weeks LONGER. its been in the cupboard since the day it came home & instead of throwing it out, Ive been feeding the porch rats this junk.)
printed info on the bag is: Best By jan 2008 70011085 1833L04
4. it was dogfood ONLY..but, if the dogs walk away or SOME of the cats get their first, theyre gonna get in it.
5. How do I know it was not the cat food?? cats on 2 floors(some are antisocial). downstairs cats unaffected. plus only 3 sick cats, not most & not even 1/3 of the ones mainly on this floor(yes I have my own private pride o cats)
6. why do I believe (as does my vet) that it was the Purina? Theyve been eating Dads dry for weeks now with NO issues amung them all & in 2 days they had access to something I WASNT feeding them.
Wet food? I refuse to buy store wet food. Have been cooking chicken or beef for them & adding the broth & meat to their dry.
7. I need to add this note: this bag has been sitting opened in the cupboard for weeks now, because the dogs refused to touch it from day one. The possums havent been as choosy. Theyve been eating it every time I put it out for them. They’re still coming, I just dont know if its the same ones( I dont see them often. I put food out & then I leave for work myself)
June 10th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
sorry I missed a couple things…how do I know it was NOT the cat food? gut instinct for one. Plus they dont eat purina ANYMORE. I also need to add for YEARS I never had health problems arrise using purina products(friskies, or indoor formulas), but right now I just dont trust anything thats coming from out of country. I got fed up with recall after recall & looked for something, anything, that was grown in this country. That was when I put both dogs & all the cats on Dads pet foods.
also I cant send it anywhere right now($) to be tested, but I will make a point this week of calling 2 local universities to see if they are able to test foods. The worst they can tell me is no.
June 10th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Connie, even if the bag is ripped and torn, save it! It is proof of the dates and product codes.
June 10th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
I think that there is a fund being set up to pay for testing foods, so even if you don’t have the money to do it yourself, maybe in time this fund could pay for the testing. Check out the forums at itchmo. I think there is a thread there for collecting food to be tested.
June 10th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I would rather my tax dollars go to pay for pet food testing than where it’s being flushed now.
The companies wont test it and the FDA wont test it!!!!! WT*
June 10th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
NOW CHINA IS GIVING OUT FAKE DRUGS IN THE HOPITALS IN THEIR COUNTRY. GIVING THIS TO THEIR OWN ILL PEOPLE. MAYBE THEIR OWN PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. JUST A SHORT BIT OF IT BELOW:
Fake drug found in Chinese hospitals, outlets: report
Sun Jun 10, 7:25 AM ET
BEIJING (AFP) - Medical investigators have found batches of a fake blood-boosting drug in northeastern China in the latest scandal to taint its pharmaceutical industry, state press reported Sunday.
June 10th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Here’s Dad’s website.
http://www.dadspetcare.com/
June 10th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Never mind about the link on Dad’s. I didnt read up far enough.
June 10th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
One thing I was thinking about Life’s Abundance yesterday is that the catfish may come from China–didn’t someone say they don’t state US ingredients? China catfish is showing up frequently as contaminated with drug residues on the FDA lists of foods stopped from coming into the country.
June 10th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
Chinese toxic spill ‘may threaten food chain’
By Geoff Dyer in Harbin, Richard McGregor in Beijing and Neil Buckley in Moscow
Published: November 24 2005 23:32 | Last updated: November 25 2005 10:11
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/517d0e.....e2340.html
June 10th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Here’s another. Dont you think the FDA would have taken this into consideration a couple of years ago???
Toxic Chinese mercury pollution travelling to US
By Andrew Yeh in Beijing
Published: April 11 2006 22:16 | Last updated: April 12 2006 05:15
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/438b99.....e2340.html
June 10th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
High Pesticide Residues Threaten China’s Food Exports
http://www.organicconsumers.or.....safety.cfm
June 10th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Dont know if this is old news or not. I didnt know about the blankets from China.
