It all started with the peanut butter crackers, but now the salmonella contaminated peanut butter is having a resounding affect on other products we commonly purchase such as pet food. Once you hear of contaminated food, it’s normal to completely eliminate that specific food from your diet. So how bad is this salmonella scare and what pet products do you have to avoid?
Since 2006, there has been at least one national food contamination per year. This particular scare has affected peanuts, peanut paste and peanut butter. According to the Associated Press, 1,313 products have been recalled, and 575 illnesses and eight deaths have been reported. The contamination was traced back to Peanut Corporation of America, which is located in Georgia. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highly recommends that every product made from this company be thrown away including products made in 2007.
So far, eight pet food brands that manufacture products that contain peanut butter have been recalled. These brands include: Carolina Prime, Carolina Prime Pet, Grreat Choice, Happy Tails, Healthy Hide, Healthy Hide Deli-Wrap, Salix and Shoppers Valu. It’s more common to find peanut butter in treats so be cautious. Also, inspect the nutrition labels on any treats and food you already have at home. If it contains peanuts, be proactive and stop feeding it to your dog to prevent any health issues.
Although dogs are less sensitive to salmonella poisoning, each dog will react differently. In the best interest of your pet, it’s safer to monitor your dog’s food and treats. Like humans, dogs can die from salmonella contamination. If you realize that pet stores or other retailers are still carrying the recalled products, inform the store’s manager immediately.
During a pet food recall, it’s important to spread awareness to other pet owners and stay up to date on the FDA’s investigation. To review an updated list of food recalls in relation to the salmonella contamination, visit the FDA’s website.
Rosella
Hi, this video is of my 2 cats Gus and Maurice who have been poisoned by Champion pet foods Orijen. I urge you to boycott this company for what they have done to my cats and all the other affected cats in Australia. Gus and Maurice cannot run, roll in the sun, climb their cat trees,wash themselves, play with each other and be naughty jumping on the kitchen bench. I don’t know if my cats will survive or regain the use of their hind legs or further in time have a major organ failure. This is what 4 months of eating Orijen cat food for 50% of their diet did to them. Three cats have died of seizures, one of a spinal tumor. Fifteen have been euthanized. Dozens of cats have been affected please join our forum to see our fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEaXvEbLTVg&feature=channel
http://www.phpbbserver.com/catfoodissues/index.php?mforum=catfoodissues
The vet report
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kO5GsmKt24
How could Champion, Orijen petfoods be unaware of the documentation needed,import permits,the signed paperwork to allow the irradiation to occur,pay for the treatment and arrangement for the goods to be taken to and picked up from the irradiation treatment plant. How can anyone be sure you aware of the quality control of your suppliers because you certainly didn’t bother when you sold your contaminated food in Australia. Why didn’t you label the food it was irradiated.
To see the beautiful loved, Hunter a stunning Bengal, who died because of Orijen. Please go to Facebook, and search for
YES! We want our petfood labeled correctly.
HunterBengal, his words after his cat died, Hunter was totally paralyzed from eating Orijen
Hi all,
Sorry I have not posted since Christmas. Personal circumstances did not allow.
I have the saddest of news. Hunter passed away last week. He continued to get worse and needed to be given water with a syringe daily and then had a seizure. We are absolutely devastated and really struggling especially since he was showing some signs of improvement in his back legs.
I just can not express the grief the we are going through as he was our little baby and was only 3 yrs old.
Once I regather strength I will be going after Champion, the distributor and Australian Quarantine to make sure this never happens again.
I wish you all the very best in your cats recovery.
I just don’t know how we are going to cope without him anymore.
Thank you for any support you can show us
Rosella
Champion pet foods say No that didn’t know their food was irradiated then they say they did know, can you trust them.
From the Itchmo cat forums
Re: Problems with Orijen in Australia
« Reply #332 on: December 04, 2008, 07:54:15 AM »
Hello Sandi
ORIJEN is high in long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA, EPA) which are particularly susceptible to breakdown
under the irradiation process, which in turn causes the release of the free radicals thought to cause the symptoms
seen in the Australian cats.
Champion did not know our food had been irradiated until after it was on the market.
Re: Problems with Orijen in Australia
« Reply #333 on: December 04, 2008, 07:57:04 AM »
Thanks for answering that Clark, I appreciate it. But its still confusing how Orijen didnt know the food would need to be irradiated when there are some pretty clear procedures outlined at AQIS’s website. Could you tell us why Michelle which is another Champion rep, is saying over at CatWorld, that Orijen did know in advance about this procedure? Thank you in advance.
Re: Problems with Orijen in Australia
« Reply #269 on: December 01, 2008, 06:34:56 AM »
Quote from: carolo on November 30, 2008, 09:45:30 PM
Clark, thank you so much for complete, detailed answers to all my questions. BTW, is the Orijen sold in Australia labeled to show it has been irradiated? Would that be done after the irradiation process or would you have to have it on the bags as they leave your plant?
Our bags were not labeled with an irradiation sticker when they left our facility. We did not find out this was done to our product until after it was on the market.
Public Informer
What do I think?
I think this is just so much PR obfuscation and massaging of the facts. One owner I know of was told by phone they weren’t aware of the irradiation until August 2008.
Documents obtained from the Australian Government under the Freedom of Information Act show that their importer told them in August 2007 AND got their consent to irradiate. Media reports all talk about Australian Quarantine “insisting” or “requiring” the food to be gamma irradiated. This is not the case. It is offered as an OPTION. The alternatives are further moist heat treatment (which might not always be appropriate) or just don’t bother importing it into Australia unless the food is cooked to 100 deg C for 30 minutes during manufacture. The importer (and by implication Champion, since he claims to have corresponded with them to obtain their blessing for the irradiation) were given warnings to take independent advice as to whether irradiation would be suitable for the product before going ahead as are ALL importers. They didn’t bother. Only AFTER the trouble arose did they irradiate samples themselves and run tests. They took over 2 months to recall the food even though the balance of probability was that it was their food causing paralysis and deaths in the cats as it was the only common denominator in all cases and no cat presenting with the issues had NOT been fed Orijen. Meanwhile owners, kept unaware, continued to buy and feed the product. Now, nearly one year on, Champion are still failing to meet all the expenses of the affected owners and are failing to communicate with them in anything like a timely or transparent manner.
gerry g
if you want a quality food for your pets and don’t want to worry about all the recalls. just get the best pet food in the world from Amway. It’s called nutripet. no by-products, corn, wheat or soy filler. all natural and holistic. check out consumer buying guide to verify. amwayglobal.com/gdgardner