FDA Releases Report on Diamond Plant...

   It's not as bad as what the FDA found several years ago when they inspected the same plant after dogs died because Solid Gold was contaminated with aflatoxin. But it looks like they are still cutting corners with their quality control. I never bought any products made by Diamond after the incident with Solid Gold, and I will never trust them.

I'm not surprised and am very sorry I was feeding 4Health and TOTW.  I've seen a huge improvement in all my kids in the not two weeks since I went back to Blue.

 Ick, ick,, ick!  

 

Thank you for posting this.

 I don't have even a little of the knowledge most of you seem to have regarding these dog food plants and what brand is made where.  All I know is several years ago I read Dr. Pitcairn's (?) book on pet foods where he talked about road kill, diseased animals, etc., and that was the beginning of my transformation.  Then, after having a dog that looked absolutely horrible on various "high quality" foods, had skin issues to the point of me not wanting to pet him, massive hair loss, etc., I threw in the towel and opted for home cooking. Before that, I spent what seems like hundreds of hours on the internet researching, reading, reviewing - scared I was making the wrong decision, wouldn't supply what was needed, realizing I would have to make a major commitment, the cost factor, etc.  Throughout, I was struck by one continuous thought...

Why doesn't the FDA or other powers that regulate step in sooner?  Why do so many animals have to become sick and die before something is done?  What about the emotional tole on the owner?  The vet bills?  The long-term health consequences? The things mentioned about the Diamond plant are not things that happened overnight.  If these things were happening in a plant making what we know to be low-quality food, it would be one thing - sort of the "you get what you pay for" thought.  The Ol' Roy dog foods.  However, from what I understand, this plant was making the food that sells for $60 plus per 30-40 lb bag.  That isn't low quality to me.  Stepping off of my soapbox... - Susan

SusanB

Why doesn't the FDA or other powers that regulate step in sooner?

Lack of manpower and funding.  They don't even have enough people to adequately monitor the safety of human food.

And I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that the FDA doesn't even have the authority to order a mandatory recall of pet products.

The things mentioned about the Diamond plant are not things that happened overnight.  If these things were happening in a plant making what we know to be low-quality food, it would be one thing - sort of the "you get what you pay for" thought.  The Ol' Roy dog foods.  However, from what I understand, this plant was making the food that sells for $60 plus per 30-40 lb bag.  That isn't low quality to me.  Stepping off of my soapbox... -

I'm sure they were making plenty of lower quality foods at that plant, too.  But IMO what makes this situation doubly bad is that apparently none of the things being done by Diamond were caught by any of the other companies for whom they manufacture foods.  Not Wellness or Natural Balance or any of the companies who proudly proclaim all their quality control/quality assurance practices on their websites.  Those companies should have been doing their own independent audits of the Diamond plant.  But apparently not.

 

I have a feeling it is going to hurt these companies for not doing so.  My dog was doing fine on TOTW, and I had put her on it because I had received so many recommendations from other people who knew a lot more than me and my husband.  After all this I have changed her food.  I mentioned that to another friend, whose dog was eating TOTW as well, and hoped she wouldn't find me paranoid, but she laughed and said she switched to another brand for her dog as well.

 I doubt we are alone in our caution.

Unfortunately, this is the way Diamond has historically reacted to issues.  They'll pull ONE product line and eventually a second, and pretty soon you've got a boat load of bad stuff.  And they always downplay it, lie to their vendors, etc.  Or the stores lie to us, who knows.

As I understand it, the FDA does not have the power to demand a recall, or to shut a facility down.

Many of the super premium companies (the ones that charge $60 a bag) do not have their own production facilities.  If they did, they would have to pass on the millions such facilities would cost to the consumer, and their sales would be slim indeed.  Solid Gold and Wellness are two such companies....outstanding foods, but unfortunately, manufactured in the Diamond plant.

My cats were on TOTW, my dogs on 4Health.....and a lot of those products are still on the Tractor Supply shelves.....of course there is a sign saying that the products are affected by the recall.  Ummm, right.  I'm totally done with Diamond.  They simply cannot be trusted and all the recalls I can remember involved that Gaston SC plant.

glenmar

Many of the super premium companies (the ones that charge $60 a bag) do not have their own production facilities.  If they did, they would have to pass on the millions such facilities would cost to the consumer, and their sales would be slim indeed.  Solid Gold and Wellness are two such companies....outstanding foods, but unfortunately, manufactured in the Diamond plant.

