Pet food recall: Cornell vet school dean at FDA press conference

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Dr. Donald Smith, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, spoke at the FDA press conference on the pet food recall this morning.

He made one very surprising statement, which almost got lost under all the other suprising statements made at the press conference, including that dry food may be involved, that the FDA was not in the process of confirming any additional deaths beyond the initial 15 from Menu's test animals, and that researchers had not been able to find aminopterin, previously identified as the likely contaminant, in samples they had tested.

Dr. Smith stated that Cornell began testing for melamine in the samples because one of the affected companies - an unnamed pet food manufacturer that was affected by the recall - found melamine during its own testing, and told them about it. And when they started looking for it, they found it - in the food, in the supsect ingredient (wheat gluten), in the tissues of the affected animals, and in their urine.

They made this discovery on March 26 and 27, and reported it to the FDA on both of those days.

Dr. Smith showed photos of the distinctive crystals found in the urine and sometimes kidneys of affected animals, and said that there are also dramatic changes to the distal tubules - small tubes leading off the back of the kidneys - and few or no changes to the proximal (front) tubules. These changes were to the lining of the tubules, which were full of sloughed-off cells, and caused a loss of the structural integrity in the tubules. The spaces around the tubules were also full of inflammatory cells.

He repeated that he was not making a connection of these symptoms with melamine.

He also said that the good folks at Menu are feeling the pain of the affected pet owners.

If you have a pet with a recall-related illness, let us remind you to:

• Call the FDA to report your information


• Call your veterinarian and ask him or her to report to your state veterinarian, also for the FDA


• Enter your pet in our database

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Comments

[Linda]

True - scientifically - one can't jump to conclusions because then you stop looking and testing and the real problem maybe something else yet discovered.



The good people at Menu - you mean the scared people don't you?

[Linda]

Or undiscovered!

[Andrea]

They feel the pet owners pain? When they are force fed the poisoned food until their kidneys fail, then they'll feel the pet owners pain.



I read on another blog that the FDA told some folks who called that they cannot release the name of the manufacturer of the dry food,but not to worry, the dry food was made for the overseas market.



So that makes it OK? Isn't that sort of like what China did (hey we used fertilizer/rat poison on the wheat, but its only for the US market).

[Boopadaboo]

good people? A POX on them.

[MARY ANN]

it really has me smoking mad that cnn didn't show the whole press conference. menu foods held one and they are trying to tell us to go out and buy wet food it's safe now,well the 2,400 pet owners whose pets have died throught it was safe. IT WILL BE A COLD DAY IN HELL BEFORE I BUY WET EVER AGAIN.

[Elderta]

Just when a reporter finally says, "I'm confused about the timeline to this..." and I'm hoping tto hear from Henderson about this... the live feed goes dead... UGH!!!

[Cathy]

"They made this discovery (melamine)on March 26 and 27, and reported it to the FDA on both of those days."



Holy cow, is this what the FDA means by telling us (and the veterinary community) immediately?



All I have to say to our guvmint is this:



Personally I think the headline should have been "Pet Owners Have Locking Jaws"



The Wrath of Fluffy

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003642097_petsed30.html

[Nicole]

It's not wet food that is the culprit but the companies who make these brands along with menu. There are plenty of companies who make very good quality wet food that contain no grains at all!

[Elderta]

Mary Ann, but there is the danger of dry food being recalled, too... it's not wet food that is the problem (it's better for your animals), the problem is that the company bought tainted food, which anyone could, unfortunately, do...

[Gary]

Just jot down for future reference, all the names involved, what part they played, what they did ETC. So you never use them again.



Also remember MenuFoods has a Public Relations Firm working for them no doubt at a handsome fee. So What influences you see and hear are more than likely the makings of this PR firm. And who knows how, who, and what techniques they are using, honest or not to win for MenuFoods.



Gary

[Steve]

I can not believe they are actually going to just let people take their chances on whats out there to feed their pets now and not say who this other manufacturer is or offer anything in the way of useful constructive value to concerned citizens.



This is outrageous

[kelly]

I am Royally pissed I watched that news conference today Now 2 potential poisons) discoveredthe mit's about the bottom line $$$ We are "content to know it's just from the wheat gluten" all of our other garbage food is safe./// They should have known all that from the beginning .. I lost my little baby Miss Cuddles because of this uncaring attitude!!! They just think profits.. at the expwnce of our furry family members I am ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also testing on other cats and dogs not right!!!!

