Complete Food Recall List - New April 10, 2007

List of recalled dog and cat product information: http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/070318.asp or
http://www.menufoods.com/recall - Menu Foods updated this list April 10, 2007

What You Should Know About the Pet Food Recall
from AAHA

Click Here for FDA Updates
Information about FDA & the Veterinarian

Updates from the Michigan Department of Agriculture

Pet Food Recall Updated Talking Points from the Veterinary News Network

AVMA Press Release Regarding Melamine
Other things on the AVMA Website:

• Press Releases
  o       AVMA advice to consumers
  o       Homemade Pet Food Requires Study of Nutrition, AVMA warns
• FAQ (includes telephone numbers for reporting suspected cases in individual states)
• Statements from Hill's
• Statement from Proctor and Gamble
• Statement from Purina
• Guidelines for veterinarians from the ACVIM
• Fact sheet for veterinarians from IAMs
• A reprint of the June1, 2006 JAVMA article, "Timely Topics in Nutrition: Aflatoxicosis in Dogs and Dealing with Suspected Contaminated Commercial Foods".
• FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator
• FDA Information on Marketing a Pet Food Product

INFORMATION RELEASED APRIL 6, 2007

Hill's Initiates Medical Screening Payment Plan
Hill's has announced a plan to offset medical screening costs veterinarians have incurred to support their clients who have purchased Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry pet food from January 2007 to the present. The program will provide a one time payment of $100 per patient tested. This letter and forms that veterinarians will need are being sent to all veterinary practices in the US by fax, e-mail or postal service. It is anticipated that all practices will have received this information no later than early next week. In addition, Hill's put out a release on wheat gluten to its partners.

Additional Recalls
Additional products, specifically dog biscuits manufactured by Sunshine Mills, are being added to the list of pet food products that have been recalled because of concerns about potentially contaminated wheat gluten, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
View the Sunshine Mills Press Release

Also, the FDA said that Menu Foods, the manufacturer from which the recalls originated last month, will be amending its original recall to extend some product dates. The extended recall now covers products dated from November 8, 2006 through March 15, 2007. The original recall spanned products dated from December 3, 2006 through March 15, 2007. View the Menu Foods Press Release

ChemNutra Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada, has recalled all wheat gluten it had imported from one of its three Chinese wheat gluten suppliers  Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co. Ltd. The wheat gluten ChemNutra recalled was all shipped from China in 25 kg. paper bags, and distributed to customers in the same unopened bags. The bags were all labeled "Wheat Gluten Batch No.: _______ Net Weight: 25 kg Gross Weight: 25.1 kg Made in China".
View More Information Here

Facts About Wheat Gluten in Pet Food

Facts About Pet Food Regulation in the United States

Pet Food Company Contact Information

AVMA Updates Release on Home-Cooked Pet Food
Due to the public outcry for home-cooked recipes for pet food, AVMA has updated their press release, emphasizing that there are still plenty of pet foods available. In working with Dr. Tony Buffington, ACVN, Diplomate, they reiterated some of the human foods that are known toxins to pets. We hope that this helps to calm some of the panic and provide some reasonable resources for clients who are determined to cook for their pets. View Full Article Here

New Talking Points on Non-Economic Damages
Earlier this week you received MVMA's position statement and talking point on non-economic damages as well as an op-ed letter from AVMA. Here are additional talking points from AVMA should you be asked questions by clients or the media.

From the AAHA's NEWstat
Veterinary Toxicologists Question Whether High Levels of Melamine Found in Recalled Pet Foods Are Species-Specific as FDA Investigation Continues. View Full Article Here

Updated Survey Results - How have animals in Michigan been affected?
MVMA surveyed members via email on Tuesday, March 27. As of Friday, April 6th, 155 members responded. The following results were reported by these members on animals they have examined who have consumed recalled Menu Foods pet food:

Suspected cases of CATS in various stages of kidney disease 112
Suspected cases of DOGS in various stages of kidney disease 41
Suspected cases of CATS that have died 33
Suspected cases of DOGS that have died 16

Click here for detailed MVMA survey results.

Click Here for MVMA's Press Release from April 5, 2007

Click Here for Updated FAQs from AVMA

MVMA in the News
Like our members, MVMA has been inundated with media calls. Due to our members' willingness to answer our survey, we've received coverage from:

WILX TV 10 in Lansing
Capitol News Service
Saginaw News
Muskegon Chronicle
Wood TV in Grand Rapids
WZZM Channel 13 in Grand Rapids
Mlive.com
The Detroit News
The Oakland Press
Grand Rapids Press
Washington Post
Associated Press
NBC 25 in Flint
Battle Creek Enquirer
CNN

MVMA thanks all the members who have graciously donated their time to talk with media representatives.

 INFORMATION RELEASED APRIL 3, 2007 

In an effort to keep our members informed on the Pet Food Recall, MVMA is providing the following information.

A Letter from MVMA President Dr. Steve Steep
"Concerned, Confused, and Angry - these are the emotions my clients have been sharing with me in the past 2 weeks of this pet food fiasco. Concerned that in trying to do the very best for their pets, they may have accidentally poisoned them. Confused as to what caused this, what foods are affected, and what to do for their pets. Finally, angry; angry that the list of contaminated foods keeps growing and as of Friday afternoon included foods that we may have sent home with them from our clinics."
Read More

From Adrian Hochstadt, Department of State Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, AVMA Communications Division
One of the byproducts of the current pet food scare is growing media interest in the expansion of non-economic damages in cases where pets are injured or killed. The plaintiffs in the class action suits are likely to ask for emotional distress and pain and suffering. More bills may be introduced in state legislatures, and even Congressional legislation is not out of the question. We would like to share with you an op-ed piece AVMA developed in conjunction with the Animal Health Institute in case clients or reporters ask you questions about non-economic damages.
Read More

Click Here for the MVMA's Position Statement and Talking Points on Non-Economic Damages

How have animals in Michigan been affected?
MVMA surveyed members via email on Tuesday, March 27. As of Tuesday, April 3, 148 members responded. The following results were reported by these members on animals they have examined who have consumed recalled Menu Foods pet food:

Suspected cases of CATS in various stages of kidney disease 106
Suspected cases of DOGS in various stages of kidney disease 38
Suspected cases of CATS that have died 33
Suspected cases of DOGS that have died 13

Click here for detailed MVMA survey results.

Click Here for MVMA's Press Release from April 2, 2007

Other Information
Click Here for Imaging of Feline Urine Crystals from University of Guelph Laboratory Services Web site

Iams and Eukanuba employees and P&G Pet Care, maker of the leading Iams and Eukanuba pet food brands, have published an open letter to its customers. Full page ads are appearing in 59 major North American newspapers Tuesday and Wednesday, in an effort to help address growing confusion and anxiety among pet owners in the wake of Menu Food's widespread recall of wet-style pet food affecting more than 90 brands including Iams and Eukanuba. Click here for more information.

Data are lacking concerning melamine toxicity in animals, particularly dogs and cats and the FDA cannot be certain that melamine is linked to the illnesses or deaths of pets eating the recalled food. A summary of information regarding melamine can be found at www.vin.com.

In a press release dated April 2 , 2007, researchers from Syntrix Biosystems, Inc. and The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) announced that there was no evidence of Aminopterin in the tissues of animals who had died from consuming food from Menu Foods. Using a highly specific and sensitive test for Aminopterin, investigators at UMDNJ documented that there was no evidence of Aminopterin in the tissues of affected animals. "Aminopterin persists in the liver of animals for months at levels that are readily detected," said Barton A. Kamen, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Pediatric Oncology at UMDNJ. "Whatever is causing the renal failure, it is not Aminopterin." These results are completely consistent with the findings of the FDA, who announced today that they found no evidence of Aminopterin in food samples.

INFORMATION RELEASED APRIL 2, 2007

Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its 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. For details, please see the Del Monte press release here.

