Pet Food Recall Update: ASPCA Issues New Recommendations On What To Feed Your Pet
As rumors of the spread of contamination in pet foods—possibly intentional—have been confirmed by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the ASPCA today announced new recommendations for pet parents looking for advice on what to feed their pets. These can be found at www.aspca.org/recall, where the organization is also maintaining an updated list of recalled products in real time.
“While we cannot comment on whether this contamination was intentional or accidental, this latest development in the recall crisis is extremely significant,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, a board-certified toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), located in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill.
“We now clearly have at least two contaminated ingredients used in pet food manufactured in the U.S., shipped from at least two suppliers in China, over an extended period of time.
“Until such time that the FDA has conclusively identified ALL sources and destinations of the contaminated ingredients—as well as the actual link between the adverse effects of melamine and melamine-related products and the illnesses or deaths of so many pets around the country—we are far from sounding the all-clear, and need to safeguard our pets’ lives vigilantly.”
Read the rest of the release...
“While we cannot comment on whether this contamination was intentional or accidental, this latest development in the recall crisis is extremely significant,” said Dr. Steven Hansen, a board-certified toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), located in its Midwest Office in Urbana, Ill.
“We now clearly have at least two contaminated ingredients used in pet food manufactured in the U.S., shipped from at least two suppliers in China, over an extended period of time.
“Until such time that the FDA has conclusively identified ALL sources and destinations of the contaminated ingredients—as well as the actual link between the adverse effects of melamine and melamine-related products and the illnesses or deaths of so many pets around the country—we are far from sounding the all-clear, and need to safeguard our pets’ lives vigilantly.”
Read the rest of the release...
Labels: ASPCA, Pet Care, Pet Food Recall, Pet Nutrition
posted by ASPCA at 4:51 PM PERMALINK
2 Comments:
As a veterinarian I am not surprised by the extreme caution advised by Dr. Hansen in feeding a homemade diet. I suspect much of the caution is due to fear of litigation. "What if someone sues me because their pet is malnourished??" The veterinary profession is brainwashed and is propagating that brainwashed mentality on the public. Many consumers have stopped listening.
If an MD had suggested the exact same advice during any one of the food recalls (Beef, spinach, etc) ie warning do not try to feed yourself or your children without consulting a board certifed nutritionist" even the media would have laughed!
YES some education is important.
The premise that we can feed a totally balanced food by giving an animal the exact same food every day is naive and misleading. Feeding dogs and cats is NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. Why not just say here are the guidelines if you want to feed a homemade diet GOOD FOR YOU!! MY QUESTION TO THE VETERINARY EXPERTS IS THIS: IF THERE WAS A PERFECT "100% BALANCED DRY PEOPLE FOOD" WOULD THEY EAT THAT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES OR FEED IT TO THEIR KIDS IF THEIR MD TOLD THEM IT WAS THE BEST THING FOR THEM?? IF THE ANSWER IS NO THEN WHY ARE THEY RECOMMENDING IT FOR THEIR PATIENTS???
WE NOW HAVE CURRENT RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT FEEDING DRY FOOD TO CATS CAN BE HARMFUL. (EVEN DRY FOODS FOR FLUTD) GUESS WHAT NO ONE IS SUING THE DOG FOOD MANUFACTURERS OR THE VETERINARIANS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDING IT FOR YEARS.
UNFORTUNATELY THE OTHER PART OF THE "COMMERCIAL PET FOOD" EQUATION IS THE CORPORATE PROFIT ASPECT. IF NOT SUED BY THE CONSUMER VETERINARIANS MAY BE FEARFUL OF LITIGATION FROM LARGE COMMERCIAL PET FOOD COMPANIES IF THEIR PROFITS START TO FALL??
WE need to stop living in fear and do what we know is right. As a profession we are losing credibility. If nothing else at least say "I am going to answer this question this way so I do not get sued"
I am fairly certain this will not get published but I would like a response from the author. for that reason I will publish my name and license #'s:
Liz Fernandez, DVM
Ca. #8000, Tx# 10608
Is there a reason this is the last information? There have been more recalls this week - including chicken feed. I'm at a loss of what to feed my pets to keep them alive...
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