Pet Food Recalled

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(CNN) -- One of the nation's largest dog food producers has recalled some of

its products in 22 states after receiving reports that they caused death and

illness, a company executive said Thursday.

In a letter to thousands of its suppliers, Diamond Pet Food announced it found

aflatoxin in products made at its Gaston, South Carolina, plant, said Chief

Operating Officer Mark Brinkmann.

Products made at the Gaston facility are shipped to Alabama, Connecticut,

Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,

Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Vermont

and Virginia.

Five cat food products and 14 dog food products were recalled. (View recall

information)

Aflatoxin is a poisonous substance produced by fungi that grow on grains,

including corn.

Brinkmann said he wasn't sure how many animals fell ill from the toxin, but

the 22 states' veterinarian's offices reported a total of 17 deaths and 24

illnesses believed linked to the tainted pet food.

Investigators were at the South Carolina plant Thursday trying to determine

when the contamination began, state Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers said.

" We were pulling samples yesterday and this morning, " he said.

In its recall announcement, Diamond states that its in-house analysis has

determined that " shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December

1. "

Symptoms that an animal may have ingested aflatoxin include yellowing of the

whites of the eyes or gums, bloody vomiting or stools, lethargy, loss of

appetite and increased water consumption.

Since other illnesses can cause the same symptoms, it is important for a

veterinarian to check any suspected cases, experts said.

Brinkmann said the company was alerted to the problem last Friday by a

veterinarian in New York state, who said he had seen three dogs that were

exhibiting symptoms associated with liver disease.

" They were all three on one of our foods, " Brinkmann said.

The company issued the recall Wednesday for foods containing corn produced at

the South Carolina plant between September 1 and December 10.

The suspect items are marked with " best by " date codes of between March 1 and

June 10, 2007. They contain an 11th or 12th digit, " G, " signifying the Gaston

facility.

The plant routinely takes samples of each half hour of production and is

sending those samples to laboratories as part of an investigation into how the

contamination occurred, Brinkmann said.

He urged consumers to check any product they may have before feeding it to

their pets.

Diamond Pet Food, a family-owned company, is based in Meta, Missouri, outside

Jefferson City.

 

 

 

 

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