Should You Worry About the Pet Food Recall?

Many dog and cat owners are worried that the foodand have been linked to medical issues. It is believed
they have been feeding their pet may not beas safe,by some in the medical field that if an ingredient is
much less as nutritionally balanced, as they were ledforeign to the body the body reacts to it and can
to believe.cause numerous health problems.
This concern is perfectly understandable, particularlyPets are not concerned about color too much.
sincetainted dog and cat food has been linked to theIn addition, by-products are a way for dog food or
deaths of at least 23 animals.cat food companies to keep their costs down and
After all, the current recall has been quitetherefore profits up. Instead of using whole meats,
widespread, with over fifty dog brands and morethey simply use by-products instead. These are
than forty cat brands recalled at this time, includingsimply the least desirable parts.
some of the largestbrand names out there such asAnd there are a number of other items which the
Iams, Best Choice and Eukanuba. In a March 21, 2007labels do not always reveal. For instance, condemned
Newsweek article by journalist Matthew Philipsparts of animals which are not fit for human
entitled 'Is pet food properly regulated?' the reportconsumption are often rerouted into commercial
states: "treats. These parts may be the parts of animals who
.....authorities still cannot explain exactly what wentare dead, dying, decayed or actually diseased.
wrong. Some critics and animal lovers are honing in onFurthermore,specific meats & other ingredients
what they see as lax regulation of the fifteen billioncan't be sold for use by people, because it is
dollar pet-food industryin the United States." It shoulddamaged or has some other kind of defect.
be noted that this recall has not only impacted theThe dimensions of the problem may be so sizeable
U.S. Canada and mexico as well.that we might not know the reasons for this tragedy
"There is almost a void there," states Bob Vetere,for some time.
president of the APPMA, or the American PetAccording to a recent MSNBC article, "Some of the
Product Manufacturers Association. "There is no real60 million cans and pouches of food have been
pet-food department of any federal agency."blamed for kidney failure in scores of animals and
This news is very troubling, but it comes as nokilled over 16 pets. Neither the manufacturer nor the
surprise to some. I have been hearing about theauthorities have been able to determine why the
rendering plants for a while now, and it is clear to mepets died".
that where there is smoke there is usually fire.The article mentioned that articles are already being
Sadly, the standard was low from the start.filed by consumers, which calls into question the
The first dog food sold was produced in 1860. Afuture of some of these pet food firms.
salesman named James Pratt was visiting GreatShould you stick with a mainstream brand or go to a
Britain from America and saw dogs surviving off ofpremium grade food? Considering that many of the
mere left-over biscuits from ships. So he decided tomainstream brands are owned by the same parent
prepare a dog biscuit product consisting of wheatcompany
meal and meat,and begin selling them entirely toI would be inclined to go with the latter. Who knows
English rural gentlemen who owned sporting dogs. Sowhat brand will be recalled next.
at one time dogs subsisted of of scraps, meaning theThe best brand i know of is Life's Abundance
quality of theproduced food never had to bePremium Dog Food from Dr. Janebut there are
particularly high.several top notch premium pet foods out there to
The current problem has been linked to rat poison bychoose from. Look for whole food ingredientsand
some sources, but there are many, many otherfreshness above all else. The ones that mention they
problems with mainstream brands as well.are human grade are also usually a safe bet in my
For example, artificial coloring is used extensivelyexperience.
despite the fact that they are totally unnecessary