Tainted blankets still on shelves
Kelly Burke Consumer Affairs Reporter | May 22, 2007
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.a.....32020.html
http://vanishingamerican.blogs.....xic%20food
June 10th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
More things to avoid.
China has become America’s leading supplier of apple juice used as a food sweetener, garlic and garlic powder, sausage casings and cocoa butter.
HOMELAND INSECURITY
Is China trying to poison Americans and their pets?
U.S. market flooded with foods unfit for humans, tainted with carcinogens, pesticides, bacteria, drugs
——————————————————————————–
Posted: May 27, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/.....E_ID=55892
June 10th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
I know it’s not near as popular as other types of Insurance but, has anyone seen/read about or can report on, an Increase in Pet Insurance Claims for these Pets poisoned, showing up???
Thought I’d ask.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
I have insurance on all mine. I pay yearly so I havent seen it yet.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
BTW.
One thing I will mention is the insurance company I use will not pay for “just checking” without an illness. I took all my kids urine in to see if any crystals we found. Thank goodness ALL WAS FINE. The company would not pay for that claim because there was not an illness involved.
That’s ok. Peace of mind was worth it.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
For years I fed our dogs Natural Balance Duck and Potato — worked great for us with allergies that the dogs have to many other types of food. When NB Venison was pulled, I switched to EaglePack out of fear of cross-contamination. Our dogs like the new food, but allergies are back to being a probelm. Do you think it is safe to go back to Natural Balance Duck and Potato or should I hang in there with the EaglePack?
June 10th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
To e wem:
Agreed, we are a captive market! But to be clear: HPN dry food is manufactured by Ohio Pet Foods, whose web-site says all their ingredients are USA grown/raised. One of my questions to HPN was whether they used OPF’s inventory, or supplied their own. They didn’t tell me, but did say that all food ingredients originate in the USA. It is their canned food which is manufactured by Menu.
As far as I know, the only foods not canned by a manufacturer we want to avoid are Merrick and Evangers (and any foods they can for others, like Canidae and Felidae).
June 10th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
to e wem: sorry, anonymous was me, Jean s.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
Good advise Jean.
June 10th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
To Ya -Ya,
My cat loves Innova Evo dry, but I’ll pass along a caution my vet told me: it’s so high in protein, introduce it slowly: a sudden jump in protein level can cause a renal problem. I think this is especially important if someone is switching from a low or vegetable/grain based protein food. I combined it with Life’s Abundance for a few weeks, and even now, only feed it as half her daily dry–so I figure the protein level she’s eating is about 40% by now.
Also, isn’t Fromm the company that contracts with a human food canning plant in China? They had a letter about it on their web-site, but I can’t find it now. It’s like all references to China have been deleted. Does anyone else remember this?
June 10th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Just my Opinion, But UNTIL this Food Nightmare and Fiasco is Dead and DONE for SURE, I’ll not buy Any of the Named OR Un-Usual {unnamed} Suspects. If they’ve been associated With a Recall even the Cross-contaminations,
NOPE, I’m not tryin’ or buyin’.
And Why would I when we’ve just learned about a New Poison in the Foods?
The Acetaminophen.
Even More Deadly than the previous ones!
AND as one Posted mentioned above, One company is tested their foods at MidWestLab {And That is FanDangTastic! BUT! MidWestLb does Test for Acetaminophen at all. I know as I just spoke to them at the MidWestLab on Friday and was Told it is Not even Possible to do so At Their Lab}
Why take an even Great chance right Now?
We don’t even Know *What Part of the Food* ingredients the Acetaminophen was In yet!
Grains, fillers, binders, gravy, supplements, etc etc etc.
Nope I’m not chancing anything right now. Got enough t handle with what I have had from the foods {not even recalled ones}
LOOK for Grain Frees that folks here recommend if folks need that.
I Might try the Dry INNOVA EVO for my Cat. {Never their Canned tho!}
I mentioned Fromm Family, might look good- they’ve got many formulas and flavors.
