The Pet Food Recall has owners watching their pets closely

Month’s after the first pet food was recalled, dog and cat owners are still scared. Despite the fact that some manufacturers have tried to say that tainted wheat gluten was the only problem, it has now been revealed that many recalled foods do not contain this particular contaminant. Is this is a desperate attempt on the part of the big commercial brands at damage control? There is a lot of money at stake here after all, it is a multi-billion dollar industry.

Animal owners with dogs or cats showing symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy and extreme thirst are still bringing their pets to their veterinarians in substantial numbers, and in Hawaii recently a number of pet owners are suing a large commercial brand, claiming they were the culprit.

"The recall is huge. It’s unprecedented, and people are seeing that their dog food is on the list and picking up the phone, wondering if there’s anything they can do or what to do," stated Tim Hackett, who runs an small-animal clinic at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, as reported recently by MSNBC.

In a May 14, 2007 news report on OregonLive.com entitled ‘Pet food recall expands yet again, with more products pulled’ it was reported that Royal Canin USA brand reported the latest recall.

This French firm stated that small amounts of an industrial chemical were found in it’s products, prompting the decision.

The ingredient in question is used in platics and is imported from China. All in all, 8 Sensible Choice dry dog food products and some 7 Kasco dry dog & cat food products from Royal Canin USA, dated from July 28, 2006, were affected, according to the report which was also posted on the Food and Drug Administration’s website.

The Post Chronicle stated that as of May 5, 2007, 8,500 dogs & cats may have died as a result of tainted pet food. In the 2 months since dead pets led to a massive U.S. pet food recall, the FDA said about half of the calls to its hotline were from owners of deceased cats and dogs. This number is expected to increase substantially in the coming months.

What can animal owners do to protect their pets?

Cooking for them is not the best option, as this can cause it's own set of problems. I would recommend avoiding the large commercial brands altogether and finding a truly good premium brand such as Premium4pets Premium Dog and Cat Food or another one that you trust with your pet's health. Try to find one which is formulated by a holistic veterinarian, if possible.