Hi everyone, just asking to see if anyone is changing their food due to the recent food scare? I've been feeding Nutro for years - dry, not wet - and now am considering if I should change their food. I know their dry food wasn't affected (well, they say it isn't), but I don't know if it's safe to continue or not.. Are people making their own food? Switching brands? Or do people think that this was an isolated incident and it will pass?
Re:Menu Foods scare I feed my dog a brand not affected by the recall (thank goodness) but my feeling is that any company that farms out the manufacturing of its dog food to some mass factory in the middle of nowhere is not a company I want to trust with feeding my dog. My gut tells me that just as we humans are increasinly moving toward buying food that is locally grown and comes from farmers markets, etc., so too our dogs should be eating food made by small-batch dog food makers. Go into any independent pet store and you'll find plenty such brands.
JasonK (NY) 4/5/2007 11:01:48 AM
Re:Menu Foods scare I've been feeding my dog Eukanuba dry since I brought him home (puppy food and now adult lamb and rice and the chicken formulas) but now I'm really scared. My one friend is a GSD breeder and she told me of one brand that is an organic dog food but I'm also debating to get a dog cook book and just make him food that I know is health(ier) for him. I'd love to find out what others have in mind for their dogs too.
Riley'sMom (NY) 4/5/2007 11:52:24 AM
Re:Menu Foods scare I've been feeding Riley Wellness and Organix since he was a pup. I'm so thankful that he's fed a food from a private label, and a smaller company. I understand the concept that a large company would make varying levels of food to meet different levels of need in consumers. But honestly, I don't trust that only some food is tainted and other food is okay. Just as I wouldn't trust eating at Taco Bell and ordering something without onions (or lettuce, whichever it was) during that fiasco. While I'm sure a homemade diet/raw food diet is great, I don't trust myself to know enough about nutrition and provide a healthy balanced diet. Plus, the chances of ME poising my dog (or myself) with salmonella are proably greater than I'd like. Just my thooughts.
lorig (NY) 4/5/2007 1:01:25 PM
Re:Menu Foods scare I, too, have been feeding my dog Nutro dry food for years. Due to the scare and feeling it hit too close to home, I have started making his food. Tomorrow I am visiting the vet for an unrelated issue, but I will find out what she says and post here.
ratclown (NY) 4/5/2007 1:49:40 PM
Re:Re:Menu Foods scare I feed my dogs Nutro also- looking forward to hearing what your vet has to say. I've been making my dogs food in the meantime and i know this isnt' the way to go for me (i don't know enough about nutrition either). This is just very scary all around.
RachaelT (NY) 4/5/2007 5:01:57 PM
Re:Menu Foods scare I feed my dogs Beneful and have had no problems. I used to feed them Wellness, which is good, also California Natural. I found though, with 3 dogs, Beneful is more cost effective and they really like it.
Liirist (NY) 4/5/2007 10:19:51 PM
Re:Menu Foods scare I saw on msnbc tonight that they are increasing the recall to include some dog biscuits (sunshine, ol'roy) as well as increasing the range of dates for the wet food; and also bully sticks/pizzle chews and Dingo treats. I'm getting really nervous that this will continue to expand. I'm feeding my baby Wellness right now and will continue to stay with the company for all treats until this is settled (Wellness is made by Old Mother Hubbard - they have a line of dog biscuits as well).
Re:Menu Foods scare I know they said dry dog food wasn't affected. My three dogs had vomiting,diarrhea and lethargy for about a week. I started feeding them oatmeal, rice, eggs, with olive oil and brewer's yeast for a week and they bounced right back. I was feeding nutro natural lamb & rice. so what's up with that?? I'm returning 2 40 lb. bags to the store for now. Until all is known I will be getting organic food from the market for them. Not cheap but better than kidney failure!
lorih (NY) 4/7/2007 5:42:51 PM
Re:Menu Foods scare Here is what the vet tech said: making our own food is good, but too a certain degree. Most human foods have a high level of sodium which will make our dogs urinate more-even the ground turkey and rice I made had salt added before I cooked it. Also, dogs don't suffer from cholesterol like we do, so the hard boiled egg I've been feeding him everyday for breakfast is fine. She felt it was a good in between step, but should't ultimately replace the dog food completely. I asked what brand she recommended and she said anything without wheat gluten. The Nutro I have here does not have wheat gluten, but I am still concerned since it was a recalled brand. Fool me once, shame on you--fool me twice, shame on me. She also said that some Alpo beef snacks were recalled...I haven't actually heard that on the news so thought I would pass along. I might buy Wellness brand food and give that to him at night when I'm here, but still give him eggs in the morning. A little variety is good for the little guy, right?
vshu (NY) 4/8/2007 5:13:49 PM
Re:Menu Foods scare I don't trust processed foods in general, so I've been feeding Chula raw meat since she was 3 months old. Of course I'm biased, but she is super healthy and active; has beautiful hair and teeth; and dos not have bad breath.
The only treats she gets are Dr. Harvey's freeze dried green tripe and Waggin' Train chicken stips, both of which do not contain any other ingredients other than what it says it is.
V.
Chilidog (NY) 4/17/2007 4:15:32 AM
Re:Menu Foods scare We fed our dog Eukanuba organic dry but after this scare we changed her to Blue Buffalo. My mother and sister have also changed their dogs to Blue. We became better consumers. Any company that's negligence can cause death to a family dog and conducts horrific animal testing I can't support.
