Has anyone had a bad expereince with Canidae dog food changing their formula/plant? I just printed out over 50 pages of recent complaints from consumer affairs. I realize they just changed their formula (and their plant to Diamond), and yes, some adjustment is necessary, but this seems like it could be something else to me. Please advise if you have any information or experience. Thanks.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html
Welcome to Itchmo leechash! Wow I hadnt seen this! Everytime we go to Consumer Affairs we have been looking at the hundreds of Nutro complaints. This is a statement from Canidae at CA, they are sounding like Nutro...
Canidae Pet Foods
A statement from Canidae:
We apologize to all who have voiced their concerns with our new formulation. Canidae distributed letters to retailers, breeders, updated packaging, and provided in-store signage, however it appears that this message did not reach all of our customers.
The new formulation, with increased levels of meat protein, lowered carbohydrates, and an increased overall complex carbohydrate quality, provides the most nutritious, all natural, palatable products. Canidae never uses soy, corn, wheat, by-products, grain fractions, or fillers in our food.
If you believe your pet has experienced challenges related to the new formula we suggest feeding smaller portions multiple times a day. Adding warm water can decrease the chance of pets eating too quickly and not chewing thoroughly. It's not unusual for pets to experience some digestive issues when transitioning, but if your problems persist, contact your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health concerns. For more tips, visit canidae.com/transitioningfromorig.html.
Due to increased commodity costs, we've changed our packaging sizes, reducing the overall weight by approximately 3-5 pounds per bag. The new sizes are more consistent with other brands and allow for easier handling.
We are committed to bringing quality products to pet owners and in June that commitment led us to Diamond's manufacturing facility. Diamond facilities have rigorous quality control processes, utilizing a 141-point ingredient test protocol. All products are subject to a 10-point final product safety review and Canidae has also implemented hourly testing to confirm quality and product safety in our onsite laboratory. All Canidae products meet or exceed AAFCO nutrient profiles in USDA and FDA approved facilities.
At Canidae, we are committed to providing you and your pets the highest standard of excellence for product quality, palatability, and customer satisfaction. Please call 800-398-1600 or visit www.canidae.com to let us know what we can do to serve you better.
Canidae
Scott Whipple and John Gordon
Owners
PO Box 3610
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403
And these are just a few of the complaints at CA from the link posted above by leechash:
Jenya of Olympia WA (10/04/08)
After Canidae made a very discreet formula change to my dogs kibble, he immediately began to get very gassy & had VERY loose bowel movements that would not go away. It was not until I changed brands that Zephyr started to have regular bowel movements again. At the same time the company decreased the size of the bags, but did not change the price....I feel like we got ripped off twice.
I think Canidae owes its customers more than a deep apology - but some money for vet bills & for time spent scraping diarrhea off the grass & carpets of their consumer's homes and yards. Whoever's idea it was to change the formula should be fired; if it's not broken don't fix it. I WAS so happy with this food...and fed it for a great number of years & referred it to adopters within my rescue organization and to other members of the dog show community ....
I am now disgusted with this company and cannot believe the utter lack of compassion & business savvy. Shame on them. They will certainly lose more than money on this stupid decision, they have lost their reputation.
Courtney of Brooklyn NY (10/04/08)
I adopted my very healthy dog (at the age of three) a year and two months ago. I was feeding her Canidae dog food for the duration. She always was in perfect health, with firm stools and a strong stomach. Starting in August, Canidae changed the formula, and later to find out, the manufacturer of their dog food. I didn't notice a change in the packaging, so I bought the food as I normally do. I brought the food home and noticed that it was a different shape and texture.
I contacted Canidae and they told me that they increased the protein content of the food and ti would take some time for my dog to get used to it. I thought it strange, but would give it a chance. I didn't have the opportunity of switching out gradually b/c I had no warning about the change and couldn't procure a bag of the old food. This persisted for over a month and I switched to a different brand. Still had loose stool and bad diarrhea. this had never happened before. I have incurred over a thousand dollars in vet bills. The vet thought it might be worms (although I treat with a preventative) and I, thinking that might have been it, went back to the Canidae. Still bad, bad smelly diarrhea and bad itching and digging at her back and tummy. Red spots on tummy after she eats.
I finally realized that it is the food after reading one after anohter complaint with dogs with similar symptoms. She even had and was treated for an anal abcess b/c her stools were so loose she wasn't clearing her anal glands, not usually a problem for her breed. I am so so so upset that i trusted Canidae and should have went with my instincts and switched off the food from the start. The reason I didn't is that I was afraid that I woulde n't find th source of the problem if I made too many changes to her habits and diet at once. It was the food all along.
And Canidae had the incredible nerve to not tell me when I emailed them that they swtiched to the manufacturer Diamond. I would never, never, never buy a dog food from a manufacturer with so many known issues. I am so angry and am telling everyone not to buy Canidae.
Today, when I went to my local dog store to report this there were two other customers there with the same complaint. At the vet today (where i am back for yet another fecal recheck) one client's dog had diarrhea and vomiting and their dog eats Canidae. I want my vet bills back, I want my dog's intestines to be healthy again. I want Canidae to be punished. I will tell everone I know and there is no doubt in my mind that they are negligent and I will sue.
D. of St Louis MO (10/04/08)
I am a breeder and have had all my dogs and new puppy families on Canidae ALS for years and years. We were all very happy. Being a breeder and part of Canidae's breeding program where they supply me with with free food and puppy packs to send home with the puppies. I was very upset that they never told me of the formula change and only changed the bag and added the formula change information to their wesite AFTER getting loads of complaints of sick pets.
Ive talked with tons of families and they definatley put the new formula in the old bags and didnt even put a sticker on the bag letting people know it was a different formula. My 2 litters at the time had non stop runs for 10 weeks and i spent alot of money on vet ills, medication and fecal exams to rule out worms and parasites. My adults were also having vomiting and the runs but i never could figure out why...
finally a friend talked me into switching foods claiming that the food she feeds gives the pups hard stools no matter what and instantly the pups had firm stools. still i didnt think it was the canidae that i trusted completley until someone sent me alink to this website. After investigating several brands I decided on a new high end brand and will no longer use or refer anyone to Canidae.
Beth of Meadville PA (10/03/08)
I have fed Canidae chicken & rice for the last two years and was very happy with how my 5 cocker spaniels did on it, not to mention the price was very reasonable. My dogs range in age from 11 1/2 years to 2 1/2 years. I noticed about two months ago, when after purchasing a new bag that the color was more yellow, but didn't think anything of it, as I totally trusted the company. Within hours my dogs developed gas and very soft, bright yellow stools. Several of them vomited a bile- colored liquid over the course of the next few days.
Concerned, I contacted the company, and a young woman said that they had changed the formula, and if my dogs were experiencing soft stools to mix water into the food and/or add some cooked rice to the food. If I wanted to cook for my dgs I would- isn't why we feed packaged food for the convenience? Funny thing is- our 11 1/2 year old has always had to have his food ground & mixed with enough water to make a slurry as he has mega-esophagus, and had and still does, have the softest stools of any of them. So, I switched to the ALS formula of Canidae, the results are a little better, not much.
I am thoroughly disgusted with the company for their lack of any notice on the food bags that there was a change in the formula, and for the increased cost for an obviously inferior new formula. Thankfully my dogs have not developed any deadly effects-YET. I am returning the food and will switch to Nutripet or Innova.
Dogs' distress from diarrhea, vomiting, my distress from trying to clean up after extemely messy stools. Raise in price for inferior product is just wrong!
We did have a few threads on here discussing the ingredient changes, but these complaints have piled up since then. This does not sound good. It would be good to know if all the problems are because of new ingredients to the pets, or if there is actually something wrong with the food.
I bought a new bag of Canidae over the past weekend and found the formula had changed, but didn't look much farther than the Canidae website since I was satisfied by their explanation of the change and the company has given me no reason to doubt them in the past.
Unfortunately, after just a day of being on the new food (mixed with the "original" formula) both my boys were drinking a good deal more water than normal and have softer and softer stools. I researched a bit more, found all the complaints, and the fact that Canidae is no longer produced in the same facility, but instead by Diamond Foods, and took my dogs off it...both have returned to normal drinking and stools in the past day.
