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More Pet Food Recalled

By Tammy Mori


The list of recalled pet food continues to grow.

Millions of cans of wet dog and cat food were recalled, after being linked to the deaths of 16 pets nationwide.

The recall has recently expanded to dry food as well.

Just when pet owners began to think everything was under control, in the last 24 hours two pet food giants, Nestle Purina Pet Care Company and Hill's Pet Nutrition, announced a voluntary recall of some of their products.

Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy with specific date codes, and bags of Prescription Diet Feline Dry food are being pulled from store shelves.

"It was right here," points out Margie Rodrigues, who works at the Animal Hospital of Hawaii.

After dozens of popular brands of pet food were recalled 2 weeks ago, veterinarian offices say it's been chaotic.

"Everyone's just panicking right now," says Rodrigues.

That's how Sinira Vaiaoga feels..

"When I came home, I found my dog under the table- dead," she says.

"He's dead in this picture, that's when I rushed him to the vet," continues Vaiaoga.

Aapa was just a puppy when he died last week.

"I had no idea why but I think about it in my mind I fed him Iams," says Vaiaoga.

The Iams dry food she was feeding Aapa, was not included on the recall list.

Vets say after the recent recall many pet owners are blaming food for the cause of their animals death.

But Vaiaoga says this entire pet food recall has been enough to turn her away from any commercial pet foods.

"Now the only safe way, is when you have leftover food," says Vaiaoga.

That's exactly what vets are worried about...pet owners cooking up their own recipes.

"If they think one up in their head, I'll put some of this together, this together, it's not going to work. Be careful because you're not going to get a balanced diet," says Dr. Philip Kau, of the Animal Hospital of Hawaii.

Without a balanced diet, your pet could be in even more trouble.

"I dont want to go through another devastating experience. Your pets become part of your family and you want to keep them safe and alive," says Vaiaoga.

Experts believe wheat gluten contaminated with a chemical found in plastics and pesticides is what tainted some pet food.

The Purina recall covers 13.2 ounce and 22 ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6, 8, 12, and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs with four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "best Before Feb. 2009" date.

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