Natural Balance Recall Expands to Canned Food and Treats
Itchmo has confirmed with Natural Balance that their recall has expanded and now covers the following items for all dates:
- Venison and Brown Rice Treats for Dogs (New today)
- Venison and Brown Rice Canned Formula for Dogs (New today)
- Venison and Brown Rice Dry Food for Dogs (Reported Sunday)
- Venison and Green Pea Dry Food for Cats (Reported Sunday)
The problem stems from melamine found in the rice protein concentrate (described by the company as rice gluten) used by Natural Balance. They confirmed that FDA testing has found melamine in the rice protein concentrate. The ingredient was produced by a US vendor, according to Natural Balance. Natural Balance recommends avoiding all rice protein in their products.
They have also confirmed that customers are reporting “a few cases” of kidney failures, which their original announcement described as “kidney problems”.
The items recalled are packaged (but not manufactured) by Diamond Pet Foods. The problem was discovered Friday and the FDA is testing all other ingredients and formulas. In the packaging process, the final food is run through Diamond Pet Foods machinery, but are overseen by Natural Balance quality assurance staff.
Natural Balance says it will reimburse the pet parents for medical expenses related to the melamine toxin.
NOTE: The recall expansion has not made it out to the mainstream media, but we expect it to do so shortly.
UPDATE: Natural Balance is not yet releasing the name of the US supplier. We’ll let you know as soon as we know.
UPDATE at 7:37pm Eastern: Natural Balance updates their site. Full release after the jump.
Natural Balance Pet Foods,® Inc. Issues A Voluntary Nationwide Recall on Specific Venison Dog & Cat Food Products
Contact:
Consumer Inquiries:
(800) 829-4493
Media Inquiries:
Daniel Bernstein
310-275-0777
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Pacoima, CA — April 17, 2007– Natural Balance, Pacoima, CA, is issuing a voluntary nationwide recall for all of its Venison dog products and the dry Venison cat food only, regardless of date codes. The recalled products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food. Recent laboratory results show that the products contain melamine. We believe the source of the melamine is a rice protein concentrate. Natural Balance has confirmed this morning that some production batches of these products may contain melamine.
The recall was prompted by consumer complaints received by Natural Balance involving a small number of cats and dogs that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product.
Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect food and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should be seen by a veterinarian. We recommend our customers immediately stop feeding our recalled venison products regardless of date code and return unused product to their retailer for a full refund.
The products are packaged in bags, cans and zip lock treat bags and sold in pet specialty stores and PetCo nationally.
No other Natural Balance products are involved in this voluntary recall as none of our other formulas include the rice protein concentrate.
Although the problems seem to be focused on a particular production period of the venison products, over the last four days we have notified our distributors and retailers by phone and e-mail to immediately stop selling and return all recalled Venison dog foods and treats and the Venison dry cat food. Venison canned cat food is not involved.
The source of the melamine appears to be a rice protein concentrate, which was recently added to the dry venison formulas. Natural Balance does not use wheat gluten, which was associated with the previous melamine contamination.
None of Natural Balance’s other dry formulas, none of our other canned or roll products and none of our other treats are involved with this voluntary recall.
We continue to work closely with the FDA in their ongoing investigation.
Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-829-449 or email info@naturalblanceinc.com.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Looks like the CEO of NB is playing the Menu Foods game by not naming the American Supplier of the rice protein and generally not being honest, forthright, and showing a little contrition. Didn’t they learn ANYTHING in the last month or so? This industry is in desperate need of public relations professionals…These guys deserve to lose their asses and their companies. It’s just ridiculous.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
this is rice gluten–not wheat gluten. does that mean there are other shoes to drop with other brands and products since the focus has been on wheat gluten up to this point.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
[…] Â Itchmo has confirmed that Natural Balance is pulling additional product, including canned foods and […]
April 17th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
itchmo you are amazing. Don’t know where we’d be without you. Even tho I’m home cooking, until yesterday I was giving a little NB. Now nothing will go into my dog except for what I cook. Wish you could get the name of the American Supplier for the rice protein. So much for the pet food companies that claim to test their ingredients.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Am I crazy? I am looking at NB’s website and I am not seeing rice gluten or rice protein listed on the ingredients of the dry foods. I see rice protein on the wet, but not the dry. Is this an ingredient that they are not required to list? Or am I just missing it? I read it over a couple of times.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I just don’t understand this. The NB website specifically says that its Venison and Pea dry cat food does not contain:
“Artificial Preservatives, Flavors, Colors, or Bleached Ingredients. Does not contain Corn, Soy, Wheat, Rice, Eggs, Dairy Products or Sunflower Oil”
So what the heck is rice gluten doing in it???? And for the first time (because I have read the ingredients on the bag in the past) I now see that rice protein concentrate is an ingredient. When did they start this? I feed my cats this food because I thought there was no grain in it!!!
April 17th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
Listen folks, I just opened a bag of Karma ORANIC dry dog food by NaturaPet and it is like nothing I have ever seen before - it was the nastiest, smelliest, most horrendous bag of dog food I have ever seen. The girl at the store had the audacity to tell me that is what it is supposed to look and smell like - no wonder the animals are dropping like flies. I am having this bag tested. I have a very strong feeling that we could take any can or bag of pet food off the shelf (recalled or not) of any store and there would be a very good likelihood of contamination. We are just now getting a true picture of the underbelly of the industry - which has probably included inappropriate products and contaminates for many years. It justr took an epidemic of illnesses and deaths to uncover the true extent of the outright lies by these companies.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Good point Sue! I wonder if they have old ingredient lists on the website and have changed the formulas.
Now I am wondering how many other rice formulas are going to be recalled because of this. I just hope that my food doesn’t show up.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Listen folks, I just opened a bag ORANIC dry dog food and it is like nothing I have ever seen before - it was the nastiest, smelliest, most horrendous bag of dog food I have ever seen. The girl at the store had the audacity to tell me that is what it is supposed to look and smell like that - no wonder the animals are dropping like flies. I am having this bag tested. I have a very strong feeling that we could take any can or bag of pet food off the shelf (recalled or not) of any store and there would be a very good likelihood of contamination. We are just now getting a true picture of the underbelly of the industry - which has probably included inappropriate products and contaminates for many years. It just took an epidemic of illnesses and deaths to uncover the true extent of the outright lies by these companies.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
That was Karma dry dog food by naturapet, by the way
April 17th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
That was Karma dry dog food.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
http://www.oldmotherhubbard.co.....onary.html
Rice Protein
Rice protein is the dried material from rice after the removal of the starch and separation of the bran by milling. It typically contains a minimum of 60% protein.
It’s possible that a US supplier produced the rice protein, but may have used imported rice–since they’re saying only that the rice protein was purchased from a US company. [Technically, the wheat gluten was purchased from a US company, as ChemNutra does business in NV.]
http://www.usatoday.com/money/.....lled_N.htm
Herrick also said Diamond got the rice protein concentrate from an American company, which he wouldn’t name.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
The bag of food I had a problem with, came from naturapet, not NB.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Why is the CEO playing games with pet owners by not releasing the name of his supplier? Hasn’t anything been learned from this debacle???? It’s not like we won’t find out eventually, and by then, we’ll all be pissed as hell all over…
April 17th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
All pet food companies dealing with ChemNutra should be disclosed.
If this is a different American supplier, NB should name it right now.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
“UPDATE: Natural Balance is not yet releasing the name of the US supplier. We’ll let you know as soon as we know.”
Publically release I read that. They may have told the FDA. There may be legal stuff and investigative angles to this we don’t know, why it’s not being broadcasted over the media.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Natural Balance dry and canned formulas are co-packed at separate facilities in the United States. Dry formulas are co-packed at Diamond and canned formulas are co-packed at American Nutrition
SO finally here’s another “gluten” being implicated - just as many of us were pleading from the beginning (BEFORE the beginning in fact) .
Next, how about: The gd Corn gluten meal in Nutro dry.
Earth to FDA get a move on you morons.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I have always fed my dog Natural Balance - In the last douple of months she has had loose stools. I am now feeding her chicken and rice that I cook with some vegetables tossed in and she is better.
When all the problems started with the recall I switched my four cats to Natural Balaance dry and canned from Science diet- for a couple of days then one of my cats started throwing up constantly. - I rushed him to the vet. and they took blood samples - He had slightly abnormal kidney readings. I am feeding him chicken and yestersay had another blood test that came back normal.
Thank God I found out soon enough I am sooooo mad with these pet food companies.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
[…] massive pet food recall would be expanded to include products containing rice and corn gluten, Natural Balance has confirmed that it has found melamine in its rice gluten, and is now recommending that customers avoid all of […]
April 17th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I’m wondering if the rice protein used in the NB was also a product of Xuzhou Anying.. (http://en.dg668.com/web/xzay123.html).
Last month, I put a bag of the NB Venison & Pea cat food in my cart- (one of my cats was on the IVD prescription formula and hated it, so I thought I’d give the NB a try)- but, as I was leaving, I thought, ‘you know.. this cat is notoriously finicky, and the food’s not cheap. I’ll try the cans first and see how she likes them.’
Incidentally, she didn’t- (like them, that is)- so I never went back to purchase the dry.
Thank goodness!
April 17th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
stephanie-
I looked at the dog food ingredients on NB’s website and I did see the rice protein concentrate listed in both canned and dry food. Maybe they just added it on the website!! I have one cat eating the canned venison and pea. So far only the dry venison and pea cat food has been mentioned (and the rice protein concentrate was listed in its ingredients on the website). This seems fishy to me, does anyone else agree? Why is the canned cat food not involved? Can I trust that they haven’t put this ingredient in it as well? I looked up the ingredients for the dog food on a pet food sales website, and it didn’t list the rice protein, so if it’s recently been added how are we to know?
Sue-
I agree with your confusion as to why rice protein was added to the venison and pea cat dry food! Are your cats still eating it and how are they doing?
I’m looking for another canned cat venison brand if anyone has any suggestions!
Lanie
April 17th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Ha! They did just put it on there.
This is what was on there before I refreshed….
Venison, Venison Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
They just added that in over the last hour or so.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Hi lanie - I also feed my cats the canned venison & pea food. Like you, I’m wondering whether rice protein concentrate is also in the canned product (off-label).
April 17th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Can someone please share a list of foods that they’ve found to be safe and good for cats? So far we’ve avoided brands in the recall, but it seems to be a crap shoot.
I know it will be insanely difficult to get my cats to eat wet food, and I don’t want to waste time and money trying what they’ll eventually like. So please, share some more resources of commercially available products that people can buy. For many of us, making our own or buying organic just isn’t feasible.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
This is all so disturbing. These companies are in the business of providing healthy foods for our four legged loved ones and it seems that they are now being deliberate in not trying to help these poor animals at all. If that is the case then lets get the class actions going and do not hold back. This is no less of importance than someone or some company tainting the food of humans and not trying to find the problem or the origin of it, criminal!!!! So lets all be committed to a class action and get these people the only place they seem to have any feeling , the WALLET.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Uh oh, I think NB just got caught playing with this ingredients.
“melamine found in the rice protein concentrate (described by the company as rice gluten) used by Natural Balance” and at the end they say in BOLD “Natural Balance recommends avoiding all rice protein in their products.”
Oopsie, they got busted.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Rice protein suddenly showing up on the Natural Balance web site is a crock. The Google cache from Apr 12, 2007 13:08:33 GMT for the dry cat food page, for instance, is here: http://tinyurl.com/2875ac
The ingredient list: “Peas, Venison Meal, Venison, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).”
I’m so disappointed in NB. I locked the bag I bought last week in the only location the cats can’t access in the house. They have been known to occasionally get the munchies and get into unopened bags of cat food, and that’s not a good idea now.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
i am feeding my cat purina medley, unfortunatley i tried to introduce
her to organic foods but she wouln’t go for it. I would be interested
in any recall on purina medley. Thanks
April 17th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
This is so fustrating! My dog Coby was on Solid Gold up until a month ago when I switched him over to Natural Balance Potato and Duck due to allergies and I can’t believe this is happening. I thought we were safe since I’ve never fed him anything from Menu Foods but it seems like nothing is really safe these days. Even though he is not eating anything from the Venison line, I still worry…he’s gone through half the bag already and he’s doing great, his stools are nice and firm and there’s a lot less of it than when he was on solid gold and his allergies are practically gone.
I’m really not sure what to do once he finshes this bag…should I continue with this brand of food or start searching again for another brand and price is certainly not an issue. I hate living in fear each day that some news alert will show up telling me that Coby’s food is being recalled as well.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Stephanie you should keep that cache. This NB recall is very disturbing. I think most pet owners were feeling safe as long as they avoided wheat gluten. Now any kind of rice has to be on their minds too. What will be next melamine laced fake protein carbohydrate, corn?
April 17th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
This should not surprise us. I have always felt this pet food recall would somehow be linked to a GMO product. In my heart I always felt it was just a matter of time until a disaster would show up.
Melamine is a byproduct of pesticides. Some GMO products contain pesticides!
Check out this link: speical attention to 5th March 2007 USA; 26th January 2007 Japan; 12th December 2007 USA
www.gmcontaminationregister.org
for more info on GMO products visit
www.saynotogmos.org
www.greenpeace.org
www.gmfreeireland.org
There are many other sites to visit that would scare the “you know what out” of you!
It’s time we ALL pay attention.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
As of 3:55 pm PST, here’s what is on the NB website. Only 2 products are listed, not 4 (”No other Natural Balance Products are affected”), and only on the “Home” page, rather than the lower-level cat and dog food pages:
NOTICE:
We are receiving consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. Although the problems seem to be focused on one particular lot, as a precautionary measure, we are pulling all dates of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food from the shelves.
Please discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.
We are working closely with the FDA.
We will update this website today, as more information comes available.
NO OTHER NATURAL BALANCE PRODUCTS ARE AFFECTED.
April 17th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
“Natural Balance recommends avoiding all rice protein in their products.â€
ummm, yes, it’s seems to be added to the webite today that you are using this in foods without putting it on the label, so exactly which of your foods should we avoid in the store? The labels won’t reflect what’s there, so are we supposed to take your word as to what has rice and what doesn’t? Should we take our laptops with us so we don’t miss any breaking news while reading pet food labels in the store?!
April 17th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
[…] Dry Food for Dogs (Reported Sunday), and Venison and Green Pea Dry Food for Cats (Reported Sunday). More info here, at a blog called […]
April 17th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
And they did an sloppy job of editing. Above the ingredient list it still says: Does not contain Corn, Soy, Wheat, Rice, Eggs, Dairy Products or Sunflower Oil.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I just check out what CatLady said (April 17th, 6:52 pm)–she’s correct. Look at the cache at http://tinyurl.com/2875ac
No rice in the ingredient list. Also, the website specifically states:
҉ۢ Grain Free
• No Artificial Preservatives, Flavors, Colors, or Bleached Ingredients. Does not contain Corn, Soy, Wheat, Rice, Eggs, Dairy Products or Sunflower Oil.”
Okay, I’ll editorialize. Didn’t some “expert” state that pet food was more heavily regulated than human food? (Or was that the new front organization developed by the pet food industry?) Well, if the “expert” is correct … we’re all in trouble!!
I just hope rice protein is not a hidden ingredient in any of their other products.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
There was coment from an FDA official that some people are speculating that in the menu foods recall Melamine may have been intentionally added to the Wheat Gluten to make its protien content appear higher than it really was thus making it worth more when the origional supplier sells it. Since this Rice Protein Concentrate soulds like a similar ingredient, just with a different grain, I wonder if the same thing occured. If suppliers are intentionally adding ingredients like melamine to their products so they test higher for attributes that will increase their value.
There may be a larger overall issue going on here with the quality of the raw ingredients going into pet foods. If that is the case it’s not really the fault of Natural Balance or any other Brand that’s been involved in the recall, but the suppliers intentionally doctoring the raw ingredients so they make more money.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
i believe the “expert” had the balls to say it at the hearing . . . .
April 17th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
So, they added Rice Protein Concentrate to the ingredient list for cat food today, but left the note about not containing rice.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
For all to compare:
NB Venison and brown rice dry formula (dogs):
what it says now:
Venison, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Peas, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Methionine, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
what it said before - April 2006 (courtesy of Waybackmachine - internet archives):
Venison, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Venison Meal, Rice Bran, Canola Oil (preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed Oil, Kelp Meal, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Choline Chloride, L-lysine, Dl-methionine, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Parsley, Rosemary Extract, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9).
April 17th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
With all this coming to light- should we trust any company that doesn’t alert consumers to a change of food ingredient unless, or until, they have to? If they’re following minium requirements and not setting a higher standard for themselves that tells me all I need to know. *New ingredient* should be stamped in bold letters on the face of every container.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
http://www.iht.com/articles/20.....php?page=1
This Chinese company is not only lying, but may have intentionally added the contaminant to falsely raise the apparent protein content in their gluten - read and boycott ANY dog food brand using ingredients from China.
(Wasn’t the Chinese govt clubbing thousands and thousands of pet dogs to death and throwing them in a slow moving waste truck? And our pet food ingredients come from this country? I am sickened beyond words)
April 17th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
To all those that are looking for a good alternative to NB, look no further! I have been feeding FirstMate for the last ten years and my dogs have been doing wonderfully the whole time. Their Potato and Fish is truly “hypoallergenic” and has done wonders for the dogs skin and coat. Check them out www.firstmate.com. After the Menu debacle, I looked a little closer at FirstMate and found out that they have their own manufactuing facility (unlike NB and Solid Gold). They also source most of their ingredients from North America (some US, some Canada). Hope this helps with all those who are fed up with the industry these days…
April 17th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
You bet there’s been some changes:
Google cache from 4/12/07-Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat–
http://72.14.209.104/search?hl.....+green+pea
Venison, Whole Dried Green Peas, Venison Meal, Canola Oil, Venison Liver, Natural Flavor, Phosphoric Acid, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Kelp, DL Methionine, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Lysine, Rosemary Extract, Dried Parsley, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin C Supplement (Ascorbic Acid), Yucca Schidigera, Folic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin K Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Ethylene Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite.
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.c.....enCat.html
Same product–non-cache–as of right now:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.c.....enCat.html
Peas, Venison, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
http://72.14.209.104/search?hl.....brown+rice
Google Cache–Venison & Brown Rice Treats–cached 4/10/07
Rice Flour, Venison, Brown Rice, Venison Meal, Molasses, Rice Protein, Canola Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid.
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.c.....reats.html
Webpage non-cached–as of now:
Rice Flour, Venison, Brown Rice, Venison Meal, Molasses, Rice Protein, Canola Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Mixed Tocopherols, Citric Acid.
http://72.14.209.104/search?hl.....brown+rice
Venison & Brown Rice Canned–Google Cache as of 4/10/07
Venison, Venison Broth, Venison Liver, Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Protein, Venison Meal, Rice Bran, Canola Oil, Guar Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Kelp, Parsley, Rosemary Extract, Carrageenan, Methionine, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Abscorbic Acid (Vitamin C Supplement), Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin K1 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement.
http://naturalbalanceinc.com/d.....enDog.html
Venison & Brown Rice Canned–non cached–as of right now:
http://naturalbalanceinc.com/d.....anned.html
Venison, Venison Broth, Venison Liver, Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Rice Protein, Venison Meal, Rice Bran, Canola Oil, Guar Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Flaxseed, Kelp, Parsley, Rosemary Extract, Carrageenan, Methionine, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Abscorbic Acid (Vitamin C Supplement), Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Vitamin K1 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement.
http://72.14.209.104/search?hl.....brown+rice
Venison & Brown Rice Dry-Google cache–as of 3/31/07
Venison, Venison Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
http://naturalbalanceinc.com/d.....enDog.html
Venison & Brown Rice Dry–non-cached as of right now:
Venison, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Peas, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Methionine, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
http://72.14.209.104/search?hl.....brown+rice
Venison & Brown Rice Dry–Google cache as of 3/31/07:
Venison, Venison Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Inulin, Taurine, Natural Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B).
