FDA issues health warning to veterinarians, pet owners about chicken jerky

A dog owner in the Chicago area has filed a class action lawsuit alleging
that his 9-year-old Pomeranian died as a result of eating Nestlé Purina¹s
Waggin¹ Train Yam Good dog treats. The fatality and resulting lawsuit are
the most recent in a series of events illustrating the public¹s growing
anxieties over an apparent connection between chicken jerky treats from
China and a surge of unexplained illness in dogs.

According to the lawsuit, filed on April 18 in U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois by Dennis Adkins of Orland Park, Ill., the dog
became ill and died of kidney failure less than two weeks after consuming
the treats in March. Adkins says he gave one of the treats to his dog daily
for two days and that no other changes were made to the dog¹s diet. His
other Pomeranian was not fed the treats and did not become ill. The suit
names as defendants Waggin¹ Train LLC, the manufacturer of the product;
Nestlé Purina Petcare Co., the corporation that owns Waggin¹ Train LLC; and
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the distributor.

The lawsuit states that although Nestlé Purina and Waggin¹ Train had
received complaints of more than 500 incidents in which dog treats
containing chicken jerky imported from China caused dogs to become sick or
die, they continued to market their product as being ³wholesome² and placed
no warnings concerning the product on the packaging. Additionally, it states
that Nestlé Purina and Waggin¹ Train knew there was a substantial risk of
death or harm associated with its dog treats and intentionally concealed
known facts concerning the safety of the dog treats in order to increase or
maintain sales.

Keith Schopp, spokesperson for Nestlé Purina and Waggin¹ Train, states, ³We
believe the claims made in the lawsuit to be without merit and we intend to
vigorously defend ourselves. We can say that Waggin¹ Train products continue
to be safe to feed as directed.²

The lawsuit brings eight counts against the defendants by Adkins and on
behalf of all consumers who purchased the chicken jerky dog treats. The
allegations include breach of implied and express warranty, consumer and
common law fraud, unjust enrichment, negligence, and strict products
liability with defective design or manufacture and failure to warn. Adkins
is seeking an excess of $5 million for compensatory and punitive damages and
costs of the suit.

The case is just one of many reported incidences of illness in pets in
association with the consumption of chicken jerky products. Numerous
complaints concerning Waggin¹ Train chicken jerky treats sickening or
killing dogs can be found on the Internet and have sparked the creation of
petitions and social media groups by and for pet owners who have lost their
pet to illness that they believe is associated with the treats.

Dating back to 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been
investigating a potential connection between the illnesses reported and the
treats and has tested a number of samples for contaminants and toxins.
However, according to the FDA, scientists have been unable to determine a
definitive cause for the reported illnesses. Unless a contaminant is
detected and there is evidence that a product is adulterated, the FDA is
limited in the regulatory actions it can take.

The FDA did issue cautionary warnings to the public concerning chicken jerky
treats in September 2007 and issued a Preliminary Animal Health Notification
in December 2008. The number of complaints declined during the latter part
of 2009 and most of 2010, the agency reports, but an increase in consumer
complaints prompted the FDA to issue a cautionary update again in November
2011. Since that issuance, there has been a steady rise in complaints
regarding the chicken jerky products,with more than 900 cases reportedly
affected by consumption of these treats, the FDA says.

No recalls have been issued for Waggin¹ Train or any brand of chicken jerky
treats to date. On the company¹s web site, Waggin¹ Train addresses consumer
concerns and continues to maintain the integrity and quality of their
chicken jerky treats, asserting a comprehensive food safety program and
strict quality assurance teams dedicated to overseeing the various steps of
the manufacturing process.

Despite the absence of a formal recall, the FDA recommends that pet owners
monitor their dogs closely for signs of illness if they choose to feed
chicken jerky treats. Symptoms of disease include vomiting, lethargy and
anorexia, and based on preliminary data, the problem appears more likely to
occur in small-breed dogs that are fed the treats regularly or in amounts
exceeding the labeled feeding recommendations. Veterinarians who suspect a
pet illness associated with the consumption of chicken jerky treats are
urged to report the case to the FDA immediately.

Related Links
FDA issues health warning to veterinarians, pet owners about chicken jerky
products from China
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Veterinary+news/FDA-issues-health-warning-to-veterinarians-pet-own/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/749800>

More complaints; more caution from FDA about chicken jerky products for dogs
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Veterinary+news/More-complaints-more-caution-from-FDA-about-chicke/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/572912>
 

Diamond Pet Food Recall Expands

Diamond pet food recall expands again, violations found
Philadelphia Inquirer (blog)
In the current situation, this dog food, which was produced in South
Carolina, was recalled nationally by the manufacturer in cooperation with
the FDA. A day later the Health Department issued a warning about
contaminated shellfish that may or may not ...
<http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/153150915.html>

Multiple failures cited at Diamond Pet Foods facility
DVM 360
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released a preliminary
inspection report of Diamond Pet Foods' Gaston, SC, production plant, which
was linked to the company's massive pet food recall in April. The recall was
initiated after the ... ...
<http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/Veterinary+news/Multiple-failures-cite
d-at-Diamond-Pet-Foods-facil/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/774745?contextCa
tegoryId=378>

Diamond adds cat food to the growing list of recalled pet foods because of
...

Pet Food Recall

Nestlé Purina Petcare has issued a voluntary recall of one lot of its Purina
Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management canned cat food in response to a
customer complaint received by the FDA. This specific brand of cat food is
only available for purchase through veterinarians in the United States and
Canada. Analytical testing of the product by the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has revealed low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1).

Cats eating this specific lot of the food for several weeks are at risk for
developing thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is essential for cats. Early signs
of thiamine deficiency in cats include decreased appetite, salvation,
vomiting, and weight loss. Advanced symptoms may include signs of the neck
bending towards the floor, wobbly walking, falling, circling, and seizures.
However, if treated promptly by a veterinarian, thiamine deficiency is
usually reversible.

Only cans with the following information are affected by the voluntary
recall: Can Size: 5.5oz, ³Best By² Date: June 2013, Production Code:
11721159, Can UPC code: 38100-13810. No other Purina pet food products are
included in this recall.

