Pet Food Recalled Amid Reports Of Pet Deaths
Cats, Dogs Suffered Kidney Failure

POSTED: 9:09 pm CDT March 16, 2007
UPDATED: 9:38 pm CDT March 16, 2007

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 — 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, 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.
All of your answers are good, so I ask you to vote for best answer, please.

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So if you look at the ingredients for the regular wet food the mushy ones with the rice and stuff they also contain wheat gluten so if wheat gluten is what they think is the problem then how do they know these dog foods arent going to cause problems too and their other idea is that it was in the corn well there is corn in dry food. im so scared that this is going to become a problem with much more than just the cuts and gravy. and they arent telling us enough.

Technorati Tags: corn, cuts and gravy, dog foods, dry food, google, script type, text javascript, wet food, wheat gluten

What do you feed your dog? Pet food recall:

http://www.rr.com/flash/index.cfm

WASHINGTON(AP) 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
I need to mention Cats as well…
Sold throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico
The pet food was sold by stores operated by the Kroger Co., 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.

Repeated calls to that number over several hours Friday night got only a busy signal. Attempts to reach a company spokeswoman for an explanation were unsuccessful.

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.
I still am unable to access their web site above. Their server probably has crashed. This article was posted this evening (Associated Press).
Nursing 4 – What a terrible loss for you………..I am so sorry………
Some of it was sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands.

The recall covers the company’s "cuts and gravy" style food
You can find the list of recalls on the web site menufoods.com. Several Nutro types were mentioned but only the canned or pouches. The "dry" Nutro was not included on this list but be cautious and observant. You never know if they will include dry foods at a later date as well……
I am so sorry to hear from those of you who have a sick pet and for those who have lost a pet(s). They are such a part of your families, I can only imagine what you are going through right now.

No amount of compensation can ever mend your heartache, but for the shear principle, if this recall had effected one of my pets, I would be looking for an attorney interested in handling a Class Action law suit. I am not advocating this to anyone, just expressing what I personally would do.

Has anyone been able to get through to the company’s phone line?

Keep abreast of the latest news as they seem to add other foods as well – Hills Nutrition Inc. was added to the list.
I am so sorry to hear from those of you who have a sick pet and for those who have lost a pet(s). They are such a part of your families, I can only imagine what you are going through right now.

No amount of compensation can ever mend your heartache, but for the shear principle, if this recall had effected one of my pets, I would be looking for an attorney interested in handling a Class Action law suit. I am not advocating this to anyone, just expressing what I personally would do.

Has anyone been able to get through to the company’s phone line?

Keep abreast of the latest news as they seem to add other foods as well – Hills Nutrition Inc. was added to the list.
Dotr – Purina is not involved. Iam’s dog food (canned/pouches)is, if I’m not mistaken.

THEY NOW ARE SAYING THAT IT WAS RAT POISON!

Technorati Tags: busy signal, cats and dogs, chief executive officer, chunks of meat, company spokeswoman, cuts and gravy, flash index, foil pouches, food menu, google, kidney failure, kroger co, paul henderson, petsmart, petsmart inc, safeway inc, sarah tuite, store brands, wal mart stores, wal mart stores inc

From a news article: "Menu Foods last week recalled "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food. The recall sparked concern among pet owners across North America. It includes food sold under store brands carried by Wal-Mart, Kroger, Safeway and other large retailers, as well as private labels such as Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba."

I want to feed my cat high-quality cat food. But this recall has given me the feeling that they are making the same food and slapping different labels on them. Am I wrong to think this?

Technorati Tags: Cat Food, cuts and gravy, eukanuba, google, high quality, kroger, news article, north america, nutro, pet owners, private labels, quality cat, safeway, script type, store brands, text javascript, wal mart