You can get these cached pages by doing a Google search for Natural Balance Venison Brown Rice and Natural Balance Venison Green Pea or by clicking the links here. Would suggest those who’ve been feeding any of the recalled items do this now–before the Google cache page changes. You can save these as entire web pages–on IE it’s “File”, then “Save As”.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I say most, because they get their Lamb Meal from Australia and NOTHING from China.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
I just checked the NB canned venison and peas that I bought (I bought a whole case of it about 2 weeks ago) and there is NO mention of rice gluten or rice protein concentrate listed in the ingredients.
I am pretty sure that the dry venison and peas I purchased about 3 weeks ago did not mention any rice in it. But the NB website now lists rice protein concentrate as an ingredient in the dry. I am pretty sure they just listed this on their website. I’m really mad about this. Especially since the reason I feed my cats this food is because I thought it had no grains in it!!!
So far my cats seem fine…..but I sure am mad about this deception!
April 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I’ve read elsewhere in the last couple days (likely thepetlistusa.com boards) that NB admitted to recently changing their formula & adding the rice gluten.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Yeah, it’s a good idea to save these pages;
To save screen shots: hit “print screen” key, open Word, paste it and then save to file.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Hi,well here we go again…. During the subcomitte hearings on the pet food industry it was interesting to hear that companies only get checked once or twice a year every 3 years. One person on the panel said that during checks she would get different kibbles in one kind of food.
In Dec. 2005, Jan. 2006, Diamond Pet Foods had a recall because of aflatoxin in the DRY food. Pets were dying of liver failure. They were being poisoned.
Is it a coincidence? That Diamond Pet Food Company is in the news again.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Kiki’s comment about bad smelling Natura scares me. We switched to Cal Natural about 6 days ago, but so far all I’ve used are the samples. Now I’m getting nervous about buying a bag.
IT’S REALLY PAST TIME FOR THE FDA, NB, MENU, DIAMOND & everyone else involved to let us know what’s REALLY going on. How many pets must dies so that these a###oles can maximise their corporate profits. Unfortunately, this is one of the consequences of how the Bush administration “governs”. Everyting is shrouded in secrecy.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Please also save the statement on the cat food that says it CONTAINS NO RICE!! You all are awesome
April 17th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I read on the pet connection that all rice gluten and corn gluten is going to be recalled!!!!!! Can anyone confirm this?
April 17th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Of course the ingredient list changed. They just reformulated it.
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.c.....lease.html
April 17th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Hi Itchmo, thanks again for the warning. I just exchanged the venison and brown rice for “Duck and Potato” and also the “vegetarian formula”, which includes brown rice as well. Could that be recalled as well?
I e-mailed the company, after I received your first warning 2 days ago, but have not received an answer from them. They don’t seem to care. We lost 2 of our dogs, one in February and one in March of kidney failure. It is so sad.
Do you think all dog foods which include rice could be recalled?
My son feeds his 2 puppies a different brand, but with rice and chicken and rice and lamb.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Kiki, I just looked up the ingredients list of the Karma food. It includes”rice protein” the supposed culprit in the NB recall. If you do get the bag tested, I hope you’ll post the results.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Geff,
This isn’t a recent thing with the good ole boy network of George Bush. This has been going on for decades. Did Bill do anything related to the pet food industry when he was in office for 8 years? No. I don’t think this is a democrat/republican issue. This is the big greedy pet food companies governing themselves. That is why we are having this problem. Also, would you name a company that sold you something without having firm evidence to back up your accusations? Lawsuit!
Finally, a dire enough situation has occured and maybe, just maybe we can finally have our pet food regulated as it should have been for the past 30 years!
April 17th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Is the rice protein that NB used human grade?
April 17th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Why would a company change their formula to add a gluten when there was just a huge recall involving a gluten???? Granted this is rice gluten not wheat gluten, but why add any gluten?????
April 17th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Let’s try not to jump too far to conclusions — the fact that the website listing of ingredients was just updated doesn’t mean that the food on the shelves was mislabeled, it might just be that no one got around to changing the webpage. The company might also recall more product than is strictly necessary, to be cautious.
There’s no indication that the melamine contamination has anything to do with GMO grains. A well-researched diary over on dailyKos (http://tinyurl.com/3y97ny) suggested that melamine may have been introduced to the wheat gluten via polluted water during processing — if this is accurate, then it could be a wider problem. I wouldn’t be at all surprised, given the pollution (and regulations) problem in China.
Until timelines come out, let’s try to avoid blaming all & every affected food producer — they may have done nothing more than trust that the ingredients they legally purchased had more FDA oversight than “right, there’s food in that crate? Got it, you’re good to go.” Remember, the wheat gluten was sold as human food grade.
That said, I’ve been planning to gradually switch my cat (recently diagnosed with IBD) to a grain-free diet — I think I’ll do that a bit more quickly now. Like, starting with the next can I open. So far, she likes the Innova dry (although she did have a bit of bowel upset when I tried to change too fast), and loves Merrick (it looks and smells like real people food!). There are several other brands available, I think Howl911.com had a link to a site with brand listings. Or go to a local pet store and check out the labels — and bring a magnifying glass!
I’m going grain-free because my cat already has IBD, and these foods cost roughly the same as prescription diets. At this point, I’m suspicious of all processed ingredients from China — which may turn out to be overgeneralization, it may be one particular plant or company. But since there’s so much confusion about the source, I’m going with overcaution (I may even go through my own pantry, I cook with rice noodles a lot). You might be safe with companies which only use US/Canadian-originating grain ingredients…
April 17th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Rice protein concentrate seems to have been added to the website list of ingredients today. So either:
-they have been using it for a while without listing it on their website or their products,
or
-they just added it so that everyone thinks that rice gluten is the culprit.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
[…] http://www.itchmo.com/read/nat.....s_20070417 […]
April 17th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Can someone please explain to me why a limited protein allergy formula added a new source of protein to their food, especially without warning? OK, I know the real reason: money. But what were they thinking? Even without the melamine, a new source of protein could cause problems for pets with allergy problems. That’s irresponsible of them, just so the shareholders could make a few more pennies. Shame on them.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
From what I understand, the ingredient was new to the company. in the last few weeks, in a recent batch. I have read that a company has up to six months to change their packaging after changing ingredients.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I read the ingredients on Natural Balance - venison & green pea formula and noticed the same thing - no rice gluten listed???? It is a allergy formula single source protien
April 17th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
They need to state exactly when this crap was added.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
karen-
how long have your cats been eating the canned NB venison food, and how are they doing? Hope all is well with them! one of my cats has been eating it for no more than a week and a half- and she seems fine so far. she had previously been on the Hill’s d/d venison canned food at the vet’s reccomendation due to symptoms she was having on different chicken based foods. I was never thrilled at feeding a Hill’s product, but her symptoms subsided on the venison food. I decided to try to subsitute the NB venison recently. As of tonight though I’m feeding her the old Hill’s until I can get another brand of venison based canned cat food.
Lanie
April 17th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Chris:
Although the posts here are in response to the latest info in re Natural Balance, I feel compelled to reply to your endorsement of FirstMate as a safe pet food.
Per Firstmate.com’s homepage, they state their MAIN INGREDIENTS are sourced in the US, Canada, & Australia. That specificity begs the question of which of their ingredients are imported from other areas and what are those areas. At this time, I would not trust *any* pet food manufacturer that does not fully & completely disclose ingredients and origination of said ingredients.
Copied from www.Firstmate.com :
“TO OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS:
IN LIGHT OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE INDUSTRY WITH RECALLS, PLEASE REST ASSURED THAT FIRSTMATE PET FOODS MANUFACTURES ITS OWN PRODUCTS AT OUR FACTORY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. WE SOURCE OUR MAIN INGREDIENTS FROM CANADA, THE USA AND AUSTRALIA.
FIRSTMATE PET FOODS IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY WAY WITH THE MENU FOOD RECALL OR ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER’S RECALL. FIRSTMATE FOODS DO NOT CONTAIN WHEAT GLUTEN.
MIKE FLORIAN
PRESIDENT “
April 17th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
What I want to know is WHY there was a RICE protein concentrate in a food that was supposed to have NO RICE (Venison and Green Pea Cat food).
I JUST changed my cats to this stuff. Argh.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I cannot help but continue to think “Terrorism”! How else would two different glutens from two separate suppliers be tainted?
I do not feed gluten of any kind to cats or dogs, and never have, and never will. This is the only thing that saved me. I do not bring this inferior, cheap, grain source crap excuse for protein home. It is not fit for a carnivore under the best of conditions.
The Canidae company is looking real good about now. www.canidae.com
This is the one I switched to after the first recall, as I am so disgusted with my previous company for even being part of the recall even though they had only a few products recalled. The Eukanuba company has now jumped onto the asinine, breed/environment specific bandwagon which is lunacy at its finest. Not only that, but they have cheapened their products since P & G took over. I don’t want anything to do with them.
The Canidae/Felidae food is fresh, has only one carb source which is brown rice, has 10 coat conditioners, multiple meat sources, probiotics, enzymes, and is for all life stages, and it is cheaper than the rest of them. Look at th money they save in packing alone! And they actually pass the savings on to the consumer. All USA sourced, and stringent controls.
Litter box is odor free. Dogs love it too.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Why wont the President of NB inform us who Diamond purchased the product from?
Other companies could have purchased it from them as well.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
What human food can I feed my Boxer to make sure he is getting a proper balanced diet-other than dog food?
They are not killing my baby!
He just survived what I think may have been this type of poisoning and now has major allergies. We have just had his blood tested today, and I am not feeding him another brand of store bought dog poison!
I can’t believe this is happening. The lies that I have been told, it is just a matter of time. Everyone should stop buying the food-all the food! I bought the NB duck & potato treats and ya know what?-let them eat their treats, I don’t want anything coming from their warehouse or any other that won’t tell where they get there ingredients from.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Judy Says:
April 17th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I cannot help but continue to think “Terrorismâ€! How else would two different glutens from two separate suppliers be tainted?
This very well could be the case.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Judy - I started giving my cats Felidae just this weekend. One of the three isn’t eating as much of it as I thought he would. But doesn’t seem hungry. So, waiting to see what happens. The regular cat/kitten formula is really impressive if I believe the label. If I calculate the protein on a dry matter basis it is 50 %. And several meat ingredients on the list before it even gets to a grain. Hope this one is OK.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
“I cannot help but continue to think “Terrorismâ€! How else would two different glutens from two separate suppliers be tainted?”
My husband thinks I’m crazy b/c I keep saying this is sabatoge. I really think it’s a possiblity, but maybe I really am paranoid. What a coincidence that a couple of months after the first recall, the company that’s receive the most business from that, gets hit with a recall. Of coure, they DID change their own formula, so who knows? Maybe they just screwed up.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Judy, you may have a good point. I remember thinking after 9/11 that the food supply would be an easy target. All the terrorists would have to do is get entry level production line jobs at food manufacturers. I would think they’d go after us though, not our pets.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
@ lanie April 17th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Hi lanie
We switched to Natural Balance venison & pea *canned* cat food about a month ago, and both cats (the allergic & the non-allergic) have and are continuing to do very well on it. I don’t want to start feeding Hills but this new recall is unnerving…
April 17th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
We tried Felidae a couple weeks back. It does have one of the better reputations. Unfortunately, my kitty was allergic to someting in the Felidae Chicken & Rice; he started licking compulsively 24/7 & I was able to isolate it to the Felidae. Speculation by others who know more then me that the allergy may have been to the kelp or Alfalfa.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
I would think they’d go after us though, not our pets. - Geff
Test run?
April 17th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I think it’s time we didn’t trust anything that the FDA or the Pet Food Industry is saying. It’s not being reported, daily, as it should be, and many animals are continuing to become ill and suffering. There is definitely something that is being hidden from us and I wouldn’t feel my animals any commercial food.
Has anyone been wondering why our animals have been so ill, w/ allergies, tumors, diarhhea, vomiting, etc for many years now? I would like to introduce those of you who don’t know about www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com
The Pet Industry has been slowly poisoning our animals for years.
The food is and has never been premium quality food, not tested appropriately, ever. Testing on a few animals and only for 6 mos is no test in my book. Have they followed the 6 animals they tested throughout their lives to see the illnesses that they have suffered? NO!
The same goes for the Advantage, Frontline, Revolution, etc. Those products were tested on rats for no longer than 6 mos and then they introduced to our beloved cats and dogs. They are all toxic, some worse than others. Frontline is a class C CARCINOGEN, that’s cancer folks, plain and simple. So, take away the fleas, and itching and trade it for cancer, and a depleted immune system. Fleas are a pain in the you know what, for all involved, but not compared to cancer and there are so many ways to naturally get rid of fleas, just takes more than a droplet on your dog or cats’ neck.
It’s all about money, and they are robbing us blind. There has never been sufficient safety codes and regulations in place and our animals have suffered for many years, and now it’s time to do something about it. They will not, WE MUST TAKE THEM TO TASK! And then we must continue to get reports, public access to any and all safety regulations for all pet products. The sales reps don’t know, the vets’ don’t know. They believe what they are told b/c vet’s are not required to take any courses in nutrition in their 4 years and the sales reps are just that. It’s their job and they believe what their employers are telling them.
Did you all know that 10 yrs ago there wasn’t any accountability on our dog food bags. They didin’t have to tell us anything, about the ingredients or where it was made.
Sign the petition and organize an event in your community to get more signatures and then send it to your local state reps and the FDA. I think PETA is right in suggesting the president of the FDA to resign.
that’s all folks,
~jill
http://www.shewhisperer.com
April 17th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Even though the canned cat foods aren’t included in this “melamine-rice-protein” discovery in NB foods, I’m reading the labels on all my cats NB food now and notice “rice flour”. Is this a case where “rice is rice is rice”?
Could anyone explain to me why the rice flour wouldn’t be affected as is the rice protein? Unless it has to do w/the processing. ???? Thanks.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
I just got a few samples from NB food i am not sure i wanna feed them to my dogs now eventhough they did not send me the vension.now that this recall is taking place i am glad i returned a vension can dog food.i felt unsure about feeding it anyways thank god.i am now sure this could be terrorism as well.Beside i think they should not have hiden the ingredients from us in the first place.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
To Kiki, I called Natura and asked if they had any rice protein in it and they said NO, just whole rice!!! But Rice Protein IS an ingredient in Karma!! I am so angry that they lied to me! I just switched my cats TODAY on Naturas california natural. I feel like there are no other options. Now Im scared! Can someone point out some good website for homecooking for cats, at least for now!!???
April 17th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
I also just changed cat food from Science Diet, Iams and Purina One to Natural Balance. I bought a bag of Venison and Green Pea and THANK GOD, they didn’t care for it. That goes back tomorrow. I also bought the can food, which they love, but now I’m afraid to keep them on it. I guess all the can food has the rice protein in it. I already have my one furry baby with kidney problems and I think it started with the other ” good food”. She has to go back to the vet tomorrow because her urine has no red or white cells. This can food hasn’t helped either. But in all fairness, they have only been on it for about 2 weeks. I’m not sure what else to do until I can find honestly good food.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I don’t think it’s all that likely that terrorists would do a ‘test run’ on pets.. I mean, wouldn’t that just serve to tip the general public off to the fact that something was amiss?
I’m thinking you’ve got a supplier who used the melamine in an attempt to make it appear as though its shoddy products were higher in protein (thus higher quality) than they actually are.
My guess is there’s some connection between the supplier of the wheat gluten and the supplier of the rice protein. (Of possible interest, Xuzhou Anying manufactures rice protein powder, too.)
One thing I wonder is.. if this were an intentional addition (for the purpose of making the products appear to be of a higher quality), how long has this been going on? Is it a new practice, or did somebody simply botch things by adding too much, thereby tipping us off to something that may be more commonplace than we’d like to think?
April 17th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Linda F Says:
April 17th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Even though the canned cat foods aren’t included in this “melamine-rice-protein†discovery in NB foods, I’m reading the labels on all my cats NB food now and notice “rice flourâ€. Is this a case where “rice is rice is riceâ€?
Could anyone explain to me why the rice flour wouldn’t be affected as is the rice protein? Unless it has to do w/the processing. ???? Thanks.
I would like to ask this same question. Evy from Kumpi may be able to explain it. She is on another board. I’ll see if she will comment on this on the other board.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Newsflash for many of you, since my comments are scattered and take time to read through, but this is very noteworthy.
The pet food industry (yes, I own a small pet food company) got SLAMMED with a 20% increase of ingredient costs in Oct/Nov of last year. I pay the bills, so I can testify. Do some homework on commodity markets and you’ll see it.
This is why I fear that Natural Balance will not be the last recall we’ll see and I have been trying to post about this issue as often as I can. Companies are being forced into trying to meet a certain price point with their products and looking for ways to keep you happy in both price and product. It’s a crisis point for every major manufacturer of pet food. Corners had to get cut and some choices got made that are hurting them now.
As small as I am (and since I’m heading out to my garage soon to prep FedEx for pickup! being a working president) it doesn’t have that large of an impact on me.
Also, that is why some of your pets aren’t touching their food that they’ve always eaten with such gusto. Formula’s are changing like crazy - and you’d be AMAZED at how you can change a formula with the exact same label, bag after bag and year after year.
And I also wonder about this. The recall dates for the Natural Balance are for Sept of 2008??
The natural preservative most every company uses (Naturox is an industry standard, the mixed tocopherols, etc.) keeps the food most fresh for one year. One and half years is a stretch. I always have my bags date stamped one year out from production, not one and a half years. That’s part of why some foods still use BHA, BHT and/or ethoxyquin. They can run large amounts of food, bag ‘em and run quantity since the food will be preserved longer.
Things that make ya go hmmmmm. Think about that.
Ok, off to do my FedEx !!
April 17th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Teresa Holladay says:
“Life’s Abundance…..There is no corn or wheat and a search on “gluten†comes up empty.”
I’ve got a sample pack of Life’s Abundance cat food in my hand right now. Wheat grass is listed as an ingredient.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
teric ~
Just saw your post about that. Rice flour is not a ‘derivative’ from something else. The protein concentrate is much like ‘gluten’ is. Corn gluten meal is used in a lot of cat foods to raise the protein and keep down the ash content - however, it’s sadly lacking in the essential amino acids they need.
Gluten is the protein substance of it’s respective component.
Wheat gluten meal is the “protein” of the wheat processed out. Corn gluten meal is the “protein” of the corn processed out.
When my nutritionist formulated my products he was careful to stay with “whole” sources vs. anything that is derived from a source.
Gotta go do FedEx !!
April 17th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Breeder’s Choice Pet Foods - AvoDerm is a very good food, not implicated in any of the recalled ingredients. They are expensive but might be a good supplement with home-cooked food.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Menu Foods just updated their site and now “Natural LIfe” is on the list of recalled foods.
http://www.menufoods.com/recal.....172007.htm
Nothing on Natural Life web page yet.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Thanks Evy,
I’ll post your info on the other board.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I have been feeding my cats the NB venison and peas canned and dry for about a year now. I just checked the canned food….no mention of any rice gluten, rice flour or rice protein concentrate. Both cats seem fine. But I am not feeding them the NB anymore, canned or dry. My one cat has food allergies and has to eat a limited ingredient food. I just got a bag of IVD limited ingredients venison and peas from my vet. I read the ingredients….no mention of any type of grain and/or gluten. I hope that is the case.
Why would a company add another protein like rice gluten to a food that is suppose to be a limited ingredient food for cats with allegies???
Maybe if we don’t get answers from the company’s president, we should contact Dick Van Patten himself!
April 17th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
Brian that may be so, but look at the email that I got from Natural Balance. If they test their product before production, after production, and before the product ever leaves, and they STILL miss it! Either they are lying and product is not tested at all. Or, they are testing and their methods are so incompetant that bad product cannot be caught in all this testing. It IS the fault of Natural Balance. Especially when they changed their formula to rice glue and failed to let the public know, until pets started getting kidney failure from their product.
Jane
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We also have our OWN quality control over seeing any manufacturing/production of our products. Further, all of our products are tested prior to production, after production, and then once again at our facility before the product ever leaves for distribution
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Brian Says:
April 17th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
There may be a larger overall issue going on here with the quality of the raw ingredients going into pet foods. If that is the case it’s not really the fault of Natural Balance or any other Brand that’s been involved in the recall, but the suppliers intentionally doctoring the raw ingredients so they make more money.
.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Evy,
Can’t wait for that bag of KumpiKat to get here!
Tell Fed Ex to hurry it up.
Just kidding.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
The following is my email, which was immediately bounced from their site (If they’re in crisis mode and really trying to help their customers, they would immediately take measures to ensure their email box doesn’t “fill up” because it’s more than their usual amount. What company these days would be utilizing an ISP that places restrictions on the size of their email box? That’s absurd. You know damned well someone is in their offices right now, if only just performing serious PR damage control, at least with the media.)
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am horrified to learn that Natural Balance has issued a recall on their dry pet foods. My wife and I decided to switch to your brand of pet food from the Hill’s Nutrition-Science Diet line that we’ve been purchasing in the past, specifically because we were led to believe you obtained all your ingredients from U.S. or New Zealand sources.
With this new recall, your website explains that you suspect rice protein concentrate in your Venison formulas. How do we know you’re not going to trickle out more additions to your recall in the coming weeks, as Menu Foods has done with their wheat gluten recall? What can you possibly offer to reassure consumers like us who’ve purchased Natural Balance thinking we were escaping the blatant negligence on the part of pet food manufacturers by using cheap filler imported from other countries instead of growing, manufacturing, and producing their own product?
My wife and I purchased Natural Balance cat and dog food, what I’d assume could be referred to as your “basic” formulas, the pink (cat) and blue (dog) bags. We’ve removed about half to two-thirds of the bags’ contents as we’ve slowly mixed them in with our existing bins of Science Diet food to make them slowly used to the new food. I’m placing these bags away from where my animals can get to them, and dumping all the food in our bins. After that, I’ll wait quietly in fear for the safety of my pets, afraid of the possibility that you’ll expand your recall to the foods we’ve purchased, and wondering now who we can trust to spend our $100+ a month in pet food on.
Some may defend your company by saying you didn’t know the product was contaminated; and while I will commend you for issuing a recall quickly, unlike the criminal players in the wheat gluten debacle, I’m still disappointed that you’re producing your food at plants outside of your company’s direct control. I’m still disappointed that you’ve failed to disclose who is your source of rice gluten. I’m still very disappointed that after many hours of research on the internet to find a company who wasn’t involved in the Menu Foods scandal and obtained their ingredients from within this continent, I’ve been duped yet again.
I know you’re not perfect, and humans make mistakes - that’s why we’re human. But you market your product as a superior choice, a product that can be relied upon and trusted. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, you’ve blown that trust and reliance. You’ve put our pets who, for at least my wife and I, are actually our children, in harm’s way. We trusted you, but we can do so no longer. And that is really a shame.
-Andrew & Heather (withheld),
& our “kids” - Doxey, Mitzi, Wiggles, Fester, Ryo-Oki, and Snowball.
Ogden, UT
April 17th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Buying rice (white or Brown) by the bulk and chicken, beef or fish in large amounts when on sale can save you alot of money. Simply cook a large pot of rice with a meat or fish, which will make a broth. You can add a bag of frozen peas and carrots on sale too. Separate the cooked food into freezer bowls and use as needed. Your dogs and cats will be healthier, happier, safer and you will be richer. And the pet food companies will feel the pinch as they should. We have become lazy and very dependent on the convenience of foods. But we are paying the price in more than one way. Our pets are worth it. So are our kids. >^..^
April 17th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
A lot of people have already written to me about “brown rice” vs. “rice gluten”. I posted a quick blog on it, drawing largely from Dr. John B. Symes, a/k/a “DogtorJ”. He has recovered from celiac disease and is an expert on gluten intolerance and allergies in pets.
Basically, rice GLUTEN is a by-product of rice milling. It’s GLUE. It’s the least adhesive of glues but it IS glue.
Brown rice is gluten-free. It hasn’t been milled, yet, and is generally not coated with “additives”.
So, while we are all beginning to wonder who and what we can trust, brown rice has not yet raised red flags. If it ever does, we will all be in trouble.
The link is at:
http://safepetfood.wordpress.c.....nd-gluten/
April 17th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
okay sooo Im a little confused. If you go to Naturas website and click on Karma Organic, the ingredients say RICE PROTEIN AND WHEAT! Now go to their ingredients wizard and you will discover that when you click on those two ingredients, it will come up saying NO NATURA PRODUCTS CONTAIN THIS INGREDIENT!! I really want to use California Natural..well Im calling tomorrow…I hope they have snuck rice protein into that…
Evy, does your food have any sort of gluten, or protein concentrates in it?? Also I am taking all three cats to have blood tested tomorrow from the NB. Ill let you know how it goes!!
April 17th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
I am feeding Innova dry to my dogs. They have a line called EVO which is high in protein and the label says ‘no grains’. I get it at Pet Supplies Plus and PetSmart does not carry it. I also buy their regular adult dry and recently bought the puppy formula for my new little ones. Saw on TV that they have their own processing plant and were not involved in the recall. Do I need to expect to see it on the recall list soon? My dogs seem fine but how do I know for sure they are not being damaged?
April 17th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
LOL 5CatMom, just you wait until they tear up their first bag :) They have become souvenirs of sorts for me from customers. They actually let me have them and we use them at trade shows. Claw marks are very distinct!!
Anyways, TERRORISM NOT. Just our own inbred kind it seems. Please remember what I’m trying to share about the HIKE in costs in Oct/Nov. Manufacturers are scrambling on how to save money right now. I don’t think they realize that y’all rather spend more money on a safe product than them having to meet a certain price point. Or maybe not. Marketing is not one of my skills.
But the terrorism would have been a concern to me if I didn’t KNOW about the increases we have all faced. Again, as a small company, not so much of an impact. For me, it means getting more serious about using all of my Office Depot coupons more diligently on print jobs or purchases. Face it man, when groceries went up higher, didn’t you find yourself creating fancy ways to save money??
Unfortunately, there are no ‘coupons’ in the pet food industry that we can use. Just need to shave corporate fat and not mess around so much with trying to save money on the product.
psssssst 5CatMom’s cat food - hurrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee
April 17th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Jax,
Try Natura or Evy’s Kumpi. Those are the only ones I’d use at this time.
If you go with Natura, check the protein level. Their EVO is 50% protein which may be OK for a healthy cat, but make sure you don’t have subclinical kidney problems.
April 17th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
unbelievable! Don’t trust Natural Balance, don’t trust any of them. If the label says anything about CORN Rice wheat or mentions any kind of gluten, don’t feed it to your pet. Natural Balance had me fooled (and I have spent HOURS researching) and I just switched to it. I guess you can’t trust just reading either since labels aren’t accurate and websites are changed as soon as a company thinks something is up.
Since we all know about Chemnutra, I doubt they are NBs supplier , it’s already out there ,why would NB be afraid to name them. All the B/S about Made in America (with the American flag on the product! ) except for the Venison that comes from Australia. Yes, ingreedients supplied by American companies who buy from China and other places with low quality standards.
What Im doing is feeding what I have (since I buy in bulk and everyone is fine, so far , on what we have here- 2 dogs, 2 cats Dogs on Bil Jac Senior , cats on Friskies wet and dry and Hills prescription k/d science diet - both wet and dry) Use what you have if everyone is fine because switching is not going to help, what you choose may be the next contaminated thing.
Cook for your dogs, Just throw in a crock pot (on high 5- 6 hours) some frozen green beans, carrots , rice (maybe substitue potatoes at this point , fresh ones from the produce section) and some chicken. I imagine this isn’t balanced but isn’t it safer then what is as of yet undiscovered to be out there? Cats will eat chicken and rice mix , too , I think green beans are ok for them, please research , I know cats are harder- and for cats with kidney problems already, I haven’t a clue or Id be cooking it up already. Had to stick with hills prescription k/d.(and Im more afraid of Hills then purina or Bil Jac)
Unbelievable, no one cares about our babies. We must stop supporting the pet food industry and thier related products, for example , if procter & gamble make things other than food (and we all know they do, look at the coupon insert monthly which features thier products) we cannot buy ANYTHING from them, that is the only thing that will stop this B/S - Haven’t all companies made it clear all they care about is the money? And write to them and tell them , you have lost our business due to putting YOUR GREED over the health of our pets
April 17th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Oh, boneless , skinless chicken in the above recipe, please do research because Im NOT an expert , if dogs get diarrhea, put some bananas in the mix next time you serve them, but again , please research what Im saying, it’s just a suggestion from someone who is as confused and upset as everyone else.
April 17th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I have a bag of the NB Venison and Green Pea from December and there is not (as everyone has mentioned) any mention of rice in their ingredient list. Yes, this was just added and they are sneaks. Yesterday, I spoke with the co-owner of Natural Balance (GREG) and he asked me when I purchased my bag of dry food. I said it was December and he said this bag was not implicated in the recall- he said it was just the recent bags. Now I understand why he could say that: Because at that time, the **&&%% rice wasn’t in their product. For shame on you, Natural Balance for adding cheap ingredients to your so called allergy products.
I was lied to by co-owner, Greg, at NB when he said they didn’t know what the problem- it could be rancid fat he said or a problem w/ the formula- making adding too much protein. Hey, Greg, yes, there’s a problem with your allergy formula and it’s called adding ingredients that are fillers and that save your company money. Look who gets to pay for your cost- saving tactics- our beloved pets with THEIR LIVES!!!
NB, for shame and you had the nerve to offer me coupons!!!
April 17th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Evy,
Yes, it does sound a bit looney!
I’m not suggesting a terrorist attact like 9/11, but rather self-inflicted terrorism. What ails the pet food manufacturing process also ails the human food manufacturing process.
I called two US food companies today - thought I was talking to a pet food company. They can’t reveal what tests they perform - proprietary, you know.
The ChemNutra wheat gluten was ordered as “food grade” and may have been supplied to US food manufacturers, same as US pet food companies.
We really don’t know where all of the wheat gluten went.
The Feds need to check it out. The FDA is in over it’s head.
April 17th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
It could still be terrorism in that one of their tactics is to wear their enemy down.
Sue, I just wanted you to know that I agree with all your posts! I agree with the poster who said that the bags should have been labeled and with the poster who called NB sneaks; indeed.
I would really like to cook for my cats… any recipes? And how much Taurine do cats need added to their food? I just can’t take anymore recalls for my babies!
April 17th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
I would like recipes too!! and like to know how much taurine!!
April 17th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Bottom line, folks….. Please, please read this, think about this, and process this.
Fact 1:.pet food companies can and do change their formulations without notice. Just because Fuzzy has been happy and healthy on a particular brand for ten years does not mean the current bag or can is safe.
Fact2: pet food labels on bags, cans and websites are not necessarily accurateor trustworthy. Doing a “search” for gluten, wheat gluten, concentrated rice protein, corn gluten, rice flour, no added grains, etc.,etc. or whatever you are trying to avoid simply does not work anymore. See fact 1 above.
Fact 3: If your pet is leery about a new food it is at least possible they are being finnicky. If a pet is suddenly refusing or becoming sick from a brand and type of food they have eaten for months or years there is something wrong with the food. Do not let them eat it! See fact1.
Especially, in this current environment of uncertainty and daily recalls do not force your pet to eat something they do not want to eat.
April 17th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Here is some new posted on another board.
juli28428 Says:
April 17th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
By Julie Schmit and Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
The industrial chemical melamine has been found in more pet food, and suspicion is falling on a second pet-food ingredient imported from China as the source of the contamination.
Natural Balance Pet Foods said Tuesday it found melamine in samples of some of its food, which led to a recall. The company suspects melamine was in a rice protein concentrate used as an ingredient, said President Joey Herrick in an interview.
Melamine is the chief suspect related to the Menu Foods recall, first announced four weeks ago for more than 60 million cans and pouches of wet dog and cat food. The melamine in Menu’s products was in wheat gluten imported from China and sold to Menu and several other pet-food makers, which also did recalls.
The rice protein concentrate was imported from China by San Francisco-based Wilbur-Ellis. Herrick says the concentrate, which is being tested, is suspected to have melamine, as it was the only new ingredient. Recalled Natural Balance products include Venison and Brown Rice canned and dry dog foods, dog treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
Wilbur-Ellis CEO John Thacher said his company sold the concentrate to five pet-food makers, but that most of it went to two firms. One of the primary companies was Diamond Pet Foods, which packs some of the Natural Balance product but doesn’t use the concentrate in any Diamond-made foods, says Diamond spokesman Jim Fallon. The other major customer, which Thacher would not name, tested the rice protein and found no melamine, Thacher says. Natural Balance’s rice protein concentrate is mixed with venison meal, Thacher says.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: China | Foods | Menu | Petcare | Menu Foods
Natural Balance has received about 10 reports of sick pets, mostly dogs, since Thursday, Herrick says. It started testing the foods Friday, when it also asked retailers to pull the products. As in the Menu recall, some of the pets developed kidney failure, Natural says.
Natural Balance was co-founded in 1989 by actor Dick Van Patten, according to the company’s website.
The Food and Drug Administration offered no comment Tuesday. It said Monday that Natural Balance had informed the agency of the issue. Thacher says it told the FDA on Sunday that it had detected melamine in some rice protein concentrate imported from China about a week ago. Wilbur-Ellis has ceased importing the ingredient from the Chinese firm, Binzhou Futian Biology Technology, Thacher says.
Along with Diamond, pet-food makers Nestlé Purina PetCare and Procter & Gamble said Tuesday that they don’t use rice protein concentrate in their foods.
No other Natural Balance products include the ingredient, the company says.
Melamine is not allowed in human or pet food. It is an industrial chemical used in plastics worldwide and also sometimes as a fertilizer in Asia, the FDA says.
While melamine is not highly toxic, the FDA is investigating whether it, or something related to it, is responsible for pet deaths in the Menu recall.
April 17th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
I agree with you 5CatMom
April 17th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Thank you Itchmo for your incredibly prompt coverage of this continuing nightmare. I thank you, and countless yorkie owners on my forum thank you too. I do not know what we would have done without your site!
I am totally home cooking now, my trust level in the food companies is gone. I am hoping they are getting all of their vitamins and minerals but at least I can feel certain I am not poisoning them.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:18 am
I’m still unclear as to whether rice flour (brown rice flour to be specific, which is included in the fish-flavor canned NB foods only) has any connection w/the rice protein in question, other than they’re all being of rice origin.
Since it’s been rumored that the melamine was in water used to extract the protein or gluten from the wheat (re: the Menu foods debacle), my assumption is that rice goes through similar processing to arrive at the “protein or concentrate” stage. So, where in all this processing system does the “rice flour” result? IOW, is it fair to assume that the rice flour is not affected as is the rice protein/concentrate because it is processed differently to reach that stage?
BTW, I think it’s being misconstrued that the melamine-tainted rice protein concentrate is in ALL NB foods. Someone mentioned concern about it being in the canned cat foods. None of the canned cat foods are listed in the recall. None of the labels on the NB canned cat foods I checked in my pantry have “rice protein” listed as an ingredient. Only the fish has “brown rice flour”. Hence my concern and question about that. Can anyone provide a dumbed-down explanation for me? I fully admit I’m chemisty-challenged. :)
April 18th, 2007 at 12:24 am
ELIZABETH- you you are so right on. Don’t believe packaging or websites. Remember the 6 month labeling changes allowances.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:25 am
EVY- are u at the fed x yet? hungry pets await in Omaha.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:44 am
The supplier/exported in China also sells pea protein powder in addition to rice protein concentrate.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:47 am
teric,
Thanks. I’m trying to get some folks in Washington to connect the dots. I don’t believe they even know what dots are!
I was making stew today and noticed that the beef broth contained wheat gluten. Didn’t use it. Stew was awful!
April 18th, 2007 at 2:40 am
OMG I am really angry regarding the NB food debacle. I very deliberately researched their food. Their website previously claimed that they manufactured all their food in one plant, and shipped it for packaging to another. They stated that all their food except the New Zealand lamb was grown or produced in the US. Now all that information is gone…….making me wonder if this is all a bad dream. This feels worse than menu foods, since I really expected ethical behavior from NB. Guess I’m a ninny.
Gotta go….timer went off for the dog food…you guessed it, I’m cooking for the dog again.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:41 am
[…] Itchmo reports that more Natural Balance foods have been pulled, due to melamine found in a rice […]
April 18th, 2007 at 2:45 am
Does anyone have the websites for making dog and cat food? I am at a loss as to what to feed the kitties.
April 18th, 2007 at 2:49 am
Maybe we should all send a link to the “Menu Foods Tragedy Memorial” to each of our senators. Warning! It’s sad and beautiful at the same time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrCvfj4g9MU
April 18th, 2007 at 3:10 am
The rice protein concentrate is definitely a cheap form of protein used to “boost” the protein in the ingredients (so that they can reduce the “real” meat ingredients). It’s a cost-cutting measure & it really bugs me that NB added this to their allergen food.
Now, what I find interesting is that both the wheat gluten (from Menu Foods recall) & the rice protein (from NB recall) came from China. It’s suspected the wheat gluten had melamine deliberately added into it to increase the protein % of the gluten. Is it possible the other Chinese factory did the same thing? Basically added melamine to deliberately increase the protein value of their concentrate? This seems like a cheap & easy way for the Chinese factories to raise the protein % and sell a higher-protein product to their non-suspecting US clients. Maybe they’re all doing this and it’s standard practice in China?
April 18th, 2007 at 5:27 am
I’ve been reading all the posts here since the initial recall, and first want to thank everyone for all the questions and answers, I’ve learned so much.
Luckily, so far, we’ve dodged 14 poison bullets (we have three small dogs and a cat, plus my small, private dog rescue presently houses two adult large dogs and eight puppies!) I can’t imagine any of my animal family ill and dying, let alone the horror when thinking of the rescue puppies, who I’ve delivered and been raising for adoption, (I broke the sacs and cut all their umbilical cords! Love love LOVE all these animals), being poisoned!
