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Australian Pet Owners Group

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25.01.2022 RECALL - Hills Science / Prescription Diet Hills have extended the recall regarding excessive Vitamin D which can lead to severe health issues and kidney dysfunction. Symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite, drooling, increased thirst, increased urination, and weight loss. See image for updated recall list as of 20th March 2019.... Australian canine wet products affected. Please check. Recall info - https://www.hillspet.com.au/productlist

25.01.2022 RECALL: Black Hawk Dog Food ISSUE: Mould Black Hawk Adult Chicken and Rice (3kg, 10kg and 20kg) Black Hawk Adult Lamb and Rice (3kg and 20kg)... Black Hawk Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice (20kg only) Black Hawk Puppy Large Breed Chicken and Rice (20kg only) Manufactured between August and November 2019. View MasterPet website for affected best before dates - http://masterpet.com/black-hawk-voluntary-recall-january-2/

23.01.2022 University of Sydney's Dr Richard Malik expressed a concern at the Senate hearing last week about cat food brand Ultimates fish-based recipes containing a high level of Vitamin D which can lead to hypercalcemia if fed exclusively. To keep this in context, Malik's concern wasn't specific to Ultimates per se, but to the risks of exclusive feeding of any limited, unvaried diet, commercial product, or otherwise. Many health issues in pets over the past years stem from our belief ...a cat or dog should be fed the same food all the time. Megaesophagus, dilated cardiomyopathy (heart disease), thiamine deficiency (such as from sulphite preservatives), allergies, intolerances, and other conditions, all relate to exclusive feeding of a limited, unvaried diet. Richard Malik states Ultimates has been "shown to have high levels of Vitamin D, and if your pet were to be fed exclusively it could get hypercalcemia and die as a result". He goes on to state "Variety is a good thing in what we eat". Us humans vary our diets. Occasionally we will consume something which is bad for us, but due to our varied diets these nasties get diluted and rarely cause us harm. We need to learn from this and realise that feeding our pets the same diet continuously can, and does, lead to harm. Pet food manufacturers attempt to formulate a product to contain all required nutrients within every kilo of product from what we currently know and believe about pet nutrition. They also have to work within tight budget constraints to ensure a successful product (and profit), which means they have to produce that nutrient profile in the cheapest way possible. If that doesn't entail enough risk, they also want you to feed their product continuously to ensure they make a continuous profit. This is the reason we are led to believe our pets should be fed their "complete and balanced" diets continuously or else their health will suffer. Dr Richard Malik is one of the world's most respected feline veterinarians.

22.01.2022 We have received a report of two dogs becoming very sick soon after eating the Fresh Pet Food Co Kangaroo Meaty Bones product available at supermarkets. Symptoms: Sickness, diarrhea, dehydration. One dog was admitted to the vet on Tuesday where she has remained all week. The other dog has suffered the same symptoms to a lesser degree.... We have discussed with the owner and it seems likely this product was the cause. Batch: 17/12/19 If you have had any issues with any of the Fresh Pet Food Co products then please let us know.

22.01.2022 Warning We are investigating a number of consumer issues related to Ivory Coat. Moderate to severe reactions including vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, lethargy, and dehydration. We are also investigating the death of a dog. It is inconclusive whether the product was the direct cause of death, but the product was subsequently fed at a later date to another family dog who suffered similar symptoms.... If you have had issues with an Ivory Coat product please let us know. Manufacturer The Real Pet Food Company have been notified.

21.01.2022 Pedigree and Whiskas removed from shelves of Coles and Woolworths, but still available in other stores. UPDATE: A union official has stated the reason to be a price dispute following an increase in product price from Mars Petcare. Report sourced from 3BA 102.3 FM, Ballarat VIC - https://www.3ba.com.au//local-news/86416-pet-food-pulled-f... Mars Petcare Australia

21.01.2022 We are investigating a potential link between Coles brand Pups in the Pantry Peamutt Butter Scrolls and Fanconi Syndrome, a type of kidney disease long associated with Chinese-made rawhide treats. We advise not to feed any treats sourced from China, listed as either "Product of China" or "Product of PRC". There have been thousands of cases worldwide regarding pet treats imported from China, and numerous warnings by government organisations, the FDA, and the RSPCA.... If you have had any issues with this product or others please get in touch.

