Reply #37: I hate to destroy your trust in Royal Canin but they above many have contributed to the crisis

[Iceburg]

in pet food.
There is now a class action lawsuit in Canada against Royal Canin for the distribution of pet food (in the period 2004 to 2006) that contained deadly toxic doses of vitamin D and yet they arrogantly claim that their food is not part of the Menu Foods recall. Technically true, but it is being recalled for other more gross negligent reasons -- VITAMIN D poisoning!!!



A list of some of the Royal Canin products recalled.

Note to Canadians: , a Canadian company (possibly a RC subsidiary) uses the Royal Canin product line and distributes its products only to vets.

Excessive Doses of Vitamin D Kills..

Royal Canin Dog Food Recall News Alert
http://www.aplus-flint-river-ranch.com/define-royalcanin-recall.php

This A+ FRR Pet Nutrition FAQ discusses the recall of three Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine dog foods due to more than thirty reported cases of hypercalcemia resulting from excessive levels of Vitamin D3.

ROYAL CANIN has recalled three of its Veterinary Diet Canine canned dog foods in the wake of 24 reported cases of hypercalcemia in Canada and eight cases in the United States from November 2005 through February 2006. Left untreated, hypercalcemia (excessive amounts of calcium levels in the blood) can lead to bone defects, cardiac changes (including abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia), kidney hypertension and possible renal failure, and, at especially high levels, death. ...
Independent laboratory results of the nutrient analyses for the formulas have confirmed excessive levels of Vitamin D3 in the canned dog food diets. According to ROYAL CANIN, the abnormally high levels of Vitamin D3 in the affected URINARY SO canned dog foods are due to a vitamin / micro-mineral premix error.
....MORE

Suit claims pet food maker Royal Canin with deadly amount of Vitamin D
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/070321/b032102A.html
Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 | 1:05 AM ET

TORONTO (CP) - A Canadian class action lawsuit has been filed against pet food maker Royal Canin Canada Co. on behalf of dog and cat owners claiming that certain products contain excessive amounts of vitamin D and have caused their pets to become sick or die.
...
The suit against Royal Canin, filed Tuesday in the Ontario Superior Court, alleges the pet food maker - a subsidiary of a French company - either knew or should have known the levels of vitamin D were unsafe and could cause the animals to develop high levels of calcium in their blood, renal failure and other conditions.

...The Canadian lawsuit is seeking compensation for people who bought Royal Canin dog or cat food since Aug. 1, 2004.

Joel Rochon, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he wants the company cover the cost of veterinarian services related to the health problems, as well as the replacement cost of pets that have died, and reimburse the price of the food.

The claim outlines at least 59 Royal Canin products that it says should be included in the refund. The lawsuit has been filed by law firms Rochon Genova LLP and Himelfarb Proszanski LLP.

Rochon said the case has been in development for up to six months and is not directly related a pet food recall issued by Menu Foods.

© The Canadian Press, 2007


Know you Vitamin supplements ...
All pet owners need to be vigilante about finding out what they SHOULD be feeding and what they ARE feeding their pets. Especially vulnerable are pets on weight loss, low-cal or precsription type diets, as these foods are laced with vitamin additives and minerals (such as calcium,) many of which are injurious or deadly in the wrong doses. Extreme doses of Vitamin D, or the combo Vitamin A & E can act like antagonists of Vitamin K and result in death. The ingestion of such additives (in high doses) behaves in much the same way as if the pets (or humans) had ingested warafin. Remember this industry is NOT regulated, their controls seem clearly inadequate and as we peel away the layers of the onion, one has to question the alleged science behind their product mixtures... I mean -- why in Budda's name are the pet food manufacturers putting Vitamin D supplements in their products in the first place, since most pets and humans are able to get adequate supplies through sun-light exposure and normal diets?????

From wikipedia: Vitamin D, Hypervitamintosis D
Medline: Hypervitamintosis D
Why

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
If anyone has found a RDA of nutrients for dogs and cats can they please post a link to the data here. Those of us who are now making their own would greatly benefit from the info.