Menu Foods, which manufactures dog and cat food for numerous companies, has issued a massive recall of its “cuts and gravy” style wet pet food due to a handful of animals getting sick – and some dying – after eating the products.
According to the company, there have been cases of kidney failure and about 10 deaths reported so far, with the illnesses following the consumption of Menu Foods produced at the Ontario-based company’s Kansas facility between Dec. 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007.
As of March 19, the company said it is still conducting testing to find reasons behind the illnesses. At least one dogs and nine cat have died from kidney failure resulting from eating the product, according to the company, while pet illnesses have been reported.
The recall includes an extensive list of brand names and lot numbers. To determine whether your dog’s food is subject to recall, refer to the comprehensive list of products at www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html. These brands include certain Iams and Eukanuba pet food products.
Consumers who have one or more of the products being recalled are advised to stop using it and return it to Menu Foods in accordance with the procedure detailed at www.menufoods.com/recall/index.html.
Menu Foods says it voluntarily recalled the products after learning of complaints of vomiting and renal failure in dogs and cats following their consumption of the product. Following feedings of the product, some cats and dogs exhibited loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting, and others died from renal failure.
If your dog shows signs of kidney failure, including lethargy and vomiting, take him to a veterinarian immediately.
Menu Foods manufactures a number of different pet foods that are sold at major retailers like Wal-Mart and Safeway, and through specialty pet companies such as PetSmart, Iams, Hills Pet Nutrition and Purina PetCare.
In response to the recall, P&G Pet Care in Dayton, Ohio, which contracts with Menu 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 recall includes discontinuation of all retail sales of affected products and product retrieval from consumers.
Affected products are marketed 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 www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.
See how to read Iams and Eukanuba labels >>