20.01.2022 "Bloody diarrhea" is not something you want your dog to suffer from a pet food, especially one named "LUCKY DOG". I wouldnt call bloody diarrhea lucky, would y...ou? This is what happened to the Spoodle of one concerned consumer I spoke with today. Having introduced LUCKY DOG to the diet he was subsequently very sick, vomiting through the night, leading to bloody diarrhea. Read on to understand why this product and others like it could be very damaging to the health of your pet :- The food (with added FOOD COLOURING ) is advertised "with real meat", but truth is undisclosed "CEREAL" and "VEGETABLE BY-PRODUCTS" are what the product is mostly made of. Trust me, you dont want to be feeding your pet by-products/wastage of cereals or vegetables. Yes, theres some kind of meat and meat by-products, but dont be fooled into thinking theyre (a) quality or (b) significant. The product is well below par in protein and fat, and in turn high in carbs/sugars (mostly from hard to digest ambiguous cereal by-products). The anti-oxidants arent listed as natural, so its anyones guess what CHEMICALS are used to preserve whatever rancid ingredients the product could be made of. What do you think "natural flavours" would be? That doesnt sound in any way descriptive, and you could argue FAECES is a natural flavour . LUCKY DOG... or "UNLUCKY DOG"... theres no wonder maker Purina (Nestle) is swamped in lawsuits across the world from owners of sick and dead dogs (google "Purina Beneful" for a start, another product to grace our shelves). Thankfully the owner of the Spoodle removed the food from the diet immediately, and the dog subsequently recovered. https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog/lucky-dog-purina/

19.01.2022 VitaPet Beef Spare Rib treats Incidents have occurred from these dried bone treats becoming sharp or brittle when chewed.

19.01.2022 Dog treats baited with hooks found on Sydneys coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee.

19.01.2022 Please note the Fresh Pet Food Co Pet Mince product available in Coles, Woolworths, and IGA contains E number E223. This sulphite preservative/chemical has shown to reduce vitamin content in a food, a cause of intolerance, and difficult to metabolise by animals with impaired kidney function. We also note the product is comprised of kangaroo and "other meats", which makes the meat content of the food dubious. We recommend avoiding any pet mince products that contain sulphite p...reservatives. Fresh Pet Food Co offer similar products which do not use sulphite preservatives. PFR review - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//fresh-pet-food-co-pets/

19.01.2022 University of Sydneys Dr Richard Malik expressed a concern at the Senate hearing last week about cat food brand Ultimates fish-based recipes containing a high level of Vitamin D which can lead to hypercalcemia if fed exclusively. To keep this in context, Maliks concern wasnt specific to Ultimates per se, but to the risks of exclusive feeding of any limited, unvaried diet, commercial product, or otherwise. Many health issues in pets over the past years stem from our belief ...a cat or dog should be fed the same food all the time. Megaesophagus, dilated cardiomyopathy (heart disease), thiamine deficiency (such as from sulphite preservatives), allergies, intolerances, and other conditions, all relate to exclusive feeding of a limited, unvaried diet. Richard Malik states Ultimates has been "shown to have high levels of Vitamin D, and if your pet were to be fed exclusively it could get hypercalcemia and die as a result". He goes on to state "Variety is a good thing in what we eat". Us humans vary our diets. Occasionally we will consume something which is bad for us, but due to our varied diets these nasties get diluted and rarely cause us harm. We need to learn from this and realise that feeding our pets the same diet continuously can, and does, lead to harm. Pet food manufacturers attempt to formulate a product to contain all required nutrients within every kilo of product from what we currently know and believe about pet nutrition. They also have to work within tight budget constraints to ensure a successful product (and profit), which means they have to produce that nutrient profile in the cheapest way possible. If that doesnt entail enough risk, they also want you to feed their product continuously to ensure they make a continuous profit. This is the reason we are led to believe our pets should be fed their "complete and balanced" diets continuously or else their health will suffer. Dr Richard Malik is one of the worlds most respected feline veterinarians.

