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Nutro Pet Foods

Deneen of Edmonton, AB January 9, 2010

I purchased Nutro Natural Choice for Seniors dog food on Oct 16/09. (Product Code 79100511605). In early November, my dog started vomitting bile. I thought it was due to one of my kids feeding her something from the table or from my dog missing either her morning or evening meal of dog food. In early Dec she started throwing up her entire food that she consumed. I booked a vet appoint on my day off and later cancelled it as she did not vomit over the last 4-5 days and keeping everything down. During this time as well, she started getting into the bathroom garbages and eating/tearing apart the tissues, but I thought it was an attention thing (even though it was totally out of character for her) as I just started working. I noticed a drastic change on Christmas Eve, as she was very withdrawn and seemed antsy.

I gave her a bath which seemed to settle her down but at that time is when I noticed how much weight she had lost. She was previously 4.5-5 pounds overweight, so I never really noticed the change over the last couple of months as she seemed to be at a fit weight once again. I rushed her into the emergency vet on Dec 26 as she was very lathargic, not eating and not drinking.

From Oct to now she had lost 10 pounds weighing in at 14.5 pounds. The vet had noticed that she had an infection in her anal glands at this time, squeezed them out for comfort and gave me medication for anti-vomitting, tylenol and an antibiotic for her infection. She noted that this would not cause the vomitting she was experiencing though. I decided to decline on the bloodwork at this time, as I was going to take her to my family vet the next morning to get bloodwork done there to find out if there was something else ailing her. I did not get a chance to do that though as she passed away at 5:00 the next morning at home. Just last week I gave my dog food to a friend of mine who as well has a senior dog as I did not want to see the food/expense go to waste. Within 2 days of feeding my dogfood to her family dog, her dog was vomitting. She thought that maybe he was adjusting from switching dogfood brands.

Over the last 4 days the vomitting is still persisting. She now has taken her dog off the food. That is today, so hopefully her dog will recover if it is from the food. After searching through the net, is when I have now realized that there has been a lot of issues with the food. Can anything be done as far as analyzing this dog food to find out if it was poisoning my dog and if so, what can be done about taking it off the shelves before more pets take ill or die and to make the company accoutable? Can you pls advise me what the process is to find anything out regarding this?

Sonia of Weston, FL January 9, 2010

My dog has not been behaving the way he just to do, he was a very active dog, and was a little finicky about eating but he eat normal, a few months ago we noticed that he devoured his food like I've never seen him before, also he's has been drinking very large amounts of water,and he just lays down all the time now, like he has no energy, his belly got huge and we had no idea what was going on, until I saw a recall article on the "Nutro Pet Food" then I realized that that may be the answer to our dog problem. I feel so bad by choosing that particular brand, but I thought I was doing the right thing.

Glenda of Paducah, KY January 4, 2010

My dog had been eating Nutro brand dog food. She had been relatively healthy, but started to have (what were diagnosed as) bacterial infections where she would vomit and have diarrhea. On 12/17/09, my dog was extremely lethargic. I had to practically carry her to the car, and had to lift her onto the front floorboard. Normally, she would jump up into the back seat, happy to go for a ride. i got her to the vet. She was dying. Her kidneys had shut down and her heart was failing. She was diagnosed as being poisioned.

Loretta of Atascadero, CA January 1, 2010

I fed my Maine Coon cat Nutro Natural Choice for years--no problem-he liked it and seemed to be very healthy. I had put him on the senior formula just before they had the recall. I was told the senior diet was not part of the recall and not to worry. Then all of a sudden they'd changed their packaging and I was told the formula had changed. They gave me a lot of coupons to use on my Nutro purchases.

I noticed right away when I started feeding him the new formula that my cat began to wolf down the new food. He'd just stand there and gobble it like a large dog gobbles their food. He could eat enough often enough. This is very unusual for my cat--he nibbles--he doesn't gobble and gulp. The eating habit continued until he'd become grossly obease and so constipated I thought I'd have to take him to the vet to get his plumbing going again.

So I bought a vegetable based hair ball rememdy to get his digestive tract working again--it took a couple very large doses. His fur had begun to look really ratty while he was on the New Nutro diet. I changed his diet to another brand and have been monitoring him. He's eating normally now--being picky and nibbling.

He is no longer constipated (before--on the new formula Nutro--he had dry stools protruding from his anus and he could not pass them). His hair had gotten dry and was falling out while on the Nutro food. Now that he's on another brand he's beginning to look better. His fur is not so patchy--it is glossier. No more constipation. Over all he's much healthier.

The economic impact is that I had to throw out a 30 bag of food. I had to purchase a 15 tube of vegetable laxative/furball rememdy to get his digestive tract moving. I had to pay for one vet visit at 70 to find out if he had a tumor in his abdomen--I'd had a cat several years ago that looked like this and it was due to a tumor. The vet says there is no tumor in this cat. Just too much fat and way too constipated.

renee of panama city beach, FL January 1, 2010

My 4 yr.old chichuachua all of a sudden got sick and on the second day (today) dec.31,2009 has had bloody stools and lethargic. won't eat, No vet's are open due to the holiday and after searching on the internet for any help with my situation I came acroos the nutro recall. That would explain her condition. She had not ate anything different or been outside to get into anything. I can only hope she pulls through this for this dog means the world to me. I did notify the nutro company with complaint about her condition, and let them know if she dies their will be an FDA investigation and autopsy to confirm my horror! I will be writing on the comment space to let you know in the next day or so what will happen to my Precious Daisy!

Connie of Omaha, NE December 31, 2009

Our beloved four year old boxer died 2 weeks ago of acute renal failure. We fed him the Nutro Lamb & Rice. He was a very healthy, energetic, beautiful dog and 3 days later he was dead, just like Elizabeth's story. We are still devastated. Was thinking about contacting Nutro direct after we hear from Petsmart if they can trace the lot # on the bag of food we bought. We still have plenty of food and were thinking of sending to independent lab for testing.

Elizabeth of Sunny Isles Beach, FL December 31, 2009

Our beloved 5 months puppy named "BICHO" died 2 weeks ago of renal/kidney failure. He was very healthy and playful and suddenly he was feeling lethargyc and start vomiting his dry puppy food. Inmediately took him to the "Emergency Animal Hospital" and 3 days later he died!

He was the most precious little puppy my son bought for himself for Christmas! He spend 1,200. After loosing our 16 year old dog 8 years ago was not an easy thing to bring a puppy to our house but we adapt perfectly because he was the most adorable, cute, well behave and everything we want in a new dog. He was our baby and we adore him!!! My son spent almost another 1,200 to cover the emergency expenses and hospitalizacion at St Francis Animal Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Florida. We are devastated for his unexpected death. We have al records and receipts of all the costs involved.

Pamela of Berwick, PA December 26, 2009

My cat has been very ill for quite some time now. Has been being treated at a vets for many months. All antibiotics perscribed did nothing. I was doing research online for cat vomiting and found the recalled cat food online, The product was familiar to me because that is what i had been feeding my cat when she became ill. Cat was eating nutro complete care ocean fish cat food. I have not contacted the company as of yet. But I am searching for independent labs to test this food for the high levels of zinc. The date on the bag is aug 2009. I'm guessing that company had alot more contaminated food then they admitted to. I have a feeling they are responsible for the sickness and deaths of far more animals than detected. I'm totally disgusted with the guide lines our pet food is allowed. I contacted cbs with this complaint because they are the ones that reported the recall last year.

Mary of boston, MA December 22, 2009

My black lab was recently diagnosed with "Mega Esophagus" a disease where his esophagus bascially stopped working. He was hospitalized, had pneumonia because undigested food got into his lungs and after a week in the ER and a nearly 4,000 vet bill, and doses of auto immune drugs to keep the condition somewhat under control--he is okay. The disease seemed to get better after taking him off the Nutro food--and the only reason I changed his food is because he needs to eat "soft" food so it moves down his digestive track easier. But the vet is not sure exactly what caused it. Have you gotten any reports of esphagus disorders related to NUTRO brand dog food? I've fed them "NUTRO LIGHT" "NUTRO LAMB AND RICE" and "NUTRO SENIOR".

Milton of Coral Gables, FL December 19, 2009

I have had my dog for 7 years and he has always maintained perfect health; that is until we started feeding him Nutro lamb and rice dry dog food and soon after the switch our dog (Happy) became sick. We took him to the Vet which cost us over 400 in tests. Temporarily we started giving Happy a low protein food from Hills (Prescription Diet W/D). Happy got better. At this point we had not attributed Happy’s illness to the food, after all Nutro is supposed to be high quality dog food; therefore we started giving him Nutro again. Immediately thereafter Happy started vomiting everyday. At this point we put two and two together and switched him to Eukanuba (the one with ocean fish) and from that day to the present day Happy has been fine. There is no doubt in my mind that it was the Nutro food that was making Happy sick.

This is not to blame the dog food company because it could just be that Happy reacts badly to one of the ingredients used in the formula; however, one has to wonder after reading of so many similar stories on the web concerning the Nutro. And how many more untold stories must be out there. I don’t usually write on these forums, but thought that if this contribution could just help one pet owner then it would worth it. I used to be a loyal Nutro customer, but never again will I make that mistake. I am not a Vet and have no vested interest in pet food companies, I am just a dog owner who went through the experience above. If you are experiencing similar situation with your pet you may want to consider switching dog food right away. Don’t wait like I did. I regret that my dog went ill unnecessarily as long as he did because I didn’t switch sooner.

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