dog food
The Silent Killer of Pets – Article on Pet Food Recalls
October 27, 2009 | 
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I follow a page called The Truth About Pet Food that lists the pet food recalls and other things of that nature.
Today’s article is about how the pet food manufacturers are now treating recalls and pet deaths in a different manner – Silence.
The 2007 pet food recall taught Pet Food and the FDA something BIG. The 2007 pet food recall taught Pet Food and the FDA that Pet Parents go a little ballistic over news of a pet food recall. It’s been referred to as ‘pet food hysteria’. Instead of just going on as usual, panicked ‘hysterical’ Pet Parents turned to blogging and Tweeting about a tainted pet food. We (pet parents) want to learn everything we can and want to share every bit of pet food news the best way we can hoping to save the life of our or someone else’s pet. This blogging and Tweeting told Pet Food and the FDA pet parents have lost trust in pet foods and have serious doubts of the effectiveness of the FDA. The apparent new method of handling pet food recalls, is not handling them at all. The new recalls are silent.
Did you know there have been 3 recalls or recall-esque events in the past few months besides the one I blogged about earlier this month? Probably not. The FDA does not have the authority to authorize that pet food manufacturers issue recalls. Read this blurb:
Why was there not a prompt FDA recall press release of these pet foods? Why were these products (and many others of late) ‘withdrawn’ from store shelves instead of publically and promptly recalled? What is the difference between a pet food withdrawal and a pet food recall?
The FDA provided me the following explanation to the difference between a pet food withdrawal and a pet food recall…
"FDA does not have statutory authority to require manufacturers to initiate pet food recalls. Therefore, the initiation of such recalls on the part of manufacturers or importers is voluntary.Please see the following for additional information on recalls: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm049070.htm
Recalls classified as Class I require a press release which is typically issued by the firm. FDA posts those releases at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm.
Companies have conducted recalls that were not classified as Class I and issued press releases which is their prerogative but only Class I classified recalls require a press release."
The original blog post http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/480/1/The-Silent-Killer-of-Pets/Page1.html goes into a bit more detail on the FDA…it’s worth taking the time to read the entire article.
It goes on to say this:
There is a GAPING HOLE in the pet food withdrawal and recall system that everyone of authority seems to be ignoring; Notification of pet owners. Ya know…the people that purchased the pet food…they’re called CUSTOMERS! Customers and their pets are falling into this GAPING HOLE and no one seems to care.
Thanks to the Internet and a world of concerned pet parents, news of pet food withdrawals does get out sooner or later…but I have to wonder how many times has the news of a suspect pet food arrived too late? How many pets have fallen into the GAPING HOLE? One sick pet due to NOT INFORMING A PET OWNER is too many.
OMG this is SO true! Without the companies letting US, the pet owners, know, how the heck are we supposed to know WHAT is going on in our pets’ food? How do we know we’re not feeding out pets tainted, moldy, contaminated, TOXIC foods? We put our trust into these companies thinking they know what they’re doing! And then they don’t have the decency to INFORM us??? That is OUTRAGEOUS!
Be mad people, be outraged. DEMAND change! The Truth About Pet Food has a suggestion to take action:
Let’s take matters into our own hands and ask (ok, perhaps demand nicely) Pet Food Companies initiate a notification system for pet food withdrawals and silent recalls! This isn’t brain surgery…this is a very simple system that can Save the lives of Pets! Perhaps your pet!
Please take a few minutes, copy a letter and email it to your Pet Food Company. Click Here for the very simple instructions.
I am going to do this myself this weekend. This is just crazy and I’m tired of it. No pet owner should have to go through losing a pet because of the food they chose to feed their pets. And no commercial or premium food seems to be safe anymore. I’ve lost ALL faith in the entire industry.
Article in its entirety: http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/480/1/The-Silent-Killer-of-Pets/Page1.html
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Nutro, the FDA & Swine Flu
First of all, the FDA has put a statement out about Nutro.
FDA is clarifying that Nutro Products, Inc. is not currently under investigation. FDA does not typically confirm or deny the existence of an FDA investigation. It has recently come to our attention, however, that a media report incorrectly concluded and reported that Nutro Products, Inc. was the subject of an investigation.
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/NutroProducts.htm
I am not going to retract my previous blog, but it does seem that the information online about Nutro was false. Which is great for ppl who feed their dogs Nutro!
My statements in my previous blog were just me being frustrated to read about yet another investigation or recall. I hate the pet food industry sometimes, I really do!!
Ok…and onto the Swine Flu.
This is pertaining to our pets getting it, and passing it on to us.
