Pet food scare keeping local vets occupied
Posted on Sunday, March 25, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/51431/
Area vets are busier than usual following the announcement of a pet food recall earlier this month.
Menu Foods Inc., a Canadian private-label pet food manufacturer based in Statesville, Ontario, has issued a recall on all its “ cuts and gravy” style dog and cat food products produced at its facility in Emporia, Kan., between Dec. 3, 2006, and March 6, 2007. The recall includes 90 brands..
“ Originally, Menu Foods thought it was wheat gluten, ” said Dr. Eric Steinlage of the All Dogs Animal Clinic in Rogers. “ They have since found out that it was a rat poison called aminopterin. It’s not available in the U. S., but it is used in China. ”
On Friday, the New York State Agriculture Commissioner and Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine announced that scientists at the New York State Food Laboratory identified aminopterin as the toxin present in recalled pet food samples supplied by the Menu Foods Income Fund. The food laboratory received the pet food samples from a toxicologist at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell Univer- sity, where testing has been under way to determine the cause of renal failure in dogs and cats.
“ I’ve already had one dog that had to be put down, ” Steinlage said. “ It was just terrible. ”
Steinlage said 95 percent of most rat poisons contain an anticoagulant.
“ Cumerin is the active ingredient — it’s normally used as a blood thinner, ” he said. “ Some of the symptoms include pet anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, lethargy, dehydration and, in some cases, even death. ”
Steinlage said most pets start to develop symptoms after a couple feedings.
“ I don’t know that anyone has a good grasp on how this works since it’s not available in the U. S., ” he said. “ It’s not something we learn about in vet school. ”
Menu is the leading North American private-label / contract manufacturer of wet pet food products sold by supermarket retailers, mass merchandisers, pet specialty retailers and other retail and wholesale outlets. In 2006, the company produced more than a billion containers.
Dr. Kate Williams of the Animal Medical Clinic in Fayetteville said the recall has boosted local business even though no illnesses related to the recalled pet food have been confirmed.
“ We automatically recommend people bring their pets in for blood work to see if they have any kidney problems, ” she said. “ We haven’t had any confirmed cases, but we have had a lot of concerned pet owners come in for blood work. ”
Williams said diagnosing the toxin can be tricky.
“ We can’t detect the chemical, ” she said. “ But we do know that it causes renal failure. All veterinarians have the capability to diagnose kidney dysfunction. That, based upon the history of food, allows us to come up with a game plan. ”
So far, scientists have not found an antidote to the toxin.
“ Other than getting the animal to stop eating the good and diuresing the pet with intravenous fluids, I haven’t found an antidote, ” Steinlage said. “ A lot of times we administer vitamin K and if need be, you can give the animal a transfusion so they don’t bleed to death. We’ve had a lot of success, even with some cats. We had one cat on IV fluids for two weeks. ”
Steinlage urges pet owners to take immediate action once they notice symptoms in their pet.
“ If the animal start vomiting, stop giving them the food. That seems to be the biggest thing, along with IV fluids, ” he said. “ If you see a fairly young animal or several animals dying with the same clinical signs and you find that they’ve been eating the same food, there’s a strong reason to believe that it’s the food. ”
Steinlage said approximately 26 cats and dogs have died nationwide as a result of the recalled food.
“ I would be willing to bet that the number is probably much higher than what’s being reported, ” he said. “ Most of these foods are lower cost and the people who are buying them may not be able to afford vet care. The food has been going around for about three months, so who knows how many animals died during that time. We’ve seen at least three cats that have had kidney damage beyond repair, and I’m sure we’ve probably had several more. ”
Pet owners who suspect that their dog or cat has been exposed to the recalled food are urged to save the remaining food, along with the can or pouch it came in. Open bags or pouches may be double pouched and kept in the freezer. If Menu Foods is responsible for a pet’s sickness or death, the company has agreed to take responsibility. Menu has engaged in a professional firm to manage customers’ concerns and is currently contacting concerned pet owners who have reached the company’s call center. Menu Foods urges its customers to keep copies of all vet records and receipts for pet food purchases as well as vet bills.
For more information, visit www. menufoods. com or call (866 ) 895-2708.
PET FOOD RECALL
Recalled Dog Foods:
- Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
- Authority
- Award
- Best Choice
- Big Bet
- Big Red
- Bloom
- Cadillac
- Companion
- Demoulas Market Basket
- Eukanuba
- Food Lion
- Giant Companion
- Great Choice
- Hannaford
- Hill Country Fare
- Hy-Vee
- Iams
- Laura Lynn
- Loving Meals
- Meijers Main Choice
- Mighty Dog Pouch
- Mixables
- Nutriplan
- Nutro Max
- Nutro Natural Choice
- Nutro Ultra
- Nutro
- Ol’Roy Canada
- Ol’Roy US
- Paws
- Pet Essentials
- Pet Pride - Good n Meaty
- Presidents Choice
- Price Chopper
- Priority Canada
- Priority US
- Publix
- Roche Brothers
- Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels
- Schnucks
- Shep Dog
- Springsfield Prize
- Sprout
- Stater Brothers
- Stop & Shop Companion
- Tops Companion
- Wegmans Bruiser
- Weis Total Pet
- Western Family US
- White Rose
- Winn Dixie
- Your Pet
Recalled Cat Foods:
- Americas Choice, Preferred Pets
- Authority !" Best Choice !" Companion
- Compliments !" Demoulas Market Basket
- Eukanuba !" Fine Feline Cat !" Food Lion
- Foodtown !" Giant Companion
- Hannaford !" Hill Country Fare
- Hy-Vee !" Iams !" Laura Lynn
- Li’l Red !" Loving Meals
- Meijer’s Main Choice
- Nutriplan !" Nutro Max Gourmet Classics
- Nutro Natural Choice
- Paws !" Pet Pride
- Presidents Choice
- Price Chopper
- Priority US
- Save-A-Lot Special Blend
- Schnucks
- Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Cans
- Sophistacat
- Special Kitty Canada
- Special Kitty US !" Springfield Prize
- Sprout !" Stop & Shop Companion
- Tops Companion !" Wegmans
- Weis Total Pet !" Western Family US
- White Rose
- Winn Dixie
— Source: menufoods. com