Royal Canin food - Page 1

I've heard the RC is being used for 50M due to contaminated dog food, a too high Vit D content that is causing kidney disease. Anyone else heard that? True or false? Thanks.

Blitzen, I was just reading a story about this. Here is the link and the story. It's mixed in with the food contamination issue going on too so gotta read around it. Birdy... http://money.canoe.ca/News/Other/2007/03/20/pf-3796143.html Wed, March 21, 2007 Lawsuit filed against Royal Canin By DAVID FRIEND TORONTO (CP) - A Canadian class action lawsuit has been filed against pet food maker Royal Canin Canada Co. on behalf of dog and cat owners claiming that certain products contain excessive amounts of vitamin D and have caused their pets to become sick or die. One of the lawyers handling the plaintiffs' case said the suit against Royal Canin has been in the works for months and is unrelated to the high-profile problems that have come to light at Menu Foods Income Fund (TSX:MEW.UN), a major North American pet food maker that announced last week it was recalling dozens of brands of "cuts and gravy" style products. In the United States, a Chicago woman sued Menu Foods on Tuesday, alleging the Canadian pet food manufacturer delayed announcing a recall of 60 million containers of dog and cat food despite knowing its products were contaminated and potentially deadly, the Associated Press reports. Menu said it had not seen the suit and had no comment. The suit against Royal Canin, filed Tuesday in the Ontario Superior Court, alleges the pet food maker - a subsidiary of a French company - either knew or should have known the levels of vitamin D were unsafe and could cause the animals to develop high levels of calcium in their blood, renal failure and other conditions. The allegations have yet to be tested in court. The Canadian lawsuit is seeking compensation for people who bought Royal Canin dog or cat food since Aug. 1, 2004. Joel Rochon, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said he wants the company cover the cost of veterinarian services related to the health problems, as well as the replacement cost of pets that have died, and reimburse the price of the food. The claim outlines at least 59 Royal Canin products that it says should be included in the refund. The lawsuit has been filed by law firms Rochon Genova LLP and Himelfarb Proszanski LLP. Rochon said the case has been in development for up to six months and is not directly related a pet food recall issued by Menu Foods. While a class action suit hasn't been filed in the Menu Foods case, "it looks like we're heading in that direction," Rochon said. Menu, which is based in the Toronto area, said Friday it was recalling some of its dog and cat food and conducting tests after receiving feedback that about 10 pets had suffered kidney damage after eating the firm's products.

Oh boy, I guess old Blitz starts eating homemade food today. He will be delighted.

You know, it's getting pretty scary all these food recalls. What is sad is that a lot of the kitties and dogs that are dying from this bad food is being purchased by older seniors for their only companions in their lives. Both are suffering because of incompetent pet food companies and the corporates that own them. We had a local story here where a older woman was taking care of her older kitty. The kitty belonged to her grandson who just died in Iraq. That one teared me up. Kitty is still alive but needs fluids for kidney support via IV. I offered to help her and will start today. I just hope this kitty survives as it's hard to watch this woman have to suffer the pain of losing something so close to her heart again. Birdy...

Birdy, do you think most people could make a nutrious diet for a pet dog or cat if they were offered recipes? The animals owned by seniors that are dying from the latest scare are bound to be small dogs and cats, those that are less able to survive a toxic food event. Lately I've been wondering if dogs really do need to eat these premium dog foods. I got my first dog in 58, had a lot of dogs over the years, never fed a premium food and, but a very few, all lived very long healthy lives dying from natural causes. I buy a GSD, feed him the best food money can buy and he's daed at 7 1/2 form lymphosarcoma. A cooincidence I suppose, but it does make me questionn whether our dogs really do profit from all these high priced commerial designer food or are we the vicitms of a very smart marketing strategy - if you love your dog you'll only feed him the best. I'm confused.............

From the Canadian Royal Canin homepage: http://www.royalcanin.ca/recall_statement_en.php March 21, 2007 Royal Canin Canada Statement Regarding Product Safety Guelph, Ontario -- Royal Canin Canada wishes to assure customers that no Royal Canin Canada products are linked to any current safety issues regarding Menu Foods. In early 2006, Royal Canin Canada did voluntarily withdraw seven specific code lots of Canned Waltham Royal Canin Canada Veterinary dog and cat food. They were withdrawn as a precaution because the products contained elevated levels of Vitamin D3 which could cause loss of appetite, lethargy and excessive drinking and urination in pets. The elevated levels occurred due to a vitamin-mineral premix error from a supplier, resulting in excess levels of Vitamin D3 in these code lots. The recalled lots affected products prescribed exclusively through veterinary clinics. All veterinary clinics were notified and the products were removed from those clinics. Royal Canin Canada wishes to assure customers that all affected products have been removed and destroyed. No over-the-counter pet food was affected. Since last year, Royal Canin Canada has changed its premix supplier, put in place systematic Vitamin D3 analysis and enhanced quality checks in finished products. The steps taken are driven by Royal Canin Canada’s Pet First philosophy and its commitment to pets and pet owners. “For close to 40 years, the health, happiness and long lives of our customers’ pets have been our number one priority,” said Xavier Unkovic, CEO Royal Canin Canada. “We have one of the most stringent quality control processes in the industry.”

Menu Foods (HUGE volume of various name dogfoods) just doesn't have the standards that the smaller holistic higher quality dogfood companies do. I switched to Canine Caviar ( http://www.caninecaviar.com ) and it's just better...the red pigment in my dog deepened after 3 days - I've never seen anything like that AND I can call and talk to the President of the Company if I want to - that is comforting. Can't do that with Menu Foods.

Hodie, that's probably what they were talking about on my breed list. Someone just posted a message from the Canadian attorneys who have filed the suit against RC. I'll PM it to you since I don't know how to copy it to this list and it's pretty long. Diamond didn't have such a great quality control. I thought that was a good company until a friend's 3 Malamutes died from liver failure from eating one of their premium foods.

Duh... the post I was talking about is already here under this thread, Birdy sent it.

Blitzen, I came here to the USA when I was 5 years old. But I was old enough to remember my grandmother cooking up the dogs food from scratch. More like a stew for them and my uncle would kid with me and eat it right from the pot when feeding the dogs. I know that the meat in it was mutton and I believe potatoes and carrots. Who knows probably even onions in it too (what did they know.) They had some pretty ancient dogs so they must have done pretty good on the food. I asked my dad but he said the women did all the food preparing so he doesn't recall what the recipe included. I've contemplated cooking thier food. I have 2 dogs that don't particularly care for raw so I feed Canidae kibble. They love it when we fix lamb shank stew so I thought seriously of just cooking for all of them. If Blitz is your only dog that would be easy. Birdy...