UPC Codes on Science Diet M/d to watch out for:

5 Lbs. bag: 5274242770
10 Lbs. bag: 5274242790

ALL lot numbers carrying the above UPC codes for Science Diet M/d are suspect and to be returned.

Pet Food Recall
Updated March 27, 2007 11:45 a.m.

On Monday, March 26th, The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) issued a list of Frequently Asked Questions on the AVMA website written by the Animal Medical Center. In their opinion, ANY pet foods not on the recall list were safe for pets to consume.

Separate news reports issued on Tuesday, March 27th indicated that The New York Sate Food Laboratory and Cornell University were testing individual food components and are still working to confirm that the chemical aminopterin was the sole toxin.

For those individuals who would prefer to feed their pet a food from a company unaffiliated with Menu Foods, we have provided the list below. For more information about the recall from the AVMA and Animal Medical Center please visit:

http://www.avma.org/aa/menufoodsrecall/faq_nyamc.asp

Please note that MENU FOODS’ RECALL LIST HAS EXPANDED ITS RECALLED FOOD DATES. Rather than recall certain varieties of pet foods produced between December and March, Menu Foods is asking that all pet foods on the recall list be pulled, regardless of the date.

The following food companies have indicated by phone or on their website that NONE of their foods have been impacted by the Menu Foods recall. We will be following this story and updating the list daily.

Animal Food Services
1-800-743-0322
http://www.animalfood.com

Del Monte Foods
Makers of
9lives, Meow Mix, Nature’s Recipe, Gravy Train, Cycle, Reward, Kibbles n Bits
http://www.9lives.com

Diamond Pet Foods
http://www.diamondpet.com
Makers of Diamand Pet Foods and Chicken Soup for the Dog/Cat Lover’s Soul pet foods.

Evanger’s Dog and Cat Food Co., Inc.
1-800-288-6796
http://www.evangersdogfood.com

Evolution Diet, Inc.
1-800-659-0104
http://www.petfoodshop.com

Halo, Purely for Pets
1-800-426-4256
http://www.halopets.com

Holistic Blend
1-800-954-1117
http://www.holisticblend.com

Know Better Dog Food
1-866-922-6463
http://www.knowbetterdogfood.com

Kumpi Pet Foods
303-699-8562
http://www.kumpi.com

Life’s Abundance
877-387-4564
HealthyPetNet.com

Mars Pet Foods
Makers of Pedigree, Cesar, Goodlife, Sheba and Temptations
http://www.mars.com

Merrick Pet Foods
1.800.664.7387
http://www.merrickpetcare.com

Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.
1-800-829-4493
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com

Natural Life Pet Products, Inc.
1-800-367-2391
http://www.nlpp.com

Nature’s Variety
1-888-519-7387
http://www.naturesvariety.com

Newman’s Own Organics
http://www.newmansownorganics.com

Old Mother Hubbard
1-800-225-0904
http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/

PetGuard
1-800-874-3221
904-264-8500
http://www.petguard.com

Solid Gold Pet Food
800-364-4863
http://www.solidgoldhealth.com

Spot’s Stew
(See Halo, Purely for Pets)