BUT: About a month before the Menu Foods recall, my husband brought home something for our 15 yr. old yorkie, who’s stiff in his leg joints — a package of Authority Brand Dog Treats Hip and Joint, a supplement with glucosamine and chondroitin. My old yorkie will eat anything, but interestingly enough, all the younger dogs, (not the puppies, wouldn’t feed it to them), especially the big rescue dogs, wouldn’t touch it. And the rescues, after a history of starvation, would eat any treat, too. I thought it was very, very odd. But just figured they didn’t like it. After about four days feeding my yorkie half a treat as instructed to feed daily, (by weight) he had diarrhea for the last two days of it, and was vomiting at night a yellow bile kind of fluid. A day after stopping the treat, and since, (and before it), he’s been fine.
I discontinued feeding it immediately, but only thinking, as it was pre-recall of any kind, that it just didn’t agree with him. For some strange reason, I kept the full package, which I am looking at right now — it contains rice flour — and, corn gluten meal and corn flour. Or, at least that’s what the label attests to. Because, who knows what else might be in it, off label and withheld from consumer knowledge.
Holding one heart-shaped treat up to the light, I see small, clear, flat somethings that reflect the light, like, well, *crystals*. So, when they say they found crystals of melamine in the tainted foods, if they meant it literally, then I’m wondering if that’s exactly what I’m seeing here twinkling at me from the dog treat!
That said, I wouldn’t be feeding your dog Authority Brand Hip and Joint Treats, either. I may be wrong, but better safe than sorry.
In the beginning, we had the rescue dogs on purina dog chow, and the puppies were weaned onto purina one puppy chow, and had no problems then or afterwards or since. The little dogs were on Science Diet adult kibbles and S.D. Senior. I lost a cat a year ago to CRF (chronic renal failure) and know what to look for. We had no problems on S.D., but, for us, if the company has ANY product recalled, we will no longer buy ANYTHING from that company. We’re tired of (and angry about) profits being more important than our pets.
So, with the initial recall, we’ve switched to Cannidae. All the animals. Only the cat won’t eat the felidae, and lost weight. He won’t eat homemade either, only the meat, which is much too much protein for a 16 yr old cat (could cause kidney issues at his age). He’ll only eat Science Diet Senior hairball control. Which worries me, because reluctantly, today, I had to put him back on it, for now, until I can find him something else. Our next try will be Kumpi.
In sum, if regulations allow ingredient changes not to be listed for six months on the pet food label, then we really can’t be sure what we’re feeding. If companies are saying they buy american ingredients, but leave out the fact that the american suppliers bought it overseas first, then we can’t be sure what we’re feeding. If a product declares itself grain free, but put in grain off list, then we can’t be sure what we’re feeding. We are being outright lied to, and have been all along. Call me naive, but it’s beyond shocking — it’s CRMINAL — and can’t be let to continue.
It’s a fact that if all my animals had gotten sick all at once from poisoned food, all I would’ve been able to afford to do, traumatically, is euthanize. All of them? What a horror. Actually, after reading the website Voice4Dogs, and what the chinese do to dogs and cats (the fur trade) it doesn’t surprise me at all that they’re involved in this fiasco.
With no trust *whatsover* in ANY company now, I wrote Cannidae, and got (as many others on the net have posted their own Cannidae replies) a form email reply. BUT — what if Cannidae is on the same course as Natural Balance? And, after taking a bit to reply to my original email, they’ve yet to answer my next two emails requesting more information and specifics. I’ll send this now, then post the email exchange in my next posting.
keeping all the animals and their humans in our prayers,
Em
April 18th, 2007 at 5:43 am
“support@canidae.com” wrote:
To reiterate, CANIDAE Pet Foods is in no way is affected by the current can re-call, and we aren’t, or have never been, produced at any of the recalled facilities. We do not produce Cuts and Gravy, Pouches, and none of our products contain wheat, or wheat gluten.
With the current cuts and gravy recall by a large co-packer, and all the misleading information, we thought we would help explain the production of canned foods. There are only a hand full of co-packers that are located in the US and they produce most canned foods. A few companies choose to have their cans made outside the US , and may or may not disclose that information to you. The pet food industry co-packers are no different from the human products we ourselves eat or drink on a daily basis. Each formula is different and unique to the specific pet food company in which the formulas are owned. Ingredients, quality grade of meats, grade of carbohydrates, vitamin and mineral formulations, to name a few, are all at the discretion of the pet food company in which the products are produced for, and are apparent by the governmental regulated labels. Our heartfelt concerns go out to all involved and or affected by the re-call.
All Canidae products are produced in the USA. We do not purchase ingredients from any suppliers outside of the US. All Canidae ingredients are grown &/or raised in the USA. In addition, we only purchase the absolute best USDA grade “A” hormone and antibiotic free meats. Our rice is also grade “A” Pesticide free. Our fish is FDA inspected and passed residual free of ethoxiquin.
Our cannery is a small facility located in IL. and able to produce the highest quality products. This small family operated facility only produces products that are of the highest quality human grade ingredients. Our formulations were created by an outside nutritionist that has been developing canned foods for over 35 years. You can feel assured by our quality and product performance that our cannery holds the highest standards in production, and is regulated by AAFCO by (NRC), USDA, FDA, IDA, EU Approved and is Organically Certified.
Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. The original pet food extrusion mill was built in 1978. CANIDAE’s involvement with the plant sparked the introduction of our own extruder in 1999. Our dry goods facility also regulated by AAFCO by (NRC), USDA, FDA, TDA and EU Approved. We are currently under production with a brand new plant at the same facility to keep up with the growth and demand of our product line.
In order to ensure the highest quality meat based biscuit ever created, we ventured into the biscuit production business in 2003. Our 100 foot oven runs our fresh biscuits daily in a building opposite our extrusion plant in TX. Our biscuit plant is also regulated by AAFCO by (NRC), USDA, FDA, TDA and EU Approved.
**********************************************
After the Congressional Hearing, we all know the AAFCO and other initialed so-called regulation groups are a joke. A false front.
I wrote back to Cannidae:
Thank you for your reply, but I still have some concerns:
First, is there a name for the person replying here to me? I would appreciate a name/real person that is identifiable.
Secondly, the pet food recall made it clear that in some instances, supposed “U.S.” suppliers of grain weren’t supplying U.S. grain but grain first obtained from overseas without making this known outright. So, by saying one thing and leaving out other information, consumers were led to believe one thing (U.S. origin) that was not true in actuality.
Is it possible to get the name of the suppliers you use, so I can see for myself and put my mind at ease? You wrote below:
>> All Canidae ingredients are grown &/or raised in the USA. In addition, we only purchase the absolute best USDA grade “A” hormone and antibiotic free meats. Our rice is also grade “A” Pesticide free. Our fish is FDA inspected and passed residual free of ethoxiquin. >>
I would like to research the above facts for myself.
>>This small family operated facility only produces products that are of the highest quality human grade ingredients. >>
May I know the name of this facility, again, to research it for myself?
>>Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. >>
Is the name of this plant Canidae? Is it owned by Canidae? If not, what is the name of the plant?
I appreciate your further reply and asistance,
Em
*****************************************
I also wrote them again:
Hello again,
I just sent an email reply off to you, but, would also like to know if Canidae outsources, and if so, to whom?
I am requesting real answers by a real person to my questions here and below. I am aware, as posted on the internet by many others who have emailed your company, that the response I received is not a personal response answering my questions but a form letter email. We are all getting the same exact form reply from your company, regardless of individual questions and concerns.
While I understand that you may be swamped with emails, the lives of my animals are paramount in this situation, along with my right and need as a consumer spending money on your products, to know what I am buying and feeding my dogs.
thank you very much,
Em
********************************************
I’ve yet to get a reply back at all to my follow-up emails. That in itself worries me.
take care all, sorry for such long posts,
Em
April 18th, 2007 at 5:56 am
My girls were eating this for a week!!!!!!!! Please keep them in your prayers. No signs at all but I also know having been through Kidney failure that blood test show nothing till the Kidney is 75% damaged!! I also have been in contact with NB at least 5 times now, and will be calling again today! I want the lot #, even though I know they are recalling it all for saftey sake. Or is it for their sake! God bless. Lord help us all!
April 18th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Also wanted to thank you, Itchmo. Knowledge is power, and I am thankful, and even calmed some, receiving your alerts. I tell everyone I meet and know about your site and about your email alerts designed to protect our furry family members.
rock on,
Em
April 18th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Itchmo moderators?
http://www.itchmo.com/read/nat.....mment-5627
I hate to play board nanny here but this is just wrong.
ITCHMO ADMIN: Sorry we missed it Traci. All references have been removed (including quoted responses) and the word has been flagged for future screening. Thanks for your help. Send a quick email to tips@itchmo.com if you find other racist comments.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:46 am
I’m with you SmileOnADog.
I think it’s criminal that pet companies can lie on their labels. I’ve been a HUGE Natural Balance fan for years and feel completely let down by all this. Some thoughts…
1. I’m shocked by the change in their Venison & Pea which is an ALLERGEN formula and has always been marketed as a single-source protein for that very reason. Now, we find they’ve changed the formula and added a 2nd protein to it. Terrible move for an allergen product where owners RELY on the ingredients list for their sensitive pets. I’m really appaled by this.
2. I’m worried about their Ultra formula. 2 weeks ago I bought my usual bag of NB Cat Ultra and noticed the ingredients list had CHANGED from the old bag. I took pictures of both bags and wrote to NB who gave me a canned response about improving their food. Now, there’s no rice protein in my list of ingredients, but who knows if this list is correct? What if there’s an off-list ingredient which isn’t shown? Strangely enough after 5 days of opening the “new” bag one of my little babies started peeing blood. We “think” it’s just a bad case of cystisis and not related to the food, but the timing is terrible & we’re so worried.
For everyone’s reference here are the 2 bag ingredients as I have them:
OLD BAG top ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Duck, Lamb Meal, Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Canola Oil, Oatmeal, Fish Meal
NEW BAG top ingredients: Chicken Meal, Chicken, Brown Rice, Duck Meal, Barley, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Potatoes, Carrots, Lamb Meal, Fish Meal, Canola Oil
April 18th, 2007 at 7:02 am
I just wrote this letter to Natural Balance. I will let you know what/if they respond:
After 5 days of feeding my cats the “new” bag of Natural Balance Ultra (with the recent ingredient change) one of my cats Has started to pee blood. We have taken her to the vet and are terribly Worried. On my side, I have immediately stopped feeding all Natural Balance to my animals.
*** Can you assure me there is NO rice protein concentrate in the
Ultra bags? Perhaps you have added it, but not listed it in
the ingredients?
I urge you to come forth about this ASAP. If there is any risk That pets can get sick from your product, you need to let them know immediately.
I pray and hope that my pet’s illness is not caused by your product.
April 18th, 2007 at 7:58 am
I feed our Weimaraner EVO RM with 1/3 can of Merrick wet food in his morning ration and several Brewers Yeast with Garlic Tablets. neither of these companies are involved in the recall. Check them out at
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/
Merrick has put out a bulletin
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/.....Notice.jpg
http://www.naturapet.com/
Also Naturapet has put out a bulletin
http://www.naturapet.com/about......asp?id=16
We had cats for many years and had one who was intolerant of a lot of wet foods (the other could not eat dry) so we made their food which consisted of olive oil, rice, scrambled eggs and chicken gizzards, both loved it and lived long lives.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:10 am
Re. Regulation - a veterinarian friend of mine recently told me that pet food manufacturers are only required to actually put into the food what they have listed on the label for three months out of the year–the rest of the time they can vary their ingredients (ie use cheaper ones) and not change the label to reflect that. I don’t know if this is true or not. It seems to me that this pet food fiasco is one (deadly) example of a much larger problem: American companies putting money above all else. Making as much money as possible even if it means deceiving the consumer and even if it results in loss of life - human or otherwise. So, we can all start cooking for our animals, but how do we know that the “organic” chicken, rice & veggies we’re buying & cooking isn’t contaminated with something? Color me paranoid! And color me fed up (pun intended).
April 18th, 2007 at 8:11 am
I just want to applaud everyone who has contributed good information to this. Your information and links to these articles have been very useful. There has been a lot of information that I wouldn’t have known without it and getting the news early has been wonderful. I have been very frustrated with the slow updates by the FDA, the media and the companies.
Itchmo, great job keeping us all informed as the news comes in. I am sure that you spend an awful lot of time keeping this site updated with all this news. This site has been a great source for this nightmare food recall.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:50 am
My dog was on Science Diet-reduced formula. Everyone told me that it was crap-mainly because it had corn and that the only reason the vets reccomend it is because they get some kind of kickback from the company–so I do my homework and switch to Natural Balance-Ultra Premium Reduced formula, although not on the re-call at this time, it makes you wonder. Many people are making home-made food for their pets, I just choose not to.
As strange as it sounds-I continue to believe in the Natural Balance. Since my dog has been on it-her coat is more beautiful and seems healthy. I can only pray that this whole matter is cleared up and those of us who use NB can breathe a sigh of relief….I just hope this doesnt give Dick Van Patton-another heart-attack–he risked everything putting his name on this food because of his love for animals and his faith in the product.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Guys - I own a pet boutique and am co-host of the talk show “Doggy Talk” on WRDV-FM. Here’s a food that we feed our three cocker spaniels (we had been feeding Neuro and Nutro, but certainly not now!)
At our store we have just started selling Vet’s Choice, dry and canned.
It’s contents are: chicken, garlic, chicken broth - that’s it, and my three eat it up like it’s going out of style. I split one can between the three of them mixed with the dry food. We were so happy we can’t begin to tell you!
Also, we are getting in HOME MADE (we know the people and have been in their kitchen during health dept inspections) stews in glass jars that are as close to what you make (without the mess) as you can get PLUS have vitamin supplements.
If anybody is interested in knowing more, please feel free to email me at pupradio@comcast.net
These big companies are NEVER going to tell us the whole truth and the FDA has only inspected 30% of pet food processing plants in the US since 2004!! WHAT??? It’s time for us to stand up and boycott the big guys…
April 18th, 2007 at 9:23 am
hi nina,
i don’t think only the US residents are being affected.
This is worldwide. Where ever the food is being exported to, the pet owners in that country gets affected.
April 18th, 2007 at 9:51 am
The canning plant in Illinois that Canadae’s response email refers to (in the above post by SmileOnaDog ) is most likely Evanger’s. It is a small, respected family owned business not too far from my home. They can dog and cat food under their own brand as well, (it is expensive) but their web site says they do some private label. www.evangersdogfood.com
April 18th, 2007 at 9:52 am
June - you’re absolutely right! Actually I’m based in Asia, but there’s been very little coverage here on the recalls. Menu Foods made a very short statement to the local vets that the recall didn’t apply here. I don’t believe it for a minute. This is definitely a WW phenomenon.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Thanks for the info Elizabeth.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Has there been any mention of a lot number, etc. of the food that is affected? Or any info as to when NB added rice protein to these foods? Apparently this is a new ingredient in these foods (boy, I bet NB sure is sorry they made a change to their foods now). I have been feeding my 2 cats the venison and peas dry food for a while. Last bag I purchased was on 3/31/07 and I believe the expiration date was June 2008. I was about half way through that bag when the recall was issued. I stopped feeding them the food and my cats seem fine….but….I sure would like to know if the bag I have was affected.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Em,
Thanks for the research re: Canidae. I also have emailed them asking the same questions. I have yet to hear back either. This worries me as well.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:18 am
For those of you wondering what to feed your pet….I’ve just looked at the naturapet.com web site. See the following:
How Natura Pet Products is Different
No pet food company in the world makes natural pet foods like Natura. We use only ingredients you’d eat yourself: quality meats, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and complete vitamin and mineral supplements. For us humans, a diet of natural, wholesome food is essential to living a long healthy life. We believe this fundamental principle is true for your pet, too.
All of our human grade dog and cat foods are carefully cooked and tested to ensure consistent nutrient quality and enjoyable texture and taste. All of the ingredients used in our pet foods are tested to make sure they are hormone, antibiotic and pesticide-free. And we never add artificial ingredients, chemical additives, by-products or fillers of any kind.
Someone mentioned in an earlier post that they had a funny smelling bag of Karma, but overall, site looked great. I will be trying some of their products. I have been using bil-jac frozen and supplementing with food straight from the human’s table for my dog.
I hope they are as committed to quality as their site states. I will try to call/email them to make sure grains are not from overseas.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:19 am
blkcatgal, Your comment is exactly what I have been thinking since the beginning of the whole recall fiasco. If we knew the production dates of the foods rather than the expiration dates we would have such a better idea if they were made before the tainted gluten and rice protein started arriving from China, or after it started arriving profusely November/December-ish (and therefore of greater likelihood it is in the foods). Of course it would be ideal if the manufacturers would tell us outright when they started meddling with the formulations by adding the tainted ingredients to the brands our pets liked and we trusted, but that is probably not gonna happen! Lawyers, you know.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Thanks smileon for the info! I was giving my 1 yr old bichon Solid Gold and had just recently switch her to NB Premium because I found it was rated an A+. After all this, I don’t know WHAT to do! I don’t feel like giving $ to NB when they are not being totally honest with us! As a side note, she doesn’t seem to like it.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:53 am
By chance I went to the Natural Balance website yesterday. I visit it once in a while for assurance that they were not involved with the companies linked to the Menu Foods recall. I was shocked.
Luckily I was able to find this site to follow what is going on.
I live in Ottawa, Canada and I had an unopened package of dry Venison and Brown rice dog food. I phoned the pet food store and yes it had been recalled. If I had not found the recall on the internet I would not have phoned the store and I would have been feeding it to my dog today.
Even this morning there is no mention of the Natural Balance recall anywhere in the Canadian news: television, radio or newspapers.
Natural Balance sells their products in Canada but they do not seem to be sending their press release out the Canadian news services. It is their responsibility to make sure their Canadian customers are warned about their recall.
I have been cutting and pasting Natural Balance’s press release and sending it out myself to try and get news coverage so that other pet owners in Ottawa like me with this food in their cupboards do not use it.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:59 am
For all of those who have lost a pet during this tragedy, please consider going to your local shelters and adopting a needy pet! No, it can’t replace the pet you lost, but it can turn this tragedy into something positive. An over abundance of needy pets exist at all local shelters and this is just as tragic as the pet food recall is.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:11 am
Em/Smileonadog - I stopped using Royal Canin when the recall first started due to a similar (but even more closed) communication style to what you received from Canidae.
The most surprising experience i’ve had during this was asking a pet store owner if any of her customers had reported any issues with Cal Natural. Her response, “It’s not part of the Menu recall”. My response, “That’s NOT what I asked you”. She also accused me of trying to scam her out of free food when I requested a sample to try. Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Does anyone know where the following comment came from that I cited from above:
“Natural Balance says it will reimburse the pet parents for medical expenses related to the melamine toxin.”
I have not found this statement anywhere on NB’s website, the FDA, nor from any other newspaper article. Is there anyone that can substantiate this? I have emailed NB but am not holding my breath…
I would like to express my thanks to this website and the wonderful insight it has provided.
My 7 month old puppy had eaten ONE can of the Venison and Brown Rice within the last two weeks and has been vomiting for the past week…and I thought it was a new medication, she is getting bloodwork done are there any other tests anyone recommends for the vet to preform?
ITCHMO ADMIN: Tina, I will confirm that as well. When I spoke to the company, they said the same thing.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Anyone who lives in Canada - please look into Orijin foods. I was at a conference and met the owner. It looks wonderful. Please let me know if anyone uses it or knows about it.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Recently switched my cat to Orijen dry food and it’s outstanding! She hoovers it up. Best of all, to date I have absolute confidence in its quality. It’s made with 70% human grade meat plus 30% human grade fruits, vegetables and botanicals. Plus, it’s Canadian-made, which satisfies my nationalist leanings. Here’s a link to the site: http://www.championpetfoods.com/orijen/orijen/
April 18th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Great! They won’t release the name of the other companies that may have the rice protein concentrate in them. Guess what?!!!! Hills prescription diet h/d and k/d formulas for animals who already have compromised kidney’s have it in them! What are we to do????? SOMEBODY BETTER GET A HOLD ON THIS - the damn FDA doesn’t seem to be doing it!
April 18th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Tina, you are correct. It did say that on their original press release. Now it read with more dtail about what is wrong with the food and all you get now is that if you have one of the bad bags you should return it to the store for a full refund.
Looks like whoever needs it, is on their own with the vet bills. I’d advise calling them about that if it is necessary. Hope it isn’t.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Just got off the phone with a NB representative. He told me that to the best of their knowledge the rice protein concentrate was first added to the foods on March 28th. He did say emphatically that NB was NOT going to be using rice protein concentrate anymore and would be changing back to the old formula. (Hindsight is 20/20; now they are paying the price.) He also said none of the other NB foods contained the rice protein concentrate.
I told him there were a lot of angry people out there…..
April 18th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
WATCH OUT for ALL VARITIES of NATURAL BALANCE for CATS. My 17 year old kitty got sick last week after I tried switching her to Natural Balance (I’ve been trying many brands & raw food). Last weekend after eating Natural Balance a couple days she started vomiting and stopped eating (even her favorite Shrimp). As it is I am already giving her sub Q fluids a couple times a week for chronic renal failure so I stepped up her fluids and took her to the vet on Monday and stopped trying to feed her Natural Balance( she didn’t want to eat it anyway). I actually thought she was just sick from switching her diet. Now I know it was the food. Good luck to us all.
April 18th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
NB now has a FAQ page up:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/faq.html
April 18th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
“ITCHMO ADMIN: Sorry we missed it Traci. All references have been removed (including quoted responses) and the word has been flagged for future screening. Thanks for your help. Send a quick email to tips@itchmo.com if you find other racist comments.”
No problem, I alerted you because I realize that you can’t keep up with everything now and comments like that aren’t fit to remain on this forum.
Sadly, knowing human nature and the nature of internet, I was waiting for it to happen. Yes, this is about China (their political system and human rights), it is about “Western” corporations and greed and de-regulation and WTO, it is about lack of funding for basic government like the FDA and secure monitoring of our food sources, and it may be about GMOs. It is not about the Chinese people.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
It’s really sad that NATURAL BALANCE felt they needed to change their Venison pet food formulas on March 29th, just after the Menu Foods recall.
Suddenly they’re getting alot more worried customers buying their products, right? Gee, do you think they had an ulterior motive than just to improve the formula?? YOU BETCHA!!! Get this . . . They removed the first ingredient of Venison and replaced it with the second ingredient Green Pea. With less venison, that saves them money. Then to increase the missing amount of protein from the venison, they added a cheap and inferior protein “rice protein concentrate”, the stuff that has the melamine in it. Yup, that saves them money too!!
So, now as they get a flood of new customers buying up more of their supposedly “safe & healthy” food, they’re also making a killing (oh, forgive the pun) as their profit line skyrockets! This is what corporate greed is all about! And I’m sick of it. It’s a shame our beloved pets have had to die because of this.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Jennifer Freeman, B.S., R.V.T.
Animal Nutrition
Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc.
800-829-4493 X106
Jenniferb@naturalbalanceinc.com
After a few heated emails back and forth with Jennifer, on 3/19 she finally admits to outsourcing at Diamond. (Petsitusa.com had the same problem with her, even worse as they received info/emails directly from Diamond saying that they do production for NB). To date, NB has not fessed up to that fact. NOTE: Petsitusa has since removed all email correspondence about this.
4/16 voice mail to NB, call me, I have info re ULTRA health problems with my dog since feeding 100% NB Ultra 2/16 to 3/19, them mix of NB and Canidae from 3/20 to date. I have not received a call back. Phone lines have been busy, busy Mn, Tues and today. How many other people have been ignored by NB in reference to “Ultra†problems or any other product they sell besides the recalled ‘Venison�
I’ve already put down 1 cat and another is in kidney failure from Iam’s recalled “Select Bitesâ€.
I am terrified that NB ULTRA will be recalled and is the reason my Ziggy dog has had health problems since the day I switched him from IAMS dry on 2/16 to NB Ultra.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Smile on a Dog– go to the petwhisperer.com You should be able to write to the site monitor. YOu can research Gemmotherapy and de-tox your dog. I use the common juniper tincture by Dolisos (Boiron) on my cats since they ate the dry NB venison and green pea last weekend.
April 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I have an older bag of NB Venison & Gree Pea dry for cats. The ingredients are listed as:
Venison, Whole Dried Green Peas, Venison Meal, Canola Oil, Venison Liver, Natural Flavor, Phosphoric Acid, Choline, etc.
The new bag as listed on NB’s website, has ingredients as follows:
Peas, Venison, Venison Meal, Rice Protein Concentrate, Canola Oil, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Methionine, etc. (WHERE’S THE VENISON LIVER????)
Gee, they messed with a good thing. Less venison, NO venison liver, and added rice protein concentrate. Why???
April 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Just thought I’d add my two cents worth about foods. I have two dogs and both eat Natural Balance (well, until recently). My older dog has been on the Duck and Potato for about five years now with nary a problem. My other dog had been eating the NB Venison for about 6 months with no problems. I did just buy a new bag, but luckily heard about the recall and returned it. I switched her over to Timberwolf, the Black Forest formula (venison and lamb) and joy of joys, she switched with no problems. I chalk this up to the fact that for the last several months my dogs have been on a steady regiment of enzymes and antioxidants. They are absolutely thriving (both had horrible allergies). The enzymes/antioxidants help cleanse toxins and free radicals from their bodies, as well as boost their immune systems. Although there are several brands, the brand I use is N-Zymes (nzymes.com) and I absolutely swear by the stuff. I highly recommend it, especially for animals that are prone to illness, or are currently fighting an illness. (No, I am not associated in any way with the company. Just a pleased consumer.)
As for the recall, it is a sad state of affairs when a food you have trusted for your pets (or for humans for that matter) for several years becomes tainted. And I truly feel for those who have lost pets or are dealing with a sick pet because of it. Do I blame NB? Not exactly. Under the circumstances I think they responded fairly well. After I heard about the recall, I contacted them and the woman with whom I spoke was as helpful as the information at that time allowed. I think where my disappointment comes is the fact they changed the formula without notice, especially in the ingredients. I’ve had that happen to me with human products to ill effect. In a perfect world, one would believe that this situation will force companies to act more prudently. But I doubt it.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
ORIJEN -
http://www.ourdogsonline.com/u.....451/page/8
Especially with cats being so sensitive to brain wasting disease, I would turn down anything made by Champion. How do they expect to get all those prions off the machinery so other food won’t be contaminated. You can’t. It takes special methods to clean up after BSE.
Jane
April 18th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Jaye,
I agree with you….I am disappointed that NB changed their formula without any notice, especially at a time when us pet parents are frantic about foods. Sad to say, NB is paying the price now. What they thought they could save by adding the rice protein they are going to lose big time in the way of customers and profits.
April 18th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Question for Evy,
Hi, as you run a place that makes pet food, I would like to find out something. It is a law that fish that is processed out on a boat must be preserved with ethoxyquin. This is because fish meal is flammable and ethoxyquin keeps it from exploding.
I have asked two natural human grade companies now and both claim there is no such law. Would you know anything about this? Where do most pet food makers get their supply of fish? And is this fish preserved with ethoxyquin? How can it not be as this is a requirement?
Jane
April 18th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Where does Evy’s company get their ingredients and what manufacturing plants are used?
April 18th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Nina,
My cat also started urinating blood about a week after eating NB Venison and Green Pea. A few days later he started vomiting every time he ate. The vet thinks that his vomiting possibly kept the food from doing anymore damage to his system. I know you said yours was on ultra but it sounds like the exact reaction my cat had.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Lee,
This is what is posted on Evy’s webpage.
No Kumpi products are made by Menu Foods
All Kumpi products are specially formulated by multi-species nutritionist
No soy, by-products or wheat sources
Manufactured by Crosswind Petfood Industries
USDA/APHIS inspected and meats utilized are EU approved
Voluntarily regulated by American Institute of Baking (i.e. held to human bakery standards)
All grains are American grown and regulated
Food is tested before, during and after production
Kumpi Pet Foods does not test on animals
April 18th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Tanya, how long ago did you feed your cat the NB and how long ago did your cat start having problems. NB told me today that the rice protein was added to the formula on March 28th. I wonder when they actually did change the formula.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
TO: SmileOnADog
This email was received April 9th from Canidae.
Notice how they state “our†plant in TX for both dry food and biscuits. I took that “our†to be their plant. But now I’m questioned this because Canidae has not responded back to your latest email question of ‘is the name of this plant called Canidae?’. Very interesting, huh? Here’s the email………..
All Canidae products are produced in the USA. We do not purchase Ingredients from any suppliers outside of the US. All Canidae ingredients are grown &/or raised in the USA. In addition, we only purchase the absolute best USDA grade “A” hormone and antibiotic free meats. Our rice is also grade “A” Pesticide free. Our fish is FDA inspected and passed residual free of ethoxyquin.
Our cannery is a small facility located in IL and able to produce the
highest quality products. This small family operated facility only produces
products that are of the highest quality human grade ingredients. Our
formulations were created by an outside nutritionist that has been
developing canned foods for over 35 years. You can feel assured by our
quality and product performance that our cannery holds the highest standards
in production, and is regulated by AAFCO by (NRC), USDA, FDA, IDA, EU
Approved and is Organically Certified.
Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. The original pet food extrusion mill was built in 1978. CANIDAE’s involvement with the plant sparked the introduction of our own extruder in 1999. Our dry goods facility also regulated by AAFCO by
(NRC), USDA, FDA, TDA and EU Approved. We are currently under production with a brand new plant at the same facility to keep up with the growth and demand of our product line.
In order to ensure the highest quality meat based biscuit ever created, we ventured into the biscuit production business in 2003. Our 100 foot oven runs our fresh biscuits daily in a building opposite our extrusion plant in TX. Our biscuits plant is also regulated by AAFCO by (NRC), USDA, FDA, TDA and EU Approved.
Sincerely,
Team Canidae
April 18th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
blkcatgal,
I started feeding my cat NB around 4/2. It took him a week to become ill from it. I think they may be off on their dates a little. My cat has never had a urinary tract infection before or vomited so violently.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Tanya, do you still have the bag of NB? I’m curious what the expiration date on the bag is. Hope your kitty is okay now.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
I called Natura today because I’ve been feeding my cat canned Venison & Brown Rice for a while now (over a year) but after eating it a couple days ago she became ill. I asked where their food was manufactured. Much to my shock, it’s made at the South Dakota Menu Foods plant!
The rep went on to say that ‘this was not an implicated plant’. that makes me feel so much better - not!
Has anyone else experienced any issues with the canned cat food?
April 18th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
blkcatgal,
Yes, NB told me to take it back, but I am keeping it until this is over with. The lot stamp reads NBA1002LC Best by 16-APR-08 3:15RP. Yes, he was able to come home last night after a couple of days of fluids and tests. It looks like he is going to be fine.
April 18th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Debra,
Check out http://www.thepetfoodlist.com/ to see where the pet foods are manufactured at and I hope everyone else does before purchasing. I would not trust any foods made at any Menu Foods plants because they are untrustworthy with letting us know when problems occur.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Thanks to Pam for putting up this info this afternoon:am Says:
[quote]”NB now has a FAQ page up:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/faq.html“[/quote]
This updated info on their site answered all my questions re the brown rice flour. Thanks again, Pam.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
I started feeding my cats Natural Balance Premium DRY after the initial recall. Everything seemed fine to me. I bought a new bag last week and started feeding it on Saturday (4-14)…one of my kitties immediatly threw it up– I thought it was odd. I know its not the pea & venison…but it is odd. Also, when I initially switched, I bought them the venison & pea WET food, along with other flavors…they would NOT TOUCH the venison & pea!…but, loved the other flavors…this was about 3 weeks ago.
Has anyone used Nature’s Variety Raw food? I just bought it and I am waiting to try it out.
Thanks for any info!
April 18th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Nina Says:
>>April 18th, 2007 at 6:46 am
I’m with you SmileOnADog.
I think it’s criminal that pet companies can lie on their labels. I’ve been a HUGE Natural Balance fan for years and feel completely let down by all this. >>
I’m so sorry, Nina, that you’re having to deal with this, esp. after you went out of your way to feed a good “safe” food. Until the recall fiasco, I myself naively believed the labels on the bags were the exact ingredients in the bags. I find the whole NB food situation also sneaky and dishonest. It’s ridiculous that the food is supposed to help with allergies, then they add a new, off label protein. And, even if they couldn’t change the bag labels of the food already in the marketplace, their website is in real time — why didn’t they change the label ingredients there? Rhetorical ?, really. I too believe it’s about their profits.
I’ll keep you and your kitty in my prayers. The note you sent the company is a good one; I hope they reply promptly. Although my animals here are safe so far, I do know what it’s like, after my cat last year was put down due to chronic renal failure, to have a sick animal. It’s heartbreaking.
Also, your cat’s symptom sounds familiar to me — this same cat of mine had urinary crystals at age seven, and like your cat, was peeing blood. She also lost a lot of weight fast. The vet had told me that the crystals are sharp and irritate the lining inside the bladder, causing the blood. My cat had an operation, and was good as new, (her blood test values were normal again until her last year of life, at age 16, when she crashed with CRF (chronic renal failure)).
I was grateful to have another 9 long and wonderful years with her. The meds and the sub-q fluids, twice daily, the last three months of her life, were hard on her. My husband and I decided when she crashed again, it was time to let her go. And she did so, last May. I miss her so much, every day, but at the same time, moreso, I am glad she’s free of the sub-q’s, which she never liked. She also hated all renal food.
Last year in her memory we went to the shelter and adopted a little dog, a yorkie/rat terrier mix. She’s pure joy, and it’s contagious. I guess it was time (destiny) for the next animal in line to come to our home. There’s no replacing each individual animal, of course, but I like the thought of giving a home and love to another animal without either. And, coincidentally, this new dog from day one became best friends with the cat we have left, who had been mourning the loss of his “Mrs. Kitty” (we called them Mr. and Mrs. Kitty, as they were attached at the hip most of the time.) It was as if our deceased cat passed the baton, and it was meant to be.
I hope your cat is okay; catching problems early is key, and can make all the difference with kidney issues.
I’ll keep you in my prayers,
Em
April 18th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Elizabeth,
Thanks so much for your post. I’ll be researching Evanger’s tonight and I at least have a name to ask Canadae about.
thanks!
Em
>>elizabeth Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 9:51 am
The canning plant in Illinois that Canadae’s response email refers to (in the above post by SmileOnaDog ) is most likely Evanger’s. It is a small, respected family owned business not too far from my home. They can dog and cat food under their own brand as well, (it is expensive) but their web site says they do some private label. www.evangersdogfood.com>>
April 18th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Teric,
You’re welcome. It just dawned on me last night that by pooling our resources (pet food company’s email replies to us) we may get more info., and quicker, than we get individually — and I’d be glad if my research saves someone else some time and worry.
I’m wondering, myself, if Canidae (finally spelling it right! : ) is going to get back to me at all. It’s been almost a month since. I’m also hoping exposing the emails here on Itchmo’s blog might shame them into answering customers’ emails. I’m very disappointed, as I expected much more from Canidae. I expected their conscientiousness toward their customers to equal their conscientiousness toward their product ingredients. And it’s costing me an arm and a leg, feeding Canidae to 13 dogs. Well worth it, for the animals’ safety, but I want to be sure. My biggest fear is what’s happened to others — switching foods, and then finding you switched to a tainted food.
Em
>>teric Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Em,
Thanks for the research re: Canidae. I also have emailed them asking the same questions. I have yet to hear back either. This worries me as well.>>
April 18th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
I have a friend whose two cats are having their kidneys flushes as I write this. Here’s the thing, they’ve been eating NB Venison and Peas, but the PREVIOUS batch. She says she bought her bags about 1.5 mths ago. She had just bought a new bad when I emailed her about the recall. SHe had tried once to give it to her cats and they refused it. Her vet says that this much renal stress was from repeated exposure to a contaminant. If this information is accurate, then NB’s March 28th date for adding the tainted rice protein is either wrong, or there’s something else making these animals sick.
This distresses me b/c my dogs have been eating NB venison, but I was hoping we were in the clear since our bag was from mid-March (July exp). Now I’m not sure, so I’m taking them into the vet tomorrow to have their kidneys checked.
April 18th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Tanya - I am sooooo sorry to hear about your kitty. It does sound like exactly the same reaction. My own kat is on medication now and we’re hoping for the best. The Ultra bag I bought them was brand new (they even changed the packaging slightly) and it did have the formula change I mentioned earlier.
SmileOnaDog - Thank you for the kind througts. I’m very sorry to hear about your old cat. It’s always terribly hard to loose a loved pet, but sounds like she had a good life in a loving family.
April 18th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
New on Natura’s website today:
Rice Protein Used in Karma is 100% Safe - April 18, 2007
This is to confirm that the organic rice protein concentrate used in our Karma 95% organic formulation IS NOT PURCHASED FROM WILBUR-ELLIS, and Natura Pet Products is not one of the five pet food makers cited in the USA Today article. Natura guarantees that the organic rice protein concentrate used in Karma is not sourced from China and that it is 100% safe and absolutely free from melamine contamination.
Peter Atkins
President
http://www.naturapet.com/about......asp?id=20
&
No products manufactured by Natura Pet Products were implicated in the recent recalls, including the latest recall involving organic rice protein concentrate.”
http://www.naturapet.com/
April 18th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
You’re very welcome, Lucy’sMom. : ) I too worry about what to feed — since going by the label, or going by the food site’s staements may not be the whole truth! It’s getting insane.
Em
>>Lucy’sMom Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Thanks smileon for the info! I was giving my 1 yr old bichon Solid Gold and had just recently switch her to NB Premium because I found it was rated an A+. After all this, I don’t know WHAT to do! I don’t feel like giving $ to NB when they are not being totally honest with us! As a side note, she doesn’t seem to like it. >>
April 18th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Geff,
I feel just like you wrote below — un-reassured and unsettled by the “closed” communication from Canidae. I was very surprised, as I’d expected much more from them. It does seem to me, too, that we’re experiencing a long chain of people just trying to cover their a—es and keep their profits. I hope that isn’t the case with Canidae, but after all that’s been happening, and after their email reply, it’s hard to trust them or ANY company.
This whole pet food situation is surreal — and learning the game, very disheartening. I’m ashamed to be an American right now.
Em
>>Geff Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 11:11 am
Em/Smileonadog - I stopped using Royal Canin when the recall first started due to a similar (but even more closed) communication style to what you received from Canidae.
