Rat Poison Found in Tainted Pet Food

[MoodIndigo1]

@Ragiel

My cat ate a package of that stuff. I called the vet when he lost his appetite and started just picking at his food. He didn’t act very sick, just clingier and less active. His kidney function tests were poor, though. He spent 3 days in the hospital on IV fluids to flush the kidneys out, and now he’s home and eating again. No way to know what the long-term effects will be. We’re just going to test the kidney function again and see whether he gets worse, stays the same, or gets better.

We were lucky. He’s home and alive.

I’ve been sick with rage and fear ever since he was hospitalized. According to the FDA, those bastard manufacturers were performing a regular taste test to see if the animals liked the flavor over 3 weeks ago. Seven of the test animals died within a day or so of trying the stuff. Out of a population of about 50. That’s one goddamn animal out of seven dying after eating the food, and they supposedly said, “Gee, that’s weird. Oh well, lots of cats get kidney disease, must be a coincidence.” They never actually started a series of tests after getting complaints, as they first reported. As far as I can tell, they kept their damn mouths shut so their clients wouldn’t stop buying the food. Whether it was deliberate tampering or just a horrible accident, they tried to say nothing and hope the problem went away. It was their little secret.

Which they kept faithfully until 5 days after I bought the poisoned food pouches and 6 hours after I took my cat to the vet. If I wanted to express my outrage to the full, I would have to belch out fire like a dragon with reflux.

Be sure to keep all your vet and hospital bills related to this event.

[Faminista]

@Ragiel

My cat ate a package of that stuff. I called the vet when he lost his appetite and started just picking at his food. He didn’t act very sick, just clingier and less active. His kidney function tests were poor, though. He spent 3 days in the hospital on IV fluids to flush the kidneys out, and now he’s home and eating again. No way to know what the long-term effects will be. We’re just going to test the kidney function again and see whether he gets worse, stays the same, or gets better.

We were lucky. He’s home and alive.

My fiancé’s cat died a week ago of massive renal failure after eating extensively from one of the brands listed. I’ve talked with the veterinarian responsible for treating him up to his death, and she told me she had suspected something of this nature had occurred.

I really don’t want to broach the subject with my fiancé because she’d been absolutely miserable in the weeks leading up to his death.

[WarmNPrickly]

I think the number of pets that have died from this is extremely undereported.

[Ragiel]

@MoodIndigo1

Be sure to keep all your vet and hospital bills related to this event.

I’m doing that. I wish I’d kept one of the packages too, but I wasn’t thinking about evidence, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the company tried to brush me off. But the vet’s chart did mention “tainted cat food” in his diagnosis. Maybe that will help.

[Common_Tater]

@Kalhoun

That’s exactly why I feel it was intentional. The fact that so many amimals are affected makes me think that someone purposely put in enough to harm as many as possible.

Intentional, but not malicious?

This sounds as if someone diverted treated wheat/seed (seed specifically for growing, which is treated with fungicides and rodenticides and such) and used it as filler. This is an “interesting” story in that it is probably too big for the media to ignore, (though they are doing their best) but has a lot of scurvy angles to it.

Ironically the treated wheat probably came from Canada or the US initially, and eventually made its way back here.

[Tuckerfan]

@featherlou

Hey, I keep telling you to move here, and you keep saying it’s too cold. What, do you think if you have a bunch of Canadian wimmins to keep you warm it’ll be better? Wait, actually, that might work…

Heck no, I say sack the place and bring them here!

[Khan]

@Caridwen

This is what bothered me the most. Intentional or not, they knew it was happening.

Seriously. You DO NOT mess with someone’s animals. Dogs and cats have a lot more awareness and emotion than people generally give them credit for (although outright anthropomorphization is quite near batshit crazy).

I will, however, add:

Petchow arf arf
Petchow arf arf
Rat poison

“Whoa there, Shep, that’s not for you!”

Edit: aw crap, they cut out the jingle at the end.