I will probably look at them as well. I found them at a Feed store bout 30 miles away.
KumpiKat is Good, but I’d like to try a- Grainless myself next bag of Dry.
Check the ItchmoForums.com for more recommened ones.
June 10th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Jean, I didn’t see the note on the Fromm site, I hope you can find something!
I DID see picture of their bags in Chinese and Japanese print on one of their foreign sites: like .com.uk or .com.hk {that’s Hong Kong and the other England}
But are you saying they are making Human canned veggies etc IN *Mainland China*?
Thank you about the Innova Dry EVO, my Cat would be sparingly eating it, as she is now Addicted to my Homemade Wet LOL!
But still likes the dry to munch on now and then and gives me a Break if I have to leave. {plus she gets her vitamins and minerals per vet recommendations with the Dry if I miss anything}
I hate to leave wet food in the Summer even in AC house as it might ‘turn’ bad sitting out, being homemade.
She gets it twice a day now, and ’saves’ some of it for several hours before it’s All gone.
So EVO would be her less eaten food.
Other might want to consider feeding some veggies or something- to “dilute” the EVO proteins if that is All they feed.
I know the list for {Safe} Grainless is Very Short. sigh
June 10th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Speaking of Where the Acetaminophen IS in the Foods tested {reports say some was Wet and some was Dry};
It just occurred to me that maybe the Acetaminophen is IN the Supplements {vitamins, minerals etc} they add to the foods, and those might come from a Pharmaceutical type Co.?
That’s closer to a “drug” company {for a drug} for possibly Where it came from, than a “gluten” company.
Just thinking here.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I just read this wanted to pass it on
www.ArcaMax.com | News | Books | Comics | Games | Subscribe | My Account
Cats & Dogs
Sunday June 10, 2007
• Dog Food Recall Expands as Manufacturers Delay Testing
• Religious News: Leaders testify on global warming and Tourists flock to psychics
• Reader Photos
——————————————————————————–
Dog Food Recall Expands as Manufacturers Delay Testing
By M. Bruno
The recent dog food recall has claimed the health and lives of thousands of dogs due to renal failure caused by eating melamine contaminated dog food. Reeling from media attention worldwide, one would hope that the dog food industry got the message and pulled all suspect products from the market. Not so.
Reports continue of additional dog food products being recalled after discovery of tainting. The sad reality is that long after the initial onslaught of media attention alerted dog guardians to the more than 100 brands of dog food being recalled by Menu Foods, some dog food companies continue to drag their corporate feet and have failed to identify and recall contaminated dog food.
In the latest news dogs hospitalized for kidney shutdown prompted a California veterinarian to test Nutra Nuggets dog food bought at Costco. The lab results were positive for melamine.
Now the lives of dogs who ate this dog food brand hangs in the balance.
What is frightening to anyone who owns and loves their dogs is that Nutra Nuggets is not on any current recall list.
The dog food manufacturer had not performed any tests on its products and seems to have relied on the keep your fingers crossed approach while peddling their dog food to unsuspecting families.
After reports of melamine poisoning impacting countless dog food bands, cross contamination, kidney failure and death, one would hope that minimal prudence would have compelled the company to provide minimal assurances of safety for this contaminant by testing their products.
While anxious dog owners await action by the dog food company and the FDA, dogs lie sick in a veterinary hospital.
When will this end?
Frankly, I am not confident that it will anytime soon. The dog food industry has sold untenable landfill waste disguised as “healthy and nutritious” dog food for decades. Testing and enforcement requirements are a sham. The FDA is under funded, overworked, and the industry has run rings around dog nutritionists and veterinarians that have questioned their claims of quality and safety, until now.
The ingredient list in many dog food brands shows melamine as the tip of a poison dog food iceberg.
No dog food brand that is not at a minimum organic, holistic, or human grade should even be considered for your dogs diet.
