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2007-05-29T21:41:00.000-07:00

Another Diamond Pet Foods Recall

2007-05-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

Diamond Pet Foods Recalls Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal and Rice Formula Dry Dog Food in 40 Lb. Bags Due to Melamine Cross Contamination

"META, Mo., May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Diamond Pet Foods announced that it has recalled a limited quantity of Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal and Rice Formula dry dog food in 40 lb. bags because of melamine cross contamination. To date, no animal deaths have been reported. . This action is limited to Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal and Rice Formula dry dog food in 40 lb. bags with production codes of NLR0404A2SL or NLR0404B2SL, "Best Before" Oct. 9, 2008. The recalled product was manufactured at the company's Lathrop, Calif. facility and sold through retailers in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada. No other Nutra Nuggets products are affected.; The recalled product was manufactured at the same facility following production of other products that contained rice protein concentrate later found to be tainted with melamine, which is not an approved food substance. Pets who may have consumed the affected product should be monitored closely. Affected pets will usually drink a lot of water and will vomit within 24 hours after eating the food. Affected pets may exhibit the following symptoms, including but not limited to loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting. Consult your local veterinarian if your pet is exhibiting these symptoms. . Consumers who purchased Nutra Nuggets Lamb Meal and Rice Formula dry dog food in 40 lb. bags with production codes of NLR0404A2SL or NLR0404B2SL, "Best Before" Oct. 9, 2008, should stop using the product immediately and return unused portions to their retailer for a full refund. Consumers may also contact the Diamond Pet Foods Customer Information Center toll free at 1-866-214-6945 for further information. The Center, which is staffed by veterinarians, is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CDT. . SOURCE Diamond Pet Foods."

Received in an e-mail today

These "Dogs" Certainly Haven't Learned Any New Tricks...

2007-05-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

THEY ARE UP TO THE SAME OLE' TRICKS...ie PEDDLING TAINTED PET FOOD!

RURAL TEXANS MOURN DOGS KILLED BY TAINTED FOOD
Nov. 7 /1998
Washington Post
Paul Duggan (A03)

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas -- More than 50 types of dry dog food produced at Doane Products Co. a plant Brentwood, Tenn., in July and August are, according to this story, being recalled this week from stores throughout Texas and in parts of Louisiana. A Doane spokesman was cited as saying that the batch confirmed to be fatal was sold only in Central Texas, much of it in and near New Braunfels, a farming community 30 miles north of San Antonio. As many as 30 dogs have died since September, casualties of livers poisoned by a corn mold called aflatoxin B1...read the entire article here

FDA: CORN USED IN PET FOOD NOT PROPERLY TESTED
Jan. 30/2006
Bluffton Today (SC)
Author Unknown

(Excerpt)Federal regulators say a pet food company improperly tested or failed to test corn shipments for the deadly fungus that has been blamed for the death or illness of about 100 dogs who ate the tainted food.According to a report to be released this week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Diamond Pet Foods allowed tainted corn into its Gaston plant and failed to properly test for the poison aflatoxin.

RECALLS PER FDA

DOANE PET CARE PRODUCTS & DIAMOND PET FOODS ARE AT IT AGAIN!

When is enough going to be really enough?!

2007 Pet Food Brands and Labels Recalled

2007-05-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is an up-to-date link regarding recalled pet foods!!

Howl 911 CLICK HERE

FDA CLICK HERE

FDA Now Involved In Pet Food Recall

2007-04-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Daniel Rogan, 12, holds a photo of his first kitten,

9-month-old Snowball, as he sits in his home with his

father Rock and Janet Rogan in Mansfield, Mass.

The kitten suffered kidney failure and was euthanized

after eating tainted pet food last month,

according to the family.

FDA: Pet Food Tainting Might Be Intentional

Plastics chemical can make food appear more protein-rich

WASHINGTON (AP - Associated Press) Imported ingredients used in recalled pet food may have been intentionally spiked with an industrial chemical to boost their apparent protein content, federal health officials suspect.

That’s one theory being pursued by the Food and Drug Administration as it investigates how the chemical, melamine, contaminated at least two ingredients used to make more than 100 brands of dog and cat foods.

In California, state agriculture officials placed a hog farm under quarantine after melamine was found in pig urine there. Additional testing was under way to determine whether the chemical was present in the meat produced by American Hog Farm in Ceres since April 3, the state Department of Food and Agriculture said.

So far, melamine’s been found in both wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China. Media reports from South Africa, where 30 dogs died, suggest a third pet food ingredient, corn gluten, used in that country also was contaminated with melamine. That tainted ingredient has not been found in the United States, the FDA said.

FDA investigators were awaiting visas that would allow them to visit the Chinese plants where the vegetable protein ingredients were produced.

Heading to China“Melamine was found in all three of those — it would certainly lend credibility to the theory that it may be intentional. That will be one of the theories we will pursue when we get into the plants in China,” Stephen Sundlof, the FDA’s chief veterinarian, told reporters.

Chinese authorities have told the FDA that the wheat gluten was an industrial product not meant for pet food, Sundlof said. Still, melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, he added. That raises the possibility the contamination was deliberate.

“What we expect to do with our inspections in China will answer some of those questions,” said Michael Rogers, director of the division of field investigations within the FDA’s office of regulatory affairs.

Wilbur-Ellis Co., the U.S. importer of the tainted rice protein, said Thursday it was recalling all the ingredient it had distributed to five U.S. pet food manufacturers. The San Francisco company in turn urged its customers to recall any products that may be on store shelves.
So far, three of those companies have done so: Natural Balance Pet Foods, Blue Buffalo Co. and Royal Canin USA.

Natural Balance, of Pacoima, Calif., announced a limited recall Monday of its Venison and Brown Rice canned and bagged dog foods, Venison and Brown Rice dog treats and Venison and Green Pea dry cat food.

Blue Buffalo, of Wilton, Conn., followed Thursday by recalling 5,044 bags of its Spa Select Kitten dry food. The company intercepted most of the kitten food before it reached distribution centers, company co-founder Billy Bishop said.

On Friday, Royal Canin USA said it was recalling some of its dry dog and cat foods made with tainted rice protein concentrate.

FDA officials would not release the names of the other manufacturers that Wilbur-Ellis supplied, citing its ongoing investigation.

The FDA could not provide updated numbers of pet deaths or injuries due to the contaminated pet food. The agency has received more than 15,000 calls since the first recall was announced more than a month ago.

Diverted to hog feedThe FDA and Agriculture Department also were investigating whether some pet food made by one of the five companies supplied by Wilbur-Ellis was diverted for use as hog feed after it was found unsuitable for pet consumption.
“We understand it did make it into some hog feed and we are following up on that as well,” Sundlof said.

Later Thursday, California officials said they believe the melamine at the quarantined hog farm came from rice protein concentrate imported from China by Diamond Pet Food’s Lathrop facility, which produces products under the Natural Balance brand and sold salvage pet food to the farm for pig feed.

“Although all animals appear healthy, we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution,” State Veterinarian Richard Breitmeyer said in a statement. “It is unknown if the chemical will be detected in meat.”

Officials were investigating American Hog Farm’s sales records to determine who may be affected by the quarantine, said Steve Lyle, a spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The 1,500-animal farm operates as a “custom slaughterhouse,” which means it generally does not supply meat to commercial outlets.

“Mostly it is not so-called mainstream pork. This is an operation that sells to folks who come in and want a whole pig,” said Lyle said.

Officials urged those who purchased pigs from American Hog Farm since April 3 to not consume the product until further notice.

Dr. Mark Horton, state public health officer, said so far “evidence suggests a minimal health risk to persons who may have consumed pork” from the farm.

A man who answered the phone for American Hog Farm late Thursday declined to comment and referred calls to state officials. Phone calls to Diamond Pet Food’s Lathrop facility and Meta, Mo., headquarters were not immediately returned.

Article on MSNBC.MSN.com 04/20/2007

Cat Lovers - Spotlight Product

2007-04-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Load It...Leave It...Love It!!
ScoopFree™ is hands-off; there is nothing to fill, empty or clean. Simply replace a convenient litter tray cartridge as little as once a month for each of your cats. That's it! Plus it has a 90 day money-back guarantee!

~Stuff Your Kong! :)

2007-03-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

Kong Toys - Rubber chew toys and Treats are known throughout the world for their legendary strength, quality and performance! They are used and recommended by dog trainers and veterinarians worldwide. Prevent under stimulation, boredom, separation anxiety and other behavior problems by getting a Kong for your pet.

While the Kong Stuff'n is great in a pinch, we prefer to use ingredients found in our pantry and fridge. Be creative and make sure to know foods that are potentially poisonous for your pet before you get started.

Here are a few recipes we have tried and found that our dogs love 'em!!

Steak Umms!
Steak scrapes
1 ounce cream cheese
Place small scapes of the steak inside the Kong Toy and then spread cream cheese in large hole to hold the scrapes.

Twice Baked Mac & Cheese!
Leftover macaroni and cheese
Small cube of Velveeta
Melt Velveeta in microwave until gooey. Add Mac & Cheese to Kong Toy and then pour heated Velveeta into Kong. Make sure it has cooled before giving to your pet.

Contact us if you have more recipe ideas!

Poisonous Food for Dogs and Cats

2007-03-22T22:27:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind that the foods listed below are known to be toxic to dogs and cats because of the different ways animals metabolize them. If you have particular questions please contact your vet, a local trusted pet forum or the number below...

Poisonous Foods for Dogs:
- Chocolate
- Onions & garlic
- Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips
- Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
- Rhubarb leaves
- Moldy/spoiled foods
- Macadamia Nuts/Walnuts
- Alcohol
- Yeast dough
- Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
- Hops (used in home brewing)
- Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
- Broccoli (in large amounts)
- Raisins and grapes (damages the kidneys)
- Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars
- Nutmeg
- Raw Potatoes
- Turkey skin
- Voltarin (in arthritis medication)-Very Fatal
-Baby Food (can contain onion powder)
- Citrus oil
-Fat trimmings (Can cause pancreatitis).
-Human vitamins containing iron (can damage the lining of the digestive system)
-Large amounts of liver
- Mushrooms
- Raw fish
Poisonous Foods for Cats:
- Apple Seeds
- Apricot seeds/pits
- Avocado fruit/pits
- Cherry
- Eggplant
- Elderberry
- Green Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Potato
- Rhubarb leaf
- Tobacco

ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center 1-800-548-2423 (a charge may be applied for services)

Thanks to Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society

♥'ing All D-O-G's & C-A-T's

2007-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never says it’s not quite as good as his mother made it…then get a dog.

If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour, for as long and wherever you want…then get a dog

If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies…then get a dog.

If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores…then get a dog.

If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you unconditionally, perpetually…then get a dog

But, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never come when you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair all over the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only comes home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely to ensure his happiness.

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Then get a cat

Is this what your dog thinks?

2007-03-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

TEN PET PEEVES (From the Dog)

Blaming your farts on me...not funny...not funny at all!!
Yelling at me for barking…I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG, YOU IDIOT!
Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?
Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose... stop it!
Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.
The slight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Woo Who, what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.
Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!
Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.
Dog sweaters. Hello!! Haven't you noticed the fur?
How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth, you're just jealous.

Now lay off me on some of these things, we both know whose boss here!! You don't see ME picking up your poop do ya??