Updated info for veterinarians in pet food recall, 3-24-07:

[kestrel91316]

http://avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/veterinarian_info_acvim.asp

Excellent summary with relevant links.

[TZ]

1. Good to see this info coming

I just posted on another thread about a story I saw on CNN about a Bull Mastiff dying after eating Nutro. THe level of toxin in the food must have been pretty high!
I also just realized that I should have known to be suspicious of Iams after they started showing up in grocery stores. They used to be pet specialty only and it seems that the rush to mass market the product may have been part of their issues I think. Off to find some Max cat food. I intend to trash all my old Iams by tonight.

[Sydnie]

2. Iams showed up in grocery stores when the company was

purchased by P&G. They haven't been worth a damn since then. Anything that goes from specialty stores to mass market loses something in the switch. In this case, P&G bought the NAME of a company that was respected when it was smaller and more closely watched by those that started the company and mass produced it.

An example of opportunistic marketing can be found on P&G's Febreeze products ... that state on the back that they are recommended by Iams (without letting you know that Iams is owned by the same company) as being safe to be used around pets.

I stopped using Swiffer Wet Mop products a few years ago when there were "rumors" of reports that the chemicals used in them were NOT pet safe. Notice that P&G doesn't make the Iams claim on them that they do on their Febreeze products?

[kestrel91316]

3. The Swiffer and Febreeze rumors were just that. Perpetrated by

people who never paid attention in chemistry class, apparently. They were confusing chemicals and causing unnecessary hysteria, IIRC.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/febreze.asp

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/swiffer.asp

[Sydnie]

4. I never said that they claimed anything other than the Febreeze

being recommended by Iams. If you didn't know they were owned by the same company, you might take that as a "real" endorsement.

Glad to hear that the Swiffer rumor (which is what I called it) was not true. Glad I wasn't making my cats sick by using it. Thanks for the info.

Can I pm you a question about my cat? Not sure if this is something that I should have checked or not ... could use some advice. TIA.

[okasha]

8. Check the list.

Some Nutro Max is on it.

[kestrel91316]

5. Very sad observation by another vet:

"....One client's indoor/outdoor cat diagnosed yesterday with ARF says she only feeds her cat dry. I kept pressing the client about the foods giving the lab data and signalment of the pet and the client says "Oh yeah, we have been buying the cheap cans and pouches from Walmart to feed the strays outside. I guess Snat could have gotten into that food". That is a very sobering thought. I know lots of people that feed the "cheap food to the strays". I'm sure no one will be counting the dead strays other than the persons scraping them up....."

How many cats in colonies have died? Will we ever even know???

[TZ]

7. don't smack me but...

don't you find it a bit ironic that CATs are getting sick with something abbreviated as ARF? Can we find an an acronym for the sick dogs that fits MEOW? Sorry- bad puns! But need to lighten things up:silly:

[RevolutionStartsNow]

9. Sorry, I know this isn't a funny topic...

but that cracked me up! My dogs would laugh if they could understand it.

In all seriousness, though, my daughter's friend was over today and their cat just died. He ate one of the foods on the recall list, ended up with a urinary tract infection, and was put to sleep just the other day. :-(

[TZ]

10. we need a little levity here...

which is why I posted it. I am soooo sorry to hear about the kitty who died. This is soooo awful. And I am tired of the only 16 animals dead. Its way more than that. I am very lucky with my guys eating the food and not getting sick. I now appreciate them more everyday (even if I wan't to yell after they broke my lamp this morning):grouphug:

[RevolutionStartsNow]

12. I love my doggies, and...

I would no sooner take chances with them than I would with my children. So even though their brand of food (Pedigree) is not on the list, we're switching them to dry until this shakes out. They eat a wet/dry combo now anyway, so they can handle it for a little bit.

[kestrel91316]

11. BAD SUE!

:silly: :spank:

That's ok. I need some levity right about now. It's been a stressful week.

[kestrel91316]

6. Info on recall expanding by dates (not by product) on Mar 23:

"March 23, 2007. In a teleconference at 4:30 (ET) with the Food and Drug Administration ... The panelists answering reporter questions were Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA;...The conference began with an opening statement from Sundlof before he took questions for reporters.
In that statement he pointed out the recall has been expanded. Menu Foods has recalled all the products on the list, regardless of the date. It’s the same exact list of products but for all dates. The message is, for now, not to buy the products listed in the recall – no matter what the date on the package says. "

[piesRsquare]

13. Thanks, kestrel

Blog updated.

http://2blackcats.wordpress.com/

[kestrel91316]

14. Link to list of pet foods NOT involved in recall:

http://www.vin.com/WebLink.plx?URL=http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=210

I think they've done a good job here with their factual information so people can decide for themselves who to use. Info on which have wheat also.

[smokey nj]

16. Thank you for the link kestrel91316....

Is Iams dry food still unaffected by the recall? I didn't see them on the list. Hubby and I bought a bag yesterday after our boys rejected the Science Diet dry food we bought on Friday.

[piesRsquare]

18. Menu Foods doesn't make dry food

So your big bag o' Iams dry will be just fine for the boys! :bounce:

Miao!

Updated pet food recall info: http://2blackcats.wordpress.com

[smokey nj]

19. Thank you!!!

:hug:

[kestrel91316]

24. No dry foods are affected. Always gradually switch dry foods,

rather than abruptly. Most cats will reject a new dry food if you just put it out unannounced.

My rec:
25% new food/75% old food for 5 days or so
50/50 for 5 days or so
75/25 for 5 days or so

Always make sure they are accepting one level before moving on to the next. NEVER try to starve a cat into submission with foods.