Read the labels carefully before feeding any dog food brand to your dog. Make sure it does not contain any by products, fillers, preservatives and chemicals. Many do and disguise the actual ingredient list with palatable sounding names.
Consider feeding you dog homemade dog food. It’s one way to guarantee that you are in control of what tour dog is eating.
========
My small 8 year old dog suddenly became ill and no vet could determine the cause. She died after enduring 2 weeks of pain and misery on Mothers Day morning. Dont let anything happen to your best friend. Find out what is in the dog food you use at http://www.dogs-4life.com/dog-food-that-kills.html This article may be reproduced unedited with the author’s link displayed
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Bruno
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dog-Food-Recall…
——————————————————————————–
See what’s free at AOL.com.
June 11th, 2007 at 12:48 am
I think you’re right and I think what goes on is a lot like how street drugs are sold. If you read about how that’s done, you’ll see that there are always “fillers” added to the drug to cut them. Cutting the drugs to sell on the street means what they have can be stretched further and they can make more $ by not selling their street drugs uncut.
Some of those who cut the drugs use things which are not harmful to cut them, but others have used substances which can turn out to harm or kill those using them–aside from the possibility of an OD.
I’d believe that whatever ingredient(s) may be quite expensive, this is where the “cutting” for more profit by Chinese producers goes on. In these cases, acetaminophen was used as the “filler”, with the knowledge that it probably would not be something anyone was actively testing for, so the odds were that it wouldn’t be detected. Neither was melamine until the nightmare began.
June 11th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Quote from article:
Jim Fallon, a spokesman for Diamond Pet Foods, said that the food with the best by date of March 2008 was made in September 2006 at their South Carolina plant.
So we know the tainted grains go back to no less than Sept. 06. I suspect the pet food ingredients were being “tampered” with long before then.
Is it possible the grains used in the exported pet food could have been in storage somewhere, but perhaps originally came from China?
China and the U.S are both at fault for this nightmare. Instead of pointing fingers at each other; the U.S. and China need to sit down together and brain storm wtf went wrong and where. There are rogue companies in each Country that are going to scam everyone they can. The two Countries need to get to the bottom of this and get rid of the guilty parties. Then and only then will we ever see safe pet food again.
What to do with the guilty parties? Hand them over to the grieving pet parents. Justice will be served with no cost to the Judicial System.
June 11th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Thank you Very much Judy, for the Article, and I’m So Very sorry about your little dog :-(
May I ask what you were feeding your dog at the time? It would help Us to know to keep our list current and look into the Brand/flavor/formula of the food. I’d appreciate knowing. Do you have any of the food left?
Please Save it if so. Just for future needs if any.
Menusux, we should try and find out which of the vitamin/supplement etc type ingredients are DRY, before it goes into the ‘mix’.
As I would think that is the form of the substance we are looking for. {could be a liquid but I think Dry}
How do they receive these products? Bags, cans, boxes?
Do you happen to know What item is used as “the preservative” in the foods?
So now we’ve had the gambit of Drug activities? ‘Doping’ first with the melamine and now possible ‘Cutting’ with Acetaminophen??? Wonder what category the Cyanuric Acid fits???
S-t-r-e-t-c-h that dollar any way we can?
Anonymous, I Luv the last sentence the Most, “What to do with the guilty parties? Hand them over to grieving pet parents. Justice will be served with no cost to the Judicial system”.
Yes indeed, and certainly ‘they’d’ appreciate the “no cost” aspect the most. :-P
June 11th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
In response to Barb’s post about people buying cheap crap so what do they expect—my co-worker fed Eukanuba to her 4 dogs-the most expensive non-prescription dog food thinking she was doing the best for them, then to have it one of the first to be recalled, explaining why one dog died in December and the other 3 have had liver enzymes through the roof! my Sheba has had to have Hills Prescription food becuase of FLUT for the last nine years. After the recalls of Hills for diabetic cats I switched to KumpiKat, which all 3 loved, but Sheba got a FLUT attack so I had to go back to the Hills. Some of us REALLY DO CARE, but our backs are against the wall here! We buy the most expensive so-called best for our babies and still get screwed, so I don’t slam others who buy cheaper foods. These people wouldn’t be able to adopt a pet if they had to pay more, so these animals would be euthanized in the end. So please don’t slam us-it’s hard enough to deal with this!