I called Canidae to ask about the changes and first-off got a long spiel about how "Diamond Foods did not intentionally poison dogs during the recall"...that they immediately jumped into a line of defensive talk like that when asking about changes to the manufacturing process really disturbed me considering I hadn't mentioned anything about the recalls. Also, the rep kept going on and on about Diamond, not Canidae so I'm wondering how much of the original Canidae company is really left. The rep further went on about how Canidae was facing "unique production capacity challenges" since so many people had switched to them as a result of the recalls and they were forced to abandon their original plant in Texas for larger production facilities (i.e. Diamond) in order to meet growing demand. The rep also told me that they had decreased the amount of food in the bags (while actually increasing the price a few dollars) to allow for "easier storage and handling". Perhaps the most disturbing part was that when asked about the safety measures in place, I was told that they could no longer guarantee the same level of safety checks as before due to the increased size of their new production facilities and the fact that they were outsourced to Diamond.
I visited a number of pet stores in my area looking for the old formula, but found none, though each store said they have had numerous customer complaints over the new formula and a lot of owners looking to switch brands. Two of the stores mentioned the addition of barley and millet to the Canidae as possible reasons dogs are having the stomach/intestinal problems.
I'm off to ask in another forum what recommendations others have for dog food since I'm now stuck having trusted Canidae for quite awhile now, but no longer able to consider them a truly "safe" food, or at least one that has ingredients that don't make my dogs sick.
CDD........perhaps too, you can look here on Itchmo to see how others and their pups are doing with their food choices.
Thank you too for sharing your experiences and the information you got and provided from your Canidae conversation!!!
I've been feeding Canidae for the last two years. I was concerned with the change, even though the new ingredients looked pretty good to me, because one of my dogs has a very sensitive tummy. He was on the chicken and rice and I worried the new grains would cause him problems. We never transitioned I just started giving my dogs the new formula. There was never any problems and I was keeping a vigilant eye out. Not even loose stool. Surprisingly my dog with the sensitive tummy seems to doing even better on this formula, over two months now. Recent blood work on the pups was all good... So I'm not sure what's up with all the complaints.
I forgot to add that my Mom's 4 Chihuahuas are all doing well on the new formula. Thought someone might like to hear from people that weren't having problems.
Susan
Courtney of Brooklyn NY (10/04/08)
I adopted my very healthy dog (at the age of three) a year and two months ago. I was feeding her Canidae dog food for the duration. She always was in perfect health, with firm stools and a strong stomach. Starting in August, Canidae changed the formula, and later to find out, the manufacturer of their dog food. I didn't notice a change in the packaging, so I bought the food as I normally do. I brought the food home and noticed that it was a different shape and texture.
I contacted Canidae and they told me that they increased the protein content of the food and ti would take some time for my dog to get used to it. I thought it strange, but would give it a chance. I didn't have the opportunity of switching out gradually b/c I had no warning about the change and couldn't procure a bag of the old food. This persisted for over a month and I switched to a different brand. Still had loose stool and bad diarrhea. this had never happened before. I have incurred over a thousand dollars in vet bills. The vet thought it might be worms (although I treat with a preventative) and I, thinking that might have been it, went back to the Canidae. Still bad, bad smelly diarrhea and bad itching and digging at her back and tummy. Red spots on tummy after she eats.
I finally realized that it is the food after reading one after anohter complaint with dogs with similar symptoms. She even had and was treated for an anal abcess b/c her stools were so loose she wasn't clearing her anal glands, not usually a problem for her breed. I am so so so upset that i trusted Canidae and should have went with my instincts and switched off the food from the start. The reason I didn't is that I was afraid that I woulde n't find th source of the problem if I made too many changes to her habits and diet at once. It was the food all along.
And Canidae had the incredible nerve to not tell me when I emailed them that they swtiched to the manufacturer Diamond. I would never, never, never buy a dog food from a manufacturer with so many known issues. I am so angry and am telling everyone not to buy Canidae.
