It just keeps getting worse: Toxic dog food and cat food recall ~ April 9, 2007 ~ Dr. Orzeck

The national nightmare regarding the pet food recall crisis continues to haunt our cats and dogs like a ruthless cancer. After being deluged with phone calls regarding the first announcement of the pet food recall on March 17th by Menu Foods, and then continuing throughout the next week with the discovery of possible melamine contamination in canned Alpo® Brand Primecuts, it looked as if the worst was finally passed.

However, it was not to be. Beginning on Thursday afternoon (April 5th), the phone calls to my veterinary practice began all over again. It turns out that Sunshine Mills of Red Bay, Alabama announced a recall of several of their dog biscuit products, which included some fairly famous names: Ol'Roy Puppy Biscuit, Lassie Lamb and Rice Biscuits, Champions Best Multi Flavor Biscuits, plus many more private label brands. The next day, Del Monte Pet Products announced yet another recall of possible tainted pet foods that included some more big names: Gravy Train Beef Sticks for Dogs, Ol' Roy Beef Flavor Jerky Strips Dog Treats, Dollar General Beef Flavored Jerky Strips Dog Treats, just to name a few.

So let’s review. With the original notice of March 17th, Ontario, Canada based Menu Foods announced a recall of their “cuts and gravy” style pet food in cans and pouches manufactured at two of their United States (one in Kansas and one in New Jersey) manufacturing facilities. There were 95 name brands of dog and cat foods on their recall list. On this list were probably close to (or more) a thousand individually named products and varieties. Considering the reputations of many present day corporations, my humble feeling is that Menu Foods has been very cooperative with this tragic recall.

The following is a direct quote from the company’s website: “If Menu Foods product is the cause of sickness or death, Menu Foods will take responsibility. Menu has engaged a professional firm to manage your concerns and is currently contacting concerned pet owners who have reached our call center. Specific direction will be received from these individuals. Please keep copies of all your vet records and receipts for pet food purchases as well as vet bills.”

The following is a list of BRAND names taken from the Menu Food’s website.

Keep in mind that if you see a brand name you’ve been feeding, you need to go to the company’s website or call them directly to find out name and lot number affected by the recall. There are literally hundreds of individual products and varieties on the company’s list. If you don’t have a computer, you can go to one of our magnificent area libraries. Or call the company: 1-866-895-2708

Cat food brands on the list:

Dog Food brands on the list:

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

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

On March 30th, after learning that wheat gluten contaminated with melamine was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company of St. Louis, Missouri, announced a voluntarily recall of all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes. The company stressed that no dry Purina products were involved with the Alpo® Brand Primecuts recall. There are about 30 different products. A complete list can be found at the company’s website:

On April 1st, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., voluntarily recalled the company’s Prescription Diet ™ m/d™ Feline Dry Food. Their reason for the recall was the same as the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company: wheat gluten for this product was provided by a company that also supplied wheat gluten to Menu Foods. As of this writing, THIS PRODUCT HAS BEEN THE ONLY DRY TYPE OF PET FOOD RECALLED. More information can be found at their website:

On April 6th, Sunshine Mills of Red Bay, Alabama announced the recall that affected about 20 brands and varieties of the company’s dog biscuits. The company emphasized that the recall was a precautionary measure. The following are the brand names and varieties listed on the recall. Please call the company (800) 705-2111, ext. 117, or check the company’s website for exact package sizes affected, as well as the manufacturing dates.

Nurture Chicken & Rice Biscuit
Nurture Lamb & Rice Biscuit
Pet Life Large Peanut Butter Biscuit
Pet Life Large Biscuit
Lassie Lamb and Rice Biscuit
Champion Breed Peanut Butter Biscuit
Champion Breed Large Biscuit
Perfect Pals Large Biscuit
Companion's Best Multi Flavor Biscuit
Stater Brothers Large Biscuit

Pet Life Large Biscuit
Pet Life Extra Large Biscuit
Pet Life Large Variety Biscuit
Pet Life Peanut Butter Large Biscuit
Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
Pet Life People Pleasers Dog Treat
Ol' Roy Peanut Butter Biscuit
Ol' Roy 4 Flavor Large Biscuit
Ol' Roy Puppy Biscuit

On April 6th, Del Monte Pet Products, of Pittsburg, PA announced voluntary recall of some of some of their pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats®, Gravy Train® Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels® brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands being manufactured by their company. From their website, I obtained the various brands and varieties of their pet products affected by the recall. Please refer to the website for the exact product package sizes and manufacturing date.

Ol' Roy Beef Flavor Jerky Strips Dog Treats
Ol' Roy Beef Flavor Snack Sticks Dog Treats
Ol' Roy with Beef Hearty Cuts in Gravy Dog Food
Ol' Roy with Beef Hearty Strips in Gravy Dog Food
Ol' Roy Country Stew Hearty Cuts in Gravy
Pounce Meaty Morsels Moist Chicken Flavor Cat Treats
Gravy Train Beef Sticks Dog Snacks

Dollar General Beef Flavored Jerky Strips Dog Treats
Dollar General Beef Flavored Beef Sticks Dog Treats
Happy Tails Beef Flavor Jerky Strips
Happy Tails Meaty Cuts with Beef in Gravy Dog Food
Happy Tails Beef Flavor Beef Sticks
Jerky Treats Beef Flavor Dog Snacks

Cats (mostly) and dogs that are dying of the contaminated foods are doing so because of kidney failure. Signs of renal (kidney) disease include loss of appetite, lethargy, occasional vomiting, diarrhea, and sudden changes in water consumption and increasing urination. If you’ve been feeding one of the listed products, and you even suspect there’s something wrong, get the critter into a vet somewhere.

By reading the above recall notices, it is obvious that we probably have not seen the end of this crisis. Because of the large number of the companies now involved with this recall, your best source for any new and up-to-date information is the American Veterinary Medical Association website:

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