New Natural Balance Recall (not Menu related)

sadie's mom · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jpawz

Sadie~~
The one cat in question here, Grayboy, is the one I just put through the ringer for a battery of tests (there had been prior sudden window marking a few months ago) to rule out uti and other issues. He came back clear, but he is a very anxious cat so combine temporary isolation (post vet), a food switch and me hovering over him 24/7 and he is going to be weirded out.

I have such a headache. Hives & headaches. Good times.

That definitely sounds like what my vet said about stress = less urine (re tests, isolation and being an anxious cat).

I'm starting to feel a little better now, but will continue to diligently check the NB website.

jpawz · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jenny82

Should I gradually switch my babies off NB venison and pea dry onto something else or switch completely tonight?

I know you are supposed to do very gradual switches with dry food but I am worried. I would rather their tummies be upset for a couple days due to a sudden switch than continue to feed them even small amounts of a recalled product.

Ugh this is exactly what I was talking about earlier. All these changes ARE rough and so unfair to our cats. Here comes another, after so many cats just transitioned to NB.

Well, since NB is reporting kidney issues, I would remove the venison and pea STAT. If they were eating something prior that wasn't on the recall, I would just go back to that, even it wasn't a premium food. That might reduce any risk of tummy confusion.JMHO.

UGH!

followedbydolls · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

I just talked to the vet. She told me to continue giving Sadie the Ultra Premium as it is not listed on NBalance's site (but, she did say to continue checking the site on a regular basis as that will give us the information first).
She also said that this probably isn't linked to the Menu recall, as that was due to a very specific ingredient and it was isolated to specific foods.

She said that the decrease in Sadie's pee size is not a concern. If anything, it was due to her having been to the vet that day, then was in the car for 2 hours and stayed overnight at someone else's home. She said that a decrease is NOT kidney failure related. Kidney failure would have increased size and amount, not decreased (phew!)

She stressed the importance of keeping an eye on our babies for very radical change of mood, amount they are eating, etc. This will be your first clue that something is just not right. Unfortunately, she said, that kidney failure won't show signs until 75% of the kidney is diseased.

I know this has made me feel a little better, but I'm still not at 100%.

Based on what she said, I will continue to feed the Ultra Premium and I've just put the NBalance website in my favs so I can check it every half hour.

Thank you for posting your vets reply. I also have the cats on the original UP in addition to the venison & green pea, unfortunately the one cat really only ate the venison.. so i am going to need to replace it, with what tho i am clueless

xocats · Apr 16, 2007

For those of you who are suffering confusion & worry because of this recall tragedy...
please e-mail the Senators that held the hearing about the recall.

Here is a link to their names & a simple way to reach them....post #113
Please let them know how you are feeling about this.

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...=120187&page=3

You can make a difference but only if you take the time to speak out.

marishka · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jenny82

Should I gradually switch my babies off NB venison and pea dry onto something else or switch completely tonight?

I know you are supposed to do very gradual switches with dry food but I am worried. I would rather their tummies be upset for a couple days due to a sudden switch than continue to feed them even small amounts of a recalled product.

I would ask your vet for the most peace of mind, probably.
I would be a little worried to do a prompt change because I wouldn't want the kidney problems to occur without me noticing, and kind of passing it off as tummy problems due to a dramatic change to new food, you know? But if Mari were on the venison, I would be tempted to throw it all away before she takes another bite... : ( Maybe a call to the vet is best to ease your mind...

bonnie1965 · Apr 16, 2007

I am a bit worried, too. I just switched the cats to NB Ultra, the only one they both seem to like. Am still mixing the Science Diet with Seb's so going back to that would be easy. The little lady is a tad more difficult.

Will be checking the NB website all day while at work and wondering while in class tonight. There just has to be a solution to this problem.

Really trying not to stress over this, though.

white cat lover · Apr 16, 2007

I'm sure this will not help any. I bought a bag of V & GP for Damita with her food allergies last fall. She was no longer eating it, so I started adding it in little by little to Twitch & Lily. Lily is very sensitive to dry food changes, so I added 3 pieces of NB kibble to her regular kibble. She vomited. I continued like that for 2 weeks & she vomited every time. I discontinued the NB kibble.

This was last....Nov...maybe Dec?

jpawz · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Marishka

I would ask your vet for the most peace of mind, probably.
I would be a little worried to do a prompt change because I wouldn't want the kidney problems to occur without me noticing, and kind of passing it off as tummy problems due to a dramatic change to new food, you know? But if Mari were on the venison, I would be tempted to throw it all away before she takes another bite... : ( Maybe a call to the vet is best to ease your mind...

Ahhh, good point, Marishka; I should have thought of that in my reply to Jenny.

I would still ditch the V&P in light of NB's statement but one would still wonder if any harm was done. A vet trip would be a good idea. But I wonder, would anything early stage even show up? (another worry, lovely.)

sadie's mom · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jpawz

Ahhh, good point, Marishka; I should have thought of that in my reply to Jenny.

I would still ditch the V&P in light of NB's statement but one would still wonder if any harm was done. A vet trip would be a good idea. But I wonder, would anything early stage even show up? (another worry, lovely.)

Sadie's vet said there won't be any outward signs of kidney damage until the kidney is 75% diseased.

PLEASE THROW AWAY ALL NBALANCE PEA & VENISON DRY CAT FOOD IMMEDIATELY (YUP, I'M SHOUTING)!!! DON'T THINK TWICE, JUST THROW IT AWAY.

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

Mine were all eating NB venison and pea dry for several months before the recall so I'm not too worried about switching them too many times. Of course we've only had Mia for a month and she eats almost all wet anyway. They are all due for another vet check in the next month so I may as well ask my vet about this too.

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

PLEASE THROW AWAY ALL NBALANCE PEA & VENISON DRY CAT FOOD IMMEDIATELY (YUP, I'M SHOUTING)!!! DON'T THINK TWICE, JUST THROW IT AWAY.

I think that's what's going to happen.

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

I hope I can get through to Petfooddirect.com to cancel my next order before it ships! Their phone line was too busy this morning so it hung up on me, and I sent them an email this morning too but have not heard back. If it ships then I will probably be out shipping charges when I return it.

rang_27 · Apr 16, 2007

OK, well what about the wet food? I'm also wondering if the damage doesn't show up untill 75%, should people that have been feeding this food have thier pets checked just to be sure?

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

Does anyone know what a vet would check for to see if there are any early stages of kidney failure since there are no signs in the early stages?

jpawz · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

Sadie's vet said there won't be any outward signs of kidney damage until the kidney is 75% diseased.

PLEASE THROW AWAY ALL NBALANCE PEA & VENISON DRY CAT FOOD IMMEDIATELY (YUP, I'M SHOUTING)!!! DON'T THINK TWICE, JUST THROW IT AWAY.

We are on the same page today, Sadie; I was just looking though a vet text for info on that! Then der, I realized you already posted what your vet said.

That was my worry--early signs are weak at best.

Gosh I go off the site for a bit to change gears and find another, even more horrific travesty at the Virginia Tech campus -- a shooting, over 30 dead?

Sorry to go off topic for a second there, I am just really shaken up with bad news.

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jpawz

Gosh I go off the site for a bit to change gears and find another, even more horrific travesty at UVA campus -- a shooting, over 30 dead?

Sorry to go off topic for a second there, I am just really shaken up with bad news.

Yes it is just a bad day.

jpawz · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jenny82

Does anyone know what a vet would check for to see if there are any early stages of kidney failure since there are no signs in the early stages?

\\

I dont' think it's that there are NO signs in early stages, but it isn't always clear and dry as to what is going on. Its been years since I have worked as a tech but I recall doing multiple repeat tests with cats (and dogs) who were having s&s of renal issues. A vet consult is NEVER a bad idea when one is in doubt.

Here is a link (there are many more, and threads in this forum with info too):

http://www.felinecrf.com/what0.htm

http://www.felinegood.co.uk/kidney_d...iagnosis.shtml

jenny82 · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Jpawz

Here is a link (there are many more, and threads in this forum with info too):

http://www.felinecrf.com/what0.htm

http://www.felinegood.co.uk/kidney_d...iagnosis.shtml

Thanks. I should have done a search myself- I am not even thinking straight.

followedbydolls · Apr 16, 2007

Originally Posted by Sadie's Mom

PLEASE THROW AWAY ALL NBALANCE PEA & VENISON DRY CAT FOOD IMMEDIATELY (YUP, I'M SHOUTING)!!! DON'T THINK TWICE, JUST THROW IT AWAY.

I know when i called natural balance this morning, i spoke with someone claming he was the VP, he said to stop feeding it.

I will be returning my bag tonight. I still have the UP tho and that one i am unsure whether to discontinue too

sweetseamus · Apr 16, 2007

This is very frustrating. I was planning to transition Seamus from Nutro NC dry to NB dry, but as luck would have it (for which I'm grateful now), the local Petsmart does not carry it. I ended up with a bag of Blue Spa instead. I did pick up a few cans of the wet food at Petco on a subsequent visit and he seems to like those better than the Blue Spa wet. Ironically his favorite flavor so far seems to be the venison

. I'm planning to finish off the 2 cans that I have left (neither are venison) since the wet seems to be unaffected, but I won't be buying anymore until this gets straightened out. I've now ordered some cans of Innova, California Natural, and Castor and Pollux online. I desperately want to introduce some healthier wet food into his diet and I still don't know if I will ever be able to wean him off the Fancy Feast and Meow Mix completely, but maybe he'll take to one of those brands. I'm so disappointed about NB because I thought it was a quality food and it actually seemed be going over pretty well with Seamus. This whole recall fiasco is so disheartening.

New Natural Balance Recall (not Menu related)

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member