June 11th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
barb–why don’t you come out and say only people who are well-off and take economics courses should own pets? If you would study your economics a little harder, you would see Menu Foods raised their prices twice in 2006, then dropped to a cheaper ingredient. They blame employee benefits (I guess they would prefer slaves) for escalating costs, but still figure out a way to increase quarterly stock dividends. It’s all about their stock holders. W-E and Chem-Nutra obviously went with the lowest price. If someone has fed pets a particular food for 5 years with no problem and then their pets dies, how is that their fault? I agree with Barbara in Phoenix. If only rich people adopted pets, the euthanasia rate would be through the roof. You’re wasting blogspace with unnecessary guilt trips.
June 11th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
barb - No not everyone here has taken economics 101, but they shouldn’t need to concerning safe pet food. The FDA was supposed to be
protecting” our pets (and us) from such as this regardless of the brand used. Not all pet owners can afford the very best. However, that does not mean they don’t care about their pets. I was feeding highly expensive food only available through a veterinarian, but that company was also involved. I spent more money on food for my animals per pound than I did for myself. So how does your economics figure into this? My pets were just as affected as the people that bought the lower cost brands for theirs. Shaming the folks that are limited in the amount of cash to spend on pet food was uncalled for. You can’t put a price on love, and you have no idea how these people feel about their pets. It looks as if you said their pets were more likely to be poisoned because they are limited to grocery store brands? Give this some thought…a young teen is told she can have a pet provided she purchases the food, and etc. from her allowance. She’s elated and acquires a pet, and then discovers how much vet cost are so she has to “budget” her allowance to cover all cost. Does this young girl deserve to feel grief over a deceased pet because her budgeted allowance didn’t allow her to buy the very best? No barb we are all VICTIMS of pure greed. Plain and simple.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:57 am
thought some of you might like to know: I just hung up the phone from talking to Dads pet foods & they tell me they ARE testing for 1.acetaminophin 2 cyanuric acid 3.aminopterin(rat poison)
4.diethylene glycol (DEG) 5. melamine.
so far..so good..all u.s products.
They also gave me the phone number of the fda(sorry I know how irked we’ve been so far) to get food tested. 1-800-224-9551. If anyone knows any other numbers to get foods tested & costs, please let me know here or at grummpy@excite.com
June 14th, 2007 at 4:11 am
[…] report of melamine in Country Value brand in Korea: FDA spokesperson says they are “not aware of any South Korean lab or the Korean […]
June 14th, 2007 at 10:35 am
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead -
I just want to say thank you Itchmo and to all the members for speaking out and taking action.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
Boy, there’s sure a lot to read on here, but some of this information is over and from a long time ago. You can call me Anna. My friends call me Molly, Rodi and Dr. Kenley. Does anyone have any questions right now I may be able to answer? To be honest, I don’t use Diamond Dog Food. No offense. I’ve only used it during emergencies, and I have almost never stayed on one dog food very long. It depends what season it is. I am highly educated on almost everything, yet do not have a license. I will book mark this page and hopefully, hear from somebody. I’m sorry for those of you whose loving pets got sick for any which reason. I’m sorry for those of you who thinks they can only and always trust what their vet says and what food he/she recommends. I’m sorry for those of you that have nobody to love you and are stuck on what to buy and learn. I’m sorry for those of you who are smarter than your parents and therefore stuck in knowing how to find a friend so you’re not lonely and to get a great job. I hope things turn out well for you in the future. Have a great year!