Posts Tagged ‘Pet Food Recall’
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/.
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
We all want the best for our beloved dogs, especially when it comes to the foods they eat. We want to give them only the healthiest food available to make sure that they will live a long and healthy life. But what if the so-called “healthy pet foods” that are being sold in the market today are not reliable anymore?
What do we do when we can no longer trust the food manufacturers who is supposed to provide us with safe and healthy foods for our animals?
When The Food Is Killing Your Pets, Something Has To Change: The widespread recall of pet food has created a scare to all dog and cat owners who rely on commercial brands to feed their pets. All over the country, contaminated pet food has caused many dogs to become severely sick, while a large number of them have died.
In March alone of this year, Menu foods, an Ontario based manufacturing company, recalled more than 90 brands of “cuts and gravy” moist foods (both dog food and cat food) after more than 14 animals died from eating them. A few weeks later, the same company added 20 more varieties of their brand to be taken off store shelves.
It was later discovered that wheat gluten, an ingredient found in the said pet foods, was contaminated with rat poison. The risk of Salmonella contamination has also been the cause of a recall for two brands of pig ear dog treats.
Cases of toxic pet foods go back to December of 2005, when several dogs died and dozens fell ill after eating kibble manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. It was later found out that the food was contaminated with aflatoxin; a naturally occurring chemical produced from fungus and can be found on crops such as wheat, corn, rice, and beans. This chemical is also toxic to domestic animals, livestock, and even humans. Other pet food recalls during this past decade also involve the risk for Salmonella contamination.
Are These Pet Food Companies Breaking The Law? FDA regulations state that pet foods should be manufactured similar to the way human foods are manufactured. They should be processed under a sanitary environment, do not contain any harmful ingredients, accurately labeled, and safe to eat.
All pet food manufacturers are expected to comply with these regulations to ensure that the food is safe and healthy. However, due to limited resources, the FDA can only inspect pet food issues after consumer complaints are made or if the FDA has a reason to believe that there is a threat to animal health. A recall is then announced by the FDA or the manufacturer if a defective product is found.
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
Preparation for home cooked meals for your dog is simple and need not be a pain at all. I have switched from commercialized pet food to home cooked meals after my family two lovely dogs died of cancer suddenly. They were on premium dried pet food all their life but still, both of them died at a young age at 6 and 7 of cancer. This was way before the pet food recall event.
I knew at that time that their commercial pet food must have contributed somewhat to their condition as both were rather young when passed on. Putting aside my initial struggle with thoughts about how difficult to cook home cooked meals for my dogs and just got started with it.
I do not even cook for myself! How can I cook nutritious meals for my pets! I started reading loads of books on home cooked food and came out with this simple and easy to prepare recipe for dog food. It can be done even for busy people like you and me. If I can do it, so can you! So let us step up and commit to making the lives of our pet a long, happy and healthy one.
Take note that we cannot change our dog diet overnight as it may cause stomach upset. Start gradually and mixing their feed gradually until she is completed switched to home cooked food.
Preparation
Purchase the following ingredients, all the ingredients below in equal proportions, supplements should be added separately. The amount to cook depends on your pet size.
Use your own judgment when it comes to quantity to feed. The suggestion below is meant for a week supply for a 1 medium sized dog, healthy dog with normal weight range.
Please change the quantity for your pet needs (This suggestion provides 1 week food for a 10kg dog):
1) Grains choice: Brown rice, provide for 2-3 cups cooked rice (less if your dog is obese or require some weight loss)
2) Vegetables (Add 3 varieties): Broccoli, cauliflower, any green leafy vegetables and beans. Make about 4 cups of pulp vegetables for easy absorption.
3) Meats 500gms: Choice of Chicken, Lamb, Beef or Kangaroo (rotate weekly).
4) 2 Eggs
Avoid night shade vegetables, onions and cabbage for your pets. Some dogs experience more gas when fed with cabbage.
Quick Easy Cooking Steps
Step 1: Put some olive oil in your pot and cook meats
Step 2: Cook rice (or any grain choice, I personally prefer brown rice)
Step 3: Pulp or chop finely the vegetables
Step 4: When meats are almost cook, add the pulp vegetables into the pot
Step 5: Do not overcook the vegetables. Keep them half raw for the enzymes.
Step 6: Add eggs and cook the vegetables in the pot to make the vegetables palatable.
Storage
For convenience, cook your pet homemade meals up to one week supply. Freeze them in daily portions separately for convenience.
Just remember to place next day food supply from the freezer to chiller compartment of your refrigerator. Place a note at your fridge to remind you to do so everyday if not, your poor pet has not food to eat.
Feeding Preparation
Step 1: Place chilled food in your pet bowl
Step 2: Boil some hot water
Step 3: Warm up the food to room temperature with some hot water.
Step 4: Add necessary supplements such as Vitamin C, Flaxseed oil, Egg shell
meals for calcium.
Step 5: Mix and serve!
Using boiled water to warm up food is a recommended. If you prefer microwaving to warm up food, note that this method may destroy some nutrients.
Emergency meals
In case you have forgotten to defreeze your pet food. Here is a simple guide to a quick no hassle wholesome meal in just 5 minutes!
Ensure you home has these at all times in case you need to whip out a wholesome meal in 5 minutes!
All you need are:
Step 1) Oats (get those quick to cook kind or just add hot boiling water)
Step 2) Eggs (Break an egg for a small/medium sized dog)
Step 3) Supplements (Add your regular supplement)
That is all you need for the emergency meal! To ensure not to upset the digestive system from sudden change in diet, feed this option once a while so she is well adjusted to this diet when the need arises.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Veronica Eng researched on dog care from various sources for many years and summarized many effective yet simple guides to dog lovers. Her techniques have made her dogs healthy, vibrant and gorgeous coat that many envy. Natural pet health is her passion! More tips at www.dogcarezone.com