Several Unconfirmed Reports of Iams Dry Food Causing Illness
Update 3:30pm: We will be collecting emails over the next few days and release a result early next week. In the meantime, if you believe your pet was sickened by ANY kind of pet food, please contact the manufacturer and/or the FDA.
Original Post: We want to repeat that Iams dry pet food is NOT a part of the recall (it only applies to wet food) but itchmo has been hearing of several independent reports that Iams dry pet food has caused illnesses in at least three independent cases. All three reports of pets getting sick has singled out Iams dry food as the cause.
We’re not sure if this is anything more than just coincidence. But, we haven’t seen other dry food being singled out for illness and we’re curious. If you believe your dog has been sickened by dry food, or know of any reports that say so, please email us at tips@itchmo.com and we’ll see if we can log more possible cases.
A list of reports after the jump.
Reports of Iams dry dog food problems:
Colorado paper reports FDA investigating food not on the recall list.
March 25th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
[…] Itchmo!Seattle […]
March 26th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Back in February we gave our dog Ol’ Roy Kibbles, Chunks, and Chews dry dog food and my dog was throwing up and having extremely soft stools. The dog looked beat. So I immediately took her off the dog food and she’s looking a lot better. I remember going back to Walmart and buying Purina, I told the Walmart cashier that the Walmart brand was making my dog sick. And this was before any reports of tainted dog food were reported.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:05 am
I purchase my dog food iams and nutro and even purina at both costco and fred meyer and my dogs have been sick….I never would have thought of something like this causing them to be ill….I lost one dog a while ago, he stopped eating and I just assumed it was he’s getting old (12 years). looking back….i’m thinking he was poisened by this tainted food that may have been the cause of his death….our other two siberian huskies have showed signs as well. I am going to get them checked….it seems that all the foods i’ve been giving them may be the reason for their health problems.
March 26th, 2007 at 4:36 am
Neither Nutro nor Menu Foods have officially recalled or even mentioned DRY
FOOD.
However, buzz is accumulating around the internet as individuals — one who
has reported dry food [possible] poisoning to the FDA — report illness
related to IAMS DRY and NUTRO DRY. (I personally threw out my kitten Nutro
dry and bleached the container. I will never buy Nutro again…)
I can only pass along these accounts (below) as organized in our recent
action campaign against Menu Foods.
If you are interested in receiving the ENTIRE alert, with sample letters
addressed to Menu Foods and other authorities, please request “Demand Action
In Menu Foods Recall†at kinshipcircle@brick.net
Brenda Shoss, Kinship Circle
Below is an excerpt pertaining to dry food:
===========================================================
#6: Recall Info, Alternative Food Sources, DRY Food Scare?
What’s in a Can of Dog Food? Don’t ask.
http://www.slate.com/id/2162164?GT1=9231
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: PET FOOD RECIPE?
SOURCE: Cornwall’s Voice For Animals, cvfa.uk@virgin.net
[From my friend on myspace] 3/22/07, Gayle writes: My brother has actually
been to the [MENU FOODS] plant in Columbia/Lexington, South Carolina. (He
automates machinery and they bought machinery from the company my brother
works for.) He said it was DEPPLORABLE! Upon entering the road to the plant,
there are barrels lined up, starting at the street. People from nearby areas
bring their dead pets, cattle, road kill and shelters (their euthanized
animals) and dump them in the barrels. The barrels are then taken inside the
plant where the carcasses are boiled. They pull out the larger bones to
resell as pet bones. The meat, hide, small bones and fur are ground up and
sold as pet food to the companies on the recall list. My brother said the
smell at that place is unbearable. He could not stay there because of the
smell and knowing how they made the pet food. He said he could not stop from
gagging… He said they also use rotten fish from the grocery store, old
dead chickens. After his trip to that plant, he began making his own dog
food for his dog
March 26th, 2007 at 5:17 am
I have a six-month-old kitten. Usually I feed him a bit of kibble in the morning and a pouch of some kind of wet food in the evening.
About a month ago, I ran out of dry and was giving him just wet. I had been giving him Meow Mix–which isn’t on the list of food that’s getting recalled, and which he had had before. He liked it. Suddenly, though, he was having bouts of diarrhea. I kept him confined for a couple of days, stopped giving him the Meow Mix, and picked up a fresh bag of kibble and some more wet.
On the kibble–Purina Kitten Chow–he’s fine. In terms of the wet, I had some Eukanuba kitten food. and Nutro Gourmet Tomato and Basil, which is also not on the recal list. Both of those gave him diarrhea again, so I stopped them immediately, and now he has no more problems.
He was neutered about two weeks ago and there weren’t any problems, according to the vet, so I just hope I caught it in time. But I’m wondering about the Meow Mix.
March 26th, 2007 at 6:22 am
I’m glad to read a post about the dry dog food…
My two Golden Retrievers eat Trader Joe’s DRY dog food. About two weeks ago, one of them had horrible bloody diarreah and vomiting. He wouldn’t eat or drink. He got so weak and dehyrdated and almost died, but thankfully, we got him to the vets on time. In a stretcher!
A week later, our other Golden got the same symptoms and we rushed her to the vet. still no word on what caused it… but we’re feeding them a different food till we figure it out.
TJ’s is only voluntarily recalling the wet food…
if ANYONE knows anything else about the dry food, or where Trader Joe’s manufactures it’s dry food, PLEASE let me know!!
March 26th, 2007 at 6:33 am
My cat was drinking tons of water — as well as urinating frequently.
I am almost positive it was from the new brand of dry food, that I purchased around Christmas time at Kmart’s — and it was odd — she would not eat it, but — I thought it was because I had changed her diet.
I thought at first it was Iams; but it could of been another brand, like Max/Nutro, either one of those two. I only gave her a few bags of it around the Christmas season.
She is doing fine now, the vet gave her a blood test, and she has no Kidney problems, just Diabetes — but that is better then Kidney problems.
He advised — me to change her diet, and now she is doing fine, she runs all around the apartment, often — and is not drinking tons of water, as she was before, and smiles, and does not shed as much hair as before; I think she likes her new diet — holistic Halo Spot’s Stew for Cats — and the Vitamins I give her.
I also think the vet said her sugar level was 250, or something like that — another cat was bothering her at the vet — that could of raised her blood sugar levels. I am not a vet though.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I had/have 3 very sick dogs since the end of November 2006- whether related or not to the food, I don’t know- but I find it very curious… I feed dry Canidae, which is not on the list- but I do watch my friends Corgi’s and she feed Iams dry and my dogs have sampled it… Her dogs have had a “stomach bug” and I thought My dogs caught it from hers…
BUT…
My first dog is a 7.5 y.o. 97 pound Bernese Mt. Dog- who became rather lethargic in mid December and just not herself; by mid January she was very old very quickly; She dropped 8 pounds. She was put on antiobiotics right away (vet was suspecting a reocurrence of Lyme, which she has had a couple of times in the past…) and with in 48 hours we saw an improvement… She sleeps hunched - legs tight into the belly as if cold, rather than her “how much floor space can I take up so you notice me” typical position!
the second Dog; is a 105 pound 2.5 year old Bernese who started with occassional Diarrea and vomiting in December- and also a 9 pound weight loss- I was told to give her a boiled hamburger and rice diet and pepto bismal… This went on until February, when I saw a drastic weight loss- she now had dropped approx. 18 pounds, and was looking thin and her coat was washed out and brittle. Her energy level very high, which is quite puzzling. Increased diarrea and more frequent vomiting…no other physical ailments; I thought possible blockage (she’s a sock stealer) Vet took an x-ray and did blood work in Mid Feb. and found lots of gas, nothing else seemed out of wack. She is hypo-thyroid; yet she dropped another 9 pounds she was put on something to balance the bacteria in her intestines; By the next week you could practically see her ribs - she was skin and bones and resembled something closer to a hairy Greyhound at 72 pounds rather than a 105 pound Bernese Mountain Dog. 33 pounds lost! She was dehydrated; yet still as active as ever! Vet put her on an IV some antiobiotics and did full blood panel; Very pale continual Diarrhea and vomiting- …result: Pancriatitus- cause unknown, suspected at the time (prior to food recall) was some bad food and she got a bacterial infection. Hopefully there is no damage to organs. Looking at Kidney and liver damage. She is now on a pancreatic enzyme (for 4 days now) and it seems to be helping… She may be on this for life, no known cause at this time, to otherwise healthy dog.
the 3rd is a 6 year old 1/2 Lab 1/2Golden Retreiver mix- who dropped 7 pounds at the end of February- he started with severe flatulates vomiting and diarrhea, for 3 days he laid he was lethargic (when looking back ot it - it was gradual over the 3 days, started with having to call him for dinner; by the second day, I was working and he was in a different room, how odd?! So I called him and he trotted in, and slumped down; and on day 3 he didn’t get up when I call him, I kicked a ball and the tip of his tail barely wagged… this is a dog that would fly at the word ball) and when a ball rolled bast him he didn’t even flinch- so off to the vet - thought we were going to lose him; IV and blood work, and x-ray just in case of blockage- and antibiotics he is on the mends too… possibly Samonella, or Giardia were what the vets thought at the time - seems to be no rhyme or reason to 3 sick dogs, who have been incredibly healthy their entire lives up until December; similiar - but different- ailments (which is not uncommon when in the same household, with the same diet)
March 26th, 2007 at 10:17 am
This is for jill shpur!!
(hope you come back here to look for more information)
I put 3 clothespins in a row on my cat’s scruff to calm him down before I give him the subcutaneous fluids. I read about that on felinecrf.org, it is really a wonderful Web site. I guess it causes the same reflex kittens have when mom picks them up at the neck, they go limp. I put the clothespins on before I start the procedure, and Jack fights me considerably less! It doesn’t seem to hurt him and makes the whole operation less stressful for the both of us.
March 26th, 2007 at 11:48 am
UPDATE:
I called Trader Joe’s headquarters, 626-599-3700, in order to find out who makes their dry dog food. They lady at Customer Care told me they couldn’t disclose the information, but did say they were not manufactured by Menu Foods. When I patiently insisted and told her about my sick dogs, she hung up on me…
March 26th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Does Menu Foods Make Nutro?… who can we trust… what is it about money that the corporations have no ethics…
Every… government official should be requiredt taste test all of these products.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Rich:
Menu Foods DOES make Nutro, so watch out!!
here’s a link to the Menu Foods product recall list:
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html
March 26th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Has anyone heard anything about Eukaneuba dry foods?
March 26th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
We’ve been feeding our 5 yeare old Bluetick Coonhound Nutro DRY food for the last few years.
But I would say we have noticed in the last few months, she has been drinking a lot more and thus urinating more often, even getting up in the middle of the night.
Last week, after buying a new bag of Nutro, she began licking the floor and eating grass to settle her stomach. She didn’t vomit but she spent two days eating grass. We had our vet check her out, and she is supposedly okay but I don’t trust the Nutro DRY food anymore. We’ve taken her off of it and she is now getting something else.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I have been scanning the posts & I haven’t seen Eukanuba dry catfood mentionned as causing harm.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I had a beautiful 7-year-old calico cat named Jade. She died of the same symptoms in December 2005 that all the dogs and cats are having now. She also went from fat and healthy, to sick the same way. She was a strictly indoor cat so there was no way she could have been exposed to poison, not to mention my other 5 cats seemed to be doing fine. Vet diagnosed the beginning of kidney failure and had me administer subcutaneous fluids. Well - she was peeing fine, but continued to degenerate, till she died.
I always thought the circumstances were strange. I had yet another 7yo cat die in the same unusual circumstances, two years prior.
All my cats eat Iams dry. I know back then I occasionally gave them canned as a treat, as well, so who knows.
All my current cats seem to be well, though my one 11yo boy did get sick in december to january, but it’s cleared up.
March 26th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
BB:
Menu Foods does not have a manufacturing facility in South Carolina per their corporate filings. That story sounds just a bit over the top.
Lea:
Check the Iams website for information about Iams and Eukaneuba (www.iams.com).
Menu Foods ONLY manufactures wet foods. Any concerns about dry food would be specific to the brand, not Menu Foods. Iams apparently makes their dry food in-house, as I’m sure many other brands do.
The recall is confusing enough, let’s not make it worse by introducing mis-informed panic across the board.
March 26th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I have Iams lamb and rice dry food for a dozen years, and never had a problem. I go through 40lbs in about 3 weeks. I have about a week left. This really scares me. I know I shouldn’t panic, but these postings are saying they fed iams dry and still had pets get sick. I really wish someone would look into it. In the meantime, I am switching.
March 26th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
It is a scary thing going on with our pet foods. Especially sence they can not speak to us as to how they are feeling. My daughter was feeding Pedigree to her precious sheltie which is an inside baby. She lost weight along with throwing up and diareah with lots of blood. Vet said it was something she ate. The only thing she was fed was Pedigree dry. She is doing fine now after being given a round of meds. She has gained weight, stopped throwing up and stools are normal. She will never be given that food again. Has anyone else had an experience with pedigree dry?
March 26th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
My vet is recommending that you feed only food that is labeled “human compatible ingredients”. She had me throw out my Pedigree and started the dogs on Eagle Pack and for the cats since one is in renal failure a kidney diet food. She is also having me stop the treats for now. I bought carrots and they seem to like them and they are good for them.
P.S. Thanks for the clothespin trick, I’ll let you know if it helped.
Keep Posting!!!!!!!!!
March 26th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
THANKS ANDREA
March 26th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Just wondering if anyone’s pet started to have seizures? We aso lost a delicate pet cat back in December. She was a special needs cat and was blind but started to just go pee everywhere and died very suddenly, like within hours of doing that, she would get wet food. but, our bud Bear is in an animal hospital right now. we’ve been feeding old roy, or purina dry and he started out of the blue having seizures last night. His blood work for kidneys and liver came back OK, but there is no good explaination on what it could be, especially since the seizing hasn’t stopped and the meds aren’t working.
March 26th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I have a 6 month old Maltese puppy. I bought her a new bag of the dry Nutro Natural Choice Small Puppy Bites-Chicken Meal, Riace & Oatmeal Formula (best used by 24 Jun 2008) and gave her a cup and a half of it. The next day I just happened to have scheduled her for a routine vet visit. By the time I arrived at the vet’s office she was vomiting a clear liquid and continued this for approximately two hours. She was also running 102 temp. I explained to the vet that her poop that day was like lava rocks. It was hard and grey and I even made the remark to my son that I would have thought she had made that poop weeks ago if I hadn’t cleaned her room earlier that day. Even though at that time only the wet dog food had been recalled, I explained to the lady with the Menu Foods hotline that I still didn’t feel comfortable giving her the dry dog food either. She acted like she was purturbed, but I honestly believe this stuff is tainted. I would love to get it tested somewhere.
March 27th, 2007 at 12:07 am
Sadie a 2 year old black bitch was raised on Eukunaba puppy than adult but was having problems with itchy skin so I switched to IAMS Lamb and Rice earlier this month.
I took her off the food and went to Flint River Ranch with the recall, even though IAMS said that the dry was not at risk. I stopped being a preferred IAMS breeder for my kennel and went to Flint River Ranch when my kennel was actively showing in 1998 as IAMS was dulling the coats as time went on.
But when I retired my kennel in 2001, I did not think once I sent my show dogs off with co/owners I would get another dog, but enter Sadie.
I did not wish to mess with mail order food since Sadie was a companion not a show prospect. Well today she is vomiting, and drinking a lot. I will be taking her to the vet tomorrow.
I would tell anyone if you knew what was in retail pet food you would go to something like FF Ranch which is human grade food, and avoid all commercial brands out there. But by my laziness my dog maybe be sick- do not trust anything they are saying many places here are pulling all IAMS, and our shelter in no long accepting donations of any type of IAMS food.
Take Care Sandy Metcalf
French-Vanila Labradors (retired)
French-Vanila Lab Rescue
March 27th, 2007 at 12:31 am
Please call and report your issues to the food companies directly. If they tell you that the food you are calling on is NOT a part of the recall, tell them you would like them to record this as a whole seperate issue that you want documented. They still have to take your calls and your reports. You can also report the issue to the FDA. Keep a log of the calls you have made.
March 27th, 2007 at 4:03 am
Hi People.
Reading all these post makes me want to cry .
As a avid supporter of PETA I personly feel that Iams sould be closed down .
I know that they have been busted for testing and staving animal.
Link : IAms cruelty.com
I personly dont know if its only Iams that does this but send all letters to Peta
March 28th, 2007 at 9:17 am
[…] days ago, we started reading reports of dry food possibly making pets sick, specifically Iams. We then asked our readers to provide […]
March 28th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
January 2007, lost my black lab, suddenly - emergency vet hospital said it was acute renal failure - we questioned how could it be possible, she was healthy as could be, then began showing signs of lack of appetite, fast weight loss, then stopped eating in the one day (a Sunday), and Monday we rushed her in for emergency care - of course the overly frequent need to go out for relief, and that Monday before getting her to the emergency vet, she had issues drinking, wanted water desperately, but would choke trying to swallow it, she was actually not able to drink anymore on that Monday. This was quick and sudden. Food - we just changed her diet to NUTRO Natural Choice DRY DOG FOOD in the fall, and she was fine up until early January, and then suddenly and unexpectedly she was gone. I noticed she was ’sick’ Sunday, and she was gone on Monday. She did not have kidney disease, which from the information we’re trying to learn is progressive, she had acute renal failure which everyone is saying is not normal. We knew it (in January before news of the recall/poison) that something took her from us, and no one could give us answers. Now ‘we know’, even if no one will admit the dry dog food is in question also. Nutro will never be in our house again, ever.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
I am a member of a rescue group. I have 18 cats in a large, air conditioned/heated room. Fri. evening one of my rescues started throwing up. Hairballs again, I suspected. Went out the next day around 11:00 am and Gabby couldn’t walk or stand and was crying as if in alot of pain. I immediately took her to emergency pet services. Profuse drooling and she still couldn’t stand. She died at 12:30 that evening. I mix Hill’s Science Diet with Iam’s weight control/hairball formula. No moist food what so ever. I am currently waiting for the autopsy to come back. My vet told me he saw several lesions in the stomach. I am reserving my judgement as of right now, but after hearing such comments I am glad I made the decision to do the necropsy. I contacted Iams and they “assured” me menu foods had nothing to do with the dry food, but I have to question why so many people have had the same experiences. I will send info as soon as I get the results. I am also sending out some of the food to be tested.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Try as I may, I can’t seem to find the lab that I read somewhere will test the food. Can anyone help me???
March 28th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
My 6yr old sheltie, Kosmo ate dry Nutro Lamb & Rice formula (no wheat gluten there!) and never ate the canned foods. She had blood work done about 3 months ago, and everything was fine. Last Monday she got sick (lethargic, wouldn’t eat, drank a lot, had a hard time controlling urination). I took her to the vet Thursday. The vet gave her an antibiotic for a urinary tract infection. She got sicker, and started vomitting every hour Saturday night, so I took her to the Emergency Vet clinic Sunday morning. At that point blood work was done again, and it was determined she was suffering kidney failure. She was given fluids all day and all night, but still couldn’t urinate. The emergency vet and her regular vet said she couldn’t be helped at that point, because her kidneys had shut down and she also had blood in her lungs. I had to put her to sleep Monday. As you can imagine, I am absolutely devastated.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
A HAPPY UPDATE. MY CAT VINNIE HAD A REPEAT URINE DONE TODAY. THE RESULTS WERE MUCH BETTER. STILL NOT OUT OF THE WOODS. BUT ATLEAST SWITCHING THE FOOD HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE. THANKS
March 29th, 2007 at 10:26 am
There are so many more total figures regarding Dry Dog Food issues/deaths. Unfortunately many people don’t realize this site is collecting information, I’m posting some comments below to add here, but to also show there are other sites with reports of deaths/illnesses on DRY dog food, and also those without internet access, who don’t realize the scope of the problem, they can only rely on the ’spin’ and lack of reports in the news/newspapers.
This one didn’t show death, but did show sudden illness,
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....m=Page%3D5
Warren Meny
Message #56
03/19/07 02:42 PM
Things are just too coincidental. Have fed my six year old Brittany dry Iams for his whole life. Last week the dog started vomiting, wouldn’t eat (not even treats) or drink for two days. Went to vet and he just guessed after $600. that he may have a virus. Put him on straight chicken mixed with some water 1/2 cup at a time with a whole bunch of pills. Finally after a week he is back eating his dry food. This is some scare, trashed the Iams dry food, think I’ll go back to Purina that I used years ago for my bird dogs. Of course there is no way getting through to anyone at Iams.
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....m=Page%3D9
grand rapids
Message #104
03/19/07 04:06 PM
So far they are saying it is only the moist food. My 2 year old Main **** cat eats Iams dry food, and she has just been diagnosed with kidney problems. I think this may go farther than just the moist food.
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....=Page%3D14
LovesAnimals
Message #161
03/19/07 07:00 PM
My dog died of renal failure in January and she was a healthy dog. She ate Iams dry food from WalMart. She started sick and getting very picky, I cooked her chicken, turkey, beef and she still would not eat. The vet tests came back with advanced kidney failure. I asked her….was it her food?? I can’t get thru on 866 number. I feel like I am mourning her loss all over again. She died for nothing. It could have been a coincidence but they are not saying dry food at this point. Does anyone know of what kind of recourse we have????
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....=Page%3D17
heart-sick
Message #196
03/19/07 07:48 PM
We lost our sweet 9 year-old cat last week of acute kidney failure. She ate dry food only ( science diet, indoor cat…not a bargain brand.) Although this is not on the list, I strongly suspect it was the cause. She had never been sick before. Our nightmare included hospitalization, iv antibiotics and a week of home-administered ringer’s lactate infusions, before she succumbed. How can we find out if the dry foods contained whatever it is that is harming our pets?
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....=Page%3D19
Eschultz
Message #221
03/19/07 08:11 PM
I have 2 friends in NE Ohio who have dogs that died of kidney failure in the last month. Both ate IAMS dry dog food and both were otherwise healthy 4 year old Labs. Anecdotal evidence to be sure, but certainly raises an eyebrow when they admit that other products have been tainted.
I fed my dog Nutro up until this came up.
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboa.....=Page%3D23
Sledford
Message #276
03/19/07 09:58 PM
Today is one of the worst day in our family had to put are japanese chin bruce to sleep he was in full renal failure was fine on friday saturday was just a little wobbly sunday got sick a few times monday morning took him to doctors and had to have him put to sleep doctor said can not save him when he was wobbling on sat it was already to late / feed him iams mini chunk dry food does not get any wet vet said either food or antifreeze he is an inside dog only goes out to go to the bathroom in a fenced yard he is not replicable it was a great loss we bottle fed him from 2 hours old his mom attached the litter and he was the only one we saved had one eye removed was a great and loyal companion please warn anyone who feeds there dog iams he was only a year old in december should not have been gone yet was robbed of many years we should have had.
————————–
There are many more messages over at this msn board, you can add to the above, I just didn’t have any more time at the moment to glean more, perhaps those posts there can be counted and added regarding the dry food information, ?
March 29th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Our family pet of 20 years has been very ill for the past 13 days. He has not eaten in the past 12 days. I thought it was just his age catching up with him but when I spoke to my sister and her cat is also ill. I started to wonder becasue it seemed really odd that they would both have the same symptoms at the same time. Her cat was eating Science Diet food. When I saw the recall I immediately looked up info and saw that it was not for Iams dry products. Our cat has eaten Iams his whole life and we have never had any issues. He has the same symptoms as many of the above posters. He won’t eat, has a glazed over glassy look in his eyes, cannot walk any longer and now has stopped drinking. I reported this to Iams and they would like me to send them a sample of our food.
March 29th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
We had to euthenize our one year old, happy and healthy shar-pei on Monday due to acute renal failure. He started vomiting bile 2 1/2 weeks ago and went down hill from there. We took him to the vet right away and he said nothing was wrong and to bring him back if he worsened. We stupidly did not ask for blood work. He would not eat anything and lost a tremendous amount of weight over the next two weeks. He drank water, was lethargic and just layed around, along with the constant vomiting. We finally took him to the ER pet clinic and he was diagnosed with acute renal failure. The food he ate was Old Roy dry and Mixables poured over the top–both brands are on the “list.”
March 29th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
my cat has been raised on Iams Dry food daily - she is six years old. We also give her Iams wet about once a week for dinner. A month ago she vomited a few days in a row, then she stopped eating altogether. She would look at the food, sniff it and then walk away. She stopped drinking water and became lethargic - barely moving one day. We bought fancy feast canned food and she ate it voraciously. She went back to normal activity and health. After a couple of weeks we decided to try the dry food again. We had heard about the recall at this point, but figured dry food was okay. We bought a new bag of Iams and she has been vomiting every day. We just bought her Fancy Feast today and that is all she will be eating. These poor animals!
March 29th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
I don’t know what to think about whats going on with my dog. She has eaten IAMS CHUNKS (dry) for 3 years….and for the past month she has just not been herself. Constantly shaking and panting, and not eating for the past week. :( I don’t know if it has anything to do with this awful recall, but I’m worried and I think I will call my vet tomorrow. Does anyone else’s dogs act like this? It just seems she’s so scared all the time, she doesnt even want to go outside (which is weird for her) and she is dehydrated as well…
March 30th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Bud has been eating Iams dry for several years. I’d been saying he acts funny for about 10 days. Then the recall came about. Increased thirst, wouldn’t eat pizza crusts! We have switched to purina one dry. Within 3 days is acting more like himself.
March 30th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Our beloved cat became ill approximately 1-2 weeks ago when I purchased new batch of food. He has been on science diet canned and dry food all his life. He has never had a serious illness and is 15. For the last week we have had him to the vet 3 times, the vet has told us that he his kidneys are failing and that he does not know how long he will live, he is not doing well. The vet says that he is not suffering but our cat moans and was almost screaming out loud last night. We were told to switch him over to prescription kidney food and he is not interested. I barely slept last night and am concerned. We are giving IV fluids once to twice a day and he still is not doing well, mostly hiding out and sleeping on and off. Concerned what I should do next. I called Hills Science Diet yesterday and they took down my name and number and said that they would have some one call me back shortly. No one has called.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:30 am
My 12 year old dog had a seizure at the end of the year last year (only one that I know of). Then in late January, he started sitting down hard and wouldn’t move (turned out to be due to bladder spasms). We ended up at the emergency vet, and an x-ray showed he had crystals in his urine and he started urinating blood. (He had never had any UTIs or anything like that before). He had been on canned I/D and dry Eukanuba FP at the time. (My other dog is only on the Eukanuba FP because he was getting severe diarrhea and vomiting from the I/D the year before; he seems to be ok right now.) The 12 year old was started on S/D and distilled water only, but kept refusing most of the food. He was also drinking a lot, urinating a lot, and losing control of his bladder in the house (which he doesn’t normally do). He lost so much weight from refusing the S/D that I finally put him back on the Eukanuba FP, and he put all the weight back on in a week. We did an ultrasound 1-1/2 weeks ago, and they found a bladder tumor (no signs of crystals). I took him to a cancer specialist 3 days ago, and he has more crystals and bloody urine again, in addition to the tumor. I never suspected the food until I started reading about the melamine contamination, and it mentions urine crystals and bladder cancer. I also saw that veterinarians are reporting crystals in both the kidneys and the urine in some of the sick animals. I never suspected that the food could be the problem before, but now I’m worried that the problems might be related to the food. Does anyone have any more information about this?