19.01.2022 Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) have issued a recall for Charlesworth Nuts Products which may contain metal fragments. Note: This is not pet food, but it is a very good example of what we hope to achieve within the pet food industry. Issues with foreign matter in pet food occur regularly, without any requirement by the manufacturers to instigate a recall or even alert consumers. Simply put, at the current time they can turn a blind eye or completely ignore issues... which may affect the health and wellbeing of our pets. The alert for the Charlesworth Nuts products is as follows: Problem: The recall is due to the presence of foreign matter (metal fragments). The cause is being investigated and there is no evidence of a deliberate act. Food safety hazard: Food products containing metal fragments may cause injury if consumed. Country of origin: Australia What to do: Consumers should not eat these products and should return the products to the place of purchase for a full refund. For further information please contact: Charlesworth Nuts (08) 8296 8366 FSANZ recall page: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au//Pa/Charlesworth-Nuts.aspx

18.01.2022 37 mistreated animals seized in QLD raid of Rescue group Storybook Farm Animal Sanctuary. L J Cameron (pictured) who runs the rescue used a social media front to deceive people into believing the animals were being cared for. They werent. Photos of the raid by RSPCA Queensland show the heartbreaking truth. The animals are now being treated by the RSPCA veterinary team. https://www.rspcaqld.org.au//storybrook-farm-sacred-animal

18.01.2022 Recall of Hills Prescription & Science Diet wet food launched due to potential high levels of vitamin D which can cause severe sickness. Affected wet dog food products pictured. More information - https://www.hillspet.com.au/productlist

17.01.2022 Do we feed our pets a really bad diet? Yes, we do... Bone to Pick is an upcoming documentary which exposes some of the truths behind pet food. Have a watch of the trailer.

17.01.2022 Stones found in Nature's Gift Gourmet Chicken wet food. Consumer has reported two small hard objects in a tray of the Chicken flavour wet food, describing the objects to be rocks.

15.01.2022 WARNING: Puppy Training Pads bought from eBay. It's apparent from the post below these pads can be harmful if chewed and ingested (and puppies love to chew anything with stuffing). Please be very careful if you use products such as this.

15.01.2022 We trust our vets. When a vet endorses a pet food, particularly a respected celebrity vet, you would believe the food is good, healthy, and safe for your pet. What if it wasnt?... Enter Dr Robert Zammit BVSc from A Country Practice, Burkes Backyard, and 2GB. Why would Dr Zammit, someone who should know better, endorse a product with a huge list of consumer complaints of violently sick or dead dogs? Yes, Woolworths Baxters. Even if we ignore the sick dogs, dead dogs, and heartbroken families, the Baxters products are made from ingredients such as ambiguous meat and meat by-products, cereals, cereal by-products, with allergens listed as cereals, preservatives (chemical?), and wheat, for as cheap as $2/kilo. It takes little understanding of canine nutrition to realise how unhealthy that may be to our pets. How can that offer the veterinary profession any credibility? Dr Zammit was contacted for his thoughts. No response. Pet Food Reviews - Australia has maintained a list of consumer complaints - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//woolworths-baxters-sic/ Woolworths Vineyard Veterinary Hospital

14.01.2022 My Dog have issued a recall of a specific batch of Beef & Liver 100g 12 packs due to a possible plastic issue. Please check the batch number in the following post if you feed this product. Thank you My Dog for informing us of the recall.

14.01.2022 Woolworths Baxters If hundreds of sick and dead dogs isnt bad enough, a metal shard has been found in one of the rolls. The lady who found the shard has ...described it as sharp. She believes the metal to be aluminium. This incident merely adds to the hundreds of Baxters-related issues listed here https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//woolworths-baxters-sic/ Woolworths have been aware of the ongoing problems and continue to sell the products. Why? Because of this and because there are no regulations which prevent them from doing so. Weve been urging people for years to stop feeding these products. Please stop feeding them #teambaxters #saveourpets Woolworths

14.01.2022 Report of mould in VIP Chunkers Lamb dog food. Please use caution as mould can cause sickness. Best before date on affected product: 07/11/2019.

13.01.2022 Hard plastic in ZiwiPeak - please use caution and check before feeding. BB 05 2020 BATCH 22046. ZiwiPeak have addressed what seems to be a very isolated issue. They have stated the plastic is from a damaged plastic tray scraper (used to remove air dried meat from the tray). These scrapers have now been replaced with metal scrapers to prevent further incident.... Recommend action: Use caution and check food before feeding. Plastic is green and easy to see. If you find plastic please contact us and Ziwi Pets

13.01.2022 A 10 month old puppy was left fighting for his life after a chunk of plastic from a BIG W dog toy lodged in his stomach and had to be surgically removed. The owner, a personal friend, was left with a $3,500 bill for the operation. They said it was "touch and go", and the family were distraught. The toy, costing a mere $5 was destroyed within minutes. Shortly afterwards the puppy began to vomit pieces of rope from the toy. On taking the puppy to the vet they found he had consu...med a sizeable chunk of plastic. Sadly it is often assumed these toys are safe for our pets. People believe "If they werent safe, they wouldnt be sold", which is a gross oversight in an industry with very little regulation. There are no assurances these products are safe, or need to be safe, and the retailer will rarely show any accountability when products such as this cause harm. The real cost of the pet toy in this instance was $3505. This doesnt account for the emotional cost of having a much loved family pet fighting for his life. Please, when choosing toys for your pet take precautions and ensure theyre safe. Many cheap toys can be destroyed and devoured within minutes, and may cause harm even under supervision.

12.01.2022 WARNING: Puppy Training Pads bought from eBay. Its apparent from the post below these pads can be harmful if chewed and ingested (and puppies love to chew anything with stuffing). Please be very careful if you use products such as this.

12.01.2022 Pet Food Industry Association of Australia Exec Manager Duncan Hall failed to disclose his long career with Mars Petcare, makers of ADVANCE Dermocare, when he spoke at the Senate Inquiry into the Safety of Petfood on Wednesday. But he welcomes the Enquiry

11.01.2022 Be aware of the failures of our pet food industry and our un-Australian use of chemicals in dog parks by our local governments. Our thoughts are with Archie

11.01.2022 Some of you may remember the death of 5 year old Bull Arab "Tank" last year. He died a very painful death within hours of eating Woolworths home brand dog food Baxters. Tank was one of hundreds of dogs who fell sick or died within hours of eating Baxters products, with symptoms similar to bait poisoning or euthanasia drugs - seizures, bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit, bowel distress, inability to walk, and blindness. Woolworths still claim the food is a "quality product", when... pet food manufacturers know all too well a quality pet food cannot be manufactured and sold for as little as $2/kilo. Many budget pet foods substitute quality meat ingredients for cheap cereal by-products, meat waste, chemicals, food colourings, artificial flavourings, digests, urea, and worse. Since the death of Tank, owner Cush Allison has been very proactive in investigating the seedy underbelly of our unregulated pet food industry. Cush was a key figure in instigating the Senate Inquiry into the Safety of Pet Food, which is not only about the lack of quality, safety, and regulation of our pet food industry, but how heavily influenced and infiltrated our Universities and veterinary practices are by corporate manufacturers Mars, Nestle, Colgate Palmolive, and others. Listen to Cush Allison discuss the above with Brian Carlton on Tasmania Talks here: https://audioboom.com//7045477-shayne-cush-allison-believe

10.01.2022 Prime100 Plastic Contaminants. Multiple ongoing issues. One owner states her Staffy developed an ulcer due to a foreign body in her dogs stomach which turned out to be two pieces of blue plastic. She contacted Prime100 and was offered an apology and a replacement order from the same batch. The dog was fed Prime100 Kangaroo & Sweet Potato Roll. Others have reported plastic both soft and hard in nature, often blue in colour.... The Senate are investigating a recall and alert mechanism which would restrict pet food manufacturers from continuing to sell contaminated products. Please use precautions if feeding this product.

10.01.2022 WOOOO! What a GREAT day! The ACT has just become the first jurisdiction in Australia to recognise IN LAW that animals are SENTIENT and have INTRINSIC VALUE. It ...applies to all vertebrate species (including wildlife and fish) and cephalopods (octopus etc) and some crustaceans. Oh what beautiful law! For the bill, just passed this afternoon (with amendments): https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/b/db_60107/ See more

09.01.2022 For all of you who followed the Senate inquiry I instigated on pet food safety, or whove had concerns over pet food quality, heres an update: Im happy to rep...ort there is solid progress to improve pet food standards. Reforms now under serious consideration include mandatory manufacturing standards, improved and mandatory labelling, and an improved consumer complaints system. The proposed reforms are expected to formally go to state and federal governments for final consideration in July this year.

09.01.2022 Royal Canin try and conceal mould issue by offering $1000 to the owner of a sick dog, on the condition the owner signs a non disclosure agreement.