I rarely see food rejection with this method. Cats are creatures of HABIT, and don't like change, period.

[smokey nj]

25. Thanks for the advice. Since I really do want them off Iams, I'm going to use your recommendation.

[Lurking Dem]

26. If I try adding to his regular food

he pulls each piece out of his bowl and lays it in a straight line on the kitchen floor.

Saying he doesn't like "change" is.....ummmmm......generous. :P

[kestrel91316]

28. Lol, I know a few kitties like that. Fortunately they are all on good

foods already and don't need to change.

[TZ]

31. Now theres a picky (and obsessive) eater!LOL!

My guys are picky but not like that! I just switched my guys from Iams (boycotting them) dry to Max dry on Kestrel's recommendation. So far my guys find it acceptable. You have got to post a picture of this behavior if you can. Just the image is hilarious!!!:rofl:

[Lurking Dem]

34. He only did it when I was trying to

get him off of Iams. (A long time back.)

Actually, he was getting rather, well, let's call it "zaftig" on Iams and was only being given 1/2 cup of food a day. I think it was the corn.

He balked at everything I tried to switch him to until the Wysong. I started him on Vitality then, when he started having urinary tract issues switched to the Uretic. He also gets a little Archetype with his dinner.

I'm still trying to get him to have a little more variety and more meat/less cereal type diet but not to the point of denying him his regular food or anything. I just make the occasional "offering".

It really was funny to watch him. I may have to try it again just to catch it on video.

"I'm not eatin' that one."

"Nope. Not eatin' that."

"That one there? Not eatin' that one either."

One by one in a perfectly straight line.

He has me well trained, though. He wants his water out of a running faucet, preferably from the font style sink in the half bath thank you very much. And then he tells me when he's done so I can get up and turn the water off.

Oh. My. G-d.

I'm STAFF!

[TZ]

37. Me too! I definitely am well trained

The boss lady walks around my house meowing at things -giving me her take on the state of affairs. Her sister only bosses me when she decides she wants to play fetch and god help me if I don't throw the ball fast enough (nice scratch on the foot). I always say that I must keep working to keep my cats in the lifestyle they are accustomed to.!!:rofl: :rofl:

[kestrel91316]

15. New info from Menu Foods:

Posted by Paul Pion on 03/24/07 -
I spoke to Rick Shields - Executive Vice President, Technical Services - Menu Foods today to check this fact.
Here is the story:
1. They have NOT widened the dates/serial numbers involved
2. They HAVE told RETAILERS to just go ahead and remove ALL foods of these types because the retailers are finding it hard to efficiently remove ONLY the effected dates. They told retailers to remove everything, ship everything back, and at the plant, they'll sort it and redistribute what is outside the recall later.
On other fronts:
1. They have not yet been able to confirm the Aminopterin is in the wheat gluten.
2. They have not fed the wheat gluten alone to any animals, though it is being analyzed for the aminiopterin
3. They purchased this and all ingredients in the US. They source locally and (according them), if it did originate from China and is tainted, then it was in the country when one of their brokers purchased it.

[piesRsquare]

17. They are SO in damage-control mode...

I'm interested in what'll be said in COURT.

Thanks for the update...

[kestrel91316]

21. Whoever sold them the tainted product is gonna get sued bigtime

by Menu Foods, and rightfully so.

[kestrel91316]

22. Tammy Bruce jumps into the fray:

http://tammybruce.com/2007/03/menu_pet_food_.php

The only real reason I posted this is because of the adorable kitten photo if you scroll down a little, lol.

[piesRsquare]

27. What a darling!

Check this site out:

http://ratemykitten.com/bestof.html

[renate]

29. Aww... so cute! Here's another great site

http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/

[kestrel91316]

30. Oh shame on you! Like I needed ANOTHER internet time-waster!!!

LOL, those are GREAT

[TZ]

32. that is a great site!

and the "we is gonna take over the world" grey kittens are clones of what my babies looked like about 6 months ago!! BTW thanks for the update on Menu. I still subscribe to Menu going for a cheap source and not knowing what they were getting. And the source may have thought to make a buck on contaminated wheat destined for the trash. This smells more like someone out to make a profit and callous of how they did it more than sabotage. But I could be wrong. But thanks for continuing to post great info.

[kestrel91316]

33. I didn't talk to him, I just posted the conversation I saw on the

vet's website.

Oh, have you heard? The vet schools are responsible for the poisoning!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=499393&mesg_id=499424

[TZ]

36. does that surprise you?

I was looking at the thread about GM crops and bee deaths- anybody who actually tries to talk science is pro-Monsanto or corporate scientists. Since I am tired of being labelled I just ignored the idiots. Well I mean it when I say (since I am a known "merckie") that it won't be long until you are called an apologist for Menu foods since you HORRORS recommended Iams in the past.:crazy:
I also heard about a thread by a certain sock puppet (starts with m ends with w) that was screaming about scientists using rat poison to use chemo.:banghead: :tinfoilhat:

[kestrel91316]

38. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and this one's well and truly been wasted:

"......screaming about scientists using rat poison to use chemo......"

Jesus jumped-up Christ in a sidecar. The level of ignorance keeps increasing like this, I'm just gonna kill myself. I can't take much more.

[kestrel91316]

23. Pet food company contact info:

http://avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/general_contact.asp

I will be contacting Authority directly tomorrow to give them info about the suspect case I had 18 mos ago......

[kestrel91316]

20. Newsday article - owners panicking:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lipet0325,0,6004166.story?coll=ny-top-headlines

[kestrel91316]

35. Link to info on legal ramifications:

http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/00683/contaminated-pet-food.html