Does Anyone Know About Purina?

[Guest masa]

So I was online, just checking dog food recalls because there seems to be a new one every other day, when I stumbled across a form of people saying that after their cats and dogs eating Purina dog (and or cat food) that their animals had become sick

Looking around I saw

->

 

"SOME PRODUCTS RECALLED (Alpo & Mighty Dog ). See company website for information on exact products recalled.

Dog food brands include Alpo, Beneful, Fit & Trim, Dog Chow, HiPro, Kibbles and Chunks, Little Bites Indoor Complete, Mighty Dog, Moist & Meaty, Pro Plan, Puppy Chow, Purina One, Purina Veterinary Diets

Cat food brands include Cat Chow, Delic-Cat, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Kit 'N Kaboodle, Kitten Chow, Pro Plan, Purina One, Purina Veterinary Diets

Purina declined to answer our questions, and simply requested people visit their website to "review our press releases

and our robust list of Q&As regarding this situation."

 

We just got to the end of our bag and I was ready to open the new one, but now I am scared. Swirl eats Purina lamb and rice and Molly eats the puppy food. Has anyone else heard of this? I didn't until today. Im thinking of returning the bag as it hasn't been opened yet.

Should I return the bag? (Im thinking I should,)

Advice on what dog food to get if we do return the bag? What works for you guys?

 

*edit, I havent seen anything on Purina's site, but maybe thats me being stupid, Im just worried when i see the words 'recall' anywhere

Edited April 10, 2012 by masa

[Guest TheDoggfather]

After reading the subject line, the first thing that came to mind was, "Yup.. and it's crap"

[kolarik1]

I'm wondering as Pop is on Purina Dog Chow as that's what controlled his Lupus, but the last month or so...OMG the gas coming out of him! It was the previous bag and this one...I even started giving him digestive enzymes which have helped some, but he is still not like he was...you can even hear his stomach just gurgle

[Hubcitypam]

Dog food brands include Alpo, Beneful, Fit & Trim, Dog Chow, HiPro, Kibbles and Chunks, Little Bites Indoor Complete, Mighty Dog, Moist & Meaty, Pro Plan, Puppy Chow, Purina One, Purina

Are you sure this is a current article? As far as I know Hi-Pro was discontinued about 3 or so years ago...

ETA - If you go to the FDA website it lists all recalls since 2007. Purina has one for horse chow in 2010. You found a very old article.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Hubcitypam

[Guest masa]

To my knowledge it was, but I may be wrong,

So I thought I would just ask around and see if anyone else had heard about this, or if I was wrong in my source. these days you can't be to careful

[Hubcitypam]

After reading the subject line, the first thing that came to mind was, "Yup.. and it's crap"

I seem to remember lots of kennels feeding Hi-Pro when it was around. What do you feed?

[racindog]

After reading the subject line, the first thing that came to mind was, "Yup.. and it's crap"

You and I think alike! That is exactly what I thought too except I thought "Yep...and its garbage."

Believe it or not a Purina mill was even busted a couple years ago for adding dead cow meat to cow feed-right during the hype over mad cow disease issue. They said it was an "accident". Yeah, right.

[Guest greybookends]

For the food snobs here let me ask you this. First off, I feed a combination diet of raw and kibble. I do this because I can. Some people cannot. There are folks here that if they HAD to feed only the top grade kibble would be without their hounds because they could not afford it. Some people have multiple hounds and once again they cannot feed top grade but their hounds do very well on a lesser grade. There are hounds that cannot eat the top grade stuff. I've seen posts here where someone is feeding grade A top of the line food and their hound is having IB problems but Alpo works for their hound.

 

Would you rather have a dog be PTS because the person that wants the dog can only afford Ol' Roy? Many years ago all I could afford was Ol' Roy. They lived to be 14 YO. Their coats might not have been as shiny and soft as my hounds now but they were happy and healthy.