09.01.2022 This is the first of a series of videos of how to feed and care for your pets through natural diet. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzZmYoLjxA8bFUepVvHmv Please lodge any complaints you may have regarding sickness in your pets which you believe is from processed food with the ACCC. https://www.accc.gov.au//contact-t/report-a-consumer-issue

07.01.2022 Only months after ADVANCE Dermocare was recalled due to the Megaesophagus outbreak, Mars Petcare Australia has already released a rebranded version. Mars Petcare claimed they had no idea what caused the condition which led to the death and sickness of over 100 dogs. They were however able to confirm only Dermocare was affected, not the other ADVANCE formulas or brands like Optimum or Nutro. How could they confirm that if they didnt know the cause? This new formula uses salmo...n instead of tuna and pilchards, but in true ADVANCE tradition its packed with rice, rice flour, maize gluten, and sorghum. Mars Petcare Australia Advance Pet Senator Stirling Griff Megaesophagus Latvia upuri Rehoming Megaesophagus Dogs K9 Megaesophagus - 1 Click, 1 Share Latvia Megaesophagus #megaesophagus #advancepet #marspetcare

07.01.2022 How harmful are irradiated treats from China? Irradiated meats are known to cause neurological damage in cats, with many cases in Australia proving fatal. The R...SPCA wants irradiation of pet meats banned, stating there may be as yet unidentified health effects on dogs. Many reports of Fanconi Sydrome, a form of kidney failure, have been linked to dogs fed large amounts of imported jerky-style treats. Perth-based Cottesloe Vets have stated their is evidence of an outbreak of the syndrome from the PetFAST system (used to report pet food related incidents). You may be surprised how many treats sold in Australia are imported and irradiated from China. A visit to a popular pet store showed many popular brands of treats to be sourced from China, only apparent by reading small print. Products from BlackDog, VitaPet, MasterPet, and WAG use Chinese meat products. This is not a complete list. The potential harm from irradiated treats increases with overfeeding. Cottesloe Vets say dogs under 10kg are mostly affected, but any dog can be affected and there are also reports in cats. Some of the treats listed above are sold in 1kg bags, which makes excessive feeding a worrying concern. As of December 31, 2015, the FDA (US Food & Drug Administration) had received approximately 5,200 complaints of illness associated with consumption of chicken, duck, and sweet potato jerky treats, many of which related to products imported from China. This is inclusive of more than 1,140 canine deaths. We recommend you do not feed irradiated pet meat products from China. RSPCA standpoint on irradiation - https://kb.rspca.org.au/what-is-rspca-australias-position-o Cottesloe Vets - https://www.cottesloevet.com.au/fanconi-syndrome/ FDA Investigation of Animal Illnesses Linked to Jerky Pet Treats - https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterina/NewsEvents/ucm360951.htm Further information on irradiation - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//irradiation-of-pet-foo/ Our treat recommendations - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//good-healthy-treat-gui/

06.01.2022 Mould found in Woolworths Baxters Meaty Rings Dry Food. Use by date Sept 2020. Please use caution. Mould can cause sickness.... We receive continuous reports of sickness on Baxters products and strongly advise against feeding any Baxters products to your pets. Baxters is a budget Woolworths home brand designed to look like a commercial brand. More issue reports - https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au//woolworths-baxters-sic/

06.01.2022 Black Hawk Grain Free Salmon linked to Diarrhoea & Bleeding. No mention of these issues on the Black Hawk Pet Care Facebook Page, yet the product has covertly been recalled from retailers. We urge you to stop feeding this product.... Black Hawk Pet Care

04.01.2022 Prime 100 - ongoing reports over the past few years of plastic, metal, bullets. We are aware the company has attempted to cover up these issues and made numerous excuses.

04.01.2022 ADVANCE Dermocare manufacturer Mars Petcare confirms Australian pet food regulations are voluntary, and how the current regulatory framework is not sufficient. General Manager Barry OSullivan states the recall of Dermocare was the right thing to do, but accentuates the point they didnt have to. There is no official regulatory board to instigate a recall, even when a product has caused multiple deaths. ABC News - http://www.abc.net.au//inquiry-questions-pet-food/10178186

03.01.2022 COVID-Loneliness gives rise to $300,000 in Puppy Scams. Buying a puppy? Be warned. https://www.abc.net.au//coronavirus-puppy-scams-o/12261994

02.01.2022 Are Royal Canin (from Mars) counting on you never realising their product is the reason your senior cat is becoming frail? Most people consider it old age. Ask yourself - why would you feed an obligate carnivore corn, brewers rice, wheat gluten, corn gluten meal (CGM), and wheat? ... Why would you pay so much for a product which goes against the grain of a carnivorous diet?

02.01.2022 Stones found in Natures Gift Gourmet Chicken wet food. Consumer has reported two small hard objects in a tray of the Chicken flavour wet food, describing the objects to be rocks.