Pet Food Recalls
It seems that in the past few years food recalls of one sort or another on a number of foods have been issued. The same holds true for pet foods.
Salmonella contamination is one of the main culprits. It is well known that this bacteria can cause problems not only for humans, but pets as well. Pets who have been infected may exhibit decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated your pet may experience lethargy, diarrhea and vomiting. Humans may also exhibit some of the same symptoms, as well as more serious ailments if they come in contact with food infected with Salmonella.
You may also recall that in 2007 there were widespread reports of kidney failure in some pets, eventually leading to thousands of pet deaths – which later was determined to be the result of melamine and cyanuric acid in the affected foods. These highly toxic contaminants were used by several Chinese companies to boost the protein content of their wheat gluten, rice protein and corn gluten products, which ultimately became ingredients in pet foods manufactured by some companies, Menu Foods among them.
It was noted in March of 2007 by the Associated Press that Menu Foods, recalled both dog and cat food sold under numerous brands after countless complaints were received that pets were vomiting and suffering kidney failure. Hundreds of pets ultimately died as a result of eating contaminated pet food.
To keep abreast of pet food recalls and withdrawals log onto the following FDA website. The site gives specific links to detailed information on what products have been recalled, including contaminants, UPC’s, lot numbers and other identifiers, as well as descriptions of symptoms that may be experienced by those pets who’ve ingested the contaminated food. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products and is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Tags: pet food recalls, salmonella poisoning, melamine, kidney failure in pets, Menu Foods, pet food contamination
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