 

As I recall many of the top grade foods were involved with the major food recall a few years back. No one is immune to recalls. I am sure if you really dug you would be amazed at what is going into the premium grades and they have just found a legal way to hide it. The only way to know for sure what is in your hounds food is to feed a raw or cooked diet and even then there can be outbreaks of e coli and such.

 

All you can do is be watchful. So before you start to belittle a food because it is not the same grade as yours, stop to think about who you may be belittling because they cannot afford what you can. They are doing their best and their dog is perfectly happy eating that CRAP. At least they're not starving. And yes I know there are those that feed the CRAP because they just don't care but the flip side is also true. I've seen just as many dogs that were fed the good stuff and would have been better off in a home eating the CRAP but they were loved.

 

To the OP. I know you were not making a blanket statement but trying to be informative. I thank you. But when other people just start calling other food CRAP I get upset because I know there are some here that are doing the best they can for their hounds and I can't help but wonder how statements like that make them feel.

 

Sorry for the rant.

[Guest BrianRke]

After reading the subject line, the first thing that came to mind was, "Yup.. and it's crap"

Agree!!

 

For the food snobs here let me ask you this. First off, I feed a combination diet of raw and kibble. I do this because I can. Some people cannot. There are folks here that if they HAD to feed only the top grade kibble would be without their hounds because they could not afford it. Some people have multiple hounds and once again they cannot feed top grade but their hounds do very well on a lesser grade. There are hounds that cannot eat the top grade stuff. I've seen posts here where someone is feeding grade A top of the line food and their hound is having IB problems but Alpo works for their hound.

 

Would you rather have a dog be PTS because the person that wants the dog can only afford Ol' Roy? Many years ago all I could afford was Ol' Roy. They lived to be 14 YO. Their coats might not have been as shiny and soft as my hounds now but they were happy and healthy.

 

As I recall many of the top grade foods were involved with the major food recall a few years back. No one is immune to recalls. I am sure if you really dug you would be amazed at what is going into the premium grades and they have just found a legal way to hide it. The only way to know for sure what is in your hounds food is to feed a raw or cooked diet and even then there can be outbreaks of e coli and such.

 

All you can do is be watchful. So before you start to belittle a food because it is not the same grade as yours, stop to think about who you may be belittling because they cannot afford what you can. They are doing their best and their dog is perfectly happy eating that CRAP. At least they're not starving. And yes I know there are those that feed the CRAP because they just don't care but the flip side is also true. I've seen just as many dogs that were fed the good stuff and would have been better off in a home eating the CRAP but they were loved.

 

To the OP. I know you were not making a blanket statement but trying to be informative. I thank you. But when other people just start calling other food CRAP I get upset because I know there are some here that are doing the best they can for their hounds and I can't help but wonder how statements like that make them feel.

 

Sorry for the rant.

 

There are foods on the market with MUCH BETTER ingredients than Purina that cost the same or less.

Edited April 10, 2012 by BrianRke

[Batmom]

Some dogs get along with Purina foods, some don't. I've fed some Purina foods and had no problems with them. The higher end, supposedly better foods? Not so much....

[Hubcitypam]

Interestingly enough the sainted Dog Food Advisor rates Purina One Beyond CRAP "above average" and lists it as "recommended". It and Pro Plan Selects CRAP that came with Buddy have the same star rating as California Natural, Avoderm grain free and Flint River Ranch...not exactly 'Ol Roy grade.

 

I would bet the bank that more dogs have eaten Purina products than any other brand over the years.

 

I've said this before, but most of the true dog men and women I've known have fed Purina. Many racing kennels fed Hi-Pro. My friend's father that breeds $5,000 and up GSP gun dogs uses Purina. My friends that have raised prize winning AKC greyhounds for several decades feed Pro Plan. For some reason the little know secret of more expensive the better is only known by a select group of "'in the know pet" owners.

 

I fed Rex Iams because that was the only thing that worked for him. When I was on food stamps Poodle, Bella and Buck ate Dog Chow. Poodle is now around 14, so it didn't damage him too much,

Edited April 10, 2012 by Hubcitypam

[gazehund]

Pam Chris is probably working but when Crackerman was at Signature last year, he ate Diamond Adult. Now he gets a combination of raw, home cooked and TOTW High Prairie. He has shown

an intolerance to and dislike of chicken. Everything else seems to work for him.

[Hubcitypam]

Pam Chris is probably working but when Crackerman was at Signature last year, he ate Diamond Adult.

Looks like a good food to me, but only two star on the holy grail list that people swear is the be all and end all...ranked below the two Purina CRAPs I mentioned above.

eta- Diamond Lamb and Rice is in recall right now.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Hubcitypam

[Guest greybookends]

I feed a combination of Raw and kibble. the kibble I am using is Purina One Smartblend. Bill LOVES it and if I can find something he loves he gets it. Bill is eating better now then he has in a long time. I've used top grade stuff and Bill WOULD not eat it. I mixed it with cooked. He would not eat it. I've mixed it with raw he would not eat it. So I went to straight raw. He was still pretty picky. With 6 dogs I've been forced to go to a raw/kibble mix. I decided to try some of the lower grade brands. Bill is still picky but the one thing as of late I have had no problems with is the kibble. He may leave the raw in his bowl but the kibble is gone. Poops are good. Dogs are happy and healthy.

[Guest WhiteWave]

After reading the subject line, the first thing that came to mind was, "Yup.. and it's crap"

 

 

My opinion of it as well. Purina One and Pro Plan is not as bad as their other foods, like Dog Chow or Beneful. Before they started that shredded blends and added all that soy, I used to feed Pro Plan back in they day and the dogs did great on it. Pro Plan Performance is still ok IMO, but way overpriced for what you are getting.

 

Rebel came to me eating Dog Chow. His coat was horrid. It literally felt like a brillo pad. There were broken hairs all over his body. If you rubbed your hand against the grain, it was like hitting needles. The hairs would lodge in your skin. He also smelled funky. Also had very bad dandruff and was scrawny, muscle tone wasn't good.

 

After 1 month of being off it, he had blown his coat 2x and now is looking good and getting to be sooooo soft. He now smells good like Ronon does instead of "doggy". He has filled out too and looks so much better. Still isn't as soft, but I think in a few more months, his coat will keep getting better.

[Trihounds]

........Poops are good. Dogs are happy and healthy.

 

At the end of the day, this is what matters!

 

We choose to feed raw as we know what goes into it and we have not been kibble fans due to the indigestion and gas about 10 different kinds over 2 years produced. Not like we were switching weekly, but we didn't find anything that worked for the dogs. Amazing, but true.

 

As I said, though, in my opinion and as greybookends states above, as long as dogs are happy and healthy - to each his/her own.

[Hubcitypam]

There are foods on the market with MUCH BETTER ingredients than Purina that cost the same or less.

Great! Could you please share some of those foods with us? I'm always open to trying new foods now that grumbly tummy Rex has gone to the bridge.

These would need to be three star foods on the beloved Pet Food advisor for under $20 (for 18 pounds for Beyond) and $23 (for 18 pounds of Pro Plan Selects). As far as Dog Chow, it would need to be a great food for less than $12 for 20 pounds. Ideas?

[Guest sirsmom]

I've seen many dogs live to be 15 plus eating Purina. They are doing something right. Don't knock it if it works.

[Burpdog]

question re the long lived dogs mentioned: were they greyhounds?

[Guest sja5032]

question re the long lived dogs mentioned: were they greyhounds?

 

 

I have a friend with a grey who is in her mid teens that eats pro plan every day and always has (well except for kennel life). She is healthy as can be.

[Hubcitypam]

question re the long lived dogs mentioned: were they greyhounds?