The most surprising experience i’ve had during this was asking a pet store owner if any of her customers had reported any issues with Cal Natural. Her response, “It’s not part of the Menu recallâ€. My response, “That’s NOT what I asked youâ€. She also accused me of trying to scam her out of free food when I requested a sample to try. Needless to say, I took my business elsewhere. >>
April 18th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
As angry as I am, I am relieved to see others as upset as I am. There is some comfort in numbers. I just switched my kitties from Wellness (which, so far is not affected and we are now back on) to NB venison & green pea. My bags do not have rice protien listed as an ingredient, so I thought maybe I got lucky and got an older formula bag. Just to share what the NB “customer service” folks told me…the recall is not specific for dates/lots because some of the new formula was packaged with labels that didn’t list the new ingredient.
I also asked who would pay for the vet bills for getting blood word done. Response: well, we don’t know who’s really going to be responsible. So check our website for updates. Ummm.yeah. Just another reason for me to hate the FDA (I really didn’t need any more)
I hope everyone who has an ill fur-baby the best wishes for a full recovery.
April 18th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Jeanna in regards to your question.
Has anyone used Nature’s Variety Raw food? I just bought it and I am waiting to try it out.
I have tried it a few times and my older dogs will eat it and my younger ones just want to roll on it. I do know that they make their own raw food on site and out sourse the canned to menu and will not disclose the name for their manufacturer for the dry which bothers me . I have been feeding the beef and barley for the past 3 weeks and they like it and they are doing good I also have always given table scraps and have just started to give them more food that I cook for them. That way I know they will be ok. I am 2 steps from just making my own food I just need more info so I don’t hurt my babies. One step at a time.
April 18th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I’m angry. I’m tired of worrying about every. single. thing. my. cats. do. I don’t want to sift through the litter box several times a day to make sure everything’s working okay. I don’t want to sit at my office and worry that my kitties are at home getting sick; why? Because I fed them. It disgusts me that the simple act of trying to give my kits a nutritious meal I could wind up inadvertently killing them. Mine were on Iams dry & Fancy Feast until a couple weeks ago when I decided to be smart and switch to NB to be on the safe side. Venison & Green Pea formula - yep. I switched to Wellness on Monday after I got the Itchmo email about the recall. And today I switched to Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct and their canned to get away from all wheat/rice/corn products completely. They seem to like the NV although my female was a little gassy and had a soft stool earlier but I’m going to attribute that to food changes for now and keep a close eye. My male won’t eat the canned stuff so he gets Swansons canned chicken and then my girl finishes what he won’t eat. He’s rather finicky, she’ll eat anything. So, my NB V&P bag was dated w/exp of 4/16/08 and I’m just hoping and praying I got a nice old bag with no melamine. Overall they’re behaving normally but I can’t help but watch every drink, every grooming, every meal, every trip to the litterbox (when I’m not at work, that is) just to make sure everything is working okay.
But what I really am is TICKED. I’m tired. I want normalcy. While I’m glad I’m now more involved in my pets’ nutrition I really wish I didn’t HAVE to put so much time/effort/worry/research into feeding them. It would be so nice to just open a can of food or pour some kibble from the bag and let that be it because I can TRUST the product and the company behind it and all of their providers. My kits give me so much unconditional love… my male literally hugs me and likes to be carried on my hip like a baby, my female sleeps curled up in my left arm all night long. All I want to do is feed them and keep them healthy and I can’t even do that and it makes me sick.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
This is for Amy, I too want normalcy, reading everyday about recalls about whats safe and not is driving everyone crazy.
My daughter and I had fed our pets IAM’s mini chunks until my pet dog got sick and died. I believe it was the food.
Then my daughter changed to Natural Balance and once again its recalled. So she has another pet on Blue Buffalo and now I read blogs that may not be so safe to eat even though the company says it is. Who can anyone believe anymore. She has 2 very loved dogs.
We had been feeding them IAMs for a long and no problem until the last batch I bought in mid Jan. Thats when I noticed a change in my pets eating behavior.
Luckily, my daughter had already left and her pet didn’t eat any of it.
My little dog was my baby and it breaks my heart that something I gave her may have killed her.
I am devastated and angry that we put our trust in pet food companies in believing that the ingredients they use to be truthful and safe. All they care is how much money they can stuff in their pockets.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Amy, everything you have said makes sense. Due to many things that have happened, I have been at home lately, but if I wasn’t, I would be at work worried just like you. As much as I am glad being at home with my three babies, there’s also no doubt that I am constantly checking on them, worried about every little thing. Did they eat enough and are they alert? I find myself constantly watching everything they do. Like you, I just want a normal life again.
Last weekend I was at a pet store that had several reps from different companies giving samples. One of those was the Venison and Green Peas, but for whatever reason, I had tried other brands of samples, but not that one. Maybe it was not tainted, but I certainly had no desire to find out after what everyone here has gone through. The sample found its way into the trash. I feel grateful for all the information here that kept me from trying it.
I just want to say to everyone that has lost a precious furbaby, my heart goes out to you and for those that are waiting for yours to get well, my prayers are with you. My hope is that this nightmare ends soon for everyone.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Hi everyone,
I am a small distributor of pet supplies in Colorado. I only carry one brand of pet food and that is from The Honest Kitchen. I spoke with the company and they have assured me that 100% of the ingredients are manufactured in the USA and that Force an Embark are completely grain free (meaning no wheat or rice). I am advising all of my customers to go GRAIN free for now. Ever since the first Diamond foods scare, GRAINS have been the problem. Now that NB has recalled yet another product due to GRAINS, I am never buying a product with GRAIN in it again.
My dog was eating NB Fish & Sweet Potato and now I am cooking for her and supplementing with The Honest Kitchen’s products. Hang in there everyone.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
What about dry cat foods that list “brewers rice” or “ground brown rice” as ingredients? Do I need to be worried about these? I am absolutely frantic over this whole mess. I am feeding my cats Holistic Select Chicken Meal and Rice Formula (made by Eagle Pack Foods). Does anyone know anything about the safety of this food?
April 18th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
Amy, I’m with you. I want some normalcy. I want to stop worrying about what I feed my cats. I was feeding them the NB venison and peas dry food. I stopped when the recall came in. I’ve spoken with NB reps 3 times in the last 2 days and each time they have told me that they changed the formula adding the rice protein on March 28 and more than likely the last bag I bought on March 31 would not be affected. But then I read these blogs and people say they know of animals who ate the “old” NB and are sick. So far, my cats seem to be fine. But I worry….should I take them to have blood tests done? I don’t want to act hysterical…but, come on, I want life to be normal again!
April 18th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
One more thing….I’m running out of things to feed my cat. He has food allergies and I was feeding him the NB venison and peas. Now he’s getting Royal Canin IVD venison and peas. The ingredients list does not contain rice protein (or any grain for that matter) but, hey, neither did the NB venison and peas until just recently.
April 19th, 2007 at 12:27 am
[…] did the vet say to quit? The only recall Natural Balance has had was the Venison line (info here) - was that what you were feeding Fidget? Here is a new and growing forum about pet food. I joined […]
April 19th, 2007 at 3:04 am
Hi all, I have also heard that The Honest Kitchen makes a very good product for both cats and dogs. Has anyone here actually fed this to their pet and what are your comments about it?
Thanks Jen for the info about Nature’s Variety Raw food.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:05 am
Hi all, I have also heard that The Honest Kitchen makes a very good product for both cats and dogs. Has anyone here actually fed this to their pet and what are your comments about it?
Thanks Jen for the info about Nature’s Variety Raw food.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:05 am
Hi all, I have also heard that The Honest Kitchen makes a very good product for both cats and dogs. Has anyone here actually fed this to their pet and what are your comments about it?
Thanks Jen for the info about Nature’s Variety Raw food.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:07 am
Oh jeesh! Sorry everyone for the repeat in the posts…my computer was acting up! Hopefully the Admin can remove these….sorry :(
April 19th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Annie — good for you for pushing for that information from Jennifer Freeman at Natural Balance. And, I’m so sorry to hear you lost a cat to this, and have one ill. And your poor dog, too. It’s just so wrong, what they’re doing to us all, and have been doing to us, and yet the nightmare continues. I’ll keep you and the animals in my prayers.
Phyllis — thank you for the link to petwhisperer.com. I will definitely look into a detoxifier to use. My grumpy and dear little yorkie is my baby, and I’m thankful he seems okay. He’s 15 years old, going on 16 and I’ve had him since 12 weeks. I’m careful to cherish every day. Now when he yells at me in his old, cracked, feed-me-right-this-minute bark, as if I’m to be ordered around at his whim, instead of being annoyed, I’m thankful. : ) But I’m still scared every time I fill a bowl for the animals.
My heart goes out to everyone with an ill animal, or who has lost one, or more. I can’t even find adequate words to express how heartbreaking it is, to hear the stories. It also gets me soooo angry. I can’t imagine losing an animal and then having to do all the fighting. So far I’ve written and thanked all the senators at the Hearing for standing up for our pets, wrote CNN and Oprah to do an indepth story and continue to do so.
As I’m writing this, CNN just announced Natural Balance is pulling their food because there’s melamine in the rice protein imported from China. I’m relieved to see it was reported, but so outraged it’s happened. Again.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Annie, thanks for posting your Canidae email reply, too. Yes, what you wrote below is exactly what I was thinking — they say “our”, but do they mean “our” as in theirs, or as in the place they use to possibly outsource (co-pack) to. I’d really like to know for sure. I *deserve* to know, we all do, and we have the right to know what we’re spending money on and putting our trust into. People who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.
My cat ate the felidae at first, but then wouldn’t, but the dogs all do love it. I do notice less stools, and much less stinky stools, as they claim. And less stinky breath on my yorkie, who before would lick your leg and make you stinky. (It’s not due to illness, he’s always been stinky.) I’ve already known about/used probiotics for the rescue horses, so I like that they’re in the dog food. But I need some answers if I’m to continue using it.
Em
>>Annie Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
TO: SmileOnADog
This email was received April 9th from Canidae.
Notice how they state “our†plant in TX for both dry food and biscuits. I took that “our†to be their plant. But now I’m questioned this because Canidae has not responded back to your latest email question of ‘is the name of this plant called Canidae?’. Very interesting, huh? Here’s the email……….. >>
April 19th, 2007 at 4:12 am
Thanks, Nina. It was terribly hard, and I still have days, almost a year later, where I break down and cry. The pet food recall, because of the kidney damage that results, brought it all back, esp. the sadder parts. But, I also remember her and all those years of joy she brought us. It’s the price of that unconditional love, I guess; like everything else, there’s always, eventually, an end. It’s hard, but so worth it.
As far as I’m concerned, life without animals isn’t worth living. Such pureness and innocence is a blessing and a gift. This pet food poison is like a slaughter of the innocents. I still can’t believe it’s happening. I can’t believe we’ve been so swindled.
Em
>>Nina Says:
April 18th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
SmileOnaDog - Thank you for the kind througts. I’m very sorry to hear about your old cat. It’s always terribly hard to loose a loved pet, but sounds like she had a good life in a loving family. >>
April 19th, 2007 at 4:20 am
I wanted to suggest, for people making their own food while worried about a balanced diet, that a good option may be to buy some Pet-Tinic. It’s what I give my emaciated rescues during refeeding. And they like the taste.
It’s a liquid supplement: “A palatable liquid vitamin-mineral supplement for dogs and cats” by Virbac. I order it online.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 6:41 am
hi everyone.
we’re in los angeles. me and my two feline boys, quito and taño, living with chronic renal failure (crf), trying to eat well and keep on keeping on.
meant to go to sleep earlier and then again got into reading all of these passionate, heartfelt posts. sad but lovely how we are all coming together over this tragedy. my fantasy is that we all boycott the pet food industry!
i’ve been searching searching searching writing writing reading all i can. i’m down to wysong’s. haven’t heard it mentioned in a negative place once. JUST found out they offer a rx food for crf. wrote to them for nutritional analysis of cats foods. hoping beyond hope that this one will stick. has anyone heard ANYTHING about wysong, positive/negative?
quito and i also like halo. taño actually ‘lingered’ over it. that’s better than his passing glance with a, “what?? you expect me to eat that goo?!” look’ he usually gives me. that linger is progress for a devout dry food eater! but halo, as do others, use garlic, which is controversial. sigh.
bought pet guard today after seeing it on a list as a low phosphorus food. then came home and found an updated list that didn’t include pet guard! sigh again! if anyone has any info on pet guard, PLEASE let me know asap. i wrote to them as well today.
i wrote several times back and forth to honest kitchen. they were great, personal, patient… if anyone wants, write to me and i’ll send you a copy of their emails. i spoke to someone in person too, laurette. after spending quite a while with me on the phone answering many questions, she offered to send me free samples of a couple items that i was considering, prowl for cats and embark for dogs (nutrient profile looked fine for cats with crf). was so happy when i got them in the mail. served them to my boys as non-chalantly as can be; trying not to put any excited or desperate or big-deal vibes out… pretending i was just feeding them some of my food… ladeedadeeda… (hard trickin’ these finicky, stubborn, picky, suspicious, inconsistent, picky eaters!… who are adorable as hell while they investigate what mom’s up to! ;) …….
ha! oh well. anyway… sad to say, no takers. tried adding turkey, broth, …. nope. nada. nothing. too bad. i really love the concept of their dehydrated foods.
recently tried felidae canned and quito ate the whole can! a first! usually, he’ll eat about half then decide he doesn’t like it anymore! heehee. taño still won’t touch wet food. so i wrote to canidae and will let you know what happens. but after what i’ve read here, doubt i’ll keep trying them. (just reviewed mail and saw i wrote to them on the 12th and hadn’t gotten a reply.)
amazes me that any ‘customer service (at pet food stores, companies, etc.) thinks that avoidance, omissions, deceit, form letters, etc. is going to win customer loyalty. don’t they have a clue how united we all are, especially NOW! how idiotic. ignorant. plain old stupid! when i get responses like that about anything, i automatically take my business elsewhere. it’s bad karma that affects their products as far as i’m concerned. i would actually be more likely to use a product from an honest company with not the greatest food than a company that pretends to be greater than truth.
i’ve written to countless companies (april 5: newman’s, artemis, onlynaturalpet.com, healthypetnet.com; april 18: aunt jeni’s, evanger’s, nature’s logic, evolve/triumph/hi-tor, solid gold, merrick, petcurean, nature’s variety, plus the others referred to here) for info and for their nutritional analysis first. if they pass that test, then i ask for plants, manufacturers, suppliers, etc. i even asked honest kitchen about their farms. haha. but not so haha. told her if i could, i’d start my own farm. she wrote back concerned i might be a competitor. i replied, assuring i wasn’t and asked specific questions regarding pesticides, organic, chemicals, preservatives, humane treatment, animal testing… she reponded quickly and i was happy with her answers.
the only companies who’ve replied with nutrient profile have been diamond, honest kitch, holistic, halo, and stella and chewys. (wrote diamond long before the rice gluten discovery.) http://64.79.216.38/~itchmo/fo.....topic=35.0
actually, i wonder… canidae replied to me this week quickly but only with a question to clarify what i wanted to know. so now that i got more specific, let’s see what they come up with, if anything!
i appreciate your posts em. they’ve given me a new found don’t ‘f**k with me’ attitude. similar to a lion protecting her cubs. ;) we are the ones spending our money on their products, so we have all the rights to know everything! grrrr! >=\
maria
quitasi@yahoo.com
April 19th, 2007 at 6:54 am
just drafted this letter and thought i’d share. if you think i missed anything, please let me know. quitasi@yahoo.com these letters keep getting more and more clear with more and more questions.
hello.
i am a concerned, tired, suspicious, passionate cat mom looking for wholesome safe food that isn’t going to end up on THE LIST in 3 months.
what can you tell me to assure me about your products?
i would like to receive the complete nutritional analysis for ALL (despite similarities) of your various cat foods, wet, dry, raw.
also,
1. i need to know who and where your suppliers and manufacturers are
2. what ingredients, supplies, etc are imported AND which are u.s. based
3. what are your animal testing procedures
4. what is the humane treatment of the protein sources in your foods.
5. who certifies your ingredients as organic and which ingredients are certified organic
thank you.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:17 am
thanks rebecca! from: http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org
just one more bit of the truth hiding within independent, radical sites like itchmo… the truth is out there… we have to find IT ‘cuz it sure ain’t gonna come to us!
—————————————————
USA- US Department of Agriculture stops planting and distribution of contaminated long grain rice.
On 5th of March 2007 the USDA issued the following statement:
“The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is taking action to prevent the planting and distribution of a long-grain rice seed known as Clearfield CL131 because testing by a private company has revealed the possible presence of trace levels of genetic material not yet approved for commercialization.
“APHIS began issuing emergency action notifications (EANs) yesterday, March 4, to inform distributors that this seed, scheduled for planting this spring, must be held until APHIS can verify and identify the presence of additional genetic material. APHIS directed distributors to begin notifying producers yesterday. Additional EANs are being issued to affected producers as they are identified.
end
—————————————————
the other sites rebecca listed:
for more info on GMO products visit
www.saynotogmos.org
www.greenpeace.org
www.gmfreeireland.org
April 19th, 2007 at 10:13 am
As soon as I heard about the Natural Balance problem I returned the bags and cans I had of the Venison & rice dog food. I had an old bag without the rice protein that I pruchased Jan 20th. I had a new bag with rice protein conc. that was purchased before March 16th. I had an older can that I don’t know when it was purchased but a best buy date of Nov 7 09 and I had some cans that I had purchased on March 16th with a best buy date of Feb 24 2010 that had rice protein listed on it. I used at least 1 of the newer cans and my little English Cocker is ill. Vominting & lethargy & dehydrated, her blood levels are good and I am hoping that she only ate enough to cause gastric upset that hasn’t damaged her kidneys. She only gets 1/4-1/2 cup of canned a day mixed in with her dry food.
April 19th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Hi Jeanna,
Yes, I have fed the honest kitchen to a ton of dogs. When it first came out, I was so excited to tell people about it that I conducted pet food tastings at the local pet stores. Here is a link to an article from the Summit Daily about The Honest Kitchen. http://www.summitdaily.com/art...../101300035
You might have to create a new account (free) to view the article. Lots of dogs are doing great with this food. It is 100% human grade and The Honest Kitchen is so far the only pet food company authorized by the FDA to claim this on their labels. You can get free samples online or by calling the company for your cats or dogs to try.
I am also starting a new website called Go Dogger.com that is going to have all of the ingredients from all pet food companies on it. It should be ready by late Spring.
Best of luck with your research,
Paul in Colorado
April 19th, 2007 at 11:56 am
NEWS ALERT!
A poster (Tim) on the PetsitUSA.com Blog just posted this:
“Just recieved word that the Rice protein that is contaminated isn’t just Natural Balance. Another 2-4 brands wil be named later today.”
Yikes . . . this is a nightware!
April 19th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Did you guys read the latest update from NB. I just read it. Nothing we didnt know already except when the food will be available again.
April 19th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
My bag of Venison and green pea dry cat food doesn’t have the rice protein listed and it expires May ‘08 so hopefully it didn’t have any in it. The cats didn’t care for the venison anyway. I threw it in the trash since I didn’t still have my receipt. Not buying it anymore. They didn’t seem ill from it so maybe it didn’t have any.
April 19th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Well I’ve been feeding another brand of dry food that says their rice protein is okay and the cats weren’t getting sick, but I stopped putting it out now and put out some Purina Natural. Since they are going to be saying other companies that got it. I don’t really want rice protein now.
