Most likely you all have heard of this recall, but since I hadn't seen the release posted here, I thought I'd do so just in case. This sounds like a pretty nasty contaminate... They're having a very difficult time treating it and many dogs are dying :(
http://www.diamondpet.com/ Important Customer Information 12/27/2005 Due to the discovery of aflatoxin, Diamond Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall of certain pet food products manufactured in our Gaston, S.C. facility and distributed to states in the eastern U.S. If you suspect your pet has symptoms associated with aflatoxin, please consult your veterinarian immediately. We are experiencing an exceptionally high rate of emails and telephone calls in response to the recall. To help answer many of your questions, please review the information contained on this Web site. We appreciate your understanding and pledge to provide updated information on a timely basis. What clinical signs should I look for from my pet? Symptoms of potential illness in dogs may be difficult to discern, but include: Loss of appetite Yellow whites of the eyes, yellow gums, yellow in the belly or areas where hair is very thin Severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea Discolored urine Please be aware that many other medical conditions have similar symptoms. Your veterinarian will be able to distinguish between these other conditions and an exposure to aflatoxin based on your pet's medical history and current symptoms. Please consult with your veterinarian if you believe your pet is ill, no matter what the cause. If your veterinarian diagnoses and treats your pet because of exposure to aflatoxin, please have your veterinarian contact Diamond Pet Foods toll free at 1-866-214-6945. What should I do if my pet consumed recalled products and has any of the clinical signs? If your pet has consumed products included in the recall and exhibits these systems, please urge your veterinarian to run a liver profile. If your pet is found to have abnormal liver function, please have any other dog you may own that was fed the same food tested for liver function as well. Even if your pet does not show symptoms, monitor it for 7 to 12 days and consult your veterinarian if illness develops. When should I take my pet to the veterinarian? If your dog has consumed affected products and has clinical signs of aflatoxin, which include loss of appetite, yellow whites of the eyes, yellow gums, yellow in the belly or areas where hair is very thin, severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea, discolored urine, or fever, you should immediately consult your veterinarian. Because numerous diseases and conditions may have similar clinical signs, your pet could have a problem other than aflatoxin. If your veterinarian institutes treatment for aflatoxin, please have him or her call the Diamond Pet Foods Customer Information Center toll free at 1-866-214-6945 and ask to speak with one of our consulting veterinarians. How can I get a refund? If your product has been recalled, please take the bag and any remaining product back to the retailer where it was purchased. Your retailer will ensure the product is returned to Diamond Pet Food for proper analysis and disposal. What products are being recalled? Recalled products can be identified by the Date Code and "Best By" dates listed on the back panel of the package. Recalled products will have a capital "G" (in reference to Gaston) in the 11th or 12th position of the date code (18 lb. to 55 lb. bags), and "Best By" dates between March 1, 2007 and June 10, 2007. The capital "G" will be in the 9th position on smaller 4 lb. to 8 lb. bags. Diamond's quantitative analysis records substantiate that shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 10. As such, "Best By 11-June-07" date codes or later are not affected. Also, products with "Best By" dates prior to 28-Feb-07 are not affected. Products manufactured at our Gaston S.C. facility included in the recall: Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food Diamond Maintenance Dog Food Diamond Performance Dog Food Diamond Puppy Food Diamond Low Fat Dog Food Diamond Maintenance Cat Food Diamond Professional Cat Food Country Value Puppy Country Value Adult Dog Food Country Value High Energy Dog Food Country Value Adult Cat Food Professional Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Food Professional Puppy Food Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food Professional Adult Cat Food Are any Gaston Facility Pet Foods Safe? Although certain pet foods produced at the Gaston facility have been voluntarily recalled due to potential aflatoxin contamination, a wide range of the plant's products are perfectly safe and still can be purchased from retailers. Gaston products not part of the recall include: All Premium Edge products The complete Chicken Soup product lines Diamond Lamb and Rice Adult Diamond Large Breed Adult 60+ Diamond Large Breed Puppy Diamond Senior 8+ Diamond Kitten Professional Lamb and Rice Are products manufactured at other Diamond facilities affected by this situation? No. Products manufactured at our Gaston facility are the only ones subject to the recall. What states receive products from the Gaston facility? The Gaston facility provides products to our customers in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan*, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio*, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee*, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. *These states receive product from other Diamond Pet Food facilities. Please check your date code carefully. Unless it has a capital "G" in the 11th or 12th position of the date code on the larger 15 lb. to 55 lb. bags, it is not included in the recall. The capital "G" will be in the 9th position on smaller 4 lb. to 8 lb. bags. What is Aflatoxin? Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, on corn and other crops used as ingredients in pet foods. The fungus develops on crops during years with severe high temperature stress and drought. What clinical signs should I look for from my pet? Symptoms of potential illness in dogs may be difficult to discern, but include: Loss of appetite Yellow whites of the eyes, yellow gums, yellow in the belly or areas where hair is very thin Severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea Discolored urine Fever Please be aware that many other medical conditions have similar symptoms. Your veterinarian will be able to distinguish between these other conditions and an exposure to aflatoxin based on your pet's medical history and current symptoms. Please consult with your veterinarian if you believe your pet is ill, no matter what the cause. If your veterinarian diagnoses and treats your pet because of exposure to aflatoxin, please have your veterinarian contact Diamond Pet Foods toll free at 1-866-214-6945. What should I do if my pet consumed recalled products and has any of the clinical signs? If your pet has consumed products included in the recall and exhibits these systems, please urge your veterinarian to run a liver profile. If your pet is found to have abnormal liver function, please have any other dog you may own that was fed the same food tested for liver function as well. Even if your pet does not show symptoms, monitor it for 7 to 12 days and consult your veterinarian if illness develops. When should I take my pet to the veterinarian? If your dog has consumed affected products and has clinical signs of aflatoxin, which include loss of appetite, yellow whites of the eyes, yellow gums, yellow in the belly or areas where hair is very thin, severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea, discolored urine, or fever, you should immediately consult your veterinarian. Because numerous diseases and conditions may have similar clinical signs, your pet could have a problem other than aflatoxin. If your veterinarian institutes treatment for aflatoxin, please have him or her call Diamond Pet Foods toll free at 1-866-214-6945 and ask to speak with one of our consulting veterinarians. How can I get a refund? If your product has been recalled, please take the bag and any remaining product back to the retailer where it was purchased. Your retailer will ensure the product is returned to Diamond Pet Food for proper analysis and disposal. What products are being recalled? Recalled products can be identified by the Date Code and "Best By" dates listed on the back panel of the package. Recalled products will have a capital "G" (in reference to Gaston) in the 11th or 12th position of the date code (18 lb. to 55 lb. bags), and "Best By" dates between March 1, 2007 and June 10, 2007. The capital "G" will be in the 9th position on smaller 4 lb. to 8 lb. bags. Diamond's quantitative analysis records substantiate that shipments were definitively clear of aflatoxin after December 10. As such, "Best By 11-June-07" date codes or later are not affected. Also, products with "Best By" dates prior to 28-Feb-07 are safe. Products manufactured at our Gaston S.C. facility included in the recall: Diamond Premium Adult Dog Food Diamond Hi-Energy Dog Food Diamond Maintenance Dog Food Diamond Performance Dog Food Diamond Puppy Food Diamond Low Fat Dog Food Diamond Maintenance Cat Food Diamond Professional Cat Food Country Value Puppy Country Value Adult Dog Food Country Value High Energy Dog Food Country Value Adult Cat Food Professional Chicken & Rice Adult Dog Food Professional Puppy Food Professional Large-Breed Puppy Food Professional Reduced Fat Cat Food Professional Adult Cat Food Are any Gaston Facility Pet Foods Safe? Although certain pet foods produced at the Gaston facility have been voluntarily recalled due to potential aflatoxin contamination, a wide range of the plant's products are perfectly safe and still can be purchased from retailers. Gaston products not part of the recall include: All Premium Edge products The complete Chicken Soup product lines Diamond Lamb and Rice Adult Diamond Large Breed Adult 60+ Diamond Large Breed Puppy Diamond Senior 8+ Diamond Kitten Professional Lamb and Rice Are products manufactured at other Diamond facilities affected by this situation? No. Products manufactured at our Gaston facility are the only ones subject to the recall. What states receive products from the Gaston facility? The Gaston facility provides products to our customers in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan*, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio*, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee*, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. *These states receive product from other Diamond Pet Food facilities. Please check your date code carefully. Unless it has a capital "G" in the 11th or 12th position of the date code on the larger 15 lb. to 55 lb. bags, it is not included in the recall. The capital "G" will be in the 9th position on smaller 4 lb. to 8 lb. bags. What is Aflatoxin? Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, on corn and other crops. The fungus develops on crops during years with severe high temperature stress and drought. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Know an art & music fan? Make a donation in their honor this holiday season! http://us.click.yahoo.com/.6dcNC/.VHMAA/Zx0JAA/PJ_qlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCA_Coursing/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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