Monday, October 5, 2009

PetAg: Not Recalling KMR but Don't Use It if It Smells "Off"

I posted the other day about a reported lab analysis of Esbilac (puppy milk replacer) made by PetAg. Today I see PetAg has put an "update" - not a recall - on their site regarding KMR (kitten milk replacer):
Recently, a limited number of KMR powder users have experienced product producing an off odor. Normally, the product exhibits a faint "milky" smell.

It has been determined that some packaged KMR powder may have been exposed to excessive heat outside the manufacturing process.

Do not use the product if it has an off odor.
They provide no geographical location or product code information about this "limited" problem. They want consumers to call them and provide that info. Not sure exactly what qualifies as "off" smelling. I know some people can't smell 6 wet dogs in a van so hopefully consumers will be able to define "off" sufficiently so no kittens get fed this powder, which PetAg doesn't tell us what problems might result if they did. Vagueness-as-usual.

4 comments:

mb. said...

this is why we stuck with DIAMOND during the whole dog-food debacle. They posted on their site there was tainted food MONTHS before any other vendor admitted it. They posted the serial numbers of the bags in question & our local seller took back mostly consumed bags with serial numbers NOT on the list & gave full cash or a new bag, as you wished.

Elizabeth said...

Now you have me worried. I'm currently fostering kittens who are mainly on kmr (a little wet food but barely). I also have a rather bad cold and can't smell a thing. These kittens are not thriving like the others i have bottlr fed. I wonder if this could be the reason. I'm heading over to pet ags website right now. They are getting a rude message, and maybe a minor threat.

As for diamond. They may have admitted their mistake but they have also been recalled more then once and killed several dogs. They were not only recalled in 2007 but 2005 aswell. I may have to check my facts but i believe there was a 2006 recall of them aswell. Diamond foods scare the hell out of me, as does Canidea as they are made in the same factory.

Then again pet foods get one chance with me. There is no reason to feed our (my) pets a food that has ever been recalled as there are several brands that have remained safe. Pro Pac and Earthborn Holistic (midwestern pet foods), Evo (natura), Natural Balance, and Solid Gold are a few i can think of off the top of my head.

Seventh Samurai said...

I'm fostering two kittens and had just bought another 28 oz. can of KMR powder. Unlike the last one from the same source, this can smells "off," and I'm scared. It's an odor that reminds me of plastic off-gassing; a stale chemical smell that's nothing like the other can. I'd fed the kittens with it because it was all I had, and I didn't know that others were reporting the same problem. Both little guys are now having gastro-intestinal issues. I'm calling PetAg and my supplier on Monday and trying to locate a fresh can of KMR today since changing their food will aggravate the G.I. trouble.

Ines said...

DO NOT USE IT. If it doesn't smell like powdered milk, but paint, chemical, plastic, stay away from it and call company for replacement and COMPLAIN. We fed mother cat to supplement her diet- with syringe, she got very sick- digestive problems.We did not even give her chance to refuse it.She almost died during the birth of her little ones, she lost 3 kittens, 4 survived. She was in labor for 18 hours a then had cesarean section. She developed high fever, got a shot of convenia- long term antibiotics, so supplementing with KMR sounded like a really good choice. She vomited, stopped eating.With all her issues it took us little time to figure out why she is sick with her stomach until she gagged at the sight of the milk. I tasted it myself. It is far from a food source.I did not pay much attention to the odor before I used it.I am so sorry. To help her out with kittens, we've tried to feed babies, but luckily they refused it. Thankfully mommy recovered, but I read online, that people lost whole litters using that chemical powder. I believe that expiration date is 2011. It was 28oz Powder KMR. My friend has it all written down. It is her kitty and I was helping her since I've lot of experience with fostering. Well, that was the last thing I would expect. Please, spread the word.