I have spent a lot of money on new special organic foods that are turning out to be thrown in the trash now too. Probably $100 worth.
I may as well have just stuck with the old Meow Mix, Purina stuff.
April 19th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
RE: Canidae/Fedilae
Upon further investigation into the Texas plant they keep referring to as ‘our†plant/facility in an email I have and also to Smileonadog from the “Natural Balance Recall Expands to Canned Food and Treats†Itchimo thread, this is what I discovered.
1. Canidae/Felidae has no address in Texas
2. Muenster Milling Co. originally a flour mill was purchased in
1932, then added production of animal feed. In 1989
Munster installed an extruder which allowed for pet food
production.
A quote on my email from Canidae/Feldiae says “â€Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. “â€
3 My math says 2007 minus 1932 = 75 Is that just a
coincidence???
Muenster Milling just happens to be celebrating 75 years in
business this year!
4. Muenster Milling Co. in Texas, who manufactures their own
dog/cat food share an uncanny resemblance to
Canidae/Felidae ingredients with the exception of wheat &
corn.
5. Munester Milling has a history that shows a good possibility
they have capacity to produce and manufacture product
for another company, such as Canidae/Felidae.
If Canidae/Fedilae has been lying about this plant being their own, there is a good possibility that there Website claim of: “All Canidae/Fedilae ingredients are grown &/or raised in the USA†could also be a lie. Muenster website claims all of their purchased ingredients are USA grown with the exception of Flax seed, which is imported from Canada.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
update: per telephone call to Canidae 5 minutes ago, “”They never heard of Muenster Milling in Texas and have no information as to the address of their plant down in Texas.”"
April 19th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Maria,
When my CRF cat, Daisy Jane, wouldn’t eat the Hill’s k/d, I eventually had to do assist-feeding with a homemade recipe. But, if she hadn’t been so end stage, I would’ve instead kept giving her the wet food she loved, (fancy feast) mixed with some Dried Aluminum Hydroxide Gel. Because, if they won’t eat anything, it’s just another huge problem on top of the kidney problems.
The Gel (which I also used in my homemade kidney food) is a powder you can mix in with their food (it’s tasteless) and you can get it with a script from your vet. But — most vets don’t even know it exists in powder form –usually it’s liquid, like mylanta. So you need to let them know about it. The cats all HATE the mylanta liquid, and mine was no exception. The aluminum hydroxide mixed in the food keeps the phosphorus from being absorbed by the cat. As you may know, with CRF it’s often the phosphorus levels which hasten the kidney issues. The Gel is about 50$ for a pretty huge container, and I don’t think it comes any smaller, but I still have about 1/3 left from when I bought it, as it lasted longer than my kitty did. You can order it from Reed’s pharmacy in Tucson, AZ.
I accredit Linda Fishbach’s yahoo group for giving me three extra months with my Daisy. It’s a CRF cats phosphorus group, but she is a whiz on everything CRF. Had it in her own cats. And she has a heart of gold. The group is also linked with other groups for different CRF cat issues, support, plus assisted feeding. the link is:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/g.....anagement/
Another page with a wealth of info on cats and kidney issues is Tanya’s Feline CRF Information Centre:
http://www.felinecrf.org/
With the help of the CRF phosphorus group and Tanya’s page, I was able to help diagnose issues early enough for the vet to help Daisy, and give us more time with her. It made all the difference when we finally had to let her go. If you go to Linda’s group, please tell her Em and Daisy Jane send their love.
You’re so welcome, Maria, and I’m glad my posts have helped. Before the recall fiasco I was a trusting “sheep”. At first, actually, I had no idea what questions to even ask Canidae or other companies. I knew nothing about how things were done in the pet food industry, to even know what to question. I think they all depend on our ignorance and trust. It’s dispicable. But, thank God for the internet and all the pooled resources!
good luck, and I’m so sorry your cat is ill,
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Annie!
Thank you so much for your research and recent postings. I read your last two postings with a loud intake of breath that got my dogs barking, lol, but it is far from funny. I can’t believe this! How does a company not know where their own plant is! That’s ridiculous! Unless they’re lying or hiding the truth! It makes no sense whatsoever! And what also angers me is that there are no names or officers’ names connected with Canidae in order to ask for or speak with someone higher up in the company. Why is that, and what’s that about?
I just KNEW something was strange by their email without specifics. I wouldn’t have caught it before the recall, but trusting my gut, I knew it sounded strange.
Thank you so much for your research — I plan on calling today, too, after I clean the puppy room and muck my horses. This really p****s me off!
As for the other factory you mentioned, Muenster, if they are using it, yes, it’s too outside the Canidae chain of command to just trust blindly. Did Canidae at least say or nay that they OWN the Texas plant, as in it’s THEIR Canidae plant?
No way they have no address for their own plant.
What do these companies think we all are, morons?
If this is all we get for a premium, expensive food we buy, then I say BOYCOTT CANIDAE! It’s not worth the lives of our beloved animals!
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Annie, also want to say,
You wrote: (I’ll answer below):
>>4. Muenster Milling Co. in Texas, who manufactures their own
dog/cat food share an uncanny resemblance to
Canidae/Felidae ingredients with the exception of wheat &
corn.
5. Munester Milling has a history that shows a good possibility
they have capacity to produce and manufacture product
for another company, such as Canidae/Felidae. >>
We know from the Congressional Hearing that there have been fines imposed on feed manufacturers because their belts/macines weren’t adequately cleaned between different pet food recipe production. That allows for possible error of cross-contamination of feed ingredients between recipes.
It’s why it’s best to have food from a company that owns its plants and only produces its own recipe. For example, if Muenster makes food that contains wheat gluten or rice protein, it could be on the machines when the Canidae is processed.
That’s my big worry, now. Next to the fact that Canidae continues to give everyone the run-around.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
This is regarding info I found re: processing locations for Nestle Purina Fancy Feast canned food. I now have a little info on this. First a little back-story.
I have been feeding my cats Innova EVO for a month or so because it has NO grain, and only 7% carb, which I found and my vet OKed for my diabetic cat. (I hope no one has heard anything bad about this DRY food.)
I started giving EVO to all my cats. Hope its ok!
Fancy Feast:
In addition to EVO, I am feeding him and my other cats Fancy Feast flavors without wheat gluten, there are a few. After hearing on Itchmo, that Purina now had a plant in China, I hastened to call and find out where Fancy Feast is produced!!
I called Purina today, and spoke to several people, finally a supervisor regarding the post on Itchmo about Nestle Purina having a big petfood processing plant in China. The first two people denied this, and said that it was absolutely all processed in the U.S. Then the supervisor denied it also. It didn’t seem that she was intending to lie to me, she was very nice. I think she was uninformed. I read her the article about the Purina plant in China. She left, came back and said that information was inaccurate!
I said I wanted to know how to decipher the number codes on the bottoms of the Fancy Feast cans so I would know where they were processed.
She was very helpful, I read her 5 flavors, and she told me that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th, numbers on the bottom, give you the location of the processing plant for that flavor. Four of my flavors were “1160″ She said that is in Jefferson Wisconsin. Great! I said. Then I read her the numbers of the Flaked Fish and Shrimp Feast!!! “1828″
She was quiet, and said OH, sounded a bit shocked and then said, oh my it is processed in ( a very chinese sounding place!) I really think she was surprised. She put me on hold to go speak to someone and then she came back and she said that it was not processed in China, but it WAS processed in THAILAND!! After that, she seemed more prepared to believe that perhaps they did have a petfood processing plant in China too.
Anyway, I asked for codes for all 17 purina processing plants in the U.S.
so I could check them out when buying my FF, and that I wanted to know the origen of all the ingredients too.
She said she didn’t have that information, and could only look up the flavors I gave her the barcodes for, I only had 5 of those, but she said she would definitely send my information and request to their headquarters in St. Louis and have someone get back to me, hopefully with the information I wanted, but that it would take a while. (I am sure it will.)
I am taking back the cans from Thailand. I don’t feel their processing regulations are as stringent as ours in the U.S., though I am starting to have doubts about ours too, and I fear they may be using local ingredients too. She certainly did seem to try to help me and seemed forthcoming about the cans I was discussing with her.
I told her I had friends waiting to hear what she could tell me, and I wanted to share the processing plant numbers with friends, and she said of course. So there it is if is helpful to anyone interested in Fancy Feast. My cats won’t eat any other canned food, and I have tried many supposedly good ones.
I don’t want any processed by Menu at all. Tried Merrick turkey dinner yesterday, but only one cat would eat that. It smelled good to me!
I am hoping no one has heard any horror stories about the Fancy Feast flavors without wheat gluten or rice protein.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
To Annie again,
Canidae wrote in the email reply to me/us:
>>Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. The original pet food extrusion mill was built in 1978. CANIDAE’s involvement with the plant sparked the introduction of our own extruder in 1999. >>
“Canidae’s involvement with the plant” —– that to me says right there it is some other company’s plant, but then, with “Canidae’s involvement” blah blah blah.
It’s a confusingly worded email. Is that done on purpose?
So it does seem it’s Muenster’s 75 yr old plant. So, the next question, if that’s the case, is if Muenster has ever had any problems with the food produced there, or fines from issues there.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
TO: smile
Yes, I have that in my email also >>Our dry foods are produced in TX. Our plant has been involved in animal nutrition for over 75 years. The original pet food extrusion mill was built in 1978. CANIDAE’s involvement with the plant sparked the introduction of our own extruder in 1999. >>
Am waiting for Muenster to reply to an email I sent about 1 hour ago. It’s not difficult to guess what my questions were to them.
smile, please send me an email
I want to tell you something I wouldn’t dare post on the Internet, as I know these ‘people’ are also reading the boards.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
A representative from NB called me this evening regarding my ill cat. I just wanted to let you all know that I have a bag that they believe does not contain the contaminated rice protein concentrate, (exp. Date of April 08) but they are having me send them a sample of the food because they are concerned that there may be some other problem with it. The woman was very polite and apologetic. She reassured me that they would be in contact with me again to set up reimbursement for vet bills.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Just returned from PetCo where I purchased Natural Balance Chicken & Liver Pate Formula and Salmon Formula CANNED. I don’t feed them any dry, except Flint River for treats. I’m still sticking w/NB because overall, my cats (one w/hyperthyroidism and CRF and the other w/megacolon) have been scarfing this down for over a month now w/no unusual side effects. I HAD been giving them the Venison & Green Pea Canned Formula as well, but figured I’d skip it - just in case. They wouldn’t miss it and be fine w/the other flavors.
Didn’t matter that I wasn’t going to get it anyway, because PetCo pulled the CANS of Venison & Green Pea Cat Food as well as the DRY that was officially on NB’s website and along w/the others printed on an advisory PetCo had on the NB shelves. Asked the sales clerk why the cans were pulled since it was just the dry that was affected. She said PetCo was informed by NB to pull even the cans! News to me since I just checked NB’s website an hour before. Called several other stores that carry NB and they, too, have pulled the cans as well. But THEY said it was because their managements wanted to err on the side of caution, even though they didn’t receive any official notification from Natural Balance.
Called NB after that. Told rep what transpired. She said she’d “pass it on to her supervisor and would get back to me”. I just wanted to know whether or not NB had, in fact, notified PetCo to pull cans now, too!
If it’s the management of the stores using precautionary discretion, I can understand. But if NB is now recalling those cans, it’s not on their website. What is potentially more insidious is that NB said - repeatedly - it’s the rice protein concentrate. AND THAT’S ALL. None of their canned cat food has rice protein concentrate. Only brown rice flour in most flavors. On NB’s site they specified there is no contamination of brown rice flours or any other flours used. Only the aforementioned rice protein. Now, I’m wondering if ALL the venison products are tainted? If it’s not the venison, but the rice, then what the hell is going on?
BTW: Still waiting for the supervisor to call back. But not for long. :(
April 19th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
RE: Canidae
I just called Canidae. Let me go straight to the end of the conversation, first:
Diane, customer service representative says? “Are you through with all your questions, because, really, I’ve about had it with you.”
?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!
I was polite and in no case rude to her, and also was sure to tell her I was a very concerned consumer, passionate about protecting my animals. I had a bunch of questions.
Before I could really answer her, as I was lost for words for a second or two, absolutely surprised by her words, I heard a click and realized she’d HUNG UP on me. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful Diane talked of “proprietary contracts” that hide ALL levels of ALL information of all goings-on of Canidae, from the Canidae consumer.
1) I was not allowed to know the names of the CEO or any officers of the company. I was not allowed to know who OWNS the company — I asked all those things.
You have GOT to be kidding me! What the h**l is THAT about? I was not allowed nor was there an ability to speak with any other level of the company other than customer service.
2) She could not disclose the manufacturer Canidae uses — I say “uses” in a strange meaning of the word — because, she said that Canidae has a **building** on the grounds of/ at the plant of ANOTHER manufacturer.
She would not tell me manufacturer of WHAT. She would not tell me WHO. She said it wasn’t Muenster, Annie. But who really knows.
3) Her lack of answers, information, and non-forthcomingness (is that even a word) is UNACCEPTABLE. BEYOND UNACEPTABLE!!!!
I am NOT using Canidae any longer. Buyer Beware!
4) Wonderful Diane would not give me any info as to for-sure U.S. origin of ingredients, as to the suppliers, or anything else that would allow me to research ANY part of their food and its manufacture for myself as the consumer.
ALL information is under “proprietary contract” to be kept secret/hidden. I do not even know what a proprietary contract is, but fully realize the outcome — NO INFORMATION!
Wouldn’t it be funny to learn that, hidden from us all, Canidae belongs to Nestle Purina or Colgate/Palmolive or Del Monte or something to that effect. A person with nothing to hide HIDES NOTHING. So why is it a contracted secret at every level across the board?
I am furious. I am so da*n sick of the cloak and dagger and outright abuse by withholding of knowledge at the expense of our animals.
Someone needs to do some undercover investigations.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Annie, how do I get your email address? I have no problem giving you mine. Your address doesn’t show here. Mine either. I’m now nervous, being so outspoken, posting mine here.
Em
ITCHMO ADMIN: You can go to our forums, register and private message them to each other.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Linda,
I am going to Petco in a little while to return NB “Ultra” 17.5 lb bags of cat and dog food per agreement with Petco Mgr 2 days ago.
I’ll check out the Venison cans and also ask the Mgr about why take it off if not recalled, blah, blah, etc. and come back here to let you know what he says. I’m even going to ask for a peek at the Petco Corp notice about this.
I know that “Ultra” hasn’t been recalled by NB but my dog has symptoms since being on it 100% from 2/16 to 3/19.
On 3/19 I found out that NB out sourced, didn’t want that so I bought Canidae and started the switch on 3/20 to 4/16, but stopped feeding this mix the day of NB recall of Venison. I can no longer justify my dog’s symptoms since NB recall.
BTW, I’m still waiting for NB to return my detailed voice mail call on 4/16 about problems with ULTRA .
April 19th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Smile,
Let’’s go and register on the forum as suggested. I’ll be Ziggy. I’ll go and do that later this evening after I get back from Petco and food shopping.
Thanks Itchimo Admin!!
April 19th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Annie, sounds good. I’ll be on a little later, as I have a ton of hungry mouths for evening feeding.
Thank you Itchmo Admin for the help.
Em
April 19th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
some links about poisons and treatments…
just glanced thru them but may have some helpful, relevant info, particularly with current tragedies….
http://maxshouse.com/lifethrea.....ncies2.htm
http://maxshouse.com/Poisons+Toxins.html
April 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
hi em.
why nervous about posting email? what could they do?
i mean, other than get terrorist on us…
really tho’. what do you imagine?
i posted my email and genuinely want to know if i’m missing something…
thanks for all of your passion em and everyone! -maria
April 19th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Maria,
I did type in my email addy in above post. Itchimo deleted it which I have no problem with and suggested we go to the forum.
Annie
April 19th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
I hope the Natural Balance cans I have are okay. I threw out the venison and green pea ones just in case. On their website it says they are okay and the cats have eaten some. They didn’t appear sick from the Venison and Green Pea dry which they ate just a small amount of. It had an expiration date of May’08.
I have been using Fancy Feast cans without wheat gluten. I may check out Castor and Pollux Ultramix dry cat food. I hope these companies are going to check the corn gluten since China appears to be adding melamine to everything. Why do they have to get the crap from there?
April 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Does anyone feed their dog Fromm’s?
April 20th, 2007 at 12:49 am
Do you SERIOUSLY think that, during this time where I am sure every pet food manufacturer is being harassed out of their pants, that you could simply call and ask for the CEO or for this and that information, and they would just give it to you? Please… open your eyes and your mind, here.
Also, is is *hardly* unusual for a company to manufacture on another company’s plant. It is incredibly expensive and difficult to have your own manufacturing plant!!
I work at a natural pet foods store… we pulled every NB venison product, even the ones that were not recalled such as the venison at cans, because we were being CAUTIOUS!! Good god people, stop being so suspicious and creepy. Just because a store, be it PetCo or your friendly neighborhood store, pulls a product not necessarily recalled/known to be recalled, that does not = conspiracy!!
April 20th, 2007 at 1:40 am
Feverish — who’s talking conspiracy? I just want to know what I’m feeding my dog, and how it’s processed, and where. I happen to believe I have the right to that information in exchange for my money and patronage. And if it won’t be provided, I’ll take my business elsewhere. It’s really that simple for me.
And yes, I do expect answers to my questions from a legitimate company. I know of no one else who is operating or dba-ing with no names, and no access to higher ups/chain of command. It’s unacceptable to me. I don’t care what the company wants to do — if it’s going to get *my* business, those are my rules, my safe guard.
Won’t you please list for me all the other companies operating this way? With no one higher up to contact, with no names or owner, and with no information available other than a nasty customer service rep? I’m all ears.
In my opinion, as the hard-working person feeding my animals — and with my pets and my rescue, I spend almost 240.00 a month on kibble — secrets are far, far from good enough for my money or my peace of mind.
Canidae’s customer service person, Diane, was unprofessional and downright abusive. It was as if I’d gotten their gum-popping teenage daughter on the phone. Useless. Legitimate concerns of their customers aren’t funny, like Diane thinks it is.
If no pets were dying, I could see your use of the concept of conspiracy. But pets are dying. We the consumers are being misled and lied to. It’s been detailed in the news and at the Congresional hearing! It’s not “all in our heads”.
Em
April 20th, 2007 at 2:04 am
Hey Annie,
Can’t figure out how to find you on the forums, as in where to look, and in doing a user search, “Ziggy” doesn’t show up as a user there.
Em
April 20th, 2007 at 2:38 am
I got the news of the Natural Balance recall today. My husband sent me a text message telling me the Venison products had been recalled. I didn’t believe him at first cause all I could think was it is supposed to be all Natural, no wheat, etc..it is good for my pets. I actually had to check online before I believed him. I have a 3 year old pomeranian. He has been eating the Natural Balance Venison and Wild Rice for about 2 years now. I was really happy with it, he seemed to like it, and he looked healthy. So about 6 months ago I switched my 3 cats to Natural Balance Ultra Premium. My oldest cat is almost 14 years old, and has bad teeth. I have to feed her canned food. But with the Natural Balance Cat food, the pieces were small enough that she could eat some of it. I would still give her about 1/2 of a small can of wet cat food everyday though. I always (since the recall) worried about feeding her the canned food, but I never once worried about feeding any of them the Natural Balance products. That was until today.
