TOTW & MANY others, shipments suspended

[Mega's Mom]

OK, I'm totally paranoid now even though Cornelius has been fine on this new bag of TOTW. I don't have the bag anymore so I can't tell which plant it came from. Anyway, I'm not taking any changes, I went out and bought a bag of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon and started the switch. Hopefully since it's the same protein and grain free, the transition won't take as long. *fingers crossed*

 

[LILYLARUE]

UGH! I just rotated Cornelius back to TOTW Pacific Stream (didn't really like him on Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Venison). He's through 1/2 the bag and he's doing fine but I probably should rotate to a different food again. It takes him FOREVER to transition to a new food. Drat.

Thanks for the update guys!

There isn't an issue with the pacific stream. No lamb in that one, so I'd think you are pretty safe with that recipe. That is if you are comfortable with it.

 

[LILYLARUE]

Ok, so now my bro's St Bernard has thrown up 2 meals this past week. Also on TOTW Lamb. I am really starting to think that Diamond is NOT keeping us informed to the extent of the issue at all! It does worry me that it took the USDA inspection test to find the salmonella, where I would think their in-house plant test should have found it. The plant keeps samples from each batch and are tested, but why wasn't it found in their own?

If salmonella was found on one machine in one specific plant, that sure doesn't constitue the closing of all three plants. Certainly not cost effective to be that proactive and would cause a great loss to the company. Unless there is an issue in their ingredient sources. Hmmmm, is it lamb sourcing across the board or just Diamond plant machinery or processing? If it's the source, then more brands would be having issues since most comes from the only two sources from NZ and minimal from SA. I am just wondering if Diamond is slacking on their processing and testing and it's just their plant(s) that are contaminated.

Found out last night that Chicken Soup is also made at this particular plant too. Hearing about issues with a few dogs on that brand too now. Ohhhh boyyyyy, I sure hope this isn't another Iams & Eukanuba disaster with dogs dying until they finally pull it off the shelves and examine their source and process procedures.

I've switched my bros dogs to Earthborn Bison and have a bag ready at my house for mine after their bland diet is over. My dogs are already eating much better and have had firmer stools since off the TOTW. I'm so happy I was on it before one of my dogs suffered too greatly, or lost them to illness. I will be waiting a few more days to see if they recover before delving deeper into testing.

 

[buddhasmum]

I have fed TOTW and found it to be too high in protein/
not so easily digestible, especially for my older dogs.
They need more vegies in their formula, and some grain
but not wheat or corn.
Once I switched to senior Innova my 17 year old Border Collie bounced back!

Thank you gals so much for being on top of this issue!

 

[Roge]

I am following this thread with i have to say some amazment.I would be of the thinking that it is not one plant and the finger pointing to a product source.
Ok so where is the quality control.
1/ They know a problem has occured.
2/ If it were with one machine they should have the batch number of production on said machine.
3/ If it is a product source they should have a batch number on all product that it was used in.
4/Again where is in house quality control when it took an outside audit to find the problem.
5/Why oh why have they not traced the offending batch and requested it be taken off sale pending futher investigation.
Anyone who has a pet that has been sick on this food should be informing their pet store asap so maybe it can be quarantined at store level and then let the store deal with their suppliers.
I can see why the plant want to keep things under wraps as not to cause a panic but on this board alone there are dogs that have been sick so how many more are out there.. I would have far more respect for them if they did put a warning out as a precaution at least you would know then that they are putting your pets intrest first and would be able to trust them going forward hence giving them your custom again once the issue is resloved.
It all makes me so angry and I cant even get that food in my country I just hate the thought of wiggle butts out there getting sick when it can be avoided.

OK major rant gotten off my chest now !!!!!!

 

[brodieboxer]

Helen, I agree with you!

Dempsey came to us with a supply of TOTW Sierra when we adopted him a week and a half ago, but he wouldn't eat it. I gave him my poodle's TOTW Pacific Stream and he was happy. I THEN snuck in 1/4 portion of the lamb, trying to get him to eat it, and his poo got runny - so I'm thinking Dempsey was pretty smart not wanting to eat it. I threw the lamb away! Both dogs are fine on the fish. We got Dempsey from Florida, so maybe it came from the SC plant that has gotten the bad press.

 

[EAO76]

I haven’t been following this issue. With everything we have going on (two dogs with cancer and a new baby just weeks a way) I missed the details of this. I recently switched to TOTW Wetlands formula (Fowl) should I be concerned? With four large dogs I buy several bags at a time. Are we sure it’s just the lamb formula?

 

[LILYLARUE]

I haven’t been following this issue. With everything we have going on (two dogs with cancer and a new baby just weeks a way) I missed the details of this. I recently switched to TOTW Wetlands formula (Fowl) should I be concerned? With four large dogs I buy several bags at a time. Are we sure it’s just the lamb formula?

Well, if we can believe them, yes, it's only the lamb. I know other's who are feeding the fish and fowl and have no issues at all.


Helen! Not a rant - a true thought out train of thoughts that are definitely valuable!

I now tend to not want to trust Diamond at all. I think they are not letting on what a serious problem this really is. Otherwise, they would continue with the other two plants and not shut them down. Quality control has slacked and I am seriously worried. Not sure now if I will ever go back to TOTW. Once the trust is gone, and my dog's lives are at stake, it's never gained back. I just tend to think that if it's not a big issue, then why the overkill on shutting down plants. That has got to be a much bigger profit loss than just recalling the bags that could possibly be effected or just halting the sale and distribution of those bags all together.

Thank goodness for so many other options out there who still keep our pets health as priority and don't shirk their responsibilities in their processes.

 

[rrboxer]

This is terrible! I haven't been on the BW website for a week maybe and I just fed Lacy her Totw (I mix the bison (yellow bag) and the wetlands canine roasted formula together). I'll have to research now and find another brand and transition her over.

 

[LILYLARUE]

I received word last night that their was not salmonella in the foods. It was found on the equipment. But, this store owner also said that dog's can't get salmonella, that the threat is the humans contracting it. Ok, so take that with a grain of salt. Dogs CAN get salmonella poisoning and i'm not trusting what she says at all. I wonder if that's what the rep told her so she would continue to sell TOTW. I don't use that pet store too often.

So....the plants are back to manufacturing. Distributors and distributing. And stores are selling.

I still don't trust the food. The only common denominator to my dogs being ill is the food. 3 dogs are allowed to roam the yard. Smiley is always on leash due to his fence climbing abilities. So, I don't see their illness coming from something they possibly got into if Smiley is restricted.

They have almost recovered. Had them on Earthborn for 3 meals now. Every one of them are back to eating, solid poops and no vomiting. So, I think I am going to stick to this food for now on.