In tPC's ongoing desire to keep you up to date on the very latest, we continue this pet food recall summary. The Post Chronicle takes the recent pet food recall involving both dog and cat pet food products very seriously and has done its best to report the most up-to-date information to its readers, as it is received. 

The following information is not new, but rather an opportunity to summarize the information we have reported to date.  By providing this summation, we seek to reach those of you who may have missed an article and/or wish to see all the recalls in one reporting.

March 16, 2007

P & G Pet Care announced a voluntary recall for specific Iams and Eukanuba 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch "wet" cat and dog products manufactured by Menu Foods Inc. Emporia, Kansas plant with the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197. There wer also other supermarket brands made my menufoods.

All other canned and small foil wet pouch products produced at other plants are not affected by this issue. Iams and Eukanuba "dry" products are not manufactured at Menu Foods and not affected by this issue. Iams and Eukanuba biscuits, treats and sauces are not affected by this issue.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-882-1591 or visit www.Iams.com and www.Eukanuba.com for details.
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Hill's® Pet Nutrition, Inc. announced a voluntary recall for the following products:  Science Diet® Kitten Savory Cuts® Ocean Fish 3 oz. and 5.5 oz., Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Beef 5.5 oz., Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Chicken 5.5 oz., Science Diet® Feline Adult Savory Cuts® Ocean Fish 5.5 oz. and Science Diet® Feline Senior Savory Cuts® Chicken 5.5 oz.
   
For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.
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Nestlé Purina PetCare Company voluntarily withdraws its 5.3 oz. Mighty Dog® brand pouch products that were produced by Menu Foods, Inc. from December 3, 2006 through March 14, 2007.

The Mighty Dog® pouch products and pouches in multi-pack cartons have code dates of 6337 through 7073, followed by the plant code 1798

Importantly, no Mighty Dog® canned products, or any other Purina products are affected by Menu's recall.

Consumers may contact the company by calling 1-800-551-7392.

March 17, 2007

Menu Foods, Inc. based in Streetsville, Ontario, Canada is recalling all its "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food produced in its facility in Emporia, Kansas between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007.

The products are packaged in cans and pouches under numerous brand names and are marketed nationwide by many pet food retailers including Ahold USA Inc., Kroger Company, Safeway, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., PetSmart, Inc., and Pet Valu, Inc.

Menu Foods, Inc. has identified the potentially contaminated products on the Internet at www.menufoods.com/recall. The product listing was expanded and updated as of March 23, 2007.  Consumers may also contact the company at 1-866-895-2708.

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Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. recalls Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food from the market.  This product is sold in a 4 lb. bag size # 52742 42770 (all lot numbers) and a 10 lb. bag size # 52742 42790 (all lot numbers).

Please check with your veterinarian for an alternative Prescription Diet until m/d Feline dry is reformulated and made available again.

For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.
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March 30, 2007

Nestle Purina PetCare Company today announced it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes.

The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date.

Also, due to a product name change in early 2007, this voluntary recall also covers one item with the same date code labeled as ALPO® Prime Entrees in Gravy with Chicken, Rotini Pasta & Vegetables.

No other Purina brand dry pet foods are affected by the recall - including ALPO Prime Cuts dry. In addition, no other Purina dog food products, no Purina cat food products, Purina treat products or Purina Veterinary Diet products are included in this recall.

Consumers may contact the company at www.purina.com or call 1-800-218-5898.

April 1, 2007

A release from Del Monte reveals that the company will voluntarily be recalling select product codes from the its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats, Gravy Train Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels brands. Del Monte also supplies select products sold under private label brands.

Consumers may contact the DelMonte at delmonte.com

April 2, 2007

An additional pet food company announced a nationwide recall of dog, cat and ferret pet food treats that might be contaminated with salmonella.  This announcement is completely unrelated to the vast recall of melamine-tainted dog and cat food that led to kidney failure in many pets around the country.

Eight in One Inc., a division of United Pet Group Inc., is recalling all packages of Dingo Chick'N Jerky, Dingo Kitty Chicken Jerky and Dingo Ferret Chicken Jerky. The treats are currently sold around the nation at Target, PetSmart and other stores.

Eight in One is asking consumers to throw away unused portions the treats. To obtain a refund, consumers can simply call 888-232-9889.

April 3, 2007

According to import records (via the Boston Globe), the wheat gluten was shipped to the United States from Nov. 3, 2006 to Jan. 23 of this year and contained "minimal labeling" to indicate whether it was intended for humans or animals. The vast majority went to pet food manufacturers and distributors, according to the FDA. But some of the processing plants that remain under FDA scrutiny make both human and pet food.

April 4, 2007

The pet food recall had sparked concerns over whether or not any of the contaminated wheat gluten had made it into human food.  The Chinese wheat gluten imported by ChemNutra Inc. went to companies that make pet foods only, Stephen Miller, chief executive officer of the Las Vegas company, told The Associated Press.

In its first official statement regarding the Menu Foods pet food recall of cat and dog food, apparently poisoned by tainted wheat gluten purchased from a Chinese firm, Chinese officials are denying blame.

Also, the recent rash of pet food recalls has prompted some dog and cat pet owners to forsake wet and dry food & create their own pet food. Which is not advised.

At least 2,000 people are taking legal action against the manufacturer accused of providing contaminated pet food in the U.S. An Illinois attorney announced a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against Menu Foods.

April 5, 2007

The recall of pet foods and treats contaminated with an industrial chemical expanded today to include dog biscuits made by an Alabama company and sold by mega-retailer Wal-Mart. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the manufacturer, Sunshine Mills Inc., is recalling dog biscuits that have been made with imported Chinese wheat gluten.

Menu Foods expanded its original pet food recall to include a much broader range of dates and varieties today.  The recall now covers "cuts and gravy"-style products made between Nov. 8 and March 6, Menu Foods said today.

April 6, 2007

Representing pet owners nationwide, Sacramento law firms Kershaw Cutter & Ratinoff, LLP and Wexler Toriseva Wallace, LLP, have filed the first Class Action lawsuit against Del Monte Foods (U.S. District Court, Central District of California, CV 07-1958-GHK AJWx) arising from its alleged sale of contaminated dog food and other pet foods to the public.

Del Monte Foods Co. on Friday widened its recall of dog treats that may have been tainted with contaminated wheat gluten from China. The range of Jerky Treats and Ol' Roy and Happy Tails Beef Flavor treats covered by a recall first announced March 31 now includes some private-label snacks, packages with different expiration dates

Consumers may contact the DelMonte at delmonte.com

China stated yesterday that it would be investigating allegations that a Chinese company exported tainted wheat gluten used in pet food linked to the deaths of more than a dozen cats and dogs in the United States.

This was the first time Chinese authorities officially responded to the uproar that has resulted in a ban on gluten imports from the Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. and a U.S. recall of nearly 100 brands of pet food.

"We are investigating this," Zeng Xing, an official with the press office of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, told The Associated Press. 

April 7, 2007

A company in Western Washington is the latest to announce a major pet food recall.  Ferndale-based TW Enterprises, the makers of American Bullie A.B. Pizzle Puppy Chews and Dog Chews, is recalling seven different types of pet chews due to concerns about salmonella contamination.

April 8, 2007

Update: T.W. Enterprises of Ferndale, Wash. today alerted consumers that it is recalling its entire line of dog and cat treats it markets because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.

April 9, 2007

The latest rash of recalls has prompted a Senate investigation. "This pet food crisis is about two things: It's about contaminated pet food and a food safety system that failed us," said Illinois Senator Dick Durbin on Saturday.

April 10, 2007

The larget pet food recall in history may have been intentionally caused, according to a new report. The FDA is reporting that it is a distinct possibility that pet cat and dog food linked to kidney failure was intentionally contaminated, reports WHAS. 

Pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical may have sickened or killed 39,000 cats and dogs nationwide, based on an extrapolation from data released Monday by one of the nation's largest chains of veterinary hospitals, according to the Associated Press.

April 11, 2007

The pet food recall affecting Cat & Dog food has been expanded further Tuesday to include products made at a Canadian factory recently found to have used an ingredient tainted by an industrial chemical, repprts the AP. 

Menu Foods had previously recalled only cat and dog food made at its plants in Kansas & New Jersey, saying they were its only facilities to have taken delivery of imported wheat gluten later found contaminated with melamine.  However, Menu Foods uncovered on Monday that some of the tainted wheat gluten had made it to Canada.

