Pet Food Recall: An Update

Here is an update on the pet food recall.

U.S. health officials said on Monday they expected the number of pet deaths to increase as they probe the cause of tainted pet food that has already killed at least 10 animals through kidney failure.

Wheat gluten was the likely cause of contamination that prompted a recall last Friday of more than 50 "cuts-and-gravy"-style labels of wet pet food made by Canada-based Menu Foods.

The recalled products represent 1 percent of all the pet food sold in the United States, officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

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According to the FDA, Menu Foods received the first of six complaints about kidney failure in pets on February 20.

Seven days later, the company began an internal taste test of its food. A cat in the study exhibited signs of kidney failure and died on March 2.

The FDA said at least seven, and perhaps all, of the 10 deaths, were linked to this tasting trial.

Those trial-related deaths were out of a larger group of between 40 and 50 animals who were fed the product, Sundlof said.

Of course, as we learned with the initial news of this pet food recall, we must also be told of the financial impact this recall is already making on the company.  Well, duh.  Every recall affects the companies involved, so it only makes sense that they will lose money because of it.  They could at least wait to remind us of the financial impact on their wallets until they (a) find the actual source of the recall, (b) offer assistance to those customers who will undoubtedly
have high veterinarian bills, and (c) reassure the consumers that once the recalled items have been removed, that their products are indeed safe.