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 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