California Food Illness Attorneys
California Pet Food Poisoning Lawyers

Number of Sick and Dead Pets Far Exceed FDA’s Reports

Hundreds of veterinarians have reported cases of sick and dead cats and dogs affected by the rat-poison-tainted pet food, a local veterinarians’ group told the Los Angeles Times Monday("http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-petfood27mar27,1,5135061) Their numbers far exceed those reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the article states.

Veterinarians Information Network, a website of 30,000 veterinarians and veterinary students, said members had reported 471 cases of kidney failure in the 10 days since Canada-based Menu Foods Income Fund announced its pet food recall, according to the report by Times Staff Writer Abigail Goldman.

Last week, the FDA said it had confirmed 14 pet deaths in the U.S. as a result of the recalled food. FDA’s statistic “is barely the tip of the iceberg,” said veterinarian Paul Pion, a co-founder of the network. Pion anticipates that the number of deaths will end up being much higher.

The recall included 60 million products encompassing 88 brands, including some wet food from Procter & Gamble's Iams and Eukenuba lines as well as numerous private retailers’ brands.

Of the cases reported on the veterinarians’ Web site, 292 included outcomes: 104 deaths, including at least 11 dogs and 88 cats, with some of the reports not indicating species, the Times article stated. Also, the vets reported that 59 pets survived the illnesses and that 129 animals were still being treated.

The article also quotes several angry pet owners who are trying their best to save their cats’ and dogs’ kidneys and lives by administering medication as a last-ditch effort. Believe me, there are hundreds of thousands of traumatized pet owners out there who have already paid thousands of dollars in vet bills – because they are nursing a feeble hope that their dear pet will survive. This story just goes to show that the FDA doesn’t tell us important facts that we absolutely need to know. What are they afraid of? Who are they trying to protect by skewing these numbers so dramatically?

The veterinarians’ group is also conducting a survey of its members to elicit more complete information. Web sites devoted to pet owners’ reports also tallied far more, if unconfirmed, cases, the Times report states. PetConnection.com, the Web site of a syndicated pet column, posted a note Monday that 1,792 owners had reported dead pets — 1,018 cats and 774 dogs — as a result of the tainted food.

The FDA said March 20 that the number of dead pets probably would increase from the 14 it had confirmed. The agency said it had received 4,400 complaints and inquiries from pet owners and veterinarians. Ontario, Canada-based Menu Foods, which owns two U.S. manufacturing plants, said last week that it had received 200,000 calls from pet owners, according to the Times.

In Los Angeles County, health officials reported 10 confirmed pet deaths — five cats and five dogs — from kidney failure in recent days and 15 additional cases of very sick animals with similar symptoms. The department said it was checking 86 other cases related to the recalled food.

We have received dozens of inquiries from pet owners who have paid thousands in dollars in veterinarian's bills and/or who have lost their family pet to the contaminated food. We are representing those who have proof of purchase of the contaminated food and veterinarian bills or proof of a pet's death due to renal or kidney failure. Most of the pet owners we are representing are more interested in punishing the wrongdoers than they are recovering money.

The FDA has asked pet owners to call its local officials — at (949) 608-3530 for Southern California — with reports of animals that have been sickened by the recalled food. A list of recalled food is available at http://www.menufoods.com or by calling a Menu Foods hot line at (866) 895-2708.

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