[Kalhoun]

@Common Tater

Intentional, but not malicious?

This sounds as if someone diverted treated wheat/seed (seed specifically for growing, which is treated with fungicides and rodenticides and such) and used it as filler. This is an “interesting” story in that it is probably too big for the media to ignore, (though they are doing their best) but has a lot of scurvy angles to it.

Ironically the treated wheat probably came from Canada or the US initially, and eventually made its way back here.

Well, if they knew animals were dying and proceeded to market it anyway, I have a hard time seeing it as anything but malicious. Any way you slice it, this is turning into a really, really shitty situation.

[vetbridge]

@Christopher

I think the number of pets that have died from this is extremely undereported.

I would tend to agree. Veterinarians tend to not be aware of who to report news of this nature to. Personally, I am in a one man practice and I have euthanised three animals so far that ate recalled food. I have tested around three dozen animals that were fine.

[Lisa_Ann]

vetbridge,

That’s the really scary part of it for me - my three dogs sometimes ate the MightyDog pouches, depending on what was available or on sale or where I was shopping at the time. Recently, actually several weeks ago, two of them threw up a few times and the eldest had the runs. Our Mastiff puppy did get caught eating charcoal wood bits out of the firepit a few times! I coincidentally switched to Alpo in cans just days before the recall was announced, because of the affordability and having the hungry puppy, now. They are all 70 lbs or larger and only get a bit of wet with their dinner kibble. They all seem fine. Dogs do throw up. I feel guilty I haven’t had them tested, but would it be an overreaction on my part? If it was the tainted food, would there be any lasting testable effect at this time?

[Ragiel]

@Lisa Ann

vetbridge,

That’s the really scary part of it for me - my three dogs sometimes ate the MightyDog pouches, depending on what was available or on sale or where I was shopping at the time. Recently, actually several weeks ago, two of them threw up a few times and the eldest had the runs. Our Mastiff puppy did get caught eating charcoal wood bits out of the firepit a few times! I coincidentally switched to Alpo in cans just days before the recall was announced, because of the affordability and having the hungry puppy, now. They are all 70 lbs or larger and only get a bit of wet with their dinner kibble. They all seem fine. Dogs do throw up. I feel guilty I haven’t had them tested, but would it be an overreaction on my part? If it was the tainted food, would there be any lasting testable effect at this time?

If they had kidney damage, that could still be shown by blood testing, but I don’t think the poison hangs around in the body. Probably your vet could advise you on what the tests can show and whether the testing is indicated.

[vetbridge]

@Lisa Ann

I feel guilty I haven’t had them tested, but would it be an overreaction on my part? If it was the tainted food, would there be any lasting testable effect at this time?

A urinalysis and chemistry panel are good things to do every year or two especially with a giant breed. I’d advise it just for piece of mind. If there is some kidney damage, dietary changes can be a big help.

[Common_Tater]

@Kalhoun

Well, if they knew animals were dying and proceeded to market it anyway, I have a hard time seeing it as anything but malicious. Any way you slice it, this is turning into a really, really shitty situation.

Marketing of the actual product might be entirely benign. It might not, but the possibility is there. I’m no cereal or grain pet-food guru, but what I have been able to glean is that rodenticides (among other things) are applied to seed crops that are never meant as feed crops, they are only for growing. Somehow, if theory is correct, this seed was diverted outside its’ intended purpose.

[DWMarch]

@Quiddity Glomfuster

I’m guessing that lower-grade wheat can be used for pet food and perhaps there’s a plentiful supply of lower-grade wheat to be had from China fairly cheaply.

My non-scientific theory is that the reason for Chinese wheat is simple: Canadian wheat farmers get paid $2 per day while Chinese wheat farmers get paid $2 per month.

Half my damn country is covered in wheat but it’s cheaper to ship it from halfway around the world. All so people can save a few cents on a can of pet food.

Ain’t globalization grand?