³EMSL Analytical tests for numerous vitamins, including all forms of vitamin
B,² states Shannon Kauffman, Food Chemistry Lab Manager. ³Our vitamin
analysis is compliant with FDA regulations, and RDI and DV percentages can
be provided when applicable.²

For more information about EMSL¹s food testing division, please contact EMSL
at 800-220-3675, email info@EMSL.com, or visit www.EMSL.com or
www.foodtestinglab.com.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a full service testing company providing quality lab
services under the same private ownership since 1981. Including the
corporate lab facility in Cinnaminson, NJ, EMSL Analytical operates over
thirty laboratories nationwide in the US and Canada. We provide analytical
services for environmental, indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene,
forensics and materials science, consumer products, food safety, PCR,
pharmaceutical, asbestos, lead, and radiological samples. The company has an
extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations, as well as
state and federal regulating bodies. Please see our website for a complete
listing of accreditations.
 

Is the pet food you are serving up killing your four-legged friend? ( and making your vet rich)

By Alison
Smith Squire
Last updated at 4:06 PM on 20th January 2010

Like millions of pet owners, Fiona MacMillan was anxious to do the very best
for her cat. 'When I got my first kitten, Jaggers, I asked the vet for some
advice on feeding, and when she directed me to a well-known brand of dried
food, I was happy to take her professional advice,' she says.

'My vet said she gave it to her own cats and had never had any problems. I
was delighted. It never smelled, I could tip some in Jaggers' bowl before I
went out to work in the morning and leave it out all day without any fear
that it would go off. And he loved it.'

Today, Fiona, 59, a former university librarian, bitterly regrets her
decision to feed Jaggers on the convenience food. For when he was just
seven, Jaggers was diagnosed with kidney disease. The same vet prescribed
some more dried food, especially designed for cats with urinary problems.

cat and dog

Warning: Few people are aware of the little-publicised concerns about
processed pet foods

Yet, despite Fiona religiously following her vet's advice, Jaggers collapsed
three months later. And by the time Fiona got him to the animal hospital for
treatment, it was too late. Her beloved cat was so unwell he had to be put
to sleep.

'I was devastated, but at the time I thought there was nothing I could have
done to prevent Jaggers' kidney disease,' she says. But then she decided to
do some research.

'Was it genetics? Do a lot of cats suffer from it? I just wanted to know,'
she recalls.

'And then I came across a website created by Lisa Pierson, a pet
nutritionist, that completely shocked me. It explained that processed dried
food - the exact kind I'd been feeding Jaggers for years - is linked to
urinary and kidney problems.

'I was horrified. This had never even been raised as a possibility by my
vet. But after I'd read about this, I spoke to another vet, who agreed with
Lisa Pierson.

He knew about the problems caused by processed foods, and said that if I'd
fed Jaggers a more natural diet - such as raw meat or cooked chicken - he
might never have fallen ill.'

Her story is sure to concern anyone with a pet, particularly because few
people are aware of the little-publicised concerns about processed pet foods
- and that includes 'wet' (i.e. tinned and packet) foods as well.

And part of the problem, as a Mail investigation can reveal, is that much of
the veterinary industry is inextricably linked to the pet-food
manufacturers.

Golden retriever

Some processed foods are linked with poor behaviour in dogs, and even with
cancer

Research into pet food is carried out by the pet-food companies but, more
surprisingly, the training of vets at some universities is also funded by
pet-food manufacturers.

Crucially, lectures on nutrition at a number of vet schools, and for
veterinary nurses at individual practices, are also often paid for - and
even taught - by these huge corporations, giving them the ideal platform to
promote their products.

One could argue that given this information, it's hardly in vets' interests
to promote a more natural diet for pets.

That suspicion has certainly occurred to Catherine O'Driscoll, 52, who like
Fiona MacMillan saw a pet die. In her case, it was all three of her golden
retrievers, two from cancer and the third from a disease that paralysed his
hind legs - all at a relatively young age.

'I'm a dog trainer and have had pets for years. I know how to care for
them,' says Catherine, from Kinross, Perthshire. 'But none of my three dogs
lived past the age of eight, and I began to think I was the world's worse
owner.

'I had two other dogs, and was determined to see them live longer. And it
was after I read an article in a magazine by an Australian vet, which
explained that feeding animals processed food could be bad for their health,
that I switched away from commercial processed food.

'Afterwards, I saw a huge difference in their vitality. They both lived to
17, and I now believe that changing their diets saved their lives.

'A decade ago, I took the advice of my vet that feeding tinned and dried
food was best for my dogs. I had no reason to question the professionals and
many dog owners don't now.'

Catherine and Fiona are not alone in thinking they were misled. In internet
chatrooms dedicated to pets, increasing numbers of people have been sharing
concerns about processed pet food.

They believe that, just as junk food is responsible for myriad health
problems and obesity in humans, our love of convenience pet food - be it
processed meat in cans or pouches, or dried biscuits - is doing the same to
pets.

A generation ago, people mostly fed their pets on butchers' scraps such as
heart, liver and bones. Convenience pet foods were an expensive luxury. But
now the pet food industry is valued at £2 billion and growing.

Message: Royal Canin Foods' website suggests stocking its food in veterinary
practices can 'increase practice turnover'

The pet-food manufacturers appear to be promoting their brands with the help
of veterinary practices, sponsoring food displays in surgeries which help to
generate business for vets (via commission and the fact that some specialist
food can only be bought at veterinary surgeries).

Hills Science Plan, a pet-food brand owned by Colgate-Palmolive, boasts
that: 'More vets feed Hills than any other pet food.' Last year, Hills
sponsored the British Veterinary Association's 2009 Congress (the biggest
meeting on the veterinary calendar).

It also signed a partnership with the British Veterinary Dental Association
to sponsor tooth care in animals.

Royal Canin Foods (owned by Mars/Masterfoods) boasts on its website of 'its
partnerships with leading veterinary schools and universities'.

It runs Pet Health Counsellor Courses, training veterinary nurses in diet,
and says stocking its food in veterinary practices can 'increase practice
turnover'.


More...


* Inundated
Battersea Dogs Home
forced to introduce waiting list for new animals

The message from the company is clear: sell our pet food, and your business
will profit.

Many pet websites are in fact affiliated in some way with pet-food
corporations. The Pet Health Council, an independent website advising on pet
welfare, is sponsored by the Petfood Manufacturers Association. The Pet
Health website claims that processed food is best, warning: 'It would not be
possible to feed your pet an adequate home-prepared diet.'

