Posts Tagged ‘Dogs And Cats’
It’s news that has put pet owners in a panic: Canada-based pet food manufacturer Menu Foods, Inc. has issued a recall of pet food that has been linked to kidney failure and death in dogs and cats. The pet food recall affects over 40 brands nationwide, and encompasses major retailers including Kroger and Wal-Mart.
The pet food recall was prompted when complaints and trials alerted the manufacturer to the possibility of dogs and cats being sickened by the contaminated pet food. It covers “cuts-and-gravy”-style wet dog and cat food sold in small pouches and cans and marketed under brand names including Purina, IAMS, Eukanuba and Purina. In many instances kidney failure and even death was the outcome of consumption of the Menu Food’s dog and cat food.
The contaminated pet food was produced in Menu Foods’ Emporia, Kansas facility between early December 2006 and March 2007. It is unsure thus far what part of the food is tainted; some reports cite tainted wheat gluten, but consumers will not know until further tests have been conducted by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Menu Foods. The FDA is reporting that at least 13 animals have died due to the tainted pet food, but consumers across the country are reporting even more deaths of dogs and cats after eating tainted Menu Foods pet food.
The news has panicked pet owners, who have overloaded veterinary telephone lines and are watching their dogs and cats’ symptoms with concern. Kidney failure in pets is usually accompanied by foul breath, reduced appetite, vomiting, lethargic behavior or other signs of illness. The FDA is recommending that consumers who have purchased food subject to the pet food recall refrain from feeding the food to their pets and contact the manufacturer or retailer for a refund.
Because of the recall, many are asking about the standards as well as quality control regulations among the pet food industry. While food intended for human consumption must be carefully regulated, the pet food industry sets its own testing standards and is more self-policing than the mainstream food industry. In fact, FDA inspectors had never even been to the plant that is suspected to have produced the tainted food; the FDA places human food and health at a higher priority than those of pets. However, the adverse affects have already taken a toll on those pets that have been fed the tainted food. food now subject to the pet food recall.
Since the recall affects 53 dog food brands and 42 cat food brands with varying UPC codes, visit Menu Foods’ recall website at www.menufoods.com/recall to determine whether you have purchased food subject to the pet food recall. Menu Foods has also set up a recall information hotline at 1-866-895-2708. Immediately contact your veterinarian if your cat or dog is showing any of the symptoms stated above after consuming the tainted food.
It is important to speak with an attorney who is experienced in unsafe products if your pet had been sickened by the tainted food or if the animal died because of the cuts and gravy Menu Food. Receiving monetary compensation is a potential outcome.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Learn more about Pet Food Recall and the latest news results by visiting pet-food-recall.legalview.com/. Use LegalView’s other practice areas for information on topics such as the Chantix recall or the latest on the condition caused by birth canal complications, Erb’s Palsy, which can be found at erbs-palsy.legalview.com/.
You love your dog. And like most dog-owners, you likely consider your dog to be a part of your family. That is why your dog’s health is so important. Just as you would be concerned about the health of a child, you should be concerned about the health of your dog. Fortunately, if you’ve already looked after your children, or even if you are concerned about your health, looking after your dog’s health should be easy. It requires all the things that you would expect: preventative care, paying attention to warning signs, knowing what to do when your dog is sick, and finding a veterinarian you and your dog can trust. If you follow all these steps, you will help ensure that your dog has a long and healthy life.
The key to keeping your dog healthy is, not surprisingly, a healthy lifestyle right from the start. Most importantly, this means only giving your dog nutritious dog food, throw those scraps away! Look for dog food that has been endorsed by veterinarian groups. While it may be more expensive than generic or even some brand name dog foods, in the long run it will help with your dog’s health.
Along with good food, your dog will need a lot of exercise. Although the amount of exercise each dog needs will vary according to the breed, no dog’s health will be improved by being stuck inside a cramped apartment everyday. Dogs need walks and time outside to play. Incorporate your dog’s exercise routine into your own. This will help your dog’s health, and your own health.
Finally, get your dog a veterinarian and have your dog’s health checked regularly. Along with spotting problems, your veterinarian will also be able to give you tips and suggestions on preventative dog health.
