Cat Food Recall: Premium Edge in Rochester NY Area
There are stories coming in about a new cat food recall of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat formulas. Here is the press release from Diamond Pet Foods, with details of the recall:
Voluntary Recall – EASTERN US ONLY
Diamond Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall on the following date codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat: RAF0501A22X 18lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6lb. All retail outlets shipped the above lots were contacted, asking them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, if you or anyone you know has these date codes of Premium Edge cat food, please return them to your retailer.
Symptoms displayed by an affected cat will be neurological in nature. Any cats fed these date codes that display these symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinarian.
Product testing proved no contaminants were discovered in the cat food; however the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Diamond tracked the vitamin premix lot number that was utilized in these particular cat foods and have performed testing on another lot of Premium Edge cat food that used the same vitamin premix, and it was not deficient in thiamine. No other neurological signs have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.
Dr Janet Tobiasson Crosby, who writes About.com’s Vet Blog describes the clinical signs to look for, and their treatment:
As noted in the press release, clinical signs are neurological in nature.
Signs seen with Thiamine deficiency
- Generalized weakness
- Not eating
- Staggered “drunk” gait
- Neck curved downward (cervical ventroflexion)
- Tremors
- Seizures
Treatment for Thiamine deficiency is easy once diagnosis is made – injections or oral replacements of Thiamine. Clinical signs typically resolve quickly with treatment.
If your cat is not eating, vomiting, or showing any of the signs above, please see your veterinarian immediately for assessment. The same is true any time your pet is not behaving normally, and especially if exhibiting neurologic signs.
It appears that most incidents are concentrated in the Rochester, NY area, according to RocNow.com:
Cat food recalled after several area pets sickened
Bennett J. Loudon – Staff writer
Local News – October 15, 2009 – 9:47am
At least 14 cats in the Rochester area have been sickened by problem cat food that has been voluntarily recalled by the maker.On Oct. 3 Diamond Pet Foods, based in Meta, Mo., announced the recall of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat Food and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The food, sold in bags with the codes RAF0501A22X, RAF0501A2X, RAH0501A22X, and RAH0501A2X, lacked thiamine, an essential vitamin for cats, which helps maintain a healthy central nervous system.
Problems associated with the cat food have been concentrated in the Rochester area. There has been one other case of a cat affected by the food in New York City, according to the ASPCA.
Hi Skeezy, It is sad to read another story of poor pet foods. Our pets are part of our family and we wish only the best for them. We don’t want or need any sick kitties. When will these terrible pet food recalls stop? Your good pal, Bosco.
I’m with Bos. It seems a lot of these recalls are involving “higher end” products. We think we are doing good for our pets by paying more, and this isn’t always true.
One of the best additions to our house lately has been Purina Naturals. It was Joey’s favorite at his old home so we bought it and the whole family likes it. Not the most expensive but a good quality food, we think.
Unfortunately it seems to be Diamond Foods AGAIN. They seem to have an awful lot of problems. *sigh* We will let our friends in the Rochester area know.
We have a big question: how many days without thiamine does it take before a cat to exhibit symptoms? Does anyone know? Then we would know when the thiamine deficiency in the Diamond cat food began.
I contacted Premium Edge on 8/31/09 due to our cats being sick, one of the three cats died. The other more severe cat was taken to the vet with all of the neurological symptoms including seizures. He was treated and we switched food and he is okay now. But, Dr. Rettinmaier would not listen to me just because our cats went outside, but they have my case number from my call on 8/31 when I adamently told her it was the food because our “fat, healthy cats” were refusing the food after eating it for years. We watched them progressively worsen over a period of weeks. She did not listen to me or my vet but luckily they did finally listen to another vet that had the same problems as my cats. I feel bad I was not able to tell people earlier because if they had listened to me we might have been able to save more cats. I was the first one to report it according to Dr. Rettinmaier’s records.
just a note, we live in PA so it is in our state as well!