April 12, 2007

The Senate of the U.S. will hold an open session oversight hearing this afternoon to examine the recent pet cat & dog food recall.

Senators will hear reportedly from veterinarians, experts on the pet food industry, FDA officials and pet food and nutrition experts. The session will focus on the ongoing investigation as well as the regulatory mechanisms that govern the pet food industry.

April 13, 2007

Pet cat & dog owners must continue to exercise caution as U.S. health officials have issued a warning that contaminated pet food is still being sold at some stores.

The FDA said it is urging all U.S. retailers to be vigilant in removing all products associated with the pet food recall, which began on March 16. 

April 14, 2007

Pet cat & dog owners must continue to exercise caution as U.S. health officials have issued a warning that contaminated pet food is still being sold at some stores.  In an effort to verify the effectiveness of the recall, FDA officials conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores and discovered some companies have not removed all of the recalled products.

"FDA's priority is to make sure that cats and dogs have safe food to eat," said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "Many of us are pet owners and animal lovers and we want pet owners to feel assured that we are doing everything we can to make sure that all contaminated food is off the shelves."

April 16, 2007

Natural Balance Pet Foods has recalled two kinds of pet food after receiving reports of cats & dogs throwing up and experiencing kidney problems, the Food and Drug Administration said on Monday.

The recall includes all date codes of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food. The company has not dtermined the cause of the problem, but said it is focused on one particular lot.

Natural Balance Pet Foods is working with the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the incident and is encouraging consumers not to feed either pet food product to their pets.

April 20, 2007

The Food and Drug Administration reportedly suspects the contaminated imported Chinese wheat gluten that has caused several pet food recalls may have been intentionally spiked with the harmful industrial chemical melamine.

FOX is reporting that the FDA suspects the wheat gluten may have been spiked in order to increase protein levels.

April 21, 2007

According to the Sacramento Bee, the chemical has made it into pig feed and perhaps onto California tables, with state agricultural officials announcing late Thursday they've quarantined a hog farm where lab tests showed melamine in pig urine. 

"The farm is cooperating with us to determine the disposition of all animals that have left the premises since April 3," Richard Breitmeyer, the state veterinarian, said in a prepared statement. That's the first time melamine-tainted food is known to have been shipped to the farm.  He said the 1,500-animal American Hog Farm was quarantined "out of an abundance of caution."

April 21, 2007

Royal Canin USA issued a statement on Friday that they are voluntarily recalling all of their dry pet food products containing rice protein concentrate after it found a melamine derivative in some products.

April 22, 2007

This week two additional pet food ingredients exported from China also tested positive for melamine.  Rice protein concentrate was headed for five American pet food makers -- and corn gluten sent to South Africa -- now the gluten is being seen as the culprit behind the deaths of 30 dogs there

April 23, 2007

The Blue Buffalo Company has recalled Spa Select Kitten dry food with the printed instructions "Best Used By Mar. 07 08 B." Blue Buffalo received rice protein concentrate from Wilbur-Ellis, the same company that supplied this ingredient to Natural Balance. Subsequent testing indicated that the Blue Buffalo protein concentrate tested positive for melamine.

Also Tuesday, the FDA said another pet food company, SmartPak, had recalled products made with tainted rice protein concentrate. The company said the recall covered a single production run of its LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food.

April 25, 2007

It would appear that pet food poisoned with an industrial chemical was delivered to hog farms in as many as six U.S. states, federal health officials said on Tuesday. Some of The Hogs have been quarantined.

April 26, 2007

As part of this precautionary recall Drs. Foster & Smith requests that customers discontinue feeding the following products purchased during the periods listed, until all FDA testing is complete:

Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14180, 14262, 14263, or Adult Lite Dry Cat food item numbers 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865 purchased between January 22, 2007 and April 19th
Adult Lite Dry Dog food item numbers 14178 and 14179 purchased between February 2, 2007 and April 19, 2007
Only Adult Lite Dry Dog (Item #'s 14178, 14179, 14180, 14262, 14263) and Adult Dry Lite Cat foods (Item #'s 12855, 12856, 13864, 13865) are included in this precautionary recall.

