Nutro Voluntarily Recalls Dry Cat Food Products
Update 6/19/2009: Nutro Recalled Food Test Results: Toxic Zinc Levels
An independent laboratory, commissioned by the PFPSA (Pet Food Products Safety Alliance), found extremely high levels of zinc in the samples from a recalled bag of Nutro Foods.
Original Blog on the Voluntary Recall:
Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.
Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.
This recall affects both the Max Cat and Natural Choice lines of dry cat food. No dog food is affected in this recall. A complete list of varieties, "best by" dates, and lot numbers can be found on the Nutro web site.
Nutro states that it has had no reports of illnesses in any cats to date. However consumers who have fed their cats these foods are also cautioned: Additionally, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues, please see your Veterinarian. Nutro has provided a lengthy FAQ page on this recall. Concerned consumers can call Nutro Consumer Services at 1-800-833-5330, for more information.
Chronological History of Coverage Here About Nutro Pet Foods Complaints:
- First Reported Here: 4/25/08
ConsumerAffairs.com had accumulated a plethora of anecdotal complaints. - Follow-Up Report: 8/18/08
At that time I removed Nutro Products from my top picks of cat foods. - FDA Probe of Nutro Pet Food
4/20/09 - ConsumerAffairs.com & Nutro Pet Foods: Show us the Goods
4/22/09 - ABC Action News Detroit: “FDA Not Investigating Nutro Foods”
4-23-09 - FDA Denies Nutro Investigation
4/29/09. It makes one wonder, if the FDA truly was NOT investigating Nutro, why not?
Comments
Hmmm … Imagine that.
All of us might consider asking ALL of our pet food retailers to be pro-active.
See Pet Food Express regarding Nutro dry cat food products:
http://www.petfoodexpress.com/petfood/default.asp?pageid=99&Section=About
Quote
As a precaution, PFE has pulled all Nutro dry cat products off of our shelves. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause but we are not willing to take any chances with pets’ health. We are asking for safety certifications on replacement products from Nutro in order to restock them , which we expect will take 6-8 weeks.
PFE has also consulted Nutro directly and with local veterinarians regarding the risk posed by excessive zinc and/or deficient potassium. From what we can gather, they are most likely to pose long term risks such as copper, iron, or calcium deficiencies; anemia; or lethargy. This will depend on how long the pet was on the unbalanced food, what else it may have been eating, and its overall health, age, and status (i.e. pregnant or lactating).
End quote
Thanks for posting that, Offy! Pet Food Express is an exemplary small chain, centered in the S.F. Bay Area, and I shop at my local one almost exclusively. During the 2007 pet food recall, its shelves were cleared almost immediately, and I’m pretty sure the same policy appeared then that you quoted. I also respect the fact that it doesn’t sell products online, because dry food quickly stales in warehouses.
I fully agree that other stores should emulate the policies of PFE.
I’ve purchased Nutro Complete Care cat food for years. Most of my purchases have been with Petco. I buy two big bags at a time and empty them into a container to prevent other critters (raccoons) from getting into the food. We have no physical evidence anymore because once we found out about the recall; I emptied the container into the trash and bought different food. We have four cats, two indoor and two outdoor. Outdoor kitty’s ages 12 and 13 years: Indoor kitties are 7 years old identical twins which I bottle fed from three weeks old.
One of my outdoor cats was sick, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, no appetite and looked jaundice. I took him into the vet and left him for treatment. I didn’t know about the recall of Nutro food at this time. As I was sadly talking about how sick my kitty was, someone asked me what food I was feeding them. She told me about the Nutro recall but it was too late for my big boy. Unfortunately, Chewy lost the fight the next day. I told the vet about the food but at the time he felt, the condition, which was liver disease, could have been a result of the cat’s age (as uncommon as it is). I didn’t agree but let it go. I began to notice one of my 7 year old twins not eating. Then the vomiting started, weight loss and the cycle was repeating it self. I took her into the vet yesterday and was diagnosed with the same condition as Chewy. The only humane thing to do was to say goodbye to my little bundle of love.
I called Nutro but they take the stance “no responsibility without proof”. They want lab work that shows the Zinc level. Since I stopped feeding them this poison about three weeks ago, the only way to get this information is to autopsy or take a liver sample. Very expensive procedures to prove they killed my pets!!
I’ve lost two loving family cats 12 and 7 years, so far. My Vet bills are over one thousand dollars thus far and I’m praying I don’t lose the remaining two.