Pet Food Recall Spring 2007
Authored by: Phyllis DeGioia, Editor
June 7, 2007
Some 55-pound bags of a specific single lot of Wal-Mart's Ol'Roy Complete Nutrition dry dog food are recalled for salmonella. This recall is not related to the melamine-related pet food recall. The 69 Wal-Mart stores carrying the affected product are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Check the manufacturer's website for code details.
May 22
Diamond Pet Foods has recalled Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal and Rice Dry Formula for Dogs.
May 18, 2007
A new recall is taking place from Chenango Valley Pet Foods. Chenango previously recalled dry pet foods made with a shipment of rice protein concentrate supplied by Wilbur-Ellis that, according to Chenango, "possibly contained melamine contamination." Chenango Valley Pet Foods is now recalling pet foods that do not contain rice protein concentrate but were manufactured during periods when rice protein concentrate formulas were processed. The recall is based on the possibility of cross-contamination.
This recall involves 8 in 1 Ferret Ultra-Blend Advanced Nutrition Diet, which is the first pet food recalled not made for dogs or cats. See the FDA's website for a list of affected foods.
May 2, 2007
According to Menu Foods' website, the company is "now expanding its recall to include cuts and gravy and select other products which do not include ChemNutra wheat gluten but which were manufactured at any of Menu Foods’ plants during the period that ChemNutra wheat gluten was used at that plant due to the possibility of cross-contamination. Menu Foods has received a report from a customer and has received study results, both of which indicate cross-contamination."
See Menu's website for a list of the foods added to the recall, or check for the list of all dog food and all cat food recalled.
April 30, 2007
The FDA is now detaining, without physical examination, all vegetable protein products from China for animal or human food use due to the presence of melamine and or melamine analogs. The FDA lists the problem as "Poisonous or Deleterious Substance, Unfit For Food, Unsafe Food Additive."
The reason for the alert is that " In recent weeks, there has been an outbreak of cat and dog deaths and illness associated with pet food manufactured with egetable proteins contaminated with melamine and melamine related compounds. In response to this outbreak, FDA has been conducting an aggressive and intensive investigation. Pet food manufacturers and others have recalled dog and cat food and other suspect products and ingredients. This has been one of the largest pet food recalls in history, a recall that continues to expand. Thus far, 18 firms have recalled product, 17 Class I and 1 class II, covering over 5,300 product lines. As of April 26, 2007, FDA had received over 17,000 consumer complaints relating to this outbreak, and those complaints included reports of approximately 1950 deaths of cats and 2200 deaths of dogs. The Agency is working with federal, state, and local governments, academia, and industry to assess the extent of the outbreak, better understand how melamine and melamine related compounds contributed to the pet deaths and illnesses, and to determine the underlying cause of the contamination."
April 27, 2007
The latest recall is from Doctors Foster & Smith and Lick Your Chops:
Doctors Foster & Smith Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Dog Food, Doctors Foster & Smith Chicken & D Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Cat Food, Lick Your Chops Lamb Meal, Rice & Egg Cat Food, Bulk Chicken & Brown Rice Formula Adult Lite Dog Food sold to SmartPak. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date.
Now you can search the FDA's recalled foods list by:
- Brand Name (Example: Americas Choice, Authority)
- UPC Code (Example: 54807-59114)
- Product Description (Example: SL Beef/Gravy 24x5.5oz)
- Container (Example: Pouch)
- Any combination of: container, brand name, description, size (Example: Pouch Menu Beef/Gravy 24x5.5oz)
April 25
LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice dog food was recalled by its manufacturer SmartPak. SmartPak received potentially contaminated rice protein concentrate supplied by Wilbur-Ellis. According to SmartPak, less than 1,200 pounds of product had left the company's facility prior to the recall and SmartPark notified every affected pet owner.
If you think your pet has been affected by a contaminated food, call the FDA's consumer complaint hotline.
April 19, 2007
Although there are no confirmed cases of illness in pets from dry food from Royal Canin America, they have decided to voluntarily remove some dry pet food products that contain rice protein concentrate because of a melamine derivative. Products include Royal Canin Sensible Choice (Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Senior, Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Puppy, Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Adult, Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Senior, Rice & Catfish Meal Formula Adult) and a prescription food available only at veterinary clinics called Royal Canin Veterinary Diet (Canine Early Cardiac EC 22™, Canine Skin Support SS21™, Feline Hypoallergenic HP23™).
The Blue Buffalo Company has undertaken a voluntary recall on one production run of their Spa Select Kitten dry food. The production code on the recalled product is "Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B." The rice protein concentrate tested positive for melamine. Call Customer Service Department at 1-800-919-2833 with questions.
Menu Foods added another product, canned Natural Life, to their recall list. See Menu Foods' website for their full list.
Also, T.W. Enterprises of Ferndale, Wash. recalled dog chews called A.B. Dog Chew because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.
April 19, 2007
Wilbur-Ellis Company is voluntarily recalling all lots of the rice protein concentrate that their Feed Division has shipped to pet-food manufacturers because of a risk that rice protein concentrate may have been contaminated by melamine. Wilbur-Ellis obtained rice protein from one facility in China and sold it to five U.S. pet-food manufacturers, in Utah, New York, Kansas and two in Missouri. Wilbur-Ellis urges all pet food manufacturers using rice protein concentrate it supplied to recall pet food currently on shelves.
The FDA compiles a list representing specific foods in multiple pet food recalls.
April 18, 2007
The concern behind Natural Balance's voluntary recall is melamine; the company believes that rice protein was contaminated with the melamine. The recall is expanded to include Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats, and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.
April 16, 2007
Natural Balance is recalling Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. Their website says "We do not know what is wrong with the food at this time, but we have heard that animals are vomiting and experiencing kidney problems." The products do not contain wheat gluten.
April 11, 2007
Some of the affected Chinese wheat gluten was used by Menu Foods in additional Nutro products, including many of Nutro's 3 oz. cat cans. The 3 oz. cans that contain wheat gluten have been added to the recall list regardless of date code. Read the complete list of Nutro recalled foods.
Royal Canin Canada has recalled their prescription Medi-Cal Feline Dissolution Formula canned food in Canada after learning from Menu Foods that one lot of the product contained contaminated wheat gluten. Cans with the best before date of Jan. 8, 2009 contain the tainted ingredient, but the company is taking the precautionary step of recalling all date codes. The food is prescribed only through veterinary clinics. US Royal Canin foods have not been recalled. Pet owners who are feeding the recalled product to their cats and have questions related to the recall should contact Royal Canin at 1-866-494-6844.
April 9, 2007
The good news is that the FDA believes all the affected wheat gluten has been traced and no more recalls are expected. Hopefully, this means that the number of newly affected patients will rapidly diminish.
April 5, 2007
ChemNutra Inc., who supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods, announced a recall of all wheat gluten it imported from Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. in Wangdien, China. As a result, Menu Foods expanded its recall to include all products manufactured with wheat gluten purchased from ChemNutra Inc., which was first used on November 8, 2006 and last used on March 6, 2007. Check the expanded list of recalled products.
Sunshine Mills is voluntarily recalling a portion of its branded dog biscuits made at its Red Bay, Alabama biscuit plant during part of March 2007. These brands include: Nurture Chicken & Rice, Nurture Lamb & Rice, Pet Life Large, Pet Life Extra Large, Pet Life Large Variety, Pet Life Large Peanut Butter, Lassie Lamb and Rice, and Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treats. Private label biscuits for five of Sunshine’s customers were also affected. A complete list of affected biscuits is available at Sunshine's website. Sunshine’s other biscuit brands and products that include small and medium sized biscuits were not affected.
31, 2007
Del Monte Pet Products has voluntarily recalled select product codes of Jerky Treats®, Gravy Train® Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels® brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands. See Del Monte's website for a complete list of affected brands and products. These products contain wheat gluten from a specific supplier in China contained melamine.
Purina has voluntarily recalled all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date. This information should be checked on the bottom of the can or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons. See Purina's website for details.
Hills has voluntarily recalled Prescription Diet™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food. It is the only dry food recalled. During a two-month period in early 2007, wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods. See the Hills website for details.
To file a consumer complaint about pet food, contact the FDA Consumer Complaint Coodinator in your state.
March 30, 2007
The FDA announced that the chemical melamine was found in the recalled canned and pouched cat food. It is difficult at this time to understand how this chemical could be the cause of the illnesses seen by veterinarians. However, melamine was found in samples of the food and wheat gluten, and in urine and kidneys of pets who died. It has also been found in the urine of pets surviving treatment and in their food.
There is no reason that melamine should be in pet food.
