Pet Food Recall: Rat Poison Discovery Means Check The Labels

The massive pet food recall has sparked fear and panic among pet owners.  And it is no wonder, at least 14 cats and dogs have died and there has been a recall of 60 million containers of pet food by Menu Foods of Canada.  So besides rush your beloved pet to the Veterinarian for blood work, what can a pet owner do to check and see if the dog or cat is being slowly killed by rat poison? 

Pet Food Recall: Rat Poison Discovery Means Check The Labels

Consumers should take time to read pet food labels, familiarize themselves with what various ingredients really are.  This is important - take the time to read the ingredients of your pet's food. The most important fact right now is that the recalled products were contaminated with wheat gluten, which is commonly added to pet foods as a cheap substitute for meat protein sources.

A report from the New York Post advises that owners should select pet food brands that contain no grains whatsoever, and remember that carnivorous dogs and cats prefer to be on the Atkins diet - they want meat, not wheat.

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The report continues:  The recalled foods came in cans or soft pouches, but that doesn't mean all dry food is safe. Many kibble manufacturers, including Iams and Eukanuba (two brands on the recall list) use the chemical preservative ethoxyquin, a known carcinogen. Instead, look for tocopherol, which means the product is preserved with nontoxic vitamin E.  Another common pet-food additive is menadione, which can cause liver problems. My cat Ludmilla suffers from liver disease, possibly due to a buildup of menadione from questionable foods I fed her before I knew better.

A press release from Lucy Postins, the 'Pet Nutritionist for The Honest Kitchen' gives some more great advice.  It notes that understanding what various pet food ingredients are -- and why they are included in some products -- is an important part of a pet owner's responsibility when selecting a food for their companion. The AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) formal definition of gluten is "The tough, viscid nitrogenous substance remaining when the flour or wheat or other grain is washed to remove the starch."

Of course you are asking - why is it included? Money of course.  It costs far less than meat and other wholesome ingredients!

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Postins writes, "As more customers begin to educate themselves on the issue of pet food manufacturing and then start to expect better quality, the industry will slowly but surely be forced to look at itself and re-address what ingredients are acceptable for use in pet food products. Perhaps even AAFCO will reconsider some of the obscene substances that are unfit for human consumption, currently allowed in pet foods, and they'll become obsolete altogether."

On the web: http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/