Today, when I went to my local dog store to report this there were two other customers there with the same complaint. At the vet today (where i am back for yet another fecal recheck) one client's dog had diarrhea and vomiting and their dog eats Canidae. I want my vet bills back, I want my dog's intestines to be healthy again. I want Canidae to be punished. I will tell everone I know and there is no doubt in my mind that they are negligent and I will sue.
Increased the protein content? With what? Did they say? Hopefully not something from China!! (Melamine increases protein content!!)
Welcome snjlapaz and mary blonde. Your input is welcome on your experience with the Canidae. Used to feed it to my previous dog but didn't like the look of the food in the can before any formula change was made, seemed too dry, lacking moisture. Dog didn't really care for it.
More problem reports with Canidae dry:
http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/658300:Topic:727722?page=1&commentId=658300%3AComment%3A832204&x=1#658300Comment832204 (http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/658300:Topic:727722?page=1&commentId=658300%3AComment%3A832204&x=1#658300Comment832204)
QuoteReply by Kathryn L Gleason on December 2, 2008 at 11:57am
In this particular case, I feel you are plain wrong, and since my dog just went through what everyone else is describing, I just suggest to anyone too enamored of Canidae to switch: watch your pups carefully and don't pay big vet bills without trying a new food first. Our 2 yr old dog never ate anything but Canidae ALS and we were so sure of its value that we never thought of switching as she lost more and more weight this fall--she went through two bags of the new size for weeks. After two vet visits, we had an appointment for expensive bloodwork -- then we finally learned of the formula switch from our supplier. It was reprehensible of the company to make such a huge change without a "new formula" notice on the bag and they owe their faithful customers a huge apology, at the minimum. They have lost a lot of customers by their handling of this situation, and they deserve to lose them, however wonderful their product once was. A lot of dogs suffered needlessly.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html
QuoteRobert of Fremont CA (12/18/08)
In May of this year my family got its first dog; a three and a half year old Labradoodle. The prior owner recommended we feed him Canidae because its his favorite?. Sometime during the summer he started coughing and occasionally that cough would lead to a small spit of an ugly yellow liquid (two to four ounces). Unfortunately, when I asked my vet about this she didnt relate the problem to his diet (and yes she asked about his diet); instead she suggested that he might have allergies to something in our yard or something in our house.
As the months passed he continued with an occasional problem and many of our friends suggested that poodles have temperamental stomachs; suggesting that the poodle side of him is always going to have an occasional problem. Yesterday we opened a new bag of Canidae and yesterday he spent about an hour losing Canidae kibble, over and over again.
I should of saw it sooner but this time it was very clear: my poor little guy has been suffering from food poisoning?. We have now thrown away all of our Canidae products and replaced them with products recommended many. To my surprised he inhaled his dinner last night and his breakfast this morning (the first time Ive seen him enjoy his kibble). Today he appears to have much more energy and thus far no stomach problems. IMHO, this thread may have helped save my dogs life Thank You?.
I'm hoping that my dog does not have any continuing problems from this product. We've lost a few dollars (up to $100) from the products that threw away but not enough to make a fuss over.
QuoteSandi of Rockville MD (12/17/08)
I'll make this short, I own a kennel in Rockville, Maryland and I've been using Canidae for over 5 years. This is the only product I used in my kennel, except for what the customers brought with them. Since the company has changed its product I've had nothing but problem. Just like everyone else, lots of problems with all the dogs.
The latest is my 1yr old yorkie almost died the weekend of 12/7/08, cost will be close about $5,000 not including the cost of maybe an operation. They put her on special food, which cost $28 for 7lbs bag. Said it could be her liver, now I have to take her back to the specialist in about a week for follow-up. I really don't have this kind of money, If I'd known about all these problems back then I'd stopped using the product log ago.
Maybe we all should take the company to court, well I plan to see what I can do. A lot of my costomers have told me they have had some problems with their dogs when they took them home now I know why. Would love to say more, but I do have a kennel to run and it means a lot to me got to go.
My yorkie may die...that is what I was told.
QuoteDavid of Frederick MD (12/12/08)
Wow, my story is so similar to everyone else's here. I had been feeding my dogs Canidae for over a year. I bought a bag back in October. The fed it to my dogs that night, two of them wouldn't touch it, the third one ate about 3/4 of her bowl. I thought that was unusual since my dogs usually wolf down their food. I smelled the food that was in their bowls. The food had a terrible chemical smell to it.
The next day, the dog that had eaten some of it, got lethargic and had explosive, bloody diarrhea. I took her immediately to the vet and he told me it was food poisoning, and it was the most blood he had ever seen in diarrhea. I returned the food to the store, and got a different brand. Since then my dogs have been perfectly fine.
Here's where it gets interesting. I contacted Canidae the very day I took my dog to the vet. After I explained what had happened, immediately they said that the food was spoiled and it had sat in the sun too long. I told them it wasn't a spoiled smell, that there is chemical smell to it. I have smelt spoiled animal food before, and this is not it. They faxed me some paperwork, I filled it out. Every two weeks or so, I would send them and email, which they would say we'll look into it and get back to you, which they never did.
The day before Thanksgiving, they mistakenly called my house instead of the vet. Still I heard nothing. On 11 December, they called me and said We did a through review and found the food to have been spoiled. I asked them if they tested the food, they said yes. I called the pet store, they still have the bag at the pet store. So they didn't test it. The whole time they were very defensive and said their product could not possibly have anything wrong with it.
I went to the store today, 12 December, and found out, I wasn't the only one. At least two other people at the same store had the same problems with their food from Canidae. Not only that, Other stores all over the US had the same problem with their food.
I'm only out about $150 in vet bills, but clearly Canidae has a problem with their food. I felt that Canidae was blaming me. I have never dealt with a company that was so defensive about their product from the get go. Canidar had their mind made up from the second I called them what the problem with the food was. Well, I kept a sample of the food, and I'm going to send it get it tested to find out what is wrong with it.
QuoteL.m. of Hudson Falls NY (12/11/08)
My 12 year old poodle started vomiting a few months ago. I had her to the vet twice, he gave her medication but didn't help. I started looking to the internet for answers. I came across all the information about Canidae formula being changed. I took the food back to the pet store and gave them this web site. They suggested a new brand and the vomiting stopped the day I took her off the Canidae. She is acting fine and eating fine now.
I am planning to take her back to the vet to get her checked out and make sure she doesn't have permenent damage. She had been on the Canidae for over a year and didn't get sick until they changed the formula. They need to recall this dog food.
QuoteCarissa of Bozeman MT (12/11/08)
I have a 10 yr old Springer Spaniel who finally found a food that didn't upset his stomach. I've had hinm on Canadiae for few years now wtih no problems. Then I just purchased a new bag, thought they just decresed the bag size and notice the food was larger size as well. My dog has been actting funny and has the shakes. Something he never has had.
I called the store where I purchased it and they will take it back, though now I have to serch for another food that will make him ok, after preaching how great [their] product was! Why change something if it's not broke, cause now [they] broke more then customer base, now it trust. what about all the people whi don't have internet access that are spending a lot of money in vet bills right now or putting thier dogs down from a sudden ilness they can't explain! Shame on [them], very irresponsible!
I was lucky so far and caught the odd behavior and googled any recent problems with product, I hope nothing is really wrong and new food will help any further symptoms.
There are many more recent illness reports at the ConsumerAffairs.com link.
I see that they are using Diamond now for their dry food (that always makes me nervous ;D ) and the claim re: the formula change is this:
http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/7717619.aspx
"They
added barley and millet...I think those can sometimes be allergens. Also they have
generic ocean fish meal instead of a named fish meal." Canidae appears to have taken a page from the Nutro School of Pet Food Problem Management; as you'll see when you go through the ConsumerAffairs complaints, they, like Nutro, claim there's nothing amiss with their foods.
Some people have reported the food they bought had a chemical odor. It looks like there's just as much wrong with Canidae as there is with Nutro.