Critics claim that with all this bombardment from pet-food companies, many
vets and consumers are brainwashed into believing processed food is the only
diet their pet should be on.

And, it must be said, there are also many vets who genuinely believe that an
animal can be perfectly healthy on a processed diet alone.

But a growing number of vets claim this advice is misleading at best, and
deadly at worst. TV vet Joe Inglis says: 'Over the past few years, many
additives have been banned from human food, but pet food is still pumped
full of similar chemicals.

Food in Dog Bowl

Unhealthy: Many additives used in pet food are thought to cause
hyperactivity

'It's time manufacturers were more honest about what is really in their
foods, and were forced to outlaw some of these artificial chemicals.

Some of them are linked with poor behaviour in dogs, and even with cancer -
for example, the food colourings BTA/BHA (Butylated hydroxytoluene,
Butylated hydroxyanisole) which are known carconigenics.

'Many other additives used in pet food, such as tartrazine, carmoisine and
sunset yellow, are thought to cause hyperactivity in humans - and there is
no reason to believe that this would be any different for animals.'

Research has also linked dry cat food with urinary problems. Vet and Pet
Nutritionist Lisa Pierson says: 'Chronic kidney disease is one of the main
causes of death in cats and is often caused because they are chronically
dehydrated by just eating dried food. Even if they drink water, often it is
not enough to ensure optimum urinary health.'

Not convinced? Then consider the fact that while cat and dog food sales have
soared by 85 per cent over the past decade, research by the Pet Food
Manufacturers Association shows that one in three household pets is now
overweight - and chronic conditions in our pets, such as diabeties, kidney
and liver disease, heart disease and dental problems (all related to diet)
are on the increase.

However healthy the petfood manufacters might claim their foods are, it's
difficult not to see those factors as linked, says Richard Allport, a vet of
36 years from Hertfordshire.

'I don't believe today's vets get enough independent information,' he says.
'Pet-food companies have far too much influence, because much of the
information on feeding cats and dogs is paid for, promoted and supplied to
vets by the pet-food industry.

'Since owners see bags of processed food on display every time they go to
the vet's - which is blatant advertising - they think it's ok. But many
independent pet nutritionists - and sadly there is little research that's
not funded by the pet-food industry - beg to differ.

'I see so many pets with dental disease, allergies and digestive problems.
Often their owners have tried various medicines without success.


'The message is clear: sell our pet food, and your business will profit'





They have even tried different processed diets as recommended by their vet -
after all, a whole industry has been created with different foods for
different dietary problems. My advice to them is always this: switch your
pet's diet to fresh food and often it's so successful that altering the diet
is all that's needed to "cure" a pet's health problem.'

This view is angrily refuted by vet Nicky Paull. The former president of the
British Veterinary Association for 2008/9, she doesn't believe pet-food
companies are too involved with the veterinary industry.

'Vets aren't only taught by representatives from pet-food companies. They go
to a range of lectures in nutrition and so gain a balanced view. There is no
evidence at all that processed food is bad for our pets.

'What I would be concerned about is if people start to feel guilty about
what they are feeding their pets when pet food is perfectly fine. I also
don't believe that feeding cats and dogs natural diets is as simple as some
people make out.

'I would hate to be seeing cats and dogs suffering from a lack of nutrition
because their owner has chosen to give them a home-made diet that lacks
essential ingredients.'

She says: 'Many vets feed their pets commercial foods. I have three dogs
aged five months, seven and 12 years, all of whom are fed solely on dried
food, and am very happy with it.'

Yet Roger Meacock, who has a practice in Swindon, is concerned that many
processed foods, often described as 'premium' and ' scientifically
balanced', also contain ingredients that should not be part of any dog or
cat's diet.

'Often, grain is added to canned and dried pet food to bulk it out,' he
says. 'Basically, it is a cheaper alternative to meat. Additives to ensure
the food tastes good to cats and dogs are also added.

'But what people need to understand is that while on the outside dogs and
cats have been domesticated into cuddly pets, inside a dog is 99 per cent
related to the wolf, while a pet cat's digestive system is no different from
a wild lion's.

Veterinarian

Surprising: Training of vets at some universities is also funded by pet-food
manufacturers

'Therefore the bulk of a healthy diet for a cat or dog should not contain
processed food that is high in carbohydrate and other additives.

'It should revolve around raw meat, as it would do in the wild, which is
good for their teeth and gums as well as animals' general health.'

The United Kingdom Raw Meaty Bones Support and Action Group, a
not-for-profit organisation that promotes a natural diet for pets, compares
Britain's growing problem with junk food to our dependency on processed pet
food.

Jackie Marriott, who helps run the group says: 'A few years ago, school
dinners for children consisted of processed food, but due to educating
people about the dangers of junk food, that has changed.

'People realise that however good processed food is, it cannot take the
place of home-cooked fresh meals. And that is the same for cats and dogs.
Think about it - how can dried food that sits in a bowl all day be good for
your pet?

'Part of the problem rests with the fact that many of us as owners find
these foods incredibly convenient - this is why the pet-food manufacturers
have been successful.




'Research has linked dry cat food with health problems'


'Unfortunately, the factory process of making processed pet food that will
sit in a bowl without going off, or can be stored in a can for years, means
that many of the nutrients are destroyed. This is why additives such as
preservatives and vitamins need to be added to the food.

'Although our pets digest them, their digestive systems have to work flat
out to derive the most benefit. For example, it is hard for cats to digest
the carbohydrate. Most importantly, processed food also sits like a sludge
on their teeth.'

Unsurprisingly, the pet-food manufacturers do not agree that there's any
problem with feeding animals a solely processed food diet. They point out
that they spend millions researching the correct foods with a good balance
of nutrients.

The Pet Food Manufacturers Association says: 'There are concerns that
feeding raw meat to pets can present a human/animal risk, such as salmonella
contamination. In the case where only raw meat and bones are fed, there is
an additional concern among vets and animal nutritionists that this
exclusive diet may not meet the pet's needs.'

And a spokesman for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons adds: 'It would
be ideal if universities could be funded through purely independent sources.
But in reality we cannot condemn them for accepting money from commercial
sources.

'Honesty and integrity are at the heart of professional vets. They would not
be expected to recommend products without due justification.'

Their words, however, ring hollow for owners like Fiona and Catherine, who
feel that feeding their pets a more natural diet might have prolonged their
lives - not to mention the growing body of vets convinced that expensive
processed foods are a money-making and dangerous mistake.



Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1244595/Is-food-youre-feeding-pet-killing--making-vet-rich.html#ixzz0dBhATTDs

Wysong Pet Food Pulls Products Due To Mold

A third pet food company in as many weeks has pulled some of its products
off the market.

Wysong Pet Food confirmed that it recalled five batches of Canine Diets
Maintenance and Senior dry dog food -- manufactured in June and July 2009 --
because the products contain mold.

"Penicillium and fusarium mold species have been identified," Lucas Wysong,
the company's vice-president, told ConsumerAffairs.com. "All mycotoxin tests
conducted thus far are negative with regard to the recalled products."

"That we released some product that was not of the highest quality and may
have caused any animals harm makes us frankly ashamed and heartsick," he
added.

Specifically, the Michigan-based pet food maker recalled the following
batches of dry dog food:

€ Wysong Maintenance: lot #: 090617

€ Wysong Maintenance: lot #: 090624

€ Wysong Maintenance: lot #: 090706

€ Wysong Maintenance: lot #: 090720

€ Wysong Senior: lot #: 090623

ConsumerAffairs.com talked to a pet owner in Hawaii who says her Doberman
Pinscher recently died -- and her eight other dogs became sick -- after
eating Wysong's moldy food.

Lucas Wysong said his family's company is working closely with that pet
owner. He called the case "exceptional" and said his company has received
only two other minor complaints -- reports of diarrhea -- linked to the
recalled food.

Wysong told us his company discovered the problem in late September after it
investigated customer complaints' of possible mold contamination in the
food.

In a prepared statement, Wysong said "At first report of potential mold in
our products, Wysong launched an internal investigation. Batch records were
re-examined, numerous bags of product opened and scrutinized, product
samples were acquired from customers, and testing in-house and out-of-house
conducted."

That investigation, the company said, revealed the problem with the food
stemmed from the "unusually high heat and humidity" on the days the products
were made in June and July. The company also blamed the higher moisture
issues on a "malfunctioning moisture checking device."

Wysong said his company notified its distributors about the problem on
September 29, 2009.

"Once Wysong ascertained that there was mold presence and the potential for
mold (based on moisture tests) in certain batches we alerted our
distributors, who were the primary recipients of these batches of product,"
he said. "Distributors were instructed to dispose of the product, as well as
pull product from stores that had already received the product."

The company also said it contacted stores that received the recalled product
and asked them to remove the food from store shelves. In addition, the
company destroyed any "problematic" batches that remained in-house.

Wysong also told us that his company notified the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA)about the mold problem. The FDA's new Reportable Food
Registry requires U.S. companies to file a report when there is a
"reasonable probability" that their food will cause serious health
consequences to people or animals.

Wysong also posted a recall notice on its Web site, but that warning is
buried under the dry dog food section.


When asked why his company didn't immediately notify pet owners about the
mold problem, Wysong said "The vast majority of the recalled product was
sent to our distributors and retailers. We have therefore focused our
efforts on alerting distributors and stores and asked them to dispose of the
product."

"In other words, we are focusing on the supply chain because the customers
at the retail/store level are not identifiable," he said.

Wysong admitted that posting a notice on the company's Web site is not the
most effective way to reach customers who may have the recalled products.

"The actual recipients of the product -- distributors and retailers -- have
already been alerted, and those that buy our product in stores are likely
not Wysong.net site visitors," he said. "The notice on the site therefore
serves as an alert to those who did not receive these products."

"We keep records of the distributors and stores that were shipped this
product," he added. "Our best chance at notifying customers is through these
mediums."

Pet owners who have any of the recalled food should immediately stop feeding
it to their dogs, Wysong said.

"She did not deserve to die that way"

That warning, however, came too late for Julie P. of Hawaii. She says her
healthy Doberman Pinscher, Scarlet, died on September 26, 2009, after eating
some of Wysong's moldy food.

"Losing Scarlet was just horrible and totally needless," Julie told us. "She
died a very painful and agonizing death on the morning of her fifth birthday
after suffering all night long. She had gone completely toxic."

But Julie's nightmare didn't end with Scarlet's death. Her other eight
Dobermans also became seriously ill after eating Wysong's moldy food.

"They're lethargic and continued to get more and more down as time went by,"
says Julie, who switched her dogs to Wysong in August. "They have very red
eyes with yellow gunk that they have had the whole time I was feeding
Wysong. That has now finally gone away because I took them off the food
after Scarlet died," she said.

"They also had severe diarrhea the whole time, too. At first I thought it
was from the changing of their food, but it got worse with some bloody
stools and did not go away until again I stopped feeding them Wysong."

One of Julie's dogs, a male named Doug, also developed a sore on his leg
that would not heal and had "dry flaky skin with red bumps on his neck."

"Several of my other dogs, including my Daddy, Ruby, and Maybelle all have a
bad rash on their groin areas that I also could not get to go away for the
last two months," Julie says. "They have had gaseous upset stomachs many
times in the last two months. They have been throwing up, and at times, Doug
refused to even get near his feeding dish."

Julie says she didn't make a connection between Wysong's food and her dogs'
death and illnesses until she opened a new bag on October 4, 2009.

"When I opened that bag, I noticed a moldy look to the kibble -- a look I
had seen on several previous bags in the two months I feed it to my dogs. I
did not notice any smell, but I think my dog Doug did."

Julie contacted the company that same day. "I was afraid to feed them what
looked to me like moldy food," she says. "And I started putting all these
symptoms together as being from the food."

"I'm not sure how I can prove that all of these symptoms were from eating
the bad dog food," she adds. "But now that I've stopped feeding the food to
them, they are all getting better, which seems to prove that it was."

Julie says Wysong should give her some compensation -- at least enough to
cover her vet bills -- but no amount of money can ever replace Scarlet.

"She did not deserve to die that way," Julie says. "She was still a young
and vibrant dog and very, very special to us. She could have gone on to live
another ten years...it's hard to put a price tag on that. What would you pay
to have your loved one with you for all those days?"

Lucas Wysong told us his company is "immensely sorry" for any worry or
inconvenience this issue has caused its customers.

In Julie's case, Wysong said his company is in "direct communication" with
her regarding the death of Scarlet and the illnesses of her other dogs.

