Kansas-based dog and cat food manufacturer Menu Foods is initiating a North America-wide recall of its “cuts and gravy” style wet pet food because of several animals getting sick — and some dying — after eating the products.
Kidney failure cases and about 10 deaths have been reported so far. The illnesses are attributed to Menu Foods produced between Dec. 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007, according to the company.
Consumers who have the product that is being recalled are advised to stop using it and return it to Menu Foods in accordance with a procedure that will be available here beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Sat., March 17, 2007.
The dog and cat food recall includes an extensive list of brand names and lot numbers, so to determine whether cat and dog food is subject to recall, consumers should refer to the comprehensive product list here that also will be available starting at 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Sat., March 17, 2007.
Menu Foods says it voluntarily recalled the products after receiving complaints of vomiting and renal failure in dogs and cats following consumption of their product. Following feedings of the product, some cats and dogs exhibited loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting, and others died from renal failure.
Menu Foods says it has undertaken extensive testing of the products in question. However, those tests of some affected products have not revealed the cause of sickness, and testing will continue until a better understanding of the facts is achieved.
Any dog or cat showing signs of kidney failure should be taken to a veterinarian.
Also in response to the Menu Foods dog and cat food recall, P&G Pet Care in Dayton, Ohio, which contracts with Menu Foods to produce certain foods, recalled potentially affected products in the United States and Canada. Specific products include 3-oz., 5.5-oz, 6-oz., and 13.2-oz cans and 5.3-oz. foil pouches of Iams and Eukanuba cat and dog foods made by Menu Foods.
P&G’s dog and cat food recall includes discontinuation of all affected products’ retail sales and product retrieval from consumers. Affected products are marked with a date code of 6339 through 7073 and a plant code of 4197, P&G reported.
On cans, the date code is the first four numbers in the second line of numbers on the bottom of the can and the plant code is the next four numbers.
On pouches, the date and plant codes appear in the third group of numbers, beginning an 11-digit sequence. For illustrated details, visit Iams’ website or Eukanuba’s website.
P&G reported that it had not received any case reports involving dogs. However, it has received a small number of reported cases where cats in the United States have become sick and developed signs of lethargy.