[Steve]

WHAT THE FDA ISN'T TELLING US ABOUT MELAMINE 03/30/07

Today the FDA issued a statement that melamine, a plastics chemical, is the apparent cause of toxicity found in Menu Foods recalled pet foods. The FDA stated that, because melamine is used in parts of Asia as a fertilizer, the melamine likely got into the pet food via imported wheat gluten from China. There is no risk to human food, Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, told reporters. However, a quick google for "melamine toxicity" produced this document on trichloromelamine, released by the EPA in September 2005. Here are a few interesting, and very disturbing, excerpts from the report.



* Trichloromelamine is expected to rapidly break down into hypochlorous acid and melamine (EPA, 1994).

* Trichoromelamine is approved for use in the U.S. and is widely used for the following applications: "Algicide, Disinfectant, Microbiocide/Microbiostat (slime-forming bacteria), Bacteriocide/ Bacteriostat, Sanitizer."

* Lab studies have shown melamine to cause urinary tract toxicity which "precedes and can seem to lead to the carcenogenic response in rats."

* Melamine is a severe skin irritant (Editor's note: This might explain why some pet parents reported sores and lesions on their affected pet's mouths and inside their oral cavities.)

* The EPA approved trichloromelamine for reregistration in 2005, stating: "The Agency’s human heath risk assessment indicates no risks of concern. Acute and chronic dietary risk estimates were completed for the general U.S. population and all population subgroups. All dietary risk estimates are below the Agency’s level of concern."

* Trichloromelamine is a sanitizer and disinfectant with direct and indirect food uses, as well as non-food uses. It is used on hard surfaces and as a fruit and vegetable wash. Trichloromelamine currently has a tolerance exemption as an antimicrobial pesticide when, ready for use, the end-use concentration does not exceed 200 ppm (40 CFR 180.940(c)) when applied to food processing equipment and utensils.

* Summary of Use:

Food:

Trichloromelamine is used as an indirect food-contact sanitizer and disinfectant in or on: mess gear (used at oversees military bases); food processing plants; eating establishments (on equipment, utensils, dishware, glasses, surfaces, tabletops, countertops, floors, walls, sinks, and splashbacks); industrial and institutional food service areas (premises and equipment); food marketing, storage, and distribution equipment and utensils; food dispensing equipment; soft custard equipment; and household/domestic dwellings (food-contact surfaces). Trichloromelamine is also used as a direct food-contact sanitizer in one product as a fresh fruit and vegetable wash.

Non-Food:

Trichloromelamine is used as a sanitizer on non-food contact premises and equipment in hospitals and nursing homes (non-critical areas) and institutional, commercial, and industrial settings.



In view of today's news, i.e., that melamine is the suspected toxin which has been poisoning and killing thousands of dogs and cats, how can consumers trust the FDA's assessment that melamine poses "no risk to human food"? Furthermore, considering that trichloromelamine is widely used as a sanitizer in food processing plants, how can consumers trust that wheat gluten from China is the only source of this contaminant? The FDA, in failing to give us the full picture on melamine and in refusing to identify the manufacturer of the possibly tainted dry food, is failing in its core mission to protect U.S. consumers and their pets.



http://howl911.com/

[kelly]

I am Royally pissed I watched that news conference today Now 2 potential poisons) discoveredthe mit's about the bottom line $$$ We are "content to know it's just from the wheat gluten" all of our other garbage food is safe./// They should have known all that from the beginning .. I lost my little baby Miss Cuddles Feb.17,2007 NOT FAIR!! Because of this Uncaring Attitude!!! They just think profits.. at the expence of our furry family members I am ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also testing on other cats and dogs not right!!!!



I miss my Baby I Love You Cuddles mommy misses You !!

Love Kelly-4-Miss cuddles

[Mike]

CAUTION / WARNING: SOME NUTRO DOG TREATS AND BISCUITS CONTAIN WHEAT GLUTEN!!!



MAX® PUPPY DRUMSTICKS

Ingredients

Wheat Flour, Ground Whole Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Peanut Flour, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Wheat Bran, Chicken Meal, Ground Rice, Lamb Meal, Wheat Gluten



http://www.nutroproducts.com/biscuitspuppydrumsticks.asp



Natural Choice Lamb & Rice Sticks

Ingredients

Lamb, Rice Flour, Lamb Meal, Soy Flour, Maple Syrup, Propylene Glycol, Modified Food Starch, Wheat Gluten



http://www.nutroproducts.com/lrsticks.asp



I scanned rather quickly though most of Nutro's cat & dog dry food kibbles and saw every kind of garbage except wheat gluten.

PLEASE check for yourselves. I could be mistaken.

http://www.nutroproducts.com/default2.asp

[Steve]

Menu Foods Briefing Live



We’re writing as the press conference is going on.



CEO Paul Henderson of Menu Foods says due to lawsuit, they cannot name the supplier who shipped “adulterated” product. They claim that the tainted material would not have been found by any existing testing processes, however their foods are now safe. They also said that their products will return to the shelves in the “coming weeks and months”.



CEO says to pet parents: “we are pet people.”



The company admitted that the advice it gave to the first callers who reported deaths was incorrect, when it was notified of deaths from the feeding tests



Will Menu Foods stop using wheat from China? Menu Foods says they are “currently not using” wheat gluten from China, only from US and Europe.



About the number of deaths: We cannot comment. “We’ve processed more than 300,000 calls for information”. A portion of those callers are indicating illnesses.



Is it definitive? How do we know that test results won’t change? “The important factor” is that it involves a single factor — wheat gluten. “There will be more findings.” But the root factor was removed.



Will you offer compensation for pet owners’ suffering? CEO sidesteps the question. “We will take responsibility.”



The perception is that the pet food industry is not transparents and forthcoming with information. Can we take a look at your company, tour the factory and speak to your employees? Can you open up your company up to scrutiny? “Certainly not at this time.”



Regarding the accusations of roadkill and other poor ingredients: “These rumors you hear are that. Rumors.”



What kind of cooperation are you getting form China? Criminal and legal? “We prefer not to get into specifics… The FDA is involved.”



Are you conducting your own tests? Or just relying on the FDA? CEO did not give a clear yes or no. “It’s a cooperative effort.”



Timeline question: March 6, Menu Foods stopped the supply. But waited until March 16. Why the 10 day difference? CNN cut out the video! ARG!



CNN newscaster is still quoting only 16 deaths. CNN is taking your opinions as to whether the recall should be expanded to dry foods.



http://www.itchmo.com/read/menu-foods-briefing-live_20070330

[kelly]

I am Royally pissed I watched that news conference today Now 2 potential poisons) discovered they must admit it's about the bottom line $$$they referenced to : We are "content to know it's just from the wheat gluten" all of our other( garbage food) what I say (is safe.) what the ysay Cannot Be Proven YET?? /// They should have known all that from the Beginning (Quality CONTROL)).. I lost my little baby Miss Cuddles Feb.17,2007 NOT FAIR!! Because of this Uncaring Attitude!!! They just think profits.. at the expence of our furry family members I am ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also testing on other cats and dogs not right!!!!



I miss my Baby I Love You Cuddles mommy misses You !!

Love Kelly-4-Miss cuddles

[kelly]

I am Royally pissed I watched that news conference today Now (2 potential Poisons) discovered they must admit it's about the bottom line $$$They referenced to : We are "content to know it's just from the wheat gluten" all of our other( garbage food) what I say (is safe.) what they say(BS) !! Cannot Be Proven YET?? /// They should have known all that from the Beginning ((Quality CONTROL)).. I lost my little baby Miss Cuddles..((Needless DEATHS))) Feb.17,2007 NOT FAIR!! Because of this Uncaring Attitude!!! They just think profits.. at the expence of our furry family members I am ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also testing on other cats and dogs not right!!!!



I miss my Baby I Love You Cuddles mommy misses You !!

Love Kelly-4-Miss cuddles

[Erma]

I THINK IT IS HORRIBLE THAT WE PAY GOOD MONEY FOR IAMS AND OTHER CHOICE FOODS AND HERE THEY ARE ALL MADE BY ONE COMPANY. WHAT A RIP OFF!

[Sandi K]

Can anyone fill me in on the Menu Foods press conference? Im at work and couldnt see it. Am I understanding right when Im reading various comments that Menu Foods is acting like the whole thing is over now?!

[kelly]

IT's on MSN news conference Pet food recall . I miss my BABY!!

[Gary]

Words of CEO = PR firm's words.



At this stage in the scandal, who can be trusted and believed? even up to the highest level, even to the person who is doing the tests themselves, a $500,000 check under the table will make most people do anything and shut their mouths about it forever. And no one is immune whatever their title and position.



How do we know this finding of Melamine is not a bogus paid for scheme? remember, MANY stand to lose a lot depending on how certain "findings" go and we all know money is the only thing that matters.

[Alanna]

It would be GREAT if you could date as well as time stamp your posts for readers.

[Nancy Nielsen]

Even to me this takes second place in my concerns. But I just went to my pantry shelves and stripped out the cans of . . . wheat gluten. Seitan. A meat substitute eaten by vegetarians. Actually, think "cuts in gravy", pretty much the same thing. I seem to have lost my appetite. One dog still hanging on, one big hole in my heart for my little guy who's gone. My sympathy to all of you who've lost one or more family members, keep grinding away at the evil-doers, I seem to have burned out my energy with anger and sadness.

[Sue N.]

Menu Foods says that they are "pet people?" What a load of you know what. They are money people. I will never forget my wonderful Kelsey, and the pain he went through. You are definitely right Kelly! I agree with you 100%! They say that they are now safe - they will never be safe.

[Cathy]

Steve,

Tricholoromelamine does not necessarily equal melamine. I saw that article last night but didn't have time to explore.

And then there's the problem of metabolites. We don't really know what melamine in the urine means. They said it means that there was melamine in the food, but if no one has any idea how cats and dogs metabolize melamine itself, perhaps melamine in the urine is a metabolite of what's really in there, which might be tricholoromelamine, but who knows. I don't have enough chem ed to evaluate that stuff. I've found that both FAO and WHO commonly have good info on pesticides, but don't know if they've have anything on melanine. I gotta take a break.



I wonder if the vet community got a heads up on the press conference material this time? They had half the night to notify vets - oh I forgot, silly me , there is no system set up for notification.

[Steve]

Menu Foods declares problem found, pet food safe

Emporia Gazette, KS - 10 minutes ago

In an earlier interview, menu spokesman Sam Bornstein said the Menu Foods plant in Emporia should re-open no later than Monday.



http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2007/mar/30/menu_foods_declares_problem_found_pet_food_safe/

[John Pierce]

I'm sure Menufoods stock will jump on the news they are no longer killing animals. Too bad we can't just vote the heads of the FDA out of their jobs - gotta love political appointees.

[Sheila]

Thanks Pet Connection for all your hard work so pet owners can stay informed!



Can someone help me? I visited a site that listed information about the manufacturing of pet foods by company. There is a link somewhere on Pet Connection that took me to the site but I can't find it now.

[Nikki]

WHAT THE FDA ISN'T TELLING US ABOUT MELAMINE 03/30/07 (Melamine is not just used in plastics production!)



See latest headline at www.howl911.com

[slt]

So rat poison and a plastic chemical have apparently been found so far. But the rat poison doesn't match the symptoms and the plastic chemical is apparently safer than the rat poison. God but what ELSE is in pet foods?



To quote a friend's interesting question to me this morning: What is Bush feeding his dogs?



Or is that restricted information under the PatRIOT Act? I bet the FDA is telling HIM what kibble to avoid. If Miss Beasley died from eating tainted food (not that I wish that on ANYONE), would the FDA snap to and get going here?

[Steve]

I’m sure Menufoods stock will jump on the news they are no longer killing animals.

Comment by John Pierce — March 30, 2007 @ 1:13 pm





http://finance.google.com/finance?q=TSE%3AMEW.UN

[4lgdfriend]

Hold 'em to the fire.

[Sandi K]

OK so anyone help me out here...Im confused. So FDA is saying that they still dont know where the toxin came into the pet food supply but Menu Foods is saying everything is OK and they are up and running soon? Seems to be contradictory to me, am I misundertanding? And all food is now safe? How is that possible when they dont know where the contamination is coming from? Sounds to me like Menu Foods expects everyone to just shut up and go away, now tell me, are we here going to do that? I for one am not!!!

[4lgdfriend]

sheila: http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=210

[Steve]

Comment by Sandi K — March 30, 2007 @ 1:24 pm



Yes. Menu Foods expects everyone to shut up and go away. Your correct. Thats the card they just played. And it's not the winning card.

[4lgdfriend]

1. Melamine is used in the process of microencapsulation of fertilers and pesticides (including rodenticides). Basically, a coating which gradually breaks down, for a time-released effect in the various products. So, it would not be unusual to find melamine IN CONJUNCTION WITH the offending chemical.

Comment by Eva — March 30, 2007 @ 10:06 am

[Nikki]

Trying again...Melamine is the breakdown product of trichloromelamine, a sanitizer WIDELY USED IN THE U.S. by food processing plants, food delivery equipment, etc. It is even the active ingredient in one product used a fruit and vegetable wash. If Menu Foods (and other manufacturing plants) are using trichloromelamine as a sanitizer of their equipment, then melamine contamination would be EPIDEMIC among food processors AND could be a wholly viable source of melamine BESIDES the imported wheat gluten. Hell, if the storage units Menu Foods used to contain the imported wheat gluten had been cleaned and/or sanitized with trichloromelamine, the melamine could have gotten into the gluten via contact with the storage container and not from any fertilizer used in China.

