Poisoned pet food recall has little impact in Siouxland
By Lynn Zerschling Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, March 30, 2007
Dr. Dennis Sorensen of Sioux City has treated six to eight dogs and cats that might have become ill from eating food apparently tainted with rat poison.
A check with 20 Siouxland animal clinics revealed he is the only veterinarian polled who has seen pets who may have become ill from eating the suspected pet food, which has been part of a North American recall.
"We've had a few patients we've drawn blood samples from to evaluate their kidney function and a few have shown elevated kidney profiles," Sorensen of the Morningside Veterinary Hospital, said Thursday. "Predominately we have recommended the owners eliminate the food, which most people had done already, and by switching over to diets for kidney or renal problems and given them supplements."
In a few cases, he gave the pets fluids. None were in critical condition.
"They were all treated on a same-day basis," Sorensen said.
The owners of the half dozen dogs and cats had fed their pets food on the Menu Foods recall list.
"Several of these patients were asymptomatic. We ran blood tests and some showed elevated kidney function," he explained. "A lot of these patients are senior citizens and you anticipate you'll see a lot of that with them."
For example, one animal also had bladder stones, which could have caused the kidney problems.
Dr. David Ray of Perry Creek Animal Hospital in Sioux City said, "We had a client who called us that confirmed she had a dog that had been fed some of the food. There was no illness related to it."
He said the pet owner had fed her dog a brand of food on the recall list, but he suspected the food might not have been specifically one of the lots recalled.
Ray, like all the vets interviewed, said, "We had tons of people calling us" to find out if the pet food they purchased from the animal hospitals were safe. "None of the vets would have sold any of the food on the list. There was only one Science Diet one on that list."
According to the Menu Foods recall list, the Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts in cans was listed, but no dry foods.
Dr. Steve Sulsberger of the Mapleton (Iowa) Veterinary Clinic added, "We're just fielding questions. If anyone thinks they did feed their pets some of that food, they should immediately contact their vet to have blood work done."
Dr. Pat Saulsbury of Siouxland Animal Hospital said, "We have not had any confirmed cases. We've had some animals come in for checkups and blood work, but none, thankfully, had a problem with the food."
One owner brought in his dog who had vomited. Turned out the dog had gobbled up a lot of grass.
Dogs and cats often suffer kidney disease "that are not linked to that food," Saulsbury noted.
Symptoms of kidney failure include, "Becoming listless, acting kind of depressed, drinking more water, vomiting and weight loss," Ray said. "It would be very acute."
After eating the tainted food, the dog or cat would begin feeling ill almost immediately.
"If enough of the kidneys had been destroyed by the poison, that animal is going to die. It would take three to five days. A dog that laps up antifreeze would be toast in about three days. Most of our other chronic kidney failures are not showing this level of disease. They have gotten used to that toxicity level," Ray stated.
Neither the Siouxland Humane Society nor Sioux City Animal Control had fed any of the suspected pet food in stock, nor has either received any sick animals linked to the pet food recall, according to Jerry Dominicak, humane society executive director, and Cindy Rarrat, owner of Animal Control.
No pet-food cases have been treated at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames.
"We have not seen any animals in our intensive care unit. Mostly it's been phone calls from concerned pet owners," Dr. Kim Langholz, a community practice veterinarian at the college, said. "We had a couple of calls from people who had concerns but didn't want to pursue the additional testing of their food. They suspected the food had made their pets ill. Unless we can document it, we can't say if the food was responsible."
The vet school does not feed any of its animals over-the-counter food.
"The food we maintain here primarily are prescription foods or more speciality type foods," Langholz said.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@siouxcityjournal.com
Recall Phone Number
Menu Foods: 1 (866) 895-2708
A check with 20 Siouxland animal clinics revealed he is the only veterinarian polled who has seen pets who may have become ill from eating the suspected pet food, which has been part of a North American recall.
"We've had a few patients we've drawn blood samples from to evaluate their kidney function and a few have shown elevated kidney profiles," Sorensen of the Morningside Veterinary Hospital, said Thursday. "Predominately we have recommended the owners eliminate the food, which most people had done already, and by switching over to diets for kidney or renal problems and given them supplements."
In a few cases, he gave the pets fluids. None were in critical condition.
"They were all treated on a same-day basis," Sorensen said.
The owners of the half dozen dogs and cats had fed their pets food on the Menu Foods recall list.
"Several of these patients were asymptomatic. We ran blood tests and some showed elevated kidney function," he explained. "A lot of these patients are senior citizens and you anticipate you'll see a lot of that with them."
For example, one animal also had bladder stones, which could have caused the kidney problems.
Dr. David Ray of Perry Creek Animal Hospital in Sioux City said, "We had a client who called us that confirmed she had a dog that had been fed some of the food. There was no illness related to it."
He said the pet owner had fed her dog a brand of food on the recall list, but he suspected the food might not have been specifically one of the lots recalled.
Ray, like all the vets interviewed, said, "We had tons of people calling us" to find out if the pet food they purchased from the animal hospitals were safe. "None of the vets would have sold any of the food on the list. There was only one Science Diet one on that list."
According to the Menu Foods recall list, the Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts in cans was listed, but no dry foods.
Dr. Steve Sulsberger of the Mapleton (Iowa) Veterinary Clinic added, "We're just fielding questions. If anyone thinks they did feed their pets some of that food, they should immediately contact their vet to have blood work done."
Dr. Pat Saulsbury of Siouxland Animal Hospital said, "We have not had any confirmed cases. We've had some animals come in for checkups and blood work, but none, thankfully, had a problem with the food."
One owner brought in his dog who had vomited. Turned out the dog had gobbled up a lot of grass.
Dogs and cats often suffer kidney disease "that are not linked to that food," Saulsbury noted.
Symptoms of kidney failure include, "Becoming listless, acting kind of depressed, drinking more water, vomiting and weight loss," Ray said. "It would be very acute."
After eating the tainted food, the dog or cat would begin feeling ill almost immediately.
"If enough of the kidneys had been destroyed by the poison, that animal is going to die. It would take three to five days. A dog that laps up antifreeze would be toast in about three days. Most of our other chronic kidney failures are not showing this level of disease. They have gotten used to that toxicity level," Ray stated.
Neither the Siouxland Humane Society nor Sioux City Animal Control had fed any of the suspected pet food in stock, nor has either received any sick animals linked to the pet food recall, according to Jerry Dominicak, humane society executive director, and Cindy Rarrat, owner of Animal Control.
No pet-food cases have been treated at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames.
"We have not seen any animals in our intensive care unit. Mostly it's been phone calls from concerned pet owners," Dr. Kim Langholz, a community practice veterinarian at the college, said. "We had a couple of calls from people who had concerns but didn't want to pursue the additional testing of their food. They suspected the food had made their pets ill. Unless we can document it, we can't say if the food was responsible."
The vet school does not feed any of its animals over-the-counter food.
"The food we maintain here primarily are prescription foods or more speciality type foods," Langholz said.
Lynn Zerschling may be reached at (712) 293-4202 or lynnzerschling@siouxcityjournal.com
Recall Phone Number
Menu Foods: 1 (866) 895-2708
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alicia wrote on Mar 30, 2007 12:35 PM: