Diamond Pet Food Recall!!!

[Mallory]

In case anyone feeds Diamond like I do, you should READ this!!

Dakota is fed their Adult Premium (recalled) mixed with their Puppy Large Breed (not recalled). I don't know how to tell if a dog has jaundice, but I know she has absolutely no desire to eat... I thought she was just getting older and wanted to free fed. But for example, her bowl has been out since yesterday morning and its 6:18pm the next day and its still there. She'll take a few bites and walk away. Makes me worried sick! I can't even check the packagine to see if it is because she's eating the drug... We don't save the dog food bags! (I put it into a plastic bin with lid to keep her out and avoid attracting critters...)

The article is below, but if you want to click any links you'll have to go to their own site, which I'll hotlink at the end of the article.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Important Customer Information

Due to the discovery of aflatoxin, Diamond Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall of certain pet food products manufactured in our Gaston, S.C. facility and distributed to states in the eastern U.S.

If you suspect your pet has symptoms associated with aflatoxin, please consult your veterinarian immediately.

What symptoms should I look for from my pet?

Symptoms of illness will include jaundice combined with lack of appetite, depression, bloody stools, and excessive bleeding.

What should I do if my pet consumed recalled products and has any of the symptoms?

If your pet has consumed products included in the recall and exhibits these systems, please urge your veterinarian to run a liver profile. If your pet is found to have abnormal liver function, please have any other dog you may own that was fed the same food tested for liver function as well. Even if your pet does not show symptoms, monitor it for 7 to 12 days and consult your veterinarian if illness develops.

How can I get a refund?

If your product has been recalled, please take the bag and any remaining product back to the retailer where it was purchased. Your retailer will ensure the product is returned to Diamond Pet Food for proper analysis and disposal.

What products are being recalled?

Recalled products can be identified by the Date Code and “Best By” dates listed on the back panel of the package. Recalled products will have a capital “G” (in reference to Gaston) in the 11 th or 12 th position of the date code (15 lb. to 55 lb. bags), and “Best By” dates between March 1, 2007 and June 10, 2007.

Diamond’s quantitative analysis records substantiate that shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 10. As such, “Best By 11-June-07” date codes or later are not affected. Also, products with “Best By” dates prior to 28-Feb-07 are safe.

Products manufactured at our Gaston S.C. facility included in the recall:

Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food

Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food

Diamond Maintenance Dog Food

Diamond Performance Dog Food

Diamond Puppy Food

Diamond Low Fat Dog Food

Diamond Maintenance Cat Food

Country Value Puppy

Country Value Adult Dog Food

Country Value High Energy Dog Food

Country Value Adult Cat Food

Professional Reduced Fat Chicken & Rice Dog Food

Professional Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Food

Professional Puppy Food

Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food

Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food

Professional Adult Cat Food

Are any Gaston Facility Pet Foods Safe?

Although certain pet foods produced at the Gaston facility have been voluntarily recalled due to potential aflatoxin contamination, a wide range of the plant’s products are perfectly safe and still can be purchased from retailers.

Gaston products NOT part of the recall include:

All Kirkland Signature products.

Every Premium Edge product.

The complete Chicken Soup product line.

Diamond Lamb and Rice Adult

Diamond Large Breed Adult 60+

Diamond Large Breed Puppy

Diamond Senior 8+

Diamond Kitten

Professional Lamb and Rice

Are products manufactured at other Diamond facilities affected by this situation?

No. Products manufactured at our Gaston facility are the only ones subject to the recall.

What states receive products from the Gaston facility?

The Gaston facility provides products to our customers in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan*, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio*, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee*, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

*These states receive product from other Diamond Pet Food facilities. Please check your date code carefully. Unless it has a capital “G” in the 11 th or 12 th position of the date code (15 lb. to 55 lb. bags), it is not included in the recall.

What is Aflatoxin?

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, on corn and other crops used as ingredients in pet foods. The fungus develops on crops during years with severe high temperature stress and drought.

Who can I call for more information?

Customers with questions about this situation should use our Contact Form.

Click here to read our recall notice.

Please click here to read more from our media statement.

Click here to continue to the Diamond Pet Site

Site

[Jade]

Our office actually saw 8 cases of this, from what I understand. Thanks for posting, Mal. I'd get a new batch of dog food for Dakota and contact your vet to get a blood test run just to be sure.

Jaundice in a dog will display as yellow gums, whites of eyes, and skin areas such as inner ears, etc.

[Sasami]

I heard about that. Thank goodness I don't feed that (I'm in New York). I heard it was the corn that could be potentially toxic.

I hope all the dogs are ok .

[Mallory]

Oh, I made a mistake... Its not a drug. Its a fungus. Eww... Some how that makes it even worse.

[Sasami]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mallory Oh, I made a mistake... Its not a drug. Its a fungus. Eww... Some how that makes it even worse.

Yup, I heard it was from mold growing on the corn. Bleck.

[Mallory]

Good news!!! Ben went to get new dog food from the place where our friend Alexis works. Ben asked them about the recall and they heard about it, but we don't have worry about switching Koda's food because they don't use the Gaston area distributor!! YEA! I guess its just coincidence that Dakota doesn't care for the food. Ben is buying another brand anyways, but we're going to mix that with her food now. I don't care feeding Diamond then, considering its not even from the same state as the recalled food. Just so long as we buy it from Sweet Feed. I'm glad my puppy has no chance of being sick.

[Catherine]

I saw this in a yahoo group email this morning:

Quote: In reference to this info I sent out yesterday about the Diamond Pet Foods recall. I just got off the phone with Mark Brinkman's office, 573-229-4203, attorney for Diamond Corporate. The tainted product was the corn supplement. The corn supplement was NOT tainted at the Gaston facility as per their latest tests. This strongly implies the corn supplement was purchased tainted. Diamond, Gaston facility always purchases the corn supplement from the same supplier. Due to their contractual agreement, Diamond is unable to disclose the name of this supplier. This supplier DOES supply to other feed companies as well as foods for human consumption.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sugarg...fo/message/189

[Jade]

Yikes, that's scary Catherine.

[jmb9101]

I sure hope they get it figured out soon!!

[cowgirlsblues]

This whole Diamond thing is scary.. I had one of the 'bad' bags. My parents just happened to hear about it on the news, other wise I might not have found out... so for me right now it's a waiting game, watching for any signs. Both my dogs, and my opossum eat diamonds feeds. I love diamond's feeds though, and I hope this doesn't kill them, espically since it's not their fault.

[Sasami]

This is so sad...pets are actually dying from this .

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/22/dog.deaths/index.html

[Keritsubo]

raised death toll....

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/30/tox....ap/index.html

[Jade]

We saw one of these dogs at our clinic last week. The owner had continued to feed the food despite that she knew about the warnings ... the other dogs were 'fine' but this one didn't make it.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlot...l/13505420.htm
This quotes 15 in our area, so those numbers on CNN must be wrong ...

[Keritsubo]

Must be I don't know where they get their numbers...

Rest in Peace, all pooches that succumb to this sad human error.

[Sasami]

Apparently Chicken Soup For The Petlover's Soul may be added to the recall list. Here is an e-mail someone I know (who feeds it) got:

Diamond Pet Food Recall
1/4/06 11:53am ET - Update From AnimalHelp:

Despite claims that the brands below are the only brands affected, We have received feedback from pet owners who have recently fed both Costco "Kirkland" brand pet foods and Chicken Soup Brand Dog Food, whose pets have exhibited the same symptoms as noted with Diamond Brands and the aflatoxin contamination.

**Please be aware that while these animals had all the same symptoms of aflatoxin illness the test results have not been completed yet and it will be a short time before we know for sure whether their deaths were caused by the food. There are other illnesses and diseases that cause liver failure and may be to blame. But because the foods these animals were eating are all made by Diamond, and the symptoms are the same, we want to warn you to be on the lookout for similar illness in your animals until we know for sure.

Sadly, a 2 year old Skye Terrier died Monday January 2nd, 2006. He was eating Chicken Soup brand food and displayed the symptoms of aflatoxin illness before he died. The other dogs in this household are also sick. Liver profiles, toxicology screenings and pathology results are pending.

Also, a cat death has occurred on Tuesday January 3rd, 2006 in upstate SC. This cat was eating Costco brand cat food and displayed the symptoms of aflatoxin illness. Pathology results are pending on this cat. We know of one other cat who almost died from the same symptoms of aflatoxin illness and also was being fed Costco brand cat food.

Costco's Kirkland Brand pet foods are made by Schell & Kampeter , who also make the Diamond Products. Chicken Soup is considered one of their super premium food, and they also make Nutra Nuggets. Costco Kirkland is made at one or more of the Diamond plants.

If you feed your pet Costco brands - or ANY other pet food brands (it is possible that other store brands are made at Diamond plants) - and see illness and symptoms as mentioned here, we urge you to get your pet to your veterinarian immediately for a liver profile.

We expect the Chicken Soup brands and the Costco brands will be added to the official recall very soon if the test results from these two recent deaths provide proof that cause of death resulted from ingestion of aflatoxin in the food. We will keep you up to date if any changes are announced.

Because of testing conducted by officials in North Carolina, Diamond Pet Foods has added Diamond Professional for Adult Dogs to the list of recalled products manufactured in our Gaston, S.C. facility and distributed in the eastern U.S.

The product, Diamond Professional for Adult Dogs, contains a "Best By" date of January 29, 2007.

Testing performed by the North Carolina agriculture department showed a single bag of the product contained high levels of aflatoxin. The product was discontinued in August of this year.

According to Mark Brinkmann, chief operations officer for Diamond Pet Foods, the company will continue working closely with state officials and will not hesitate to take action if testing warrants.

Customers should return any unused product to their retailers and should consult their veterinarian if pets show any signs of illness.

Complete information can be found at _www.diamondpet.com_ (http://www.diamondpet.com/) , or by calling the Diamond Pet Foods Customer Information Center toll-free at 1-866-214-6945.

What products are being recalled?

Recalled products can be identified by the Date Code and "Best By" dates listed on the back panel of the package. Recalled products will have a capital "G" (in reference to Gaston) in the 11th or 12th position of the date code (18 lb. to 55 lb. bags), and "Best By" dates between March 1, 2007 and June 10, 2007. The capital "G" will be in the 9th position on smaller 4 lb. to 8 lb. bags.

Diamond's quantitative analysis records substantiate that shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 10. As such, "Best By 11-June-07" date codes or later are not affected. Also, products with "Best By" dates prior to 28-Feb-07 are safe.

Products manufactured at our Gaston S.C. facility included in the recall:

Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food
Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food
Diamond Maintenance Dog Food
Diamond Professional for Adult Dogs
Diamond Performance Dog Food
Diamond Puppy Food
Diamond Low Fat Dog Food
Diamond Maintenance Cat Food
Diamond Professional Cat Food
Country Value Puppy
Country Value Adult Dog Food
Country Value High Energy Dog Food
Country Value Adult Cat Food
Professional Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Food
Professional Puppy Food
Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food
Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food
Professional Adult Cat Food



Cathie Sabin, Approved Illinois Humane Investigator
B. C. Dog Training, Daycare and Boarding
872 Tower Road
Mundelein, IL 60060
(847) 566-1960
Dobes8@aol.com
_www.bcdogtraining.com_ (http://www.bcdogtraining.com/)

Member: International Association of Canine Professionals #P1047
Balanced training for the Obedient Dog
"Smart Handler, Smart Dog"


That's scary. I used to feed Chicken Soup a while back.