Chenango Valley Pet Food products may be contaminated with melamine. Chenango Valley Pet Foods has voluntarily joined the pet food recall. Melamine is an industrial chemical used to make plastics and fertilizers that may lead to illness or fatalities in animals if consumed.  The pet foods were sold to customers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, who further sold the products to their customers through catalog mail-orders or retail outlets.  Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-610-821-0608.

April 27, 2007

On Friday, American Nutrition Inc. became the final of five pet food companies that Wilbur-Ellis supplied with the tainted ingredient to recall a variety of products.  The products recalled were manufactured by American Nutrition for other independent companies, and American Nutrition brands were not part of the recall, the company said in a statement.

Food and Drug Administration officials searched an Emporia, Kan., pet food plant operated by Menu Foods and the Las Vegas offices of ChemNutra Inc., as part of an investigation into the widening recall of pet products, the companies disclosed on Friday.

April 28, 2007

Food and Drug Administration officials searched an Emporia, Kan., pet food plant operated by Menu Foods and the Las Vegas offices of ChemNutra Inc., as part of an investigation into the widening recall of pet products, the companies disclosed on Friday.

Menu Foods is responsible for many of the more than 100 brands of pet food recalled since March 16 because of contamination by the chemical melamine. ChemNutra supplied the manufacturer with wheat gluten, which has been identified as one of the two ingredients tainted by melamine used in recalled pet products.

Menu Foods says it is facing more than 50 lawsuits. In turn it has sued ChemNutra.

April 29, 2007

California officials have revealed that the contamination has made it into the human food chain: About 45 state residents ate pork from hogs that consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China.

April 30, 2007

Americans are in a panic over the pet food recall - it has been revealed that China has been spiking cat and dog food all along.  A new report details that poducers of animal feed all over China have secretly supplemented their feed with the substance, called melamine, a cheap additive that produces false protein readings in tests.

The practice is allegedly widespread in China, according to the New York Times, and has little regulatory supervision.  The Chinese government has disputed reports that melamine-tainted products from within its borders caused pets to die. However on Friday, that country banned the use of melamine in wheat gluten, rice protein, and other vegetable proteins.

May 1, 2007

Menu Foods is expanding its recall of pet food due to the possibility of cross-contamination.

In March, the Mississauga-based company recalled 60-million cans and pouches of pet food made with wheat gluten supplied by Chem-Nutra, the importer of the melamine-tainted ingredient.

But Menu Foods is now expanding the recall to include other products that were made at plants when the wheat gluten was used there.

May 3, 2007

CBS News is reporting that a breakthrough was made at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. The finding comes as Menu Food expands its recall and the Senate OKs regulation of Pet Food Labels.

One week ago, scientist Perry Martos mixed together a few drops of melamine and cyanuric acid, the two chemicals determined to have tainted the pet food.

In less than a second, they CBS News reports that they formed a mass of crystals nearly identical to crystals found in the kidneys of sickened animals.

"If you can imagine an instantaneous kidney stone ? that's essentially the way I would perceive it," The network quotes Martos as saying.

May 4, 2007

Wegmans Beef and Gravy wet cat food has been voluntarily recalled due to possible cross contamination with the wheat gluten containing melamine, the chemical identified to be a possible source of the deaths of possibly thousand of pets. It is used to make plastics.

May 5, 2007

8,500 dogs and cats may have died as a result of tainted pet food. In the two months since dead pets led to a massive U.S. pet food recall, the FDA said about half of the calls to its hotline were from owners of deceased cats and dogs.

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Consumers should stop using affected products immediately!  We can not reiterate enough the importance of seeking immediate medical care for your pet if they exhibit any of the following symptoms…loss of appetite, lethargy and/or vomiting.  These symptoms may be signs of kidney / renal illness, which may be fatal.

So what symptoms are pet owners likely to see if they believe their pet is affected?

Anorexia, diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting, changes in water consumption and urination habits. The lethal feature of the toxin is kidney failure.  If a pet owner suspects these symptoms may be linked to the food they may have fed their pet, they should have their veterinarian run a blood test and urinalysis, so as to check the integrity of the kidneys, reports Dr. Chris Duke.

Furthermore, the pet owner is asked to do the following: 

* Retain food samples for analysis.

* Document product name, type of product and manufacturing information, saving purchase receipts, date codes or production lot numbers.

* Document product consumption - as in when the product was fed, time and relative onset of signs afterwards, and feeding methods (including other foods in the mix).