Death Toll Continues to Rise from Recalled Pet Food

On February 20, 2007, Menu Foods began receiving complaints of kidney failure and death in pets. Several days later, the company began testing the food in question on some 40 dogs and cats. Seven of the animals tested, died.

On March 16, Menu Foods announced a recall of its "cuts and gravy" style pet food in cans and pouches. The FDA stated, in a press release the following day, that ten deaths had been reported so far. Nine of those fatalities involved cats. The actual number of pets sickened by the recalled food remains unknown, but fatalities continue to occur. It is too early to estimate how many fatalities will result over all.

According to the FDA, the affected food was produced at a plant in Emporia Kansas. Menu Foods also recalled food produced at a New Jersey factory as a precaution. The recalled food was manufactured at these plants between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007.

Wheat Gluten, a source of protein also used as a filler, is thought to be a possible source of the contamination. Menu foods had switched to a new supplier of wheat gluten around the time the recalled food was manufactured. The company has not yet conclusively identified the source of contamination, however, and Menu Foods and the FDA are investigating other possible sources.

The recall is, at this time, restricted to the "cuts and gravy" style foods but encompasses many brands of cat food and dog food. Some of the brands affected by the recall are: