What numbers are you basing this on? The "official" count, which is
really just the animals in Menu's feeding test? The Banfield numbers,
who have hundreds of cases, and project a number of several thousand
nationwide based on their own numbers? The numbers from the Veterinary
Information Network--who say that only 10-20% of their members have
reported in, but nevertheless they have reports of 1,000 sick animals,
and project that it could easily be ten times that? The Pet Connection
numbers?


One thing to keep in mind is that there is a reason that these numbers
are so different. Tying a death conclusively to the food is going to be
very difficult, even if you can confirm with certainty that the animal
was on the food.

The increase in observed kidney cases could easily be due to simply an
increase in looking for problems. People are worried about their
animals, so they bring their dog/cat in for a blood test. Guess what?
Some of them will have kidney problems. These are going to cause quite a
bit of statistical noise in whatever numbers you are looking at.

Dale