Pet food recall widens after toxin found

SUNDAY, April 1 (HealthDay News) -- The huge commercial dog food recall increased over the past weekend to incorporate two major brands of moist pet food, pet snacks, and, the very first time, a brandname of dry cat food.

Food giant Del Monte introduced late Saturday it's remembering numerous cat and dog meals from the Pet Items division. Included in this are choose product codes from Jerky Goodies, Gravy Train Beef Stays and Pounce Meaty Morsels brands. Dog snacks and wet pet food items offered under private-label brands are also remembered, the organization stated on its Site, delmonte.com.

Del Monte became a member of Nestle Purina and Hill's Pet Diet in remembering selected pet meals over the past weekend for fear these were processed with imported wheat gluten which was tainted.

The recalls adopted a study by U.S. health authorities Friday that melamine, a contaminant utilized in fertilizer in China and plastic within the U . s . States, have been present in imported wheat gluten utilized in moist commercial dog food produced by Menu Meals. Menu Meals remembered greater than 60 million cans and pouches of moist commercial dog food countrywide March 6 after reviews of animal illness and dying.

Del Monte strongly recommended that individuals stop feeding their pets the listed items and stated purchases could be returned after customers contact the organization at 800) 949-3799.

Melamine seemed to be present in Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food, produced by Hill's Pet Diet and offered only through vets, the Food and drug administration stated Friday evening. It was the very first time any dry commercial dog food continues to be involved.

That announcement coincided having a voluntary recall by Nestle Purina PetCare Co. of dimensions and types of Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy, which the organization stated could also contain melamine.

Hill's of Topeka, Kansas, has started remembering Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food, the Food and drug administration stated inside a prepared statement. The organization had, for any two-month period, made the kitty food with wheat gluten in the same China company that provided Ontario-based Menu Meals, the Food and drug administration stated.

Nestle Purina of St. Louis, Mo., stated in the own statement it's remembering the Alpo cans and pouches since it found that additionally, it received wheat gluten in the same company.

"The contamination happened inside a limited production quantity at just certainly one of Purina's 17 commercial dog food manufacturing facilities," the Nestle statement added.

Your dog food being remembered involves 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce Alpo Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can Alpo Prime Cuts Variety Packs with four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, then the guarana plant code 1159. Individuals codes consume a "Best Before February. 2009" date. These details ought to be checked at the base from the can or even the top or side from the multi-pack cartons, the organization stated.

Customers should immediately stop feeding their dogs these Alpo items and meet with a vet should they have any health issues using their pet, the organization added.

The kitty food being remembered is labeled Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food. The items are: 4 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42770 10 lb. bag, U.S. & Canada UPC code 52742 42790. Customers may contact Hillsides Pet Diet at 1-800-445-5777 or at world wide web.HillsPet.com.

The Food and drug administration alerts that any cat owner that has bags of Prescription Diet m/d Feline should stop with them. Additionally, they ought to see their vet if their pet shows any indications of kidney illness, include appetite loss, lethargy and vomiting.