On March 16, 2007 – multiple pet food recalls were issued, all for no confirmed reason.
Menu Foods issued a recall stating: “Menu Foods, Emporia, Kansas, is initiating a North American recall of dog and cat food produced in its ‘cuts and gravy’ format between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. There were a small number of reported cases of cats and dogs in the United States (not in Canada) becoming ill with kidney failure after consuming affected products. About ten casualties were reported.”
Regarding the reason for this recall, Menu Foods’ recall notice states:
“Menu Foods voluntarily recalled the products after learning of complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats following their consumption of the product manufactured between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. Following feeding of the product, some cats and dogs refused further feeding, while others showed signs of renal failure (signs of renal failure include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) and the others died of kidney failure. Menu Foods has conducted extensive testing of the products in question, using both internal and external sources, but has so far been unable to confirm any causal relationship with our product. In particular, tests on some affected products did not reveal the cause of the disease, and the test will continue until a better understanding of the facts is achieved.”
A Purina recall dated the same day (March 16, 2007) said: “While Purina has no indication of any quality or product safety issues specifically related to our Mighty Dog pouch products, Purina is taking this proactive action out of an abundance of caution in response to recall on Menu Foods.”
A P&G recall notice from the same day said: “P&G Pet Care is taking this proactive step out of an abundance of caution, as the health and well-being of pets is paramount to the mission of Iams and Eukanuba. Tests on some affected products have not revealed the cause of the illness, and testing will continue until a better understanding of the facts is achieved..”
Melamine is suspected of causing illnesses in pets for several weeks. In 2007, the FDA asked for help in “Forensic Chemistry Center” to develop methods to test for melamine and other chemicals found in recalled pet foods.
So…in 2007, pet food manufacturers issued recalls without confirmation of a known cause (or at least a publicly known cause). In 2007, many pet food manufacturers took “acting proactively out of an abundance of caution” and recalled pet foods even though they performed “extensive testing“and became”any causal relationship could not be confirmed” on the recalled pet foods. These recalls are issued based on “a small number of reported instances of cats and dogs…getting sick“and”ten deaths were reported”.
My how things have changed.
Based on one month of adverse event reports submitted to the FDA, in January 2024 the agency received more than 970 reports of sick pets involving more than 1,300 pets (multiple pets were reported in some homes ). These reports include more than 100 pet deaths.
Unlike in 2007, in 2024 we see nothing “acting proactively out of an abundance of caution” from any pet food manufacturer to recall pet foods involved in 1,300 reports of illness and 100 pet deaths (in one month).
And unlike in 2007, in 2024 we don’t know if the FDA has enlisted their Forensic Chemistry Center to investigate the cause of these 1,300 disease reports and 100 pet deaths (in one month). (But we will be sending questions to the FDA about it…which we hope will not be answered.) In 2024, the FDA goes completely silent – giving pet owners no updates on the investigation.
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
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