Eight In One, Inc., a division of United Pet Group, Inc., is voluntarily recalling nationally all lots of Dingo® CHICK'N JERKY treats due to concerns that the jerky treats have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, which can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination, in people, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. The products affected were sold at Target, PetSmart and other retailers. The products subject to this recall are Dingo CHICK'N JERKY 3.5 oz. and 8 oz. for dogs and Dingo Kitty CHICKEN JERKY 1.5 oz. for cats and Dingo Ferret CHICKEN JERKY 1.5 oz for ferrets. For details, please see the FDA press release here.

Hill's Pet Nutrition issued a press release directly to veterinarians and pet owners to clarify a potentially confusing headline in a press release issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on March 30, 2007. To ensure complete understanding by consumers and veterinary professionals, Hill's is reiterating that there is only one product affected by Hill's voluntary recall announcement: Hill's Prescription Diet" m/d" Feline Dry Food. This is the only product Hill's currently sells in the United States and Canada that contains wheat gluten from any supplier. No other Hill's Prescription Diet® or Science Diet® products are affected by this voluntary recall. For more information, consumers can contact the company at 1-800-445-5777 or visit www.HillsPet.com for details.

Nestle Purina PetCare Company has announced that it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food. The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans, and 6-,8-,12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date. Look for this information on the bottom of individual cans, or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons. Purina's 5.3 ounce Mighty Dog® pouch products, manufactured by Menu Foods, were previously withdrawn from the market as a precaution on March 16th. No Purina brand dry pet foods are affected by the recall, including ALPO Prime Cuts dry. For details, please see the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) press release here.

Click Here for more FDA Updates

AVMA's Updated Talking Points
AAHA's Pet Food Recall Information Sheet

How have animals in Michigan been affected?
MVMA surveyed members via email on Tuesday, March 27. As of Monday, April 2, 144 members responded. The following results were reported by these members on animals they have examined who have consumed recalled Menu Foods pet food:

Suspected cases of CATS in various stages of kidney disease 100
Suspected cases of DOGS in various stages of kidney disease 35
Suspected cases of CATS that have died 29
Suspected cases of DOGS that have died 9

INFORMATION RELEASE MARCH 30, 2007

Breaking News
Melamine, a substance used as a fertilizer and in the production of plastics such as kitchenware and whiteboard surfaces, has been identified in pet food samples from the recent Menu Foods recall, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration announced today.

The FDA has identified melamine in samples of wheat gluten linked to the pet food recall, and the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University has also identified melamine in urine samples and the kidney of one cat that had eaten the recalled food.

The FDA also reported that little is known about the effects of exposure to melamine, and so uncertainty remains as to whether melamine is the cause of reported illnesses and deaths in pets that ate the recalled pet food.

AVMA Press Release Regarding Melamine

How have animals in Michigan been affected?
MVMA surveyed members via email on Tuesday, March 27. As of Friday, March 30 at noon, 134 members responded. The following results were reported by these members on animals they have examined who have consumed recalled Menu Foods pet food:

Suspected cases of CATS in various stages of kidney disease 92
Suspected cases of DOGS in various stages of kidney disease 35
Suspected cases of CATS that have died 24
Suspected cases of DOGS that have died 8

Possible Dry Food Concern
Information was released this morning from the Associate Press reporting that the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Iams that says some of its diet pet foods contain an unapproved substance. Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Optimum Weight Control/Canine dry, Optimum Weight Control/Feline dry and canned contain chromium tripicolinate which is not an approved food supplement, the FDA said. View Full Article

Click Here for more FDA Updates

Information from the MSU Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
DCPAH has provided photographs taken from a dog which reportedly ate food from the recalled batch of Menu Foods. Currently there is no validated assay available at the DCPAH for the putative toxin, aminopterin; however, development is currently underway and progress will be posted on their website at http://animalhealth.msu.edu. The images are posted as a public service to other researchers, veterinarians, and diagnosticians. Further distribution is prohibited.
Click here to view.

Pet Food Recall Updated Talking Points from the Veterinary News Network

Class Action Suit Begins
The law firms Wexler Toriseva Wallace LLP and Kershaw Cutter & Ratinoff LLP has filed a class action complaint on behalf of consumers nationwide, alleging that Menu Foods, Inc., Menu Foods Income Fund, and Menu Foods Midwest Corp. manufactured and sold poisoned pet food products, and failed to inform customers that these products were toxic, and potentially lethal, to their pets. Menu Foods has recalled approximately 60 million containers of pet food and close to 100 different brands of "cuts and gravy" (pet food consisting of pieces of meat in gravy) style dog and cat food. (eMediaWire)

Recall of Pig Ear Dog Treats
In addition to the pet food recall, Petrapport has issued a recall of pig ear dog treats because of salmonella contamination. These pig ear dog treats were imported from a Chilean company during the period August 2006 through December 2006 because the pig ears have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious infections in dogs, and, if there is cross contamination, young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. For more information, click here.

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED INFORMATION:

In response to reports from AVMA members that they were unable to access recall information off of the Menu Foods Web site, the AVMA Web site production team captured that information and placed it on the AVMA site. This should help your members and the general public access that information. We hope providing this on the AVMA site eliminates this frustration.  Other information includes:

• Press Releases
  o       AVMA advice to consumers
  o       Homemade Pet Food Requires Study of Nutrition, AVMA warns
• FAQ (includes telephone numbers for reporting suspected cases in individual states)
• Statements from Hill's
• Statement from Proctor and Gamble
• Statement from Purina
• Guidelines for veterinarians from the ACVIM
• Fact sheet for veterinarians from IAMs
• A reprint of the June1, 2006 JAVMA article, "Timely Topics in Nutrition: Aflatoxicosis in Dogs and Dealing with Suspected Contaminated Commercial Foods".
• FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator
• FDA Information on Marketing a Pet Food Product

• Retain food samples for analysis. Retain 4 cans or 1 kg of food, when possible. Freeze when possible or store at room temperature in airtight bags.
  
• Document product name, type of product and manufacturing information.
  
• Retain all packaging. Identify date codes or production lot numbers.
  
• Retain purchase receipts.
  
• Document product consumption. Dates product or products were fed.
  
• Consumption and palatability history.
  
• Time of onset of clinical signs.
  
• Detailed dietary history (ie, all products fed and feeding methods).

Although the exact cause is not currently known, animals that have become ill after consuming these products have shown signs of acute kidney failure. Dr. Saundra Willis, DVM, a board certified diplomate and communications chair with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and member of the AVMA Council on Communications, advises that signs of kidney failure include loss of appetite, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in water consumption and also changes in urination. Anybody who has a pet that exhibits these signs should take the animal to the veterinarian.

"Owners shouldn't panic, because there can be a wide variety of reasons a pet might exhibit these symptoms," Dr. Willis explained. "But it's always prudent that, when a pet is exhibiting any signs of illness, the pet owner should contact their veterinarian immediately."

A veterinarian may call for a urinalysis and blood work, and might also perform additional tests, such as an x-ray or ultrasound, to rule out other possible problems such as bladder and kidney stones. If it has been determined that the cat or dog has been affected by consumption of the recalled pet food, a veterinarian could decide to treat the illness with medications and/or intravenous fluids.

"If the kidney disease is severe, such as the animal is not urinating at all, the veterinarian may consult with or suggest referral to a specialist from the ACVIM for more advanced care," Dr. Willis explained.

Owners of pets affected by the recalled pet foods who wish to report the incident should contact the FDA, by going to the FDA website to find the FDA complaint coordinator in their state.

Please monitor the AVMA website for the latest information on the recall. Consumers with questions for the manufacturer can contact Menu Foods, Inc. at 1-866-895-2708. A list of veterinary specialists can be found at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine website, or by calling 800-245-9081.

This update has been provided in a formal press release version for you to print off and hand out as a resource for your clients here.

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