 

But it's not a case of either you have your own production plant or you're at the mercy of a company like Diamond.  There's a middle ground.  Which is having your own QA/QC people on site at the production facility.  My understanding is that's why Natura wasn't involved in the 2007 melamine recall.  Even though many (all?) of their canned foods were processed at the Menu plant that was the source of most of the recalls, Natura supplied their own ingredients instead of paying Menu to purchase them, and they had their own personnel on site making sure their stuff was "done right."  I don't see any reason companies like Wellness and Natural Balance can't do the same thing.  Especially with products being processed at a plant that already has a well-known bad history.  Sure it would cost a little more, but given the size of Wellness and Natural Balance, the costs would be very minimal.  To not be over-seeing production says loud and clear to me that those companies aren't committed to the safety and quality of their products.  I can't lay the blame all on Diamond.

Correct.  Unless the plant won't allow that, in which case I wouldn't use them.

 Y'all all seem to have a lot of knowledge about these plants and the manufacturing and it is greatly appreciated by those of us with no knowledge.  I never realized all this stuff took place.  Nonetheless, my story and evolution:

April 2011 I bought a new bag of Natural Balance LI Venison and Sweet Potato which I had been feeding for awhile.  After about 3-4 days, my dog started getting sick.  Actually, it was the man that came at noon to walk him that noticed.  Left me a note stating he seemed hot/was panting a lot.  That night I noticed his urine was orange. Left note for walker the next AM to observe. When I got home that evening, he was obviously in some distress.  Got him to vet.  Liver enzymes were literally off the charts.  Urine full of billirubin.  Ultimately, and after 3 days of IV hydration and meds, labs were sent to a specialty lab for dilutional studies and values were still unbelievably high.  A vet from the Animal Poison Control Center was called and became involved in treatment (bless her!  my vet didn't know what to do.)  Poison suspected.  I had apt. manager gather all those MSDS (?) papers on any chemicals used on lawns, etc.  Nothing.  I called Natural Balance in CA and they were totally unconcerned, insisting there was nothing wrong with their product. Refused to test a sample saying it could have been contaminated anywhere in the shipping line or at my home. True, I guess.   Bottom line...he recovered after several days in hospital and almost $3000.  Although he's walked on leash, I suppose it is possible he picked up something.  However, I'll always believe it was the food - whether the contamination occurred at the plant or somewhere in the shipping chain from plant to store.  Hence...my untrusting nature regarding dog foods.  Still, it took me 8 months to start home cooking.  - Susan

I have cooked on and off for about 38 years -- I had a dog with mega bad pancreatitis (I was 21) and back in 1976 it cost me $346 to get her out of the vet after almost 2 weeks at death's door. 

 The vet said to me - "If you love her you will NOT feed her store-bought food.  Cook for her -- control what goes in her mouth YOURSELF"  As the years passed I have cooked for some dogs, commercial for others -- then had 2 dogs at once get cancer.  BAD.  That was it.  I went back to cooking -- at least I know what's going IN the food. 

I'm a legal secretary and often work way more than 40 hours a week.  But you know what?  The amount of time it takes to treat a sick dog, the extra vet bills and time I have to work to PAY for them?

 I'm ahead home-cooking.  And the longer I do it, the more WAY ahead I am.

calliecritturs

...and back in 1976 it cost me $346 to get her out of the vet after almost 2 weeks at death's door. 

 I'm ahead home-cooking.  And the longer I do it, the more WAY ahead I am.

 

I'm a tad ahead of you in the age category - turned 27 in 1976 (sounds better than saying I'm turning 63 in 2012  ).  $346 was about like $10K to us back then.  Cooking time is a bit of a factor but I've just worked it in as part of my Sunday afternoon routine.  I also prepare my take-to-work lunches at that time as well as a couple of dinners for the week.  If I have a grab and go container in the fridge, I'll take my lunch.  By shopping carefully/watching sale ads/taking lunch to work the cost has become far less of a factor and in fact, I think it balances out. 

Most important for me...I don't have to worry about what's in his food, if he might be allergic to it, recalls, etc.