"We have requested specific tests be conducted in an attempt to definitively
determined the cause of death/sickness," he said, adding the company has not
received any other reports of serious adverse reactions linked to the
recalled food.

The company, he added, has also taken steps to ensure a mold problem like
this doesn't surface again.

"We are in the midst of scrutinizing each and every step of our quality
assurance processes," he said. "All products going back for months are being
tested for moisture and mold, thus eliminating the possibility of further
problematic product (if any exists) being released.

"We vow to all interested parties to do everything we can to ensure that
this never happens again."

Julie, however, isn't taking any more chances with Wysong's food.

"Like a lot of people I am going to be making my own food for my dogs. But
with this many to feed, that's a challenge. It can be hard to get all the
vitamins in there, so I would like to supplement with a small amount of
kibble."

Meanwhile, pet owners who have any of Wysong's recalled food -- or questions
about the recall -- can e-mail the company at Wysong@Wysong.net


Third in a series

Wysong is the third pet food maker in recent weeks to quietly pull some of
its products off the market.

Earlier this month, Diamond Pet Foods removed some of its Premium Edge
Finicky Adult and Hairball cat food off the market because of deficiencies
in the thiamine levels.

Diamond's action came just days after Nutro Products quietly pulled from the
market three types of its puppy food because of a production error.


The company said it voluntarily withdrew the puppy food after it had
discovered pieces of melted plastic in the "production line of select
varieties of NUTRO dry dog and cat food products."


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action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge
is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.


More Links at web site:
Links:
€ NUTRO Updates Information on Puppy Food Recall
€ NUTRO Pulls Some Puppy Food from Shelves
€ FDA Agrees to Reconsider Request for NUTRO Records
€ Tests Find 'Sky High' Zinc Levels in NUTRO Cat Food
€ Cat Owners Bristle at NUTRO Denials
€ Consumers React to NUTRO Recalls; Zinc, Copper Levels Cited
€ NUTRO Recalls Dry Cat Food Sold in 11 Countries
€ Consumer Site Appeals FDA's Refusal to Release NUTRO Records
€ Feds Deny NUTRO Investigation; Witnesses Say Otherwise
€ NUTRO Bites Back; Denies Probe of Pet Deaths, Illnesses
€ FDA Confirms Probe of NUTRO Pet Food Deaths, Illnesses
€ Lawsuits On the Trail of Nutro, Canidae Pet Foods
€ Mars Extends Pet Food Recall; More Salmonella Found
€ Mars Recalls Cat Food Sold at Wal-Mart due to Salmonella
€ Mars Recalls More Pet Food; Possible Salmonella Contamination
€ Mars Petcare Recalls Some Pedigree Dog Food
€ Expert Finds Unexplained Pet Deaths 'Not Consistent'
€ Illness, Death Dog Nutro Pet Food
€ String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets
---
€ Complaints about NUTRO
€ Consumer Complaints about Greenies
---
€ Nutro Recalls Dry Cat Food Products
€ More about Pet Food Recalls
Full story:http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/10/wysong_pet_food.html

Pet Food Poisoners Plead Guilty

For those who watched their companion animals suffer more than two years ago, after the worst pet food recall in American history, the pain is still fresh. A resolution of sorts, however, is near at hand.

Two of the individuals central to the contamination that afflicted thousands of dogs and cats submitted guilty pleas to numerous misdemeanor charges and a single felony charge. The married co-owners, Stephen and Sally Miller of ChemNutra, were originally scheduled for sentencing on June 16th, but that was postponed and, as of the date of this newsletter’s submission for publication, has yet to be rescheduled.

The Miller’s were indicted for their actions of knowlingly distributing more than 800 tons of melamine-laced wheat gluten imported from China in more than a dozen shipments. The couple passed off these tainted goods as high-grade protein ingredients, selling it to several of the largest producers of canned pet food and ultimately resulting in the recall of over 150 different brands of pet food.

While the maximum sentence would be two years in prison without parole and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, those who have wished for a punishment equal to the crime may be disappointed by the upcoming decision. Prosecutors handling the case have signalled their openness to leniency, recommending that the court impose a $25,000 fine against ChemNutra, $5,000 each against the Millers, and sentence the Miller’s to three years of probation each.

It is worth noting that ChemNutra is just one of the 20-plus companies required to contribute to a $24 million compensation fund, the outcome of a class-action lawsuit brought by families affected by the recall. How much ChemNutra paid into this fund is not a matter of public record, and may never be made known.

Feds Deny NUTRO Investigation;

AnimalVoicesNews&AlertS




Feds Deny NUTRO Investigation;
Witnesses Say Otherwise

Consumers still hoping for action on their pets' deaths and illnesses
By Lisa Wade McCormick



April 29, 2009
A division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has denied that it is investigating NUTRO Products Inc. , whose pet foods are the subject of more than 700 complaints from consumers who say their dogs and cats became ill and, in some cases, died after eating NUTRO products.

But consumers who fed their dogs NUTRO have confirmed that FDA inspectors came to their homes investigating their pets' deaths. And the FDA is still refusing to release information about NUTRO, saying that to do so could hamper law enforcement efforts.

"They can't have it both ways," said James R. Hood, president of ConsumerAffairs.com, which has a long-pending Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information the agency has gathered about NUTRO. "If there's no investigation, they must release the files, which are public property. That's the law."

Tuesday's denial came from the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), which is not the FDA division that handles complaints about pet food.

But an FDA official, who is not with the CVM, told ConsumerAffairs.com last week that the agency is investigating the pet food maker. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he or she was not authorized to talk to the media, said the investigation could be civil or criminal in nature.

Investigation confirmed

Despite the backtracking of the FDA and the denials of NUTRO's publicists, ConsumerAffairs.com has confirmed that FDA agents in Indiana have investigated the deaths of three dogs in that state. All three of those dogs ate NUTRO.

Earlier this week, a consumer in Evansville, Ind., said that the FDA came to his home last August after the death of his healthy 11-year-old dog, Ali, a Norwegian Elkhound, who died on July 13, 2008.

"An FDA agent came out to my house and took down all the information," said the pet owner, Mark D. "The agent said they'd (his FDA office) gotten a number of complaints about NUTRO. He said he was aware of the problems nationally and the problems included on your (ConsumerAffairs.com) Web site." Mark said he talked to the agent several times after the agent visited his home.

Mark said he and his family went on vacation last July and took Ali and their other dog — a Collie — to the kennel. "We took her to this same kennel for many years and Ali always ate well."

The kennel's owner, however, noticed that Ali suddenly had bloody diarrhea, was vomiting and not eating. The kennel took Ollie to its vet.

"The vet said he thought she'd eaten something at the kennel," Mark said. "But we asked that if that's true, how come the only dog this happened to was the one that ate NUTRO. We have two dogs; our Collie was on a different food — not a NUTRO brand. She was in the same run and she's fine.

"And we said what did Ali eat that the other dog didn't. The only answer was the food."

Ali then took a turn for the worse. She died on July 13, 2008.

"It was awful," Mark said. "This was a healthy, 11-year-old dog that was taken to the vet once a year. We have all her records."

After Ali's death, Mark had a necropsy done on his beloved dog. That autopsy revealed that Ali died of septicemia (bacteria in the blood) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

"The vet said the infection started in the GI tract, and he did not see any signs of melamine poising," Mark said. "Additionally, there was a growth on her spleen the size of a softball. When I asked him (the vet) how long the growth could have been there, he said a week or two at the most."

The vet could not say if the food caused her death, but "he could not rule it out," Mark said.

Mark said his vet urged him to contact the FDA, which he did. His vet also sent Ali's NUTRO food to Purdue University for testing. Those tests, Mark said, were negative for melamine, salmonella and e-coli.

Nonetheless, Mark is convinced the NUTRO food played a role in Ali's death. "I don't see how it could be anything else," he said. "It's terrible to lose a dog, especially in that manner...to go like that is not deserved at all."

Mark says he just wants answers about what happened to his dog. "That would be great. I would love to have NUTRO admit this was its fault — or it it wasn't their fault — to find a reason for what happened so it won't happen again."

Another investigation

ConsumerAffairs.com has also confirmed that the FDA investigated the April 2008 deaths of two Italian Greyhound dogs in Indiana. The dogs' owner told us an FDA agent came to her home, took a report, and tested samples of the NUTRO food those dogs ate. Those tests, however, did not find any toxins in the food. Autopsies indicated the dogs died from antifreeze poisoning. The dogs’ owner doesn’t believe those findings, saying there is no antifreeze around her home.

Hundreds of pet owners nationwide have told ConsumerAffairs.com their dogs and cats have experienced sudden and recurring bouts of vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems after eating various flavors of NUTRO. In nearly every case, the animals recovered after their owners switched them to another brand of pet food. Others, however, died. To date, ConsumerAffairs.com has talked to the owners of seven dogs who suspect their pets’ deaths are linked to NUTRO food but cannot prove it and are hoping for government help.

NUTRO has repeatedly defended its products, and also denies that it is being investigated. Mars recalled 20-pound bags of Pedigree dog food last year, saying it might be contaminated with salmonella. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/08/pet_food_recalls100.html

Menu investigation

Another pet food company, Menu Foods, said in a recent financial filing that the FDA had commenced a criminal investigation to determine whether Menu violated the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act. The company noted that “additional actions or investigations may arise in the future.” It did not mention any other pet food companies. Menu last year settled a $24 million lawsuit that grew from the largest pet food recall in U.S. history.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/04/news04/2008/10/pet_food_settlement.html

NUTRO is a division of privately-held Mars, Inc., which is not required to file the extensive financial disclosure statements required of publicly-traded companies. After NUTRO was acquired by Mars in 2007, Mars was fined a record €4.5 million (about US$5.8 million) by the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO) for not observing the required waiting period before closing the transaction.

Mars had been by far the leading provider of cat and dog food in Germany prior to the merger. NUTRO also had extensive marketing operations in Europe, but under pressure from the German regulators, Mars divested NUTRO's Austrian and German businesses.

Request denied

News of the FDA investigation came to light last week after the FDA denied a Freedom of Information Act request filed by ConsumerAffairs.com seeking a list of all NUTRO complaints and lab results the agency had collected since 2007, which is when NUTRO became a subsidiary of the privately-held Mars Corp. Mars manufactures candies including M&M's, Snickers, KitKats, Mars Bars and Skittles. Half of its business comes from pet care products, including Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin and Cesar pet foods.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/pedigree.html

In its denial letter, the FDA said the records ConsumerAffairs.com requested were compiled for law enforcement purposes and releasing those documents could interfere with law enforcement proceedings.

In an earlier letter ConsumerAffairs.com received from the FDA — one dated September 5, 2008 — the Center for Veterinary Medicine denied our FOIA request, saying: “The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has no responsive records to your request. Complaints regarding adverse reactions to pet foods are filed with the district office consumer complaint coordinator located in the state where the complainant resides."



NUTRO has been citing the Center for Veterinary Medicine’s denial as proof the FDA is not investigating the company, and the CVM yesterday released a statement saying that "a media report incorrectly concluded and reported that Nutro Products Inc. was the subject of an investigation." But the official ConsumerAffairs.com spoke with last week was not assigned to the Center for Veterinary Medicine. That person is with another division of the FDA.

Media wags its tail

The media response to the dust-up illustrates the sorry effects of the cutback in newspaper reporting staffs and television's increasing use of empty-suit commentators filling positions once held by actual journalists.

The story has simply been ignored by most major newspapers and broadcasters. The few who have touched it have been content with scraps tossed their way by NUTRO and the government.

CNN took its cue from the company's publicists on its 7:41 a.m. newscast a few days ago, as newsreader Robin Meade aired a "clarification of a report that involved a report from ConsumerAffairs.com."

"It (the report) said that the FDA is investigating NUTRO pet foods. It said the independent Web site — which is not affiliated with the federal Consumer Protection Agency (sic) or Consumer Reports — it said it got hundreds of complaints from dog and cat owners who said their pets got sick or died ... but the FDA tells CNN that ConsumerAffairs is wrong and it's not investigating NUTRO."

CNN did not contact ConsumerAffairs.com or any of the 700 consumers who have taken the time to tell their stories but relied totally on the assurances of government and corporate publicists whose interests lie in advancing their employers' interests, not ferreting out the truth.

"NUTRO says in a statement to CNN that it wants to assure its consumers, associates and retailers that its products undergo rigorous product assurance testing and are safe and conform to the specific standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — that's a quote," Meade exclaimed.