FWIW, here's a way to compare the old and new formulas of Canidae ALS:
http://web.archive.org/web/20080214162041/http://www.canidae.com/dogs/all_life_stages/dry.html
Old Formula
All Natural Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
http://canidae.com/dogs/all_life_stages/dry.html
New Formula
CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, ocean fish meal, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.
Platinum
http://web.archive.org/web/20080111112337/http://www.canidae.com/dogs/platinum/dry.html
Old Formula
All Natural Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Chicken Fat, (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Sunflower Oil, (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Chicken, Lamb Meal, Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Psyllium Seed Husk, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Norwegian Kelp, Lecithin, Cranberries, Monosodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Riboflavin (Source of Vitamin B2), Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory Root), Dried Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), L-Carnitine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Niacin, Beta Carotene, D-Biotin, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Papaya, Pineapple, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
http://canidae.com/dogs/platinum/dry.html
New Formula
CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, millet, turkey meal, lamb meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, ocean fish meal, choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, psyllium husks, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.
Chicken & Rice
http://web.archive.org/web/20080112181658/http://www.canidae.com/dogs/chicken-and-rice/dry.html
Old Formula
All Natural Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Dried Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
http://canidae.com/dogs/chicken-and-rice/dry.html
New Formula
CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, cracked pearled barley, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), millet, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, potassium chloride, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.
Lamb & Rice
http://web.archive.org/web/20071205020213/http://www.canidae.com/dogs/lamb-and-rice/dry.html
Old Formula
All Natural Ingredients
Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flax Seed, Sun cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Lamb, Lecithin, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory Root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, L-Lysine, Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of Vitamin B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Organic Selenium, Dried Papaya, Dried Pineapple, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
http://canidae.com/dogs/lamb-and-rice/dry.html
New Formula
CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Lamb meal, brown rice, cracked pearled barley, rice bran, peas, millet, canola oil, lamb, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed meal, potassium chloride, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.
Have tried to highlight what's different in the old and new formulas.
We need a label requirement. They should not be able to change the formulation of any pet or human food without noting it in an obvious manner on the front of the packaging. With the amount of food allergies people and pets have, along with the fact many pets can't handle sudden food changes, we shouldn't have to try and figure out if a food is still "the same" every time we buy it. I'm not going to remember what was in it the last time I bought it while reading the labels in the store.
Good idea of a label requirement - they do not need to design a new bag - just make room on the bag for a notice that new ingredients have been added and list exactly what they are. As it is they can continue to use the old labels for 6 months when making any change and that law should be changed too.
bump
Many more new, bad reports about Canidae: >:(
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html
QuoteDon of Mondovi WI (01/01/09)
We have a wonderful 14 year old Shepherd-Husky mixed breed that we adopted when she was a puppy. We fed her Science Diet for most of her long, happy, healthy life with no problems. In the spring she started itching and developing allergy-like symptoms. At this point we switched to Canidae based on many recommendations.
After about two months (following the ingredient change) she suddenly began vomiting yellow bile, losing weight, and becoming very lethargic. The vet asked the standard questions regarding possible poisoning, change in diet, etc. $1500 later, liver malfunction was diagnosed as the problem. We immediately put her on the vet-recommended food (non-Canidae) to ease digestion issues, and medication to help heal the damage to the liver. She gained weight, and a blood test showed her liver functions began to improve slightly. However, she continued to lose muscle mass and seemed somewhat restless. We just returned from the vet today (Dec 31, 08) after a follow-up blood test and check-up, and found the liver functions heading back down. Im not sure it was the Canidae, but after reading so many similar events, it certainly seems likely.
At 14 (or any age) liver problems will most likely be fatal, and there is nothing that can be done now. However, if the cause is related to something in the food and enough people speak up, perhaps we can save other dogs.
QuoteRo of Richland WA (12/31/08)
I have a strong suspicion that Canidae Platinum may be the root cause of a major medical bill that I just had on my Jack Russell Terrier. A few weeks ago the dog suddenly began licking its paws a lot. Then on December 21st the dog suddenly began having major abdominal pain. (I had recently switched her to Canidae food) and the bags were the new formulation. (I had used the old formulation of Canidae for a year or so with no problems. The dog quit eating and had extreme abdominal cramping. There had been no other changes in her diet. She started having trouble passing stool. To my knowledge, she never vomitted. The vet took xrays and ran a barium test. There appeared to be no obvious blockages. However, the dog continued not to eat and be in pain.
