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PETNet
August 1, 2011
The Partnership for Food Protection and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the launch of the Pet Event Tracking Network (PETNet). PETNet is a secure, web based information exchange system that will allow FDA and Federal and State Agencies to share initial information about pet-food related incidents, such as illness associated with the consumption of pet food or pet food product defects. PETNet's voluntary information exchange, surveillance and alert system is designed to provide a real-time mechanism for sharing information about emerging pet food related illnesses and product defects between FDA, other Federal agencies, and the States. The concept for PETNet was developed in response to the 2007 melamine pet food recall. http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/.../ucm266207.htm buglady, take out the dog before replying |
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PETNet
On 9/2/2011 6:27 PM, buglady wrote:
August 1, 2011 The Partnership for Food Protection and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the launch of the Pet Event Tracking Network (PETNet). PETNet is a secure, web based information exchange system that will allow FDA and Federal and State Agencies to share initial information about pet-food related incidents, such as illness associated with the consumption of pet food or pet food product defects. PETNet's voluntary information exchange, surveillance and alert system is designed to provide a real-time mechanism for sharing information about emerging pet food related illnesses and product defects between FDA, other Federal agencies, and the States. The concept for PETNet was developed in response to the 2007 melamine pet food recall. http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/.../ucm266207.htm buglady, take out the dog before replying Ok, so where do they get their information from? Consumers? Vets? Manufacturers? Is there a way for us to report adverse effects or do they rely on records from veterinarians? Many vets don't tell their clients about reporting pet food illnesses and such and aren't big on reporting adverse reactions. Manufacturers are even worse about getting the word about about possible problems with products. |
#3
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PETNet
Part of the problem has always been that the FDA has had limited
responsibility for pet foods and the Dept of Agriculture has had some minor responsibility..... and neither one talks to the other. There has always been some degree of ability for consumers to place complaints, but without vet validation of food-based illness, I don't think the Feds have paid much attention to them until the numbers, with the same signs and symptoms, have gotten too big to ignore. I don't think the vets always think that the tummy upset type problems that clear up easily are due to food contamination.... so it's up to the client to give it a push when a little experimentation at home verifies the possibility. Most often, this type of problem isn't food contamination, but some other source. And when it comes to major problems, such as kidney failure, most vets aren't going to think "food" until they see a second case or third or fourth.... because something like kidney failure does happen to previously healthy dogs from other causes. One or two cases of anything aren't an epidemic.... and many vets are in "loner" practices, and don't call around to other clinics to find out what is being seen there. Let's say that Brand X is contaminated with a fungal toxin. Dr. Smith's practice has active records for 500 dogs. The records don't specify the brand of food for each. In reality, only 50 dogs he sees are fed Brand X. Of those, only 5 are getting contaminated food from the "bad batch", #12, within a few days of that batch going on the market, of which 2 dogs get sick a week apart, one mildly ill, and one severely ill. He doesn't ask about food, and the two owners don't mention the new bag of a food they've used for years. The other 45 are getting food from previous batches.... If the problem is not linked to batch #12, those 45 dogs will start to eat it in sequence as the owners buy food from batch #12.... a few at a time, some with mