Local vet says pet owners question food recall

Warwick - Since Menu Foods recalled 51 varieties of dog food and 40 varieties of cat food on March 17, Dr. Charles Brown, a Warwick veterinarian, said he has received many calls from concerned pet owners. He’s also treated several cats whose owners feared they may be affected; however, none have turned out to be caused by the contaminated food. But Brown recommended that owners definitely abide by the recall. If you have any of the food in question on your shelves, return it to the store for a refund. Menu Foods, the Canada-based producer of pet food, started receiving calls about sick cats and dogs on Feb. 20 and started testing its food on Feb. 27. An unknown number of animals have suffered kidney failure and at least 10 have died because of the contaminated food. The complete list of recalled foods can be found on the Menu Food’s Web site: www.menufoods.com. It includes America’s Choice, Preferred Pets, Big Red, Cadillac, Eukanuba, Hannaford, Iams, Mighty Dog pouch, Ol’ Roy, Price Chopper and Stop & Shop Companion. The brands have been sold in large supermarkets throughout North America, including Wal-Mart, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. The food affected was produced between Dec. 3 and March 6. Only wet food is affected, and only those wet foods that are considered cuts and gravy style. No dry food has been recalled. Locally, ShopRite pulled all of the food in question off of its shelves as soon as the recall was announced. Same with Wal-Mart. Last Friday, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets announced that scientists at the New York State Food Laboratory identified Aminopterin, a toxin, present in food samples taken from Menu Foods. Aminopterin is a folic acid inhibitor found in some rodenticides available outside of the United States. How does an ingredient in rat poison make its way to your pet’s dinner? The theory is that the wheat gluten, used as a filler in many pet foods, was contaminated. Brown said that if your pet has indeed eaten the food, don’t panic. The vet recommended that you keep an eye on the animal’s behavior. Common signs of kidney disease include increased water intake, increased urination, listlessness and vomiting. Brown said the situation is puzzling because, although some pets have died and others are being treated for kidney failure, it is not known whether this is a cumulative effect or something that happens immediately. If you have any question, if your pet is acting and eating differently, don’t hesitate to contact your vet. A urinalysis will be one of the first tests done to see the concentration of the urine, Brown said, which is the first indication of kidney problem. In all, 60 million cans and packages of food are being recalled. In December 2005, the Missouri-based Diamond Pet Food Company recalled its products which had caused the deaths of 23 pets and sickened 18 more. The cause of that recall was Aflatoxin, a naturally occurring chemical that comes from a fungus sometimes found on corn and other crops and can cause severe liver damage. For more information on the recall, log on to the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site, www.fda.gov. Or call the Menu Foods hotline at 1-866-463-6738 or 1-866-895-2708.