The FDA is no longer focusing on aminopterin as a culprit .
The FDA reports only less than 20 deaths because that is all the agency can confirm. To confirm a case takes evidence, and includes testing the food actually given to the pet and lab tests of the affected pet to see if there is a real cause and effect. However, anecdotally veterinarians are seeing numerous cases that are impossible to count as truly related to the food recall.
The FDA regulates and oversees pet food just as it does people food. The FDA now considers this issue to be their number one priority.
Only time will tell what is actually in the recalled food and how many pets are affected by it.
March 23, 2007
A chemical called aminopterin (am-in-OP-tah-rin) is suspected to be the contaminant in the recalled pet foods produced by Menu Foods. Aminopterin is used as a rodenticide (mouse and rat poison) in some countries, but is not approved for use as a rodenticide in either the U.S. or Canada. It is not similar to any of the rodenticides approved for use in the U.S. or Canada.
Aminopterin was originally used as a cancer treatment drug, but was later replaced by safer ones.
If your pet has been exposed to these contaminated foods and is acting ill, seek the advice of your veterinarian immediately. The sooner aggressive treatment for kidneys with intravenous (IV) fluids is begun, the greater the chance for recovery. The goal of the IV fluid therapy is to flush the kidneys and dissolve and remove crystals that are forming and plugging up the kidneys.
Based upon reports in humans and reports from veterinarians currently treating affected pets, at least partial renal recovery can be anticipated in many cases.
Owners whose pets have eaten the recalled foods should monitor their pets for vomiting, diarrhea, sluggishness, anorexia, blood in the urine, and mouth ulcers. Because aminopterin may result in bone marrow problems, owners should also be on the lookout for bruising, bleeding, and blood in the feces.
If you have any questions or concerns, take your pet to see your veterinarian immediately.
If you have recently fed your dog or cat canned or pouched food from any of the manufacturers that are listed at Menu Food's site you should consider your pet at risk. Pets who ate these foods in the past, but have not recently, are likely not at risk. However, check with your veterinarian, watch the news, and keep checking back here for updates. We are still very early in the discovery process related to this issue, and no one is absolutely certain of much of the information and advice currently circulating.
Additional brands have been added to the original list issues by Menu Foods since it was originally posted by Menu Foods.
Menu Foods has engaged a professional firm to manage pet owner concerns and is currently contacting concerned pet owners who have reached the call center. If Menu Foods product is the cause of sickness or death in your pet, Menu Foods says it will take responsibility. See their website for more information.
March 20, 2007
A pet food recall has been initiated by Menu Foods of Ontario, Canada. For the most current information, see the manufacturer's recall website. Menu Foods sent out a press release stating announcing "the precautionary recall of a portion of the dog and cat food it manufactured between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. The recall is limited to "cuts and gravy" style pet food in cans and pouches manufactured at two of the Fund's United States facilities. These products are both manufactured and sold under private-label and are
contract-manufactured for some national brands."
The recall website at Menu Foods can be overloaded, but you can also check for information at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell University.
According to the FDA, "There has been a small number of reported instances of cats and dogs in the United States that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product...Dogs or cats who have consumed the suspect feed and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should consult with their veterinarian."
If your pet has had any of the listed foods, we urge you to discuss it with your veterinarian and see if any diagnostic tests are warranted.
Recalled Cat Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Best Choice
Companion
Compliments
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Fine Feline Cat
Food Lion
Foodtown
Giant Companion
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Laura Lynn
Li'l Red
Loving Meals
Meijer's Main Choice
Nutriplan
Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
Nutro Natural Choice
Paws
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority US
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Cans
Sophistacat
Special Kitty Canada
Special Kitty US
Springfield Prize
Sprout
Stop & Shop Companion
Tops Companion
Wegmans
Weis Total Pet
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Recalled Dog Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Wegmans Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Eukanuba
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Iams
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Meijers Main Choice
Mighty Dog Pouch
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro Ultra
Nutro
Ol'Roy Canada
Ol'Roy US
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride - Good n Meaty
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority Canada
Priority US
Publix
Roche Brothers
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Shep Dog
Springsfield Prize
Sprout
Stater Brothers
Stop & Shop Companion
Tops Companion
Weis Total Pet
Western Family US
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet
Date Published: 3/20/2007 3:19:00 PM
Date Reviewed/Revised: 3/24/2007