Stella & Chewy’s LLC
718-522-9673
http://www.stellaandchewys.com

Veterinary Nutritional Formula
1-800-811-0530
http://www.vnfpetfood.com

Wellness Pet Food
1-800-225-0904
http://www.omhpet.com/wellness/

Wow Bow Distributors
(800) 326-0230 (800

Wysong Professional Diets
1-800-748-0188
http://www.wysong.net

> Those concerned may want to bring this information to their veterinarians:
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> PET FOOD RECALL: UPDATED INFORMATION FOR VETERINARIANS
>
> LAKEWOOD, Colo. - In response to the recent national pet food recall, the
> American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) has collected the
> following information for veterinarians in regards to the treatment of
> animals that have ingested the recalled food.
>
> * On Friday, March 23, 2007 a press release from the New York State
> Department of Agriculture and Markets (www.agmkt.state.ny.us/release)
> stated
> that the New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker and
> Cornell
> University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Donald F. Smith announced
> that scientists at the New York State Food Laboratory identified
> Aminopterin
> as a toxin present in cat food samples from Menu Foods, the manufacturer
> of
> the many brands of dog and cat food that are currently the subject of a
> nationwide recall.
>
> * The Food Laboratory received the pet food samples from a
> toxicologist
> at the New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell
> University,
> where testing has been underway to try to identify the cause of kidney
> failure in dogs and cats that consumed the recalled brands of pet food. At
> Cornell’s request, the Food Laboratory tested the samples for poisons and
> toxins, and identified Aminopterin in the pet food samples at a level of
> at
> least 40 parts per million.
>
> * Aminopterin is a folic acid inhibitor found in some rodenticides
> available outside the USA. It is not available in the US as a rodenticide.
> Aminopterin is a 4-amino analog of folic acid. It was originally used as
> an
> antineoplastic agent in the late 1940’s but has been superseded by
> methotrexate, a related but less toxic folic acid analog. At high doses,
> methotrexate results in acute renal failure and crystalluria due to
> desposition of 7-hydroxymethotrexate in the renal tubules. Aminopterin
> toxicity is thought to be similar and dose dependent.
>
> * These findings and any relationship to recent pet deaths have not
> been
> confirmed by the Food and Drug Administration. An announcement from the
> FDA
> is forthcoming. We need to be cautious as the finding of Aminopterin is
> significant but there could be other compounds yet unknown in the diet as
> well.
>
> * Recommendations for testing animals have essentially not changed.
> There is no blood test available for Aminopterin. Pets that have eaten the
> recalled food whether showing signs of illness (lethargy, vomiting,
> diarrhea, anorexia, etc) or asymptomatic should be seen by their
> veterinarian and have a complete blood count, biochemistry panel and
> urinalysis performed. Additional testing may include assessment for
> significant proteinuria, urine culture, imaging, etc.
>
> * Treatment recommendations have not changed. According to Dr. Richard
> E
> Goldstein DVM DACVIM DECVIM-CA, Associate Professor of Medicine at Cornell
> University, azotemic pets should be treated with fluids to promote
> hydration, and diuresis in order to dissolve and flush out crystals from
> the
> tubules. Aminopterin produces crystals within the renal tubules that are
> most soluble in an acidic urine pH thus a target urine pH above 7
> (achieved
> with fluid therapy and alkalinizing agents including sodium bicarbonate)
> might be beneficial in managing these patients. Several medications such
> as
> antioxidants and folic acid may be administered but their true beneficial
> affects are unproven when given long after the initial exposure to the
> toxin.
>
> * Bone-marrow suppression is a concern with any folic acid inhibiting
> agent and a complete blood cell count should be monitored in these
> patients
> as well as renal function.
>
> * If a patient with anuric or oliguric acute renal failure is not
> responding to appropriate therapy, veterinarians should promptly consider
> contacting a small animal internist with the American College of
> Veterinary
> Internal Medicine (www.ACVIM.org) in their local community for case
> consultation and possible referral. Hemodialysis can be utilized for
> severely affected patients and is available at a limited number of
> veterinary teaching hospitals.
>
> * Duration of treatment in patients which may have renal failure due
> to
> ingestion of the recalled food is unknown at this time and obviously will
> vary between patients. Long term effects on renal function are unknown but
> based on limited experience to date, at least partial renal recovery is
> anticipated. Patients succumbing to illness should be necropsied and
> tissues
> saved in formalin for histopathology to determine cause of death.
>
> * Samples for histopathology can be submitted to The Iowa State
> University Veterinary Diagnostic laboratory (www.vdpam.iastate.edu) or The
> Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) at Cornell University
> (www.diag.center.vetcornell.edu).
>
> * Samples of the recalled food should be held for possible analysis.
> Opened food should be disposed of so there is no chance of further
> consumption. Pet owners can contact the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
> Consumer Complaint Coordinator at:
> http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.
>
> * The FDA has provided the following case definition for field
> investigation/cases: veterinary-documented renal failure, necropsy results
> if animal died, food consumed within 1 week of death (illness), and
> intact,
> unopened cans of the food. If veterinarians suspect that a case meets this
> general case definition, FDA has requested that you contact them at the
> following e-mail address: http://www.emergency.operations@fda.hhs.gov
>
> * Please continue to advise that your clients consult
> http://www.menufoods.com/recall for a list of the recalled food. They should stop
> feeding the food immediately.
>
> * Also consult http://www.avma.org for the most up-to-date information.
>
> ACVIM is the national certifying organization for veterinary specialists
> in
> large and small animal internal medicine, cardiology, neurology and
> oncology. Established in 1973, ACVIM’s purpose is to advance the knowledge
> of animal health and diseases, and to foster the continued development of
> specialty veterinary care. To find an ACVIM Specialist in your area,
> please
> visit http://www.ACVIM.org.
>
> Prepared by Sandy Willis DVM DACVIM
> ACVIM Communications Committee Chair
> http://www.ACVIM.org
>
>
>
> Linda Pollack Mercer, M.D.
> President & Rescue Coordinator
> CFA Purebred Rescue, Inc., http://cfapurebredrescue.org (501c3)
> D/B/A Purebred Cat Breed Rescue, http://PurebredCats.org
> Member, TICA Rescue Committee
> Director, Operation Noble Foster, http://www.OperationNobleFoster.org
> Moderator & Owner, The Persian Rescue Email list:
> http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Persian_Rescue/
> Phone (rescue emergencies only please): (888) 303-9454 [toll free]
> Email: (@purebredcats.org)
>

