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IAMS, Mighty Dog Products Targets of Pet Food Recall

Commissaries worldwide have been directed to remove from their shelves certain cat and dog food products listed in a recall by Menu Foods Inc., based on a Food and Drug Administration warning issued March 17. The recall resulted from consumer complaints received by the manufacturer and from tasting trials conducted by the manufacturer.

The FDA has been informed that Menu Foods, Inc., a private-label pet food manufacturer based in Statesville, Ontario, Canada, is recalling all its "cuts and gravy" style dog and cat food produced at its facility in Emporia, Kan., between Dec. 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. The products are sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Commissaries are pulling the following items from shelves:

- Various sizes of IAMS cat food (chicken wild rice, chicken and gravy, tuna in sauce, tuna weight control, turkey chicken beef in gravy, salmon tuna in sauce, chicken in gravy, tuna flakes in sauce, ocean fish entrée, chicken entrée, chicken, and lamb and rice).

- Various sizes of IAMS dog food pouches (chicken with gravy, beef and gravy, weight control chicken, meat variety pouches, chicken and rice entrée, and beef and vegetables and gravy).

- Various sizes of Mighty Dog (variety 12 pack and chicken).

There has been a small number of reported instances of cats and dogs in the United States that developed kidney failure after eating the affected product. Ten deaths, one dog and nine cats, have been reported at this time. The firm has undertaken extensive testing of the pet food products in question, but to date has been unable to find the source of the problem.

Consumers who have any of these products should immediately stop feeding them to their pets. Pet owners whose dogs or cats have eaten the suspect feed and show signs of kidney failure (such as loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) should consult with their veterinarian.

Any commissary customers who have this product at home are asked to return it to the store from which they purchased it for a full refund. Any unused portions of the product should not be consumed.

A complete list of all the potentially contaminated pet foods can be found on the Internet at http://www.menufoods.com/recall. The products are packaged in cans and pouches under numerous brand names and are marketed nationwide by many pet food retailers including Ahold USA Inc., Kroger Company, Safeway, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., PetSmart Inc., and Pet Valu Inc.

FDA is investigating and working with Menu Foods to ensure the effectiveness of the recall. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-866-895-2708. Consumers who want to report adverse actions or other problems should go to http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html to contact the FDA complaint coordinator in their state.

Source: U.S. Air Force