I have a friend with a grey who is in her mid teens that eats pro plan every day and always has (well except for kennel life). She is healthy as can be.

...and odds are good a dog in her mid teens ate Purina Hi-Pro crap mixed with her 4-D meat, veggies and vitamins at the track...and probably something cheaper on the farm growing up. I've never seen stacks of Evo grain free bags on a farm.

Why would the long lived dog being a greyhound matter? Greyhounds are dogs.

[Guest sirsmom]

question re the long lived dogs mentioned: were they greyhounds?

 

No, not greys. Two were labs age 15 when they died and for labs 12 is about the limit. One was my sister in laws dog and the other was a lab down the street. Another large senior mixed breed at the dog park is going strong at 12 on Pro Plan. I'm not implying that the food is the key but they are senior dogs that are healthy and they are fed Purina Products.

[GreyTzu]

question re the long lived dogs mentioned: were they greyhounds?

I have a friend with a grey who is in her mid teens that eats pro plan every day and always has (well except for kennel life). She is healthy as can be.

...and odds are good a dog in her mid teens ate Purina Hi-Pro crap mixed with her 4-D meat, veggies and vitamins at the track...and probably something cheaper on the farm growing up. I've never seen stacks of Evo grain free bags on a farm.

Why would the long lived dog being a greyhound matter? Greyhounds are dogs.

 

Dogs are dogs.

[Guest Profgumby]

I think I will step into the muddy (or is it poo filled) waters of this discussion....

 

I have always gone by get the best food you can afford that works for your dog(s). I fed my first whippet Purina Puppy Chow then Purina High Pro. Only a not seen in time tree sent her to the bridge at 6, not the food. She was a happy, healthy, head strong smartass of a dog her whole life.

 

Some dogs will do well on just about any food and some dogs are miserable on many foods. My brothers lab is probably the worst I have ever seen allergy wise. Seriously the dog has many problems. But you know what? He is still always the happiest boy! Dogs are amazing that way.

 

With our Greys, we had them on Nutro naturals and they did okay aside from PatC and her yard pudding issue. We then tried several formulas of Wellness and they girls did great...aside from PatC and her previously mentioned issue that now started to transfer over to Beauty. I will comment that hearing to dogs spray paint the grass, simultaneously in the dark is kind of funny. Until you go pick it up.

 

Now on Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover Soul Adult Large breed Formula they all 3 do fantastic. Have shiny coats, no skin issues and most importantly, the Holy Grail of dogdom, firm poos...oh yea and all 3 are still happy silly little idiots. I like that it is 33 dollars and some change per bag and they like the food.

 

(That is why the recall troubles me, but that is another issue)

 

If your dog eats the Old Roy, has no issues, is healthy and alert good on ya! And good for your dog. Although I'd still argue there are better foods for your pet for about 10 bucks a month more than Old Roy....

[Guest KsFrets]

We ran out of our more expensive better ingredient special ordered dog food a little over a year ago. As an emergency, to get us by as we waited for the “good” stuff to be delivered... we got a bag of the generic Purina green bag dog chow, from Wal-Mart. $19.95 for 44 pounds. The pups loved it, and they pooed less and more solid than ever just a few days later. They’ve been eating it ever since.

 

I’m with Hubcitypam, BrianRke, please let us know who can beat $19.95, for 44 pounds, with better ingredients than Purina, that makes good poo and the dogs will eat.

 

I can’t remember all the brands we’ve tried... Neutro, CSFTMLS, COTW, Cannidae, off the top of my head. We wasted a lot of $$$ on stuff that ran right through them, and they didn't do well on. Magnus puked his Neutro quite often. Good old green bag Purina dog chow has given us better results than all the fancy stuff. We use melatonin as a supplement, and they’ve got super soft thick coats. Sometimes I think the fancy stuff is too rich, and the greyhounds just aren’t that good a processing all that stuff. Just like it’s not good for a human to pop vitamins like candy.