[Dennis]

After consumption of Special Kitty pouch food which matched the recall dates my 3 year old cat’s eating habits suddenly changed. Since the trash had just come I was only able to retrieve one open pouch which matched the recall dates. However I still have 3 unopened pouches which match the dates along with numerous others that don’t match the dates.



Menu Foods advised me to take him in to the vet. His first blood test for kidney function was mostly ok. A day later he stopped eating and drinking. He then suddenly went from urinating a lot to not urinating at all. The second vet visit revealed an acute urinary blockage necessitating catheterization. After 4 days at the vets for sub-Q fluids and antibiotics he was referred to an internal medicine specialist who did an ultrasound. Nothing terribly revealing but it was noted there was some “sludge” and possible blood clots in his bladder. Although the symptoms came on suddenly after eating food on the recall list I could not find any info on the rat poison (aminopterin) that linked it to possible urinary problems. After the ultrasound I brought him home. For 3 more days he was urinating frequently with some blood in his urine. He has just now started to eat and drink a small amount and the urine color looks a bit better. He still acts quite sick and is still on antibiotics and sub-Q fluids at home. He has spikes in temperature throughout this ordeal.



Early this morning I read the FDA has found melamine in the food and in dead animals. I haven’t been able to find much on the effects of melamine on cats. However a quick search found some info on the OSHA site http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_250440.html

which includes…

"Potential symptoms: Irritation of eyes, skin, and mucous membranes; dermatitis; in animals: chronic inflammation of kidneys (female rats); ulceration of urinary bladder epithelium (mice), urolithiasis (rats and mice); bladder cancer (male rats)."



Perhaps this may explain what caused my cat’s problems. Has anyone else seen any unexplained acute urinary blockages in pets which were feed food on the recall list?

[CatLady]

"They made this discovery on March 26 and 27, and reported it to the FDA on both of those days."

But the FDA couldn't tell us that day because no one says anything to the public about this nightmare except on FRIDAY, when they hope it will die in the weekend news cycle. Maybe they are waiting for the dry food recall until next Friday.

[Steve]

I hope for everyone some brave people do the right thing and launch a criminal investigation into Menu Foods and this whole fiasco.



If there is any left willing to take on this monster.

[Steve]

Comment by CatLady — March 30, 2007 @ 1:42 pm



Menu Foods can not be trusted.

[Steve]

TRUST US!



Menu Foods says has stopped using Chinese supplier



TORONTO, March 30 (Reuters) - Menu Foods Income Fund said it is no longer using the Chinese company that supplied tainted wheat gluten after the chemical melamine was detected on Friday in the pet food at the center of a massive recall.



The company discontinued using the supplier on Mar. 6, and food manufactured after that date is safe, Paul Henderson, Menu Foods' president and chief executive, told reporters at a press conference in Toronto.



"Let me be clear on this: we have removed the problem from our system," he said. "Our recall is well under way and products produced today are being made with known quality and tested raw materials."



http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N30297360.htm

[GingerTom]

Justa question -- did anyone get a pic/photo, printed hand-out of the crystals? This seems like a diagnostic tool that ought to be disseminated pretty quickly so all those vet techs who are doing urinalysis etc can spot it? Maybe already on VIN?

[MARY ANN]

yea right guess this jerk from menu thinks we got stupid written on our forehead

[Steve]

I'll tell you whats going to happen. The deaths and illnesses will probably continue.



Let the Buyer Beware

[Karen]

I didn't see the news conference, just the update on msn.com, but it seems to me this is just being politicized to try to protect the pet food manufacturers, ie, "Save the economy", as we all know the US Consumers spend billions on their pets each year. This is just becoming a big coverup!

[Sue N.]

I am so sick of Menu Foods and all of their stupid comments to try and make themselves believe that they have fixed the problem. Just tossing it under the rug is not going to "remove the problem from their system." What a load of you know what. Steve you are right. If there is someone brave enough out there they need to stop these stupid people who are fooling no one but themselves.

[Steve]

This is just becoming a big coverup!Comment by Karen — March 30, 2007 @ 1:55 pm



What they are saying is, "move along now, nothing to see here."

[Steve]

The next issue is how many Brands will try to continue to use Menu Foods behinds peoples backs.



Think About It