The Dog Food Recall - the Power of Knowledge When Choosing Dog Food

After the recent dog food recall, armies of outraged pet owners were left confused and frightened as to the reason behind the incident. There were an overwhelming number of both felines and canines that fell ill, and worse, died from eating the contaminated pet food. Since they relied on these brands for such a long time, they had no idea where to turn to, and what other brand to trust. The risk of the same incident happening all over again lingered in the back of their minds.

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What Was Causing All The Mayhem?

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This is not the first time that this incident has happened. There have been a lot of cases involving the contamination of pet foods with mycotoxins (fungi-produced toxins). After the pet food manufacturer and the FDA find conclusive proof that the pet food is contaminated, a recall will be ordered. The two parties will then work together to prevent the same incident from ever happening again.

The Power Of Knowledge

When choosing the best commercial dog food is concerned, you have to be aware of what is ideal and what is not. Below are ways to ensure your dog's safety and health:

1. Always take note of the date of expiration before you feed your dog. Although there is still risk of contamination due to fungi and toxicity due to the preservatives and chemicals used, this is the initial step you should take. To prevent the said risks from happening, it will be in your pet's best interests if you purchase organic and all natural products.

2. Regardless of the date of expiration, if the pet food appears stale and/or smells foul, do not give it to your pet and keep it out of his or her reach. Contact the food manufacturer to file a complaint and for more information. You might not get your cash back, but at least you prevented further harm to your pet and other animals.

3. If you notice anything unusual with your pet, immediately consult your vet. To prevent further harm and to catch whatever your dog has early, professional help is vital. If the pet owners of the cats and dogs that fell ill to the contaminated pet food consulted a vet earlier, the complications and deaths might have been prevented. Never take slight symptoms, signs, or behavioral changes for granted.

4. To be assured of pet food safety, be always in the know. Keep current on news regarding pet health and pet food recalls to prevent being part of a sad statistic. The best source of this information is the Internet. Here, you will be up-to-date with all the latest news, through scoops, exposes, and other customer testimonials.

For more accurate information and news, avoid information published by the manufacturers themselves. This way, you get the blunt truth, and not a sugarcoated press release or damage control. After all, it is their reputation, livelihood, and income that are at stake. Remember, the pet food industry is a billion dollar industry and won't go down without a fight.

The Dog Food Recall - the Power of Knowledge When Choosing Dog Food

Dog Food

Stores Continue to Sell Poison Dog Food After Recall

In a shocking news story, head of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, CVM of the FDA, Dr Steven Sundlof says that some stores have not removed contaminated dog food from their shelves.

dog food storage containers

Initially, the dog food recall involved Menu Foods which has recalled more than 100 brands of dog food. That recall has expanded and continues to grow with more brands and manufacturers being added to the recall list almost daily.

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Dr. Sundlof told Senators in a recent hearing that he could not rule out the discovery of more tainted food.

While the FDA continues its investigation and monitoring of dog food retailers, the sad result is that some retailers are continuing to sell contaminated dog food. While there is no evidence that this is intentional, the sad fact remains that dogs who eat this food are in danger of suffering from kidney failure and dying.

The Veterinary Information Network states that between 2,000 to 7,000, pet deaths have been reported since the inception of the dog food crisis.

With the possibility of more poison dog food being discovered and some retailers not having removed poison dog food from their shelves, reports of kidney failure and death in dogs will most likely continue to grow.

Who Do You Believe?

Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM indicated that said pet food labels should be prohibited from proclaiming claims of safety unless ingredients are rigorously tested. The veterinarian went on to say that such testing does not take place.

Dr Hodgkins went on to tell U.S. Senators that:

"Through astonishingly successfully marketing efforts of the industry, pet owners and their veterinarians have come to believe that household pets must consume commercial foods, and only commercial foods, day in and day out, throughout their entire lives, in order to remain healthy"

We have long proclaimed the fallacy of this notion and the serious health consequences our dogs may experience if more attention is given to just what we feed our dogs.

The dog food industry stated the following in defense of commercial dog food products.

"Pet foods are safe,"

Yup, that's it. One report indicates that Menu Foods blames the dog food recall on a clerical error.

Some deadly error !

As a consumer and dog parent, the choice is yours. Will you change the way you feed your dog? Will you find out if the dog food you feed your best friend is slowly poisoning her? Or will you believe the claims of the dog food industry?

News stories report that many dog owners are not aware of the impact of the dog food recall, nor have changed the food that they feed their dogs.

This is perhaps one of the more frightening collateral aspects of the story. Your dog depends on you for love and the basic necessities of life. Taking the time to become an informed dog parent can make the difference between having a long and happy life with your best friend or the possibility that your dog may become the next statistic in a database of recalled dog food deaths.

Stores Continue to Sell Poison Dog Food After Recall

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