I went in search of new food for them today. A friend of mine suggested the Bil-Jac dog food. So, I got it, and according to the label it seems good. And my dog really really likes it. The search for cat food was more difficult. I was in the pet store for over an hour today, picking up bags of food and reading labels, and not once did anyone ask if I needed any help. I have never been in that store for more than five minutes with out someone asking if they could help me. I finally just got a bag of Meow Mix. My cats turned their nose up at it.
It is just frustrating. I spent more time reading labels on pet food than I do reading labels on what I buy for my family.
And from what I have seen in previous posts, it is time for the pet food companies to start answering some questions. I know that with 3 cats and a dog, I spend alot of money each month on pet food. And we all deserve to know how our pets food is processed, where the ingredients come from, and when they change their formulas…especially right now. And if it costs more to manufacture the food, charge me more…I will pay it to keep my babies healthy. It is just sad when what you think is good for them turns out to be dangerous even deadly. I really hope this whole situation causes some major changes in the pet food industry.
And I started noticing today that one of my 9 year old cats seems a little groggy and lethargic. She is usually running around playing with the dog. For the past week she hasn’t been. I’m hoping it is just my paranoid imagination. She is a real slim cat, but she looks like she has lost some weight. Again, I’m hoping it is just my paranoid imagination. I’m going to decide tomorrow if she needs to go to the vet or not.
April 20th, 2007 at 3:30 am
Kate - before doing the Fromm, check the canned food - right on the label - product of China. I’m not going down that road…
April 20th, 2007 at 3:37 am
feverish,
To the best of my knowledge no one has mentioned conspiracy. Although I have heard the word “tampering” rumored.
My reason for concern is the disparity between PetCo, et.al’s actions and the recall information being dispensed by NB’s website. Go to
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/faq.html (frequently asked questions) and they state repeatedly that there is no problem w/venison and no problem w/any of the canned cat foods.
Then to find that pet stores have pulled one of the products WHICH NB SAID ISN’T ON THE RECALL LIST raises just a “tad” of confusion on the part of the consumer, wouldn’t you say?
Since new developments on this whole malamine debacle seem to crop up almost daily, how was I to know if an hour before I got to the store, NB decided to pull that can for whatever reason? Or if the manager is just being cautious? Like I said, I can understand the manager’s cautionary decision. I’d probably do it too if it were my store. But if that’s the case, then unfortunately in their effort to be careful, they raise even more confusion on the part of the consumer as to what exactly is going on NOW?
That’s why I ultimately put in a call to NB to get it clarified. They never called back and I didn’t have time to call them again. Too late anyway. I’ll try in the morning. I’ve been up all night on “poopy watch” in a totally unrelated health issue w/my cat w/megacolon. She finally went 10 minutes ago, so now I can go to sleep w/a little less anxiety. Anyone else w/a cat who has megacolon can relate to the anxiety of “poopy watch”. :(
April 20th, 2007 at 5:02 am
To: Linda F
(TO: EM I’m going to the forum right now to sign up)
The Mgr at Petco told me that Natural Balance officially recalled the canned & dry Venison to Petco on Monday!
I asked him 3 times over, if he was sure that NB officially recalled the cans in addition to the dry Venison from Petco?” He said YES every time.
I asked him if he was aware of the NB web site only recalled dry Venison NOT CANNED. He looked at me like he didn’t have a clue and didn’t answer either way.
At that point he was finished with my credit and started to check out the person behind me.
This is the Petco I was at tonight shortly before closing time.
Petco (MGR Corey -credit receipt sales Sales Associate #2)
364 Randall Rd.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-717-0201
Does anyone know who does the canned Venison for NB?
I thought I read somewhere that NB uses AMERICAN NUTRITION for their production of canned food.
Can anyone confirm this please??
As we all know, NB was forced to ‘officially’ come out about their out sourcing production of Venison dry to Diamond, only because of the recall. Do you all remember the big lie NB told over at PETSITUSA? The post is still there.
http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=223.
What is it going to take for NB to tell us: Who is their Venison canned supplier and the truth about rice protein concentrate in the canned V.
Why would they put it in dry V and not canned?
This is insane!!
The only way we get the truth out of these pet food suppliers is when they have to fess up, ONLY because their tainted product is killing our pets and making them sick!
April 20th, 2007 at 5:46 am
To: Linda F
(to EM, I just registered in the forum as Ziggy, you’ll find me now. I’ll be back later today, need some sleep here!)
The Mgr at Petco told me that Natural Balance officially recalled the canned & dry Venison to Petco on Monday!
I asked him 3 times over, if he was sure that NB officially recalled the cans in addition to the dry Venison from Petco?” He said YES every time.
I asked him if he was aware of the NB web site only recalled dry Venison NOT CANNED. He looked at me like he didn’t have a clue and didn’t answer either way.
At that point he was finished with my credit and started to check out the person behind me.
This is the Petco I was at tonight shortly before closing time.
Petco (MGR Corey -credit receipt sales Sales Associate #2)
364 Randall Rd.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-717-0201
Does anyone know who does the canned Venison for NB?
I thought I read somewhere that NB uses AMERICAN NUTRITION for their production of canned food.
Can anyone confirm this please??
As we all know, NB was forced to ‘officially’ come out about their out sourcing production of Venison dry to Diamond, only because of the recall. Do you all remember the big lie NB told over at PETSITUSA? The post is still there.
http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=223.
What is it going to take for NB to tell us: Who is their Venison canned supplier and the truth about rice protein concentrate in the canned V.
Why would they put it in dry V and not canned?
This is insane!!
The only way we get the truth out of these pet food suppliers is when they have to fess up, ONLY because their tainted product is killing our pets and making them sick!
April 20th, 2007 at 6:44 am
For some administrative reason, my post of 2 hours ago regarding my visit to PETCO last night and what was told to me in regards to the canned Venison recall by NB to Petco, is NOT showing up in this thread.
It can be found in the FORUM thread titled: Natural Balance Recall, What Does It Mean?
Itchimo Administrators, what happened please?
Annie
April 20th, 2007 at 6:46 am
To: Linda F
(to EM, I’m registered in the forum as Ziggy, you’ll find me now. I’ll be back later today, need some sleep here!)
The Mgr at Petco told me that Natural Balance officially recalled the canned & dry Venison to Petco on Monday!
I asked him 3 times over, if he was sure that NB officially recalled the cans in addition to the dry Venison from Petco?” He said YES every time.
I asked him if he was aware of the NB web site only recalled dry Venison NOT CANNED. He looked at me like he didn’t have a clue and didn’t answer either way.
At that point he was finished with my credit and started to check out the person behind me.
This is the Petco I was at tonight shortly before closing time.
Petco (MGR Corey -credit receipt sales Sales Associate #2)
364 Randall Rd.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-717-0201
Does anyone know who does the canned Venison for NB?
I thought I read somewhere that NB uses AMERICAN NUTRITION for their production of canned food.
Can anyone confirm this please??
As we all know, NB was forced to ‘officially’ come out about their out sourcing production of Venison dry to Diamond, only because of the recall. Do you all remember the big lie NB told over at PETSITUSA? The post is still there.
http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=223.
What is it going to take for NB to tell us: Who is their Venison canned supplier and the truth about rice protein concentrate in the canned V.
Why would they put it in dry V and not canned?
This is insane!!
The only way we get the truth out of these pet food suppliers is when they have to fess up, ONLY because their tainted product is killing our pets and making them sick!
April 20th, 2007 at 7:05 am
To: Linda F
Let’s try this revised post.
The Mgr at Petco told me that Natural Balance officially recalled the canned & dry Venison to Petco on Monday!
I asked him 3 times over, if he was sure that NB officially recalled the cans in addition to the dry Venison from Petco?” He said YES every time.
I asked him if he was aware of the NB web site only recalled dry Venison NOT CANNED. He looked at me like he didn’t have a clue and didn’t answer either way.
At that point he was finished with my credit and started to check out the person behind me.
This is the Petco I was at tonight shortly before closing time.
Petco - South Elgin, IL
Why would they put it in dry Venison and not canned?
This is insane!!
The only way we get the truth out of these pet food suppliers is when they have to fess up, ONLY because their tainted product is killing our pets and making them sick!
April 20th, 2007 at 7:27 am
This is quoted by Jennifer Freeman from Natural Balance over at Petsitusa”" The link to this is on my post in the forum thread as stated above.
she says:
“”Further, all of our products are tested prior to production, after production, and then once again at our facility before the product ever leaves for distribution.—"
Really? Then why did this tainted product leave the plant after these tests? NB only recalled product after receiving calls from pet owners on Thrusday and Friday of last week to say their pets were sick and dying.
So they tell us they test, test, test, test 4 times!! before the product leaves the plant. Why bother with all of these test??????
Natural Balance still shipped out tainted product!!
Waited for pets to get sick and die, then they recall.
Did I miss something here?
April 20th, 2007 at 8:01 am
This is you the folks who don’t make it over to the forum where I posted all the details about my Petco visit last night!
The only POINT I want to make is that PETCO MGR told me:
OFFICIAL RECALL from Natural Balance was given to PETCO on MONDAY!! regarding the recalled CANNED Venison product.
April 20th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Are you speaking of the cat canned food? I know the dog canned venison is recalled and the newer ones have rice protein listed on them.
Cheryl
April 20th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Does anyone have info on a reliable independent laboratory that can test samples for melamine?
April 20th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
LATEST UPDATE ON NATURAL BALANCE CANNED CAT FOOD:
JUST RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM PETCO HQS IN SAN DIEGO. AS OF AN HOUR AGO, PETCO CONFIRMED THAT NATURAL BALANCE HAS OFFICIALLY CONTACTED THEM AND ADVISED THEM TO ADD THE VENISON & GREEN PEA CANNED - THAT’S CANNED - CAT FOOD TO THEIR RECALL LIST.
This information STILL is not on NB’s website. I’m continuing to try and contact NB. This is more - MORE - than just adding yet another food to the recall. This flies in the face of the information NB is dispensing that: the only concern is the rice protein concentrate. The reason being the Venison & Green Pea Canned Cat Food “allegedly” (at least according to label ingredients) does not - repeat does not - contain rice protein concentrate.
So I ask again and will ask if and when I ever get through to Natural Balance:
“If you’re now pulling this canned food w/no rice protein concentrate then what the hell is wrong with THIS one, now?”
I urge anyone who can to continue trying to contact Natural Balance. This dribs and drabs of info leaking out of them is inexcusable.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Sorry, didn’t put in my name. The above comment and warning is from me as a follow up to my previous questions and statements.
Linda F.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Cross posting this here as well as on the Forums:
This is quite obviously moment-to-moment as opposed to even day-to-day trickling of information and misinformation.
Finally reached a rep at Natural Balance who adamantly stated they DID NOT release any notification to PetCo to (a) remove the canned venison cat food or (b) that is has been added to their recall list.
He, Todd Weigert at Natural Balance, is contacting their in-house Petco liason to definitively verify this and will (hopefully) call me back within the half hour.
Naturally, the first thing he said was that there was no rice protein concentrate in this particular food nor any of the other canned cat foods. I told him that I knew that and that is exactly why I’m concerned as to the reason for the pulling of this “allegedly” unaffected food?
Awaiting a response. He seemed earnest and sincere in his efforts to get to the source of this. (If you’re reading this, Todd, because you said you’re scanning the blogs and forums), don’t let me down on this!
Linda
April 20th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Cross posting again from the forums:
Todd, from Natural Balance, just phoned back after speaking w/their PetCo liason:
Quote
“Natural Balance has issued NO recall of their Venison & Green Pea Canned Cat Food Formula. Nor has their been any recall on ANY of the canned cat foods. None contain the rice protein concentrate, and it is the rice protein concentrate that contains the melamine.”
They (NB) are contacting PetCo in San Diego to inform them that PetCo stores and their main offices there in San Diego are dispensing incorrect information. I told Todd that not only are they (PetCo) doing a disservice to their customers, but to Natural Balance as well, considering that I was going to stop purchasing any of their other canned cat foods if there was indeed a problem w/the venison & greenpea canned. I wasn’t about to take a chance on some other horrific revelation coming down tomorrow about all the cans! He agreed and repeated that NB will contact PetCo.
To repeat: The Venison & Green Pea as well as all other canned cat food varieties of NB are NOT being recalled. As of today
Linda
April 20th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Linda,
Thanks for that clarification. I’ll call my local Petco shortly to see if that information trickled down to them.
April 20th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Annie — sounds good. I’ll find you in the forums.
Just wanted to say again that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who, like me, are scared to death just trying to feed their pets, and with all the people with sick or dying pets. This is such a nightmare. My head is just spinning trying to keep up with all the info hour to hour and day to day. It’s like a full time job plus overtime. I even go to sleep and dream about it!
Em
April 20th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Just returned from food shopping at Stop & Shop in New Jersey. On a “reduced for quick sale cart” were at least two dozen cans of their Companion Dog foods. Nearly all contained wheat gluten. Approached the manager and she said “perhaps” these weren’t in the affected lots.
“If they’re not in the effected lots and the cans aren’t past date and aren’t damaged, then why are they marked down to 10 and 75 cents!!!” (Nearly 1/4 the normal cost of the food).
Here response: “I only do what management tells me.”
Asked her why she could act a bit more proactively and remove the cans entirely. Not just try and foist off poisoned food on an unsuspecting public who don’t check Itchmo or read the papers every day. Are they that desperate to make 10 or 75 cents? Pathetic.
This particular store, fyi, is in Jackson, New Jersey. For all I know this practice is happening at other Stop and Shops across the country and, perhaps, at other supermarkets. Supermarkets seem to think they can slip one over on the public more than the more visible designated pet food venues, like PetCo, PetSmart, etc.
Don’t be afraid to march up to a manager if you see they’re still carrying - or worse - trying to make a piddling penny off tainted foods!!
Linda
April 21st, 2007 at 2:20 am
I’m pretty ticked off at NB. They’ve destroyed our trust in what was once a superior product.
1) They cheapened their food by putting the vegetable first, there by using less meat. They added gluten to make up for the lost meat protein.
2) The venison allergy formula for cats isn’t really an allergy formula anymore due to rice protein.
3) A lot of their products seem to have changed ingredients. They now seem to have meat as the second, or even third product.
4) They misled their customers about producing their own food.
5) They only updated the ingredients on the website after the melamine debacle.
6) Last, but most importantly, they made peoples loved ones sick.
This is what happens when some greedy, fat cat, bean counter gets into a position of power. Some people at NB need to be removed from their jobs ASAP.
NB needs to go back to it’s original formulas for all products.
Boycott them.
April 21st, 2007 at 11:09 am
I am totally taken aback to learn that NB believes the source of the contamination of its product to be a component (rice protein) that was never supposed to be in the product to begin with. The Venison & Green Pea dry food is specifically represented to be an “allergy” formula that contains “no grains” and “no rice.” These representations were obviously known to be material to the consumer and intended to be relied upon, as they were the very basis upon which this specialty product was marketed.
It is interesting to note that NB modified the list of ingredients on its website to admit to the presence of rice protein as a major ingredient in its formulation only after it was discovered to be contaminated. NB’s risk management team apparently overlooked the fact that its website still reads “no rice.” Good going, guys.
When I think of the massive amounts of time and money that I spent reading labels, researching ingredients, eliminating one protein source after another, keeping daily calendars, adjusting prednisone up and down, seeking specialty consults, etc., I become just furious. When I think about the extent to which my little girl suffered as a result of ongoing serious gastrointestinal problems, and how those problems (and the continuing drug therapy required to deal with it) complicated her already extremely medically fragile condition, I become absolutely sick to my stomach.
Whether the particular food that I gave to my precious little cat prior to her death was tainted is something that I don’t yet have an answer to. However, I do know that it would have taken very little to tip her over given her extremely fragile medical condition.
I keep hearing about a regulation that gives pet food manufacturers have a period of time in which to change their label to reflect a change in formulation. So what? Perhaps such a regulation insulates a manufacturer from adverse agency action, but I fail to see how that would relieve a manufacturer of potential liability to consumers for misrepresentation/fraud, and breach of express warranty, and violation of the state’s consumer protection laws. Maybe I was absent the day they covered that in law school.
April 21st, 2007 at 11:19 am
Erik T,
You are absolutely right!!! It sickens me that we are paying NB premium prices for a supposedly premium product, only to find that they are cheapening their ingredients. They thought they could fool us, huh?
When they changed the formula, they not only put the Venison as a second and third ingredient now, the Venison liver (which is very healthy!) has been removed, and all the missing wonderful protein replaced with an inferior protein (and deadly now) “rice protein concentrate”.
ALSO, they have replaced “Venison” with “Venison MEAL” which again is an inferior product. There wasn’t any Venison Meal in their prior formulas.
Gee, I’m so disgusted and furious at NB! They messed with a good thing and I hope they pay for it dearly!
April 21st, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Twenty years ago my wonderful holistic vet told me about the importance of feeding real food - home-cooked food - to our pets.
The book he recommended is still the very best - it sets the standard, and tells you exactly what to do. Quick and easy basic recipe, as well as others.
The book is: Dr. Pitcairn’s New Complete Guide To Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. It is written by Richard Pitcairn.
Highly recommended!
April 21st, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Correction —that was only 12 years ago!
The book is Definitely worth reading!
April 21st, 2007 at 6:23 pm
Has anyone tried Feline’s Pride raw cat food? I’d like some feedback as their products seem reasonable and are backed by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins as being the closest thing to home made food. However, I can’t find much on the search engines about it. Website: www.felinespride.com
Thanks for any input!
April 21st, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Here’s a link to a rather stunning email conversation with Diamond. I consider this a must read for anyone remotely considering a Diamond product.
http://thepetfoodlist.com/foru.....opic=158.0
April 22nd, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Felines Pride Raw is amazing cat food. I urge all of you to switch your cats over to raw. It’s the most efficient and nutritious way to feed your cats and yes, it’s closest to the way wild cats eat.
April 22nd, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Thanks, Karla, I’m having great results with Feline’s Pride, too. Had to cook it a little during the transition but am told that’s okay. It takes about 10 minutes each feeding to cook, cool down and feed. Not as easy as opening a can or shaking a bag, but we have been led by marketing gimmicks to feed the canned and dry foods because we’re lazy pet parents.
May 21st, 2007 at 12:30 am
on my claimant form from NB the Ocean Whitefish canned cat food is indicated. I haven’t read this entire blog, but I will tomorrow. I have to indicate where I purchased my NB’ and I have no recall. I was out searching for something safe for my babies when I found this. It nearly KILLED my boy. The other two wouldn’t touch it. He, the garbage disposal did -and at some point weeks later, he was near death. 27 days of medication later, I’ve got him back. I’m trying to file a claim. I’ll be back in touch with ya’ll tomorrow. I hope I can be of help to someone. See my site.
May 21st, 2007 at 12:35 am
and no matter what any one says the V and GP cans for cats are NOT okay -my boy ate that and hours later -threw up for a whole day. Tell me that’s okay ???? He ate the Ocean Whitefish the next day… So, which sent him into Liver & Kidney failure one doesn’t know-but the vomitiing of the V & GP wasn’t due to aversion to flavor! I assure you. And they’re not saying Liver failure very much -and it’s true. It is. Liver goes with this. I’ve read up so much - it’s liver as much as kidney =they can go hand in hand…..it’s just terrible.
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