Purina’s Beneful dog food killing dogs nationwide; No recall issued by FDA

• JANUARY 11, 2013
• BY: LISA TAYLOR

“For those of us with pets, often they are members of the family. Their care and health are important to us and when something goes wrong it can be devastating. If you care about your canine pet, this is a must read.

Quite recently, my dog became very ill on more than one occasion. After the second time, I began researching the food because that was the only thing he had eaten.

Beneful dog food is a popular brand. Unfortunately over the last two to three months, pet owners have seen their dogs become ill after eating this food, based on reports on the Consumer Affairs website. Some pets are more sensitive than others, and their symptoms can include any of the following, sometimes more than one:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Excessive water drinking
• Lethargy
• Weight loss
• Seizures
• Bloat (this is life threatening to a dog)
• Kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Death

Although Beneful comes in several types of food from puppy, to active and healthy weight, it appears the problem is broader than one type of food. Reports have included Beneful’s Healthy Radiance, Healthy Weight, and Playful Life, while other reports did not indicate what type of Beneful was fed.

Some owners said immediately upon feeding for the first time, the dog became sick. Other owners said that overtime the dog became sicker. Some people just switched to Beneful for the first time because it is a softer kibble and noticed an immediate problem. Either way, one common thread in the reports was the anguish for having bought this food that injured or killed their beloved pets.

Veterinarians have reported bacterial infections, liver and kidney failure and high toxins in pets that have been brought in related to Beneful dog food illnesses.

This problem is not in a single region but across the country. The number of reported cases, mainly from October 2012 through January 2013, has been increasing and currently there are 220 incidents listed on the consumer affairs site alone. With pets dying after eating this food, the following questions must be asked.

Is Purina turning a blind eye to what their Beneful product is doing?

Why has there been no recall or statement issued by the FDA?

How many injuries and deaths must there be before someone takes some action?

The FDA has three levels of recall.

1. The recall is made by the firm’s own initiative.
2. The FDA makes a request to recall.
3. The FDA orders a recall under statutory authority.

The FDA website was updated as of December 31, 2012, and with just about every other pet food available listed on the site, there is blatantly no mention of either Purina or Beneful.

In 2007, Purina dog food was identified for dog fatalities after an autopsy revealed aflatoxins in the food and the ASPCA became involved. Aflatoxins are known to be found in moldy grains, like the corn that would be in the dog food. At that time, there was a large recall. In 2005 100 dogs died for the same reason prompting another recall of a different brand of food.

At this time, there has been no indication that the ASPCA is investigating these 220 incidents. It is apparently up to us, the pet owners to take some action so that other pet owners, who may be unaware of this crime, don’t have to go through this devastating experience.

Here is how you can help. You can post this news article or even a note to the following social networking sites:

• Warn your friends on Facebook
• Tell your followers on Twitter
• Inform your Google +circles

Push the agencies that can do something to get involved by contacting the following organizations:

• The ASPCA
• The FDA

At minimum, inform your friends and fellow pet owners to be very careful on what they feed and check the recall lists.”

Let’s look at the INGREDIENT LIST (nasty stuff is highlighted):

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, water, meat and bone meal, propylene glycol, sugar, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, animal digest, potassium chloride, sorbic acid (a preservative), dried peas, dried carrots, calcium propionate (a preservative), choline chloride, l-Lysine monohydrochloride, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, red 40, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, yellow 6, yellow 5, Vitamin A supplement, blue 2, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, brewers dried yeast, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

Now let’s discuss why these ingredients are not good for your best friend.

GROUND YELLOW CORN: The primary ingredient in this food is a low quality  grain that is used as a filler.  It is a problematic grain that is difficult for dogs to digest and is a known cause of allergies and yeast infections.  We do not like to see this grain used in any dog good.

CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL:  The second ingredient has been rejected for use in human food and consists of heads, feet, bones, blood, undeveloped eggs, intestines, lungs, ligaments and feathers.  Basically the carcass of the dead chicken.

CORN GLUTEN MEAL:  The third ingredient is once again from corn.  Corn gluten meal, though natural, is what is left after anything that has any nutritional value has been stripped off.  Other than serving as a useless and nutritionally inept filler, corn gluten meal is used as a weed killer and was patented as such in 1991.  Do you want your dog eating weed killer?  I didn’t think so.

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR:  The number one cause of allergy problems in dogs and a contributing factor to canine obesity.

SOY FLOUR:  Considered a low-quality, incomplete protein well known to create food allergies in pets.

MEAT AND BONE MEAL:  A delicious (cough) blend of rendered meat and bone from the carcasses of chicken, turkey, cows and/or pigs.  Animals rendered may include “4-D” animals: dead, dying, diseased, disable.  Lovely.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL:  Added as a sweetener.  Used in antifreeze solutions, hydraulic fluids, and as a solvent.  Linked to cancer, developmental/productive issues and allergies. OH – and is most commonly found in human personal care products – apparently its and excellent penetration enhancer.  Yes, this is something your dog needs to be ingesting!  (GAG)

SUGAR:  Sugar in any form is simply unnecessary and adds empty calories.

ANIMAL DIGEST:  You probably really don’t want to know what this is – but here you go…Animal digest is a boiled concoction made from unspecified parts of unspecified animals. The animals used for this broth can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Ingredients can come from restaurant and supermarket garbage“4 D” animals raised for human food, other farm animals, rodents, pets euthanized at shelters, and so on.  The broth is sprayed onto otherwise bland kibble for flavoring and palatability.  Hands-down the grossest ingredient of them all.

RED40, YELLOW5/6, BLUE2:  Other than food coloring additives having no nutritional value whatsoever, they have been linked to cancer, allergies and hyperactivity.

To sum all this information up, if your dog is eating Purina Beneful he is getting inadequate meat content, by-products, low quality grains, soy, and artificial colorants.

So after reading this, if you are one of those dog owners that have been swayed by Purina Beneful’s fun, colorful, party-in-a-bag type packaging, then now is your chance to make a change – I repeat – NOW.  Please don’t wait until your baby has finished the bag, ditch the crap and get your best friend a food that will keep him healthy for years to come.  And if you wish to continue using this food, well then shame on you!

Next up – let’s take a look at Science Diet….

Please visit this page on our website for a list of recommended dog foods:  http://www.healthydogma.com/recommended-dog-foods/

Come visit our store at www.healthydogma.com to learn about more ways to make your pet healthier through our natural (and delicious!) products.

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Purina Beneful Dog or Puppy Food, 3.5 lb, BOGO $5.79

-$2/1 Purina Beneful Dog Food 4/29/2012 SS Insert

-$2/1 Purina Beneful Dry Dog Food, 3.5 lb+, TARGET coupon Target.com (exp 05/05/2012)

-$2/1 Purina Dog Food Publix Coupon

That means FREE Beneful at Publix with a manufacturer’s coupon and store coupon.

Mas

Sorry I haven’t been posting all my freebies I’m receiving. I’m so busy but I will get back to it. Just have to make a routine of it.

 Here’s what I received today in my mailbox.

• Knorr Homestyle Stock from Smiley360. You know what I’m going to be cooking next time I have off. If you haven’t join Smiley360 please check it out! I posted about it here.
• Samples of Purina Beneful Baked Delights dog treats.
• Sample of Zapzyt still available here.
• Sample of Metamucil from Walmart.com.

Did you get any freebies today?

For those of you that have dogs go here  and fill out a form to receive a free sample of Purina Beneful Baked Delights. Please allow 4 weeks for delivery.

Thanks Addicted to Saving!