So you’ve decided to pick a veterinarian. You open the Yellow Pages and find dozens and dozens of veterinarians to choose from. Where do you start? Right off the bat, you will want to find a veterinarian that has a “small animal” practice, which will include dogs and cats and other common pets. These veterinarians will know the most about dog health. Most veterinarians are similar to a doctor who is a general practitioner. These veterinarians will be able to deal with and identify a wide range of problems related to your dog’s health, and are what you should use as your main veterinarian. Once you’ve found a general “small animal” veterinarian to deal with your dog’s health, they will be able to refer you to specialists as required.
If you’ve identified some possible veterinarians, start asking your friends and colleagues with pets for recommendations. And most importantly, talk to your prospective veterinarian. Ask about prices and availability for emergency care. Finally, before you chose any veterinarian to help you look after your dog’s health, be sure that you are comfortable with them and trust them to look after your pet.
After a lot of consideration, you’ve picked a veterinarian that will keep track of your dog’s health, and have started a preventative regime of good food and exercise. No matter how careful you are about your dog’s health, however, your dog will get sick. Either from contact with other dogs, or accidents while you are out on your walks, something will likely happen to your dog that will require the attention of a veterinarian. The problem is that it is not always obvious when your dog is sick. Unlike children, your dog can’t tell you when it is feeling down.
There are a number of sign you can look for, however. Is your dog more tired than usual lately? Does it seem depressed? Does it have a dry nose? Is it limping? Does your dog’s feces look off or runny? These are just some warning signs. In the end, it all comes down to whether you think your dog is sick or not. This requires you to have a close relationship with your dog to know when it is acting differently, and this attention will be the best support for your dog’s health.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Steve Dolan is a dog lover and long time dog owner. For more information about dog health click Dog Health and Dog Grooming and for more about dog trining and keeping your dog happy click Dogs and Puppies Online.
Due to the recent pet food recall, millions of pet owners are left feeling daunted and bewildered as to why this incident happened. So many dogs and cats were left sick and worse yet, many more died. And since most pet owners depend on commercial pet food to feed their dogs, they are now skeptical about which brand of food to buy and what type of food is safe for their dogs.
Who Can The Consumers Count On? Commercial pet foods have been contaminated with harmful chemicals, including mycotoxins (toxins produced by fungi). The FDA and food manufacturers have authorized several recalls after a defective food is found. The FDA and the food company join together to find out the main cause of the problem and prevent it from happening again.
Knowledge Is Power: When it comes to getting the best dog food possible, you need to know what to look for and what to avoid. Below are some ways to monitor the food you are giving your dog to ensure its safety:
1. Check the expiration date on all foods and treats before feeding them to your dog. Doing so will help you avoid any items that are scheduled to go bad. While this is a wise consumer action on your part, ironically enough the food could still be poisonous to your animals because of preservatives and other chemicals that are added for taste, longevity, and texture. Try shopping organic if possible.
2. If the food or treat is not yet expired but appears to be stale or has a foul odor, do not feed it to your dog and contact the company/manufacturer. There probably isn’t much you can do in terms of getting your money back, but by contacting the producer of the food themselves, you may be a small part of a larger action to have a recall initiated. Remember, if nobody complains that nothing gets done.
3. Consult with your vet if your dog shows any symptoms of abnormal or unusual behavior. Early treatment will result in a better chance of full recovery. It’s safe to say that some of the dogs and cats that were killed by tainted pet food may have survived had the owners’ brought them to the veterinarian at the first signs of illness. Take the situation seriously if you sense that you are dog is having a reaction. Remember, the threat is real and many pets have died.
4. To ensure the safety of the food that your pet is eating, keep informed of the latest news on pet food recalls. The best way to do this is to go online and type in “pet food recall”. Read through as many articles as possible.
Try to avoid information that is put out by pet food manufacturers themselves. It’s not that the information is not reliable, but consider the fact that these companies are going to sugarcoat the dangers of pet food is best possible. It is their livelihood after all. They are in the business of selling pet food!
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Jane Saeman loves dogs and strives to keep other dog lovers informed. A whole world awaits other dog lovers. Find out how cute the dog in your life is at my website which is at www.PicturesOfMyDogs.com