March 31st, 2007 at 12:48 pm
What a mess! I own a boarding kennel, show my own dogs, etc., and am very interested in all matters pertaining to dog food. My theory regarding pet food is to do your own research into the ingredients and manufacturing process. The Whole Dog Journal does an annual article ranking dog foods and they do most of the work for you. But just as importantly, buy food from a company that makes their own food. Don’t buy from someone who “jobs out” their food. Not just the big food companies, but most of the little boutique dog food labels are not involved in the making of their food. These jobbers may make hog food in the morning and that afternoon make dog food using the same machinery. The jobber is given a recipe and the bags to put it in and they ship it out. No one from the dog food company is on site. Anything could go into that food.
There are quality foods available. Right now I am feeding Canidae at the kennel as well as to my own dogs.
Some of my clients like to bring their own food and this morning I posted a notice that I will not accept any brands of canned or dry food, dog or cat, associated with the recall. There are too many unknowns right now. Why take the chance?
March 31st, 2007 at 5:41 pm
I just wanted to say sorry to all of you that have sick dogs and cats or have lost your your dog or cat because of this crazy pet food ordeal. As soon as I heard about the recall last week, I immediately stopped feeding my dog her dry food. I may be overly cautious but she’s all I have and she’s healthy so maybe I dodged a bullet. She has been eating Iams and sometimes Science Diet dry food all her life, but now she’s going with boiled chicken, rice, and some Kraft milk bones until this thing runs its course. Now that they have added dry cat food to the list, I’m just waiting to see how many other dry foods are going to be recalled. This is just ridiculous and the fact that the toxic chemical is known to come from China makes me furious. If I wanted food from China, I would just go to China where you can order “dog” at many restaurants. To hell with these traitor American companies that deal with them to save a buck.
April 1st, 2007 at 12:04 am
I have a 4 yr old White german shepherd. I have always fed him Iams Dry Large breed. In Feb/07, I purchased 2 bags (large) from a pet store in Valparaiso, IN. I live in Ontario, Canada but was visiting my son in IN. Iams dog food is cheaper in IN. than in Ontario. That is why I brought them back with me. I started feeding my dog this food around the first week of March. On Mar.23/07 I rushed him to my vet’s. He was lethargic and bringing up yellow bile. He stayed there for 4 days on IV and amoxicillan. He is home now with a special low gastric food and we are awaiting test results for Lepto. My vet seems to think he was poisoned by food or some chemical. There are no chemicals around that he can get into. When I find out test results, I am sure I will be notifying Iams production. Is there any recourse available in Canada. Cost almost $1,000
April 1st, 2007 at 7:40 am
“BB:
Menu Foods does not have a manufacturing facility in South Carolina per their corporate filings. That story sounds just a bit over the top.
Lea:
Check the Iams website for information about Iams and Eukaneuba (www.iams.com).
Menu Foods ONLY manufactures wet foods. Any concerns about dry food would be specific to the brand, not Menu Foods. Iams apparently makes their dry food in-house, as I’m sure many other brands do.
The recall is confusing enough, let’s not make it worse by introducing mis-informed panic across the board.”
BB, as a researcher, I can certainly appreciate prudence in making unfounded accusations; however, when the health of your pet is at risk, it seems safest to just go ahead and take the animal off the food.
My 5 year old dog has ONLY eaten Iams DRY Mini-chunks dogfood since she’s lived with us, and although we’ve had no problems with her in the past, this last week she’s not quite been herself (even going to the bathroom - loose stools - in the house twice, which she NEVER does). I only found this site, in fact, because I awoke at 4AM, discovered she’s had another loose bowel movement in the living room, and began to worry about her dogfood.
I visited the IAMS official website, and read the same notice: Menu Foods does not produce IAMS dry food. Still, if ingredients (not the plant) are the issue, how can I be sure that IAMS in-house plant is not also using tainted ingredients??
I will not be surprised - due to all the reports linking sickness to the dry food - to see Iams dry food added to the recall. Perhaps all these reports of dogs/cats eating Iams dry and getting sick are merely coincidence; after all, I’m sure thousands of animals eat Iams dry food, and animals do get sick from other sources. As I love my dog and want to do what is safest for her, at this point, I still think the safest bet is just to TAKE HER OFF the food.
April 1st, 2007 at 7:43 am
I’m sorry…my post above should have been addressed to AARON…guess being awake since 4AM worrying about this issue has frazzled my brain a bit. Thanks.
April 1st, 2007 at 12:11 pm
My 13 year old lab mix, Django, died on February 23. He suddenly became sick on 2/4 - at first his hind quarters seemed to fail him then he was vomiting and lethargic. This lasted two days. He managed to get outside and fell down . My son had to carry him in the house. I was staying by his side and bringing him water which he drank a lot of and then he vomited this thick yellow bile. After that he was fine. Back to his old self. I assumed that he had gotten into something outside that poisoned him though I couldn’t imagine what since there is nothing in our yard that he could get into. He was a healthy, active dog for his age.
On 2/21 he got sick again - same symptoms - drinking lots of water and vomiting. This time he did not recover. I never connected this to the recall and I still have no idea if it is connected but the symptoms were so similar to all the stories that I’ve been reading that it has certainly made me wonder. He had eaten Pedigree Dry food his whole life. He was the best dog I’ve ever known and we loved him so much and miss him terribly. I knew he was getting old for a large breed and we were lucky to have him for so long. So sorry for all who have lost their pals.
April 1st, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I have been reading all the sad animal stories on your site and thought I would share our story even though we are lucky enough to still have our wonderful pet. We are from Canada & our dog is 8 years old a cross between yorky & maltese. She has always eaten Iams dry dog food. In early March I purchased a new bag same kind and started feeding her from that bag about March 8th. We left for holidays on March 15th and on March 16th she started violent throwing up and diaherra. The vomit was a yellow sticky substance and the diaherra turned very bloody as well. She hadn’t eaten for a couple of days and one night we were of course worried about her not eating and we tried hand feeding her. She only ate about 10 pieces and only choice pieces then some of it she just would not eat. Again that night she was up all night with the vomiting and mainly blood diaherra. That night we were in Anaheim and a gentleman in the campground told us about the recall we immediately took all food away and when we got to San Diego the following day we took her to the vet who could only tell us she was definitely dehydrated, they could not get a temperature on her because her back end & organs were so sore she would not even let them touch her. They have her an IV and gave me medicine to give to her for nausea & dithers and we also started feeding her Hills prescription ID dog food and within days she was passing normal stool and has gradually come back to herself
April 1st, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I have a 20 month old cat . He is an indoor /outdoor cat so I know there is room for doubt. He would only eat wiskas dry. I offered others but he was not interested. He also would not eat wet food. The end of Feb., he threw up. Later that day, he threw up again, only bile. Then he got diarhea.He didn’t eat or drink for 2 days. I offered him Purina Natural dry and he ate it but he was drinking a lot of water,2 bowls a day.I gave him his wiskas back, but he won’t eat it. Then he stopped eating the Purina so I tried 9lives.He won’t eat that either.Today I bought Fancy Feast. He went out and got a mouse and ate it.He isn’t acting sick but something isn’t right. He is shedding like never before and he just isn’t eating like he should. As much as I don’t like him outside, maybe a diet of country mice isn’t so bad.
April 1st, 2007 at 6:23 pm
This is very serious and I truly believe it has been going on longer than anyone knows or is telling us. My two rescue pups were very ill in early November with the same symptoms we are hearing about. The vet could not figure out why. They kept asking me what they could have eaten that was toxic. I searched everywhere and found nothing. They have always eaten Iams/Eukanuba dry. I would occassionally mix in a small amount of “wet” food as a treat. There are hundreds and hundreds of these same stories. I literally thank God everyday that my pups survived but since this scare I have been feeding them only boiled chicken/rice/vegetables and they seem so much more lively and alert. Thanks to all the wonderful web-sites and bloggers who are getting the word out about this crisis.
April 2nd, 2007 at 2:16 am
My cat has been eating Hill’s Science Diet since he was a kitten and he is now almost 3 years old. This diet was recommended by my vet. In February he has to be rushed to the emergency room because he could not urinate. He was diagnosed as having a kidney stone which the emergency vet was able to get him to pass. I took him home and the next day he was still having problems urinating so I took him to my regular vet. They performed an x-ray on him and found three more stones. I then had to take him to another vet to perform a perineal urethrostomy. All the stones were removed and now he is on a special diet by Royal Canin s/o - hopefully this is not on the recall list. He seems to be doing fine, and should be after spending $4500 to get him well. The last bag of Hill’s Science Diet - Hairball control, light that I fed him stated best before 07/2008 with a number of K1850549RE353. How could a cat so young have so many stones? Something in the Hill’s diet must have caused this!