According to this blog post on the Holistic Pet Food Blog, it looks like our pets can’t get it…or so far that’s what they think anyways. Check it out, they have a few good sources there and some links. (that’s also where the Nutro info came from too, and they also have GREAT info on pet food!)
Here’s what MSNBC says:
Is there any possibility of this strain crossing into dogs, cats or other pets? If so, are small animals (puppies, kittens) more at risk than adult animals?
—AnonymousThere is no evidence whatsoever of any risk for animals that has come up. The main problem with this is that it’s a virus that seems to have originated in pigs and became capable of infecting human beings. There are flu viruses that preferentially affect cats and dogs, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30460823/
So…good news tonight…No Nutro investigation and it looks like we won’t be getting the Swine Flu from our furry childrens.
Nutro… The Next Big Pet Food Recall?
FDA Confirms Probe of NUTRO Pet Food Deaths, Illnesses
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that the agency is investigating NUTRO pet food, following a series of unexplained illnesses and deaths. Consumers have been complaining for more than two years that their pets have become ill after eating NUTRO products; many have recovered when they were switched to other foods. The company has steadfastly denied that its food is to blame.
Almost immediately afterwards in one of the forums, the link below was posted:
http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/FDA-No-Investigation-into-NUTRO-Pet-Food/hOoE48nKOkORqDNodwN3EQ.cspx
In the comments on that page, this link was posted…which is Nutro’s response:
http://www.nutroproducts.com/quality_facts.html (it’s in the 2nd Q)
Of course, I got emails back from people who “have been feeding Nutro to their dogs for X amount of years and have never had a problem”. Good for them.
When we lost our cats in the Menu Foods recall of 2006, we had been feeding the same food for however many months and then – boom – the cat got sick and we lost him a month later.
That’s all it takes, folks.
When is the FDA going to get some control over pet food? When are they going to stop getting crappy ingrediants from God knows where and have us feeding them to our pets? When is this madness going to stop??? If real human food had killed the amount of animals that have been killed in the past few recalls, it would be ALL over the news…HUGE investigations, lawsuits would be going on. But because these are ANIMALS and NOT people…the reaction is much, much smaller and all of the hype dies down after a while.
It’s BULLSHIT! It really is.
People ask me why we feed raw…well, not only do we have a special needs pup, but I don’t think I could feed my dog commercial pet foods. I’m even leery of the natural foods anymore! I hate that we have to feed the cats commercial food. I hate worse that it’s a “grocery store” brand and not premium. But we have 4 stinking cats and it’s too much money to feed them premium foods. But I swear to God, let there be ONE recall of the brand we feed them and I’ll work something else out. I’ll make their food if I have to.
I’m not losing another animal to a pet food recall…not as long as I can afford to help it!
There’s a video on this page…check it out. it’s about half way down the page.
http://www.ilovemydogfood.com/
So back to Nutro…personally, we don’t feed it and we never will. I say buyer beware. But that’s really with any pet food anymore. Who knows what’s REALLY in the bags?
Rachael Ray’s Dog Food
This was posted on a forum online. Here’s the link: http://forums.dogfoodproject.com/
After “Lassie Natural Way Dog Food” and Disney-endorsed “Old Yeller“, here’s the next product that attempts to ride on nothing but a famous name:
Rachael comments:
Look, we all want the best for our furry family members. And that’s exactly why I worked with experts in pet nutrition to create Rachael Ray Nutrish. My Isaboo loves food and treats made with simple, natural ingredients. So, what are you waiting for? Take a look around. See just how good these foods are and learn a little more about my pet charity, Rachael’s Rescue.
Let’s have a look at the ingredient list of these “simple, natural” foods:
Rachael Ray Nutrish Beef and Brown Rice
Beef, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, Dried Peas, Dried Tomatoes, Dried Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Olive Oil, Iron Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Dried Parsley, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Folic Acid
This “beef” formula actually contains more chicken than beef, more corn and soy than rice, a larger proportion of grain and soy ingredients than meat ingredients, generic animal fat, corn gluten meal as a cheap protein booster, and more salt than dried peas, tomatoes or carrots.
Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken and Veggies
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Dehydrated Alfalfa, Dried Peas, Dried Tomatoes, Dried Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Olive Oil, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Oxide, Dried Parsley, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Sulfate, Folic Acid
Again, the major part of this food consists of grain and soy, we also see the generic animal fat, corn gluten meal as a cheap protein booster, and more salt than the touted “veggies”.
These “delish” creations are brought to you by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, part of Dad’s Pet Care, a major sponsor of the “Dogster” community, which also makes a number of other, poor quality lines of pet food.
As a reminder, here’s a list of ingredients to avoid – these are not present in quality products!
