Another pet food recall

[ebonlock]

FDA Finds Melamine in Wheat Gluten used by Hill's Pet Nutrition
Company Initiates Recall of Dry Cat Food

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today notified Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., of Topeka, Kansas, that FDA testing has detected melamine and melamine byproducts in wheat gluten received by the company to make dry cat food. FDA is conducting an investigation into pet food products made with wheat gluten that contains melamine and their association with reports of injury and deaths in cats and dogs.

Because the cat food is sold exclusively through veterinarians, Hill's has notified veterinarians, and is voluntarily recalling the pet food containing the wheat gluten and will conduct its own testing.

Consumers who have any bags of Prescription Diet m/d Feline should discontinue use. They should speak with their veterinarian if their pet shows any signs of kidney/renal illness. Such signs include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting.

"FDA recognizes that pets are very important to the American people and our sympathies go out to those who have lost their beloved pets," said Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration.

During two months in early 2007, Hill's Pet Nutrition manufactured Prescription Diet m/d Feline using wheat gluten from the same company that has supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods, Inc. Menu Foods, Inc. (menufoods.com/recall) has also voluntarily recalled products potentially contaminated with melamine. See http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html for more information on the pet food recall.

The Hill’s cat food now being recalled is labeled Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food. The products are:

* 4 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42770
* 10 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42790

The agency is continuing to work with Menu Foods, Inc., and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., to ensure the effectiveness of their recalls.

Comments

[h0h0.livejournal.com]

A couple of comments (I've been following this pretty close and talking to a vet. of pathology):

First, if you know anyone who has had a pet with any of the recalled foods, please make sure they save a portion of the food by wrapping it in foil and storing it in the freezer (this is what the FDA recommends that vets do). MenuFoods and the FDA recommend to vets that they collect the entire food supply for the FDA if a pet is suspected to have problems. This leaves the pet owner at a loss if they decide to sue. The pet owner should save a sample for independent testing, if needed.

Also note that this is not a closed case, contrary to what the media reports. While the FDA cites Melamine as the likely culprit, it is not a known poison, at least in humans. New York State Department of Agriculture and Cornell University still insist the culprit is Aminopterin, so further testing is still taking place.

Something else that really bothers me is that MenuFoods specifically puts "NOT FOR RELEASE OVER US NEWSWIRE SERVICES" on most of their press releases. US news outlets are forced to cite only the FDA or other sources.

[razorjak.livejournal.com]

Not to make light of this at all. But these last two recalls both made me think one thing first before all else.

Yet another reason to go the raw diet route.