Menu Foods Income Fund

TSX:

MEW.UN

INDUSTRY:

Financial Services - Personal Finance, Retail - Consumer Interest

MARCH 24, 2007 - 14:09 ET

Menu Foods Initiates Market Withdrawal of All Varieties of Recalled Wet Pet Food to Ensure Consumer Protection

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(CCNMatthews - March 24, 2007) - As a result of reports from the FDA and various media outlets that some recalled lots of “cuts and gravy” style wet pet food remain on store shelves, Menu Foods has asked all retail outlets to immediately remove all impacted varieties of wet pet food posted at http://www.menufoods.com , regardless of the date code.

Menu Foods remains concerned that consumers are able to purchase recalled items.

There is no known risk from items not listed on the recall list but an abundance of caution is called for in this situation. FDA has been apprised of this action.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/22/pet.food.recall/index.html

Recalled cat foods
Americas Choice, Preferred Pets; Authority; Best Choice; Companion; Compliments; Demoulas Market Basket; Eukanuba; Fine Feline Cat; Food Lion; Foodtown; Giant Companion; Hannaford; Hill Country Fare; Hy-Vee; Iams; Laura Lynn; Li’l Red; Loving Meals; Meijer’s Main Choice; Nutriplan; Nutro Max Gourmet Classics; Nutro Natural Choice; Paws; Pet Pride; Presidents Choice; Price Chopper; Priority US; Save-A-Lot Special Blend; Schnucks; Science Diet Feline Savory Cuts Cans; Sophistacat; Special Kitty Canada; Special Kitty US; Springfield Prize; Sprout; Stop & Shop Companion; Tops Companion; Wegmans; Weis Total Pet; Western Family US; White Rose; and Winn Dixie.

Recalled dog foods
America’s Choice, Preferred Pets; Authority; Award; Best Choice; Big Bet; Big Red; Bloom; Cadillac; Companion; Demoulas Market Basket; Eukanuba; Food Lion; Giant Companion; Great Choice; Hannaford; Hill Country Fare; Hy-Vee; Iams; Laura Lynn; Loving Meals; Meijer’s Main Choice; Mighty Dog Pouch; Mixables; Nutriplan; Nutro Max; Nutro Natural Choice; Nutro Ultra; Nutro; Ol’Roy Canada; Ol’Roy US; Paws; Pet Essentials; Pet Pride - Good n Meaty; Presidents Choice; Price Chopper; Priority Canada; Priority US; Publix; Roche Brothers; Save-A-Lot Choice Morsels; Schnucks; Springfield Prize; Sprout; Stater Brothers; Stop & Shop Companion; Tops Companion; Wegmans Bruiser; Weis Total Pet; Western Family US; White Rose; Winn Dixie; and Your Pet.

On March 16, Menu Foods, a manufacturer of pet foods, announced that it was recalling millions of cans and foil pouches of wet dog and cat food.
This recent nationwide pet food recall does not include any Mars Petcare US pet food products. All of our brands, including PEDIGREE food for dogs, CESAR canine cuisine, THE GOODLIFE RECIPE™ food for cats and dogs, WHISKAS and SHEBA food for cats, are safe for pets to enjoy.
The safety and nutritional quality of our pet food is our top priority because for many people, their pets are their top priorities.
For details on the recall, contact Menu Foods at 1-866-895-2708 or visit the company’s web site at: http://www.menufoods.com/recall.

Yours truly,
Mars Petcare US

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