Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

WASHINGTON - A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said.

"At this juncture, we're not 100 percent sure what's happened," said Paul Henderson, the company's president and chief executive officer. However, the recalled products were made using wheat gluten purchased from a new supplier, since dropped for another source, spokeswoman Sarah Tuite said. Wheat gluten is a source of protein.

The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Company, Safeway Inc., Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and PetSmart Inc., among others, Henderson said.

Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site — http://www.menufoods.com/recall — early Saturday. Consumers with questions can call (866) 463-6738.

The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies. Its three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kan., and Pennsauken, N.J., Henderson said.

Henderson said the company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness.

"To date, the tests have not indicated any problems with the product," Henderson said.

The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants, Henderson said. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall, agency spokesman Mike Herndon said.

Menu Foods is majority owned by the Menu Foods Income Fund, based in Ontario, Canada.

Henderson said the recall would cost the company the Canadian equivalent of $26 million to $34 million.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

I was just abt to post this! So sad!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

I was just going to post this.

Ya beat me to the punch.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

How awful!!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

thanks for the post.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

**** IMPORTANT ****

The list recalled is extensive. Look if you give any canned dog food

I will check the production codes b/c Scout uses this brand.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Whew,

Not the lots in the house now, but we just did recycling and maybe he received some tainted food from the previous lot... Grrrr!

Recalled Dog Product Information
Recall Information 1-866-895-2708
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
Authority
Award
Best Choice
Big Bet
Big Red
Bloom
Bruiser
Cadillac
Companion
Demoulas Market Basket
Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog
Food Lion
Giant Companion
Great Choice
Hannaford
Hill Country Fare
Hy-Vee
Key Food
Laura Lynn
Loving Meals
Main Choice
Mixables
Nutriplan
Nutro Max
Nutro Natural Choice
Nutro
Ol'Roy
Paws
Pet Essentials
Pet Pride
Presidents Choice
Price Chopper
Priority
Publix
Roche Bros
Save-A-Lot
Schnucks
Springsfield Pride
Sprout
Stater Bros
Total Pet, My True Friend
Western Family
White Rose
Winn Dixie
Your Pet

Message edited 3/17/2007 9:40:08 AM.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

http://www.menufoods.com/recall/

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

figures its something wal mart would sell

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Message edited 3/17/2007 1:46:59 PM.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Today I went to Petco to buy my dogs Nutro and when I brought it over to the register they said they weren't alond to sell it because it was recalled, and that they are removing all the canned foods off the shelves. I asked them to recommend another brand and they said right now they can't recommend anything but hard food. I'm so worried now, my dog hasn't been acting normal for about 2 weeks, I brought her to the vet the other day and they said she probably ate something that didn't agree with her. They put her medication and she has been fine, but she has been drinking a lot more and that is the first sign of kidney failure. I'm sick to my stomach over this!

Message edited 3/17/2007 8:58:48 PM.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Posted by leighla

Posted by ThusSpokeLaLolita

figures its something wal mart would sell

You say that as if WalMart would seriously do this intentionally.

While you may not like the company's practices I don't think you can honestly think they would intentionally sell bad dog food.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Posted by Wishing4ababy

Today I went to Petco to buy my dogs Nutro and when I brought it over to the register they said they weren't alond to sell it because it was recalled, and that they are removing all the canned foods off the shelves. I asked them to recommend another brand and they said right now they can't recommend anything but hard food. I'm so worried now, my dog hasn't been acting normal for about 2 weeks, I brought her to the vet the other day and they said she probably ate something that didn't agree with her. They put her medication and she has been fine, but she has been drinking a lot more and that is the first sign of kidney failure. I'm sick to my stomach over this!

Message edited 3/17/2007 10:34:53 PM.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

i didnt read the whole article and didnt see the lsit until now. sorry, my bad... i thought for some reason it was ONE brand... and that brand being the walmart brand.

yikes, that list is insane!!!!!!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

wow.. so scary! thanks for posting!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Really scary...but this whole thing really opened my eyes.

Isn't it amazing how, of all the different brands AND prices, all of this food comes from one company? I guess the labels are the only things that are different!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

I dont see Pedigree on that list, I ran out of the nutro dry food that I give my dogs so I ran to stop and shop and got them wet pedigree last week, are they under a different name?

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Posted by Wishing4ababy

Today I went to Petco to buy my dogs Nutro and when I brought it over to the register they said they weren't alond to sell it because it was recalled, and that they are removing all the canned foods off the shelves. I asked them to recommend another brand and they said right now they can't recommend anything but hard food. I'm so worried now, my dog hasn't been acting normal for about 2 weeks, I brought her to the vet the other day and they said she probably ate something that didn't agree with her. They put her medication and she has been fine, but she has been drinking a lot more and that is the first sign of kidney failure. I'm sick to my stomach over this!

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Is it just the wet food?

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

Iams too btw

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

I went through the whole recall list because my cat eats Iams and my dog Nutro Max. It's just the "Cuts and Gravy" foods. Not hard foods and not regular wet foods. Look for stuff that says, "...in Gravy" and the pouches of flakes and gravy foods. I believe I also read on the Iams website that it did not appear to affect dog foods at all, but that they were recalling the same kinds just in case.

Re: Pet deaths prompt recall of pet food

bumping