Anybody heard of problems with pellets?

[BsDad]

An update to the update:

Cancer. The vet said that it is amazing that the rabbit livedas long as she did. It was all through her body.The vet is sending the body to the state anyway for testing.

In a sad way it is good news. This means that the others were not fed tainted food.

We, like many others repack the food when we get it in the big narrowbags into a short round metal container with a liner. Thiskeeps other critters from using it for a potty. Since we did not keepthe bag, the feed was meaningless. No bag-no batch numbers,dates and so forth. If you repack like us, keep the part ofthe bag with the lot numbers on it.



The best news is that the remaining bunnys are all well. Thnks to all of you for your kind words.

 

[naturestee]

Thanks for the update! That's wierdabout the cancer, I know someone who just lost a 7 month old rabbit onMonday to liver/lung cancer that was apparently growing and spreadingvery quickly.

At least you don't have to worry about the rest of your bunnies. Give them nose rubs for me!

 

[JimD]

Thank you for updating us.

Bittersweet findings for sure.
I hope it gives some closure. It was out of your hands, and you did nothing to cause it.

`jim

PS: Great suggestion about keeping the labeling from the feed. I keepmine in the original bags, and then put them in a big plastic tote tokeep them safe from the "buggers".
Metal storage containers are usually not recommended for some reason (post by Pam?), but the plastic insert might make it ok.

`jim

 

[BsDad]

Many metal containers are hot dip galvanized(zinc coated). All zinc except for lab use containslead. Do not use zinc plated or hot dip galvanized containersfor food or water. Cadmium is also apoison. It is also found in galvanized containers and oldrefrigerator racks. Not that we use those foranything,

http://www.h-b.com/products/msds/3.pdf

 

[mambo101]

Relating to the earlier part of this thread.There has been extensive discussions on the Yahoo District 9 ARBAforum. There seems to be a rash of bad experiences with Purina AdvancedNutrition feed. The Maryland Dairy Association has put a stop saleorder on the August 30th milled grey bag of Purina milled in Lancaster,PA. There also seems to be a problem with the June 6th milled pellets.This is not rumor but fact.

 

[JimD]

Hi mambo! :wave:How's things?

I was wondering if you could send me any links about the MDA action on Purina.
I can't seem to find anything published about this.

I'm not an ARBA member so I can't access anything exclusive to them.

Thanks,

`jim

 

[mambo101]

Jim, check your PM's.

 

[BsDad]

How do pet owners find out about the feed that they have bought?

 

[pamnock]

Here is one example of how information can getcompletely changed once its been circulated - The Maryland DairyAssociation has nothing to do with rabbits

It was actually claimed that the Maryland Department of Agricultureissued the stop sale. I was unable to find any info on theirsite http://www.mda.state.md.us/

Here is a link to the "newsclippings page for the MDA".http://www.mda.state.md.us/news_room/news_clippings.php

The information posted on D9 is inconclusive. I inquiredabout the toxins actually found in the feed (received no response) -also no info was given on any necropsy results (or if the state veteven did any necropsies). ARBA has not issued any information.

I would love to hear any conclusive evidence rather than speculation that anyone has on this.



Pam

 

[BsDad]

pamnock wrote:

Here is one example of how information can get completelychanged once its been circulated - The Maryland Dairy Association hasnothing to do with rabbits

It was actually claimed that the Maryland Department of Agricultureissued the stop sale. I was unable to find any info on theirsite http://www.mda.state.md.us/

Here is a link to the "newsclippings page for the MDA".http://www.mda.state.md.us/news_room/news_clippings.php

The information posted on D9 is inconclusive. I inquiredabout the toxins actually found in the feed (received no response) -also no info was given on any necropsy results (or if the state veteven did any necropsies). ARBA has not issued any information.

I would love to hear any conclusive evidence rather than speculation that anyone has on this.



Pam



I too would like to hear.

 

[pamnock]

There was a post on the PaSRBA forum(Pennsylvania State Rabbit Breeders Association) on the results of afeed analysis from a breeder who found some foreign colored bits intheir Purinafeed. The small amount of particleswere bits of protein supplement from another batch of feed for largeranimals. The small amount in the feed was harmless to therabbits and they didn't get ill. However, the feed mill didreplace the feed for them.



Pam

 

[JimD]

Thanks for the info Pam .


That was close to what I was able to find , prior to your posting.

.....with exception of the complete decription of the feed mixing.

`jim

 

[pamnock]

Another of the necropsy's done determined that the rabbit died of cocci.

Currently unconfirmed reports indicate aflatoxins in corn have beenfound in the feed. (However, the blue/gray bags that were said to bethe source of the problems don't contain corn).

Without necropsy's on those animals, it would be difficult to saywhether or not the level of aflatoxins in the feed were the cause ofdeath/illness. Aflatoxin poisoning is actually rather rare inthe US, however is believed to be the cause of deaths in the DiamondDog Food poisonings. Around that time, I did also readreports of a virulent virus circulating among dogs, so it can bedifficult to determine that actual causes of death.

When we lived in Ohio, there were a number of cases of SID's in ourregion (sudden infant death syndrome). The cause wasdetermined to be "black mold" - common in our moist/humid environment,the problem was exasperated by the fact that forced air furnaces are acommon form of heating in the area and also capable of spreading themold spores throughout the entire house. This generated ahuge "black mold" scare. However - these theories wereeventually recanted - black mold was not believed to be the cause ofdeath of the babies.

Another scare was created in Ohio when fair visitors became ill with E.coli. The animals were blamed, and most fairs set up "washstations" for visitors to disinfect their hands. (Did it occur toanyone that the kids who owned and handled the animals the most weren'tgetting sick???) What never came out in the press was thefact that the cause was eventually found - contaminated water used byan ice cream vendor at a number of the fairs.

Just a couple stories about how what we often speculate doesn't always end up to be true despite all the "evidence".

Pam