"Now as far as the complaints from the pet owners," she continued, "NUTRO says an analysis of the products complained about determined them to be safe and that there was nothing in the pet health issues caused by NUTRO pet food."

Professional groups have also shown little concern, labeling the reports of pet illness "anecdotal." Dr. Kimberly May of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) discounted the source of the reports.

“Based on previous experiences with ConsumerAffairs.com, they don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story," she said on a trade group forum. "They were one of the sites propagating the ‘microchips cause cancer in pets’ rumors a few years ago, without any science whatsoever to back up their statements.”

May's statement is completely false — no such story ever appeared on ConsumerAffairs.com, Hood, the Web site's president and editor, said. May has since retracted the statement but has not apologized.

"The complete disregard for fact-checking that prevails in today's world is just mind-boggling," Hood said. "People who are supposed to be respected professionals say the first thing that comes into their head while completely ignoring the entreaties of the consumers whose interests they are supposed to protect."

"Any incident can be called anecdotal. A story of a fatal assault during an armed robbery is anecdotal, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen and that measures should not be taken to capture the offenders and try to prevent future occurrences," he said. "The press and responsible professionals are supposed to investigate — not wait for corporate and government mouthpieces to hand them their talking points."

Worrisome trend

ConsumerAffairs.com filed its Freedom of Information request for NUTRO records last year after an analysis of consumer complaints revealed that scores of pets from California to South Carolina had experienced sudden and recurring bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, and other digestive problems.

A common denominator among those dogs and cats was NUTRO pet food. In many cases, consumers said their pets’ conditions improved once their owners stopped feeding them NUTRO pet food. Some animals died, however.

ConsumerAffairs.com continues to receive complaints about NUTRO from dog and cat owners nationwide. In the past year, consumers have filed more than 600 complaints saying their dogs or cats suddenly became ill after eat NUTRO. The problems these pets have experienced are similar: vomiting, diarrhea, and other digestive issues.

Most of the complaints mirror one from Linda P. of New Baltimore, Michigan.

“For three years, I have been feeding my dog NUTRO Natural Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Small Bites Dry Dog Food,” she said. “The last bag I bought, I notice the food color was lighter than in the past. Me being who I am, I believed there was a change in formula for the better. My Dachshund/Lab became ill, vomiting food chunks and yellow bile as well. We took him to the vet and I have been feeding him homemade chicken and rice and antibiotics and he is on the mend.”

She adds: “How can so many dogs get sick and nothing be done? Today I will start mixing his homemade food with a different brand of dry food. I never want anyone else to go through, what appears to be many, the same situation as our dogs. It will be a week or two before I’m sure my dog is okay.”

NUTRO denies it

NUTRO defends its products and insists its food is safe. Many NUTRO customers also tout the food, saying their pets have had no problems. And veterinarians say several factors can cause gastrointestinal problems in dogs and cats, including changes in diet, newly developed sensitivities to pet foods, and viral infections.

But pet owners who complain to ConsumerAffairs.com on a nearly daily basis are convinced something is wrong with NUTRO’s food. And they say it’s no coincidence that so many dogs and cats have become sick — with the same symptoms — after eating various flavors of that pet food. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/nutro.html

“NUTRO makes dogs sick,” says Erin of Encino, California. “It is a fact and I’m outraged that nobody is taking it off the shelf.”

Erin says her three-year-old Puggle was a healthy active dog until she started eating NUTRO Natural Choice Lamb Meal & Rice Formula and NUTRO Max Beef & Rice Dinner Chunks in Gravy: “After about two weeks of this food, she became sick. (She was) constipated for a few days, then had diarrhea, and finally vomiting and was always extremely thirsty. The last straw was her laying lethargic on the couch with white gums.”

That’s when Erin rushed her dog to the vet.

“The vet said she had allergies, prescribed an antibiotic and cortisone and gave me a bag of Science Diet. I feed her the Science Diet in place of NUTRO because it was free, and she was fine within a week.”

Erin, however, says she made the mistake of switching her dog back to NUTRO after the Science Diet was gone.

“She again had constipation, followed by horrible diarrhea, and finally vomiting yellow bile and white gums,” Erin told us. “There is no way that all these stories are just coincidences … (not) if my dog is fine when she isn’t eating NUTRO and when she is eating it, she’s horribly sick. I have switched her back to Science Diet and all her symptoms are gone and her appetite has returned to normal.”

Another California pet owner says her dog also became ill after eating NUTRO pet food.

“My husband and I purchased NUTRO chicken and rice small bites for our two Chihuahuas,” says Jessica of Larkspur. “After about five days, our six-year-old male Chihuahua became lethargic, groaned a lot, developed a fever, was not excited to go on walks, and lost excitement for anything that used to bring him joy.

“My husband began to suspect it was the new food as he had only developed these symptoms after eating NUTRO. He has always been a healthy and active Chihuahua.”

The couple took the dog to their vet, who ran tests but couldn’t pinpoint the problem. “He was given antibiotics and we are crossing our fingers they work. Our Chihuahua can barely walk, he is groaning in pain, and is extremely depressed.”

Across the country, a longtime NUTRO pet owner in Pennsylvania told us her dog suddenly became ill after eating the food.

“I had been feeding my dog NUTRO for years,” says Amy D. of Webster, Pennsylvania. “I started feeding her NUTRO for sensitive stomachs about 6 months ago. At first everything seemed fine. Then my dog, who never urinated in my house, started having accidents (frequently). She needed to go out constantly and would squat repeatedly, come in, and ask to go right back out. I took her to the vet and began treatment for bladder infection. Upon finishing treatment it started all over again.”

Amy’s vet discovered crystals in the dog’s urine, which also had a high PH balance. The vet put the dog on another medication.

“In the meantime other than the restless pacing to go outside, she seemed disinterested and lethargic,” Amy says. “Then she began having extremely loose bowel movements (an awful bright yellow) in the house.”

Amy launched her own investigation and discovered the scores of complaints about NUTRO on ConsumerAffairs.com.

“I couldn't believe my eyes. Could it really be the dog food I had trusted so much making my beloved pet ill? I immediately threw away all my NUTRO dog food.”

Amy is now feeding her dog another brand of pet food. “And I’m thrilled to say she is her old self again. She no longer has to take any medicines and has no more accidents or uncontrollable urges. Thanks to this Web site and everyone who took the time to file a complaint, I have my healthy happy dog back.”

Not a fluke?

A pet owner in New York said his puppy had the same experience as Amy’s dog after eating NUTRO. And he’s convinced it’s not a fluke.

“We got our dog two weeks ago and our puppy was healthy when we got her,” says Manny of Fresh Meadows, New York. “She started eating NUTRO Natural Choice for puppies, since it was recommended by a friend of ours. A week later, she started squatting to urinate, but only small drops or none at all came out. When she can urinate, it is frequent, in small amounts, and contains blood.”

Manny took his puppy to the vet, who prescribed amoxicillin.

“She received a sonogram, culture test, and urinalysis test. The results showed that she may have a stone in her bladder. The blood in her urine is caused by the stone scraping the bladder walls. The urinalysis test showed that she had a high PH balance. I don't think it is a coincidence that I have the same exact problem as Amy,” adds Manny. “I wonder if something is wrong NUTRO pet food again. Our puppy is still sick.”

ConsumerAffairs.com's investigation into the complaints we’ve received about NUTRO pet food has also revealed:

• Four dogs unexpectedly died — or were euthanized — in 2008 after eating NUTRO pet food. Besides the dogs in Indiana, the other dogs include a Beagle/Whippet mix in Pennsylvania, two German Shepherd puppies in North Carolina, and a Doberman Pinscher in Texas. Those owners have not tested the NUTRO food their dogs ate before they died;

• Two Italian Greyhounds at a military base in Italy became sick after eating NUTRO food. The dog’s owner told us she hopes the FDA is investigating NUTRO and urged the agency to move quickly. “It is hard to tell how many people at overseas military bases are feeding this (food) to their dogs and possibly killing them,” says Michelle M. who bought her dogs’ NUTRO food at the base’s commissary.

• A pet nutrition specialist for NUTRO told us she’s heard complaints about the company’s food making dogs and cats sick. She reported those concerns to her supervisor, but said they were ignored. She later resigned.

Some pet owners, however, say NUTRO is the only brand of food their dogs and cats can eat.

“My Shar-peis are the most sensitive dogs I have ever owned,” says Allison R. of Nampa, Indiana. “On the wrong food their hair falls out, their eyes weep and their ears get nasty. It takes me a good 3 months of only NUTRO dog food in order to reverse the affects of the other food. I have found that the senior diet is what works best, not sure why, but it seems to keep my Shar-Peis looking healthy.”

A Tennessee pet owner also defends NUTRO pet food — and warns consumers not to jump to conclusions based on Internet complaints.

“I feed all of my dogs and cats Nutro products and they are just as healthy as they have ever been,” says Brenda of Springfield, Tennessee. “They have healthy shiny coats and their stools are firm.”

Gradual transition

Brenda also had some advice to pet owners switching brands of food.

“Do a gradual transition from the old food,” she said. “If you don’t, your dog will likely experience these issues. Not every bout of diarrhea, constipation, bladder infection, liver and kidney failure and loss of excitement to go on walks should be attributed to food. Your first responsibility as a pet owner should be to take your dog to the vet before you blame anyone. Do your research and don't let any Web site diagnose your pet.”

NUTRO has repeatedly insisted its food is “100 percent safe” and meets all standards set by FDA, the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). A spokeswoman said all NUTRO products are tested for melamine, molds, toxins and other bacteria. And she called the complaints we’ve received “isolated reports of inaccurate information posted online.”

The company, however, set up a special a section on its Web site in response to the issues and concerns raised in the ConsumerAffairs.com stories. NUTRO said it takes all customer complaints seriously and encouraged pet owners with concerns about the food to contact the company at 1-800-833-5330.
http://www.nutroproducts.com/nutro-food-recall-facts.shtml#consumeraffairs

Veterinarians have said it’s not uncommon for pets to have sudden bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems. They also said a number of factors — pet food, stress, or a viral infection — could be the culprit.

Dr. Steven Hansen, a veterinary toxicologist with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), reviewed some of the NUTRO complaints, in an effort to find out why so many pets have become sick — or even died — after eating NUTRO food.

“Unfortunately the cases are not consistent and appear to be anecdotal with no real definitive diagnostic findings,” Dr. Hansen said. “Without any consistent trends in findings we can not do anything any further. This does appear to us to be a situation where bad things happen, but they are not likely food-related.”

Hansen, however, said consumers who suspect NUTRO’s food is a factor in their pets’ illnesses should have their animals examined by a veterinarian and document the problems.

“I would also recommend that if they suspect the food is the problem, they should take a freezer bag full of it — along with the label information that has the product’s name and lot numbers — to their vet,” he told us. “If the vet suspects the food is the cause, the vet should then contact the company and FDA. If there’s a problem, we need to document it and get supporting lab results.”

Owners anxious

The arguments back and forth don't mean much to anxious pet owners, who say it’s about time some federal agency investigated NUTRO and its products.

“After so many complaints, how can this dog food still be on the market for consumers to purchase and feed to their dogs?” Andrea G. of Sicklerville, New Jersey asked us. “I have been feeding my Dachshund NUTRO Ultra dry dog food for many months. Suddenly, 10 days ago, he started vomiting yellow bile 1- 2 times daily.

“It makes me sick to think that I might be the one responsible for my dog's vomiting by feeding him this food. I can only hope that something is done, very soon, to prevent other pets from becoming ill.”



Read verbatim complaints and comments from consumers.



Other links at site:
• NUTRO Bites Back; Denies Probe of Pet Deaths, Illnesses
• FDA Confirms Probe of NUTRO Pet Food Deaths, Illnesses
• Lawsuits On the Trail of Nutro, Canidae Pet Foods
• Mars Extends Pet Food Recall; More Salmonella Found
• Mars Recalls Cat Food Sold at Wal-Mart due to Salmonella
• Mars Recalls More Pet Food; Possible Salmonella Contamination
• Mars Petcare Recalls Some Pedigree Dog Food
• Expert Finds Unexplained Pet Deaths 'Not Consistent'
• Illness, Death Dog Nutro Pet Food
• String of Illnesses Afflicts NUTRO-Fed Pets
---
• Complaints about NUTRO

ConsumerAffairs.com
Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved



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Judy Reed

AnimalVoices

This is distibuted for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.
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