If you have a pet...

[PhillyPhanInDC]

60 Million Containers Of Pet Food Recalled

(AP) 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 posted a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall on its Web site. 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, including Procter & Gamble Co.

P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. The recalled products bear the code dates of 6339 through 7073 followed by the plant code 4197, P&G said.

Menu Foods' 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.

[Diomedes]

If you have a pet and you feed it Wal-Mart or Safeway branded food, then you don't really care that much about your pet to begin with.

[Sgt PSN]

I remember hearing something about this over the weekend.  Luckily for me and my dog, the food I give him isn't on the list.  

[Seabiscuit36]

Thats so scary though.  My uncles Golden Retriever just had to be put down for kidney failure.  The doctor was running around because he had 6 other dogs displaying the same symptoms of Kidney failure.  They showed the place in ontario, canada where they made the food.  The sign outside the building was spraypainted on.  The other thing is all these places sold the same product, i wonder what the cost differences were.  

[Sgt PSN]

If you have a pet and you feed it Wal-Mart or Safeway branded food, then you don't really care that much about your pet to begin with.

It doesn't say that it was Wal Mart or Safeway brand dog food, just that Wal Mart and Safeway sold the food.  2 of the name brands that were mentioned were Iams and Eukanuba,  both of which are on the pricey side of things.  I also believe you can buy Iams in Wal Mart.  

Makes no matter to me right now.  My dog's old and is on special, medicated dog chow that comes from my vet.  

[Seabiscuit36]

They also said it was Hills which is Science Diet

[Diomedes]

It doesn't say that it was Wal Mart or Safeway brand dog food, just that Wal Mart and Safeway sold the food.

WASHINGTON A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands

[Seabiscuit36]

Recalled cat foods
Americas Choice; Preferred Pets; Authority; Best Choice; Companion; Compliments; Demoulas Market Basket; Fine Feline Cat, Shep Dog; Food Lion; Foodtown; Giant Companion; Good n Meaty; Hannaford; Hill Country Fare; Hy-Vee; Key Food; Laura Lynn; Li'l Red; Loving Meals; Main Choice; Nutriplan; Nutro Max Gourmet Classics; Nutro Natural Choice; Paws; Presidents Choice; Price Chopper; Priority; Save-A-Lot; Schnucks; Sophistacat; Special Kitty; Springfield Pride; Sprout; Total Pet; My True Friend; Wegmans; Western Family; White Rose; and Winn Dixie.

Recalled dog foods
America's 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; President's 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 and Your Pet.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

It doesn't say that it was Wal Mart or Safeway brand dog food, just that Wal Mart and Safeway sold the food.

WASHINGTON A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands

You're wrong.  Nearly every canned or "pouched" food was recalled, including many of the expensive brands.

Luckily, we feed our dogs dry food.  Good stuff, but if they want it wet, they can get a mouth full of water to eat it.

[Seabiscuit36]

what i'd like to see is how these companies will try to get away with all selling basically the same product. 

[Sgt PSN]

It doesn't say that it was Wal Mart or Safeway brand dog food, just that Wal Mart and Safeway sold the food.

WASHINGTON A major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands

 

Fair enough......but the point still remains the same.  Many of these different brands of pet food are made by the same company.  Buying Wal Mart brand dog food is almost the exact same thing as paying $40 for a bag of Iams.  It's like Toyota and Lexus.  Same engine, different label and price tags.

[Wingspan]

what i'd like to see is how these companies will try to get away with all selling basically the same product. 

That happens in the people food industry too. In fact, it's pretty much the same across most industry's involving manufacturing or packaging.

[Father Demon]

I had to put my dog of 14 1/2 years down last month for kidney failure.  She had been on dry dog food her whole life, except the last month of her life when she was on a special kidney-friendly prescription dog food.  It wasn't on this list, which I am very happy about.  If I had to put her down because of a decidion I made it would be rougher than it already was.

[Sgt PSN]

Here's the link to the list of all the recalled dog foods if anyone wants to check to see if you've been feeding instant death to your dog or not.

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

Cat lovers can find the info on their own.  And then kill themselves for loving cats. 

[Wingspan]

My dog drank an whole beer saturday night. Good thing that Sam Adams isnt on that list.