Finally, exploratory surgery had to be performed in case there was a bowel obstruction related to something she might have swallowed or a tumor. The surgery found nothing other than a highly irritated stomach and bowel. Three biopsy samples were taken. The lab results were negative for cancer on all three samples. The dog still cannot ingest food so we are having to force feed her (not Canidae!). She is also on a regimen of antibiotics, stomach antacids, pain killers, etc. Since nothing had changed in the dog's life (other than the food), I suspect the Canidae food (for whatever reason) triggered this illness. All of the dog's bloodwork has been perfect.
We have sustained several thousand dollars of veterinary expenses in the last ten days due to this event. We are still not sure whether the dog is going to recuperate.
QuoteNancy of Cortland IL (12/31/08)
I began using canidae platinum in July 2008 to help my cairn terrier, Molly, lose weight. She seemed to love the food and she was losing weight...everyone was happy!!! To make a long story short, at one point I had to buy her old food that she was eating before canidae because the pet food store where I purchased the food was closed and we were totally out of food at home. As she appeared to be putting a little bit of weight back on I switched her back to the canidae.
I opened up a new bag just a few days ago and noticed the change in appearance. Molly has always loved to eat so like any other time,she gobbled it right up. That was about 5 days ago...since then she's suffered from 5 grand mal seizures!!! I can't help but believe that the formula change is the cause!!!
It's heartbreaking to watch beloved family member suffer! Molly has an appointment to see the vet in 2 days. Our vet has instructed us on what to watch for in case she needs immediate medical attention.
As a responsible pet owner I thought I was feeding her a quality product. I truely believe that if you feed your dog quality products, along with proper exercise, ect.,they can help your pet live a long, happy, healthy life.
To be totally honest, my husband and I ae not in a financial situation that will allow us to spend thousands or even hundreds of dollars on our Molly....It brings me to tears to think of what might happen to Molly. My husband and I along with our 2 young children adore our beloved pet. I only hope and pray that we are able to afford her medical care. It sickens me to think that the food that I've been feeding her may have caused all this!!!
QuoteJoanne of West Grove PA (12/31/08)
We have been feeding Canidae Lamb & Rice for over a year to our Shelties & Collies as well as 4 rescued Terriers... all was going well UNTIL this past Late Summer/Early Fall. our yearling Shelties who typically are excellent eaters started throwing up right after eating! Not all the time but enough for me to take them in to the Vet! Nothing showed up but the only thing was the food, unfortunately we didn't know Canidae had changed its formula and we were bringing home old food then new food .. back and forth which was yanking at the dogs GI systems.
We called the Pet Store, they told us about the change but covered their story with they didn't know until now. The Canidae Representative called us and send a few coupons out for more bags of food. Things calmed down once we were on the New bags of Canidae. we did notice a new thing though, itching. we bathed and treated for everything but the food, never did we think the Food was the culprit!
Then this past November one of our older Collies, a very stable girl of 9 who always ate well stopped eating. no matter what we tried that day she would not eat. We took her to the Vet and was SHOCKED to watch this lovely girl decline right in front of us on the Vet's table. The Vet asked if she had ingested some sort of poison. POISON I thought, NO WAY. we are 1,000% safety around here and there aren't any poisons. Once the blood tests came back the Vet had horrible news, Maddie was dieing of possible Liver Cancer and the most humand thing would be to put her down!
My husband and I were in shock. how can this be. she was just frollicking with the Shelties not three days earlier. the whites of her eyes are yellow. her skin was yellow. in less then 48 hours Maddie is gone and not until I found this site and read some of the people's stories did I ever think ... Canidae ... but now!
QuoteShelley of Brownsville WI (12/26/08)
Today would have been my lab's second birthday. However, we had to have her euthanized yesterday, on Christmas morning. She had lymphoma, which I have been told is extremely rare in a dog that young.
She had eaten Canidae ALS since she was about three months old and initially did very well on it. However, in the late summer/early fall of 2008 she began having symptoms similar to those reported here by others. She started having excessive itching and hair loss. Her coat was dull, even after a bath. She was doing a lot of licking.
During the fall, we noticed her having a lot of foul gas. She was also having more frequent bowel movements and seemed to be straining at times. She vomited a couple of times right after eating and on two occasions I found odd, yellow, frothy vomit in her pen in the late afternoon.
At no time was I ever informed of a change in her food. As a result, I never questioned her food even though I noticed a slight change in the kibble. I assumed that some of her symptoms were due to being a lab and possible seasonal allergies.
That all changed dramatically for us on Nov. 21st. I took her to the vet immediately when she got up one morning with excessive drinking and refused to eat. I was shocked when I was called in the afternoon and told that her condition was very serious and that her blood calcium levels were very high. Her vet initially suspected that she had ingested a toxin and most likely had vitamin D toxicity due to rat poison. We never had anything like that at our home and our dog was constantly supervised.
She was hospitalized for that possible condition for four days and appeared to be recovering. During that time, she was switched to another food and her symptoms immediately disappeared. Her coat became soft and silky. The scratching stopped and there were no more gastro-intestinal issues. Unfortunately, that is not the end of our story.
As a precaution, she was also tested for the possibility of cancer. One test came back positive and we continued to do further testing, which was initially inconclusive. However, within a couple of weeks, she did develop the symptoms of lymphoma which led to her death yesterday. She was an expensive, well-bred hunting dog with nothing like this in her lineage.
We will probably never know what part nutrition played in the development of her illness. I do know, though, that as a consumer I was not made aware of any change in her food, which I resent. If I had known, I would have had the opportunity to make a change when I saw some of the symptoms being attributed to Canidae.
I became aware of this website when I googled Canidae after our vet suspected that she had ingested a rodent poison. I remembered that I had opened a bag a couple of months ago and found a dead mouse in it. I was shocked to find hundreds of similar complaints. I have been in contact with the company and ideally, would like to have the food sample that I saved analyzed. They are not willing to do that because I no longer have the original packaging and UPC code.
I know for sure that we had the new formula since late October and am quite sure that we actually started it in Sept., 2008. If there is a positive side to this, it is the fact that I have become much more educated about pet foods and hope that any experience that I have had with this company will in some way help someone else.
We have lost the companionship of our pet in addition to substantial financial loss of thousands of dollars. Our vet bill for diagnosis and euthanasia will be between $2500.00 to $3000.00. In addition we have lost a few thousand dollars in regard to the cost of the dog and her training, not to mention thousands that will be spent to replace her.
There are even more than these since we last checked the Canidae thread around the middle of December, 2008. Many people are reporting the same symptoms. >:(
I have not. But with what I just went thru with a brand of What I thought Trusted cat food. I got rid of my Blue Buffalo, and scratched out the Iams Am now feeding my Husky and Pug Rachel Rays Chicken. They love her peanut butter cookie treats too! It is not made in a big plant like the others are. Has no garbage parts included in it either. Of course the bi-products used are the most useless parts of the animal being used, beeks,legs,bones, etc. With having looked hard at what is in her bagged chicken mix. It can be trusted, I don't care who's name is om it,just want to be sure everyone of my pets here are eating a product that is SAFE. This pet food worry is really getting to be to stressful.Our pets are family too. No one should have to worry when going in to ANY store for food for their pets. From what I have seen hers is the best in local retail stores and priced with in reason still. MY dogs BOTH inhale this food. Yhet were honestly not as interested in the Blue Buffalo or the IAMS. Just adding my experience. I just lost a dear aged friend (20) thinking it might now be from a cat food from a plant being questioned. So am begun looking HARD for better foods fo ALL of those in my small zoo.
I remembered reading some info about Nutrish here at Itchmo and found this old thread that talked about it and its ingredients. Thought it might be of interest: http://itchmoforums.com/pet-food-questions-and-researching-foodsingredients/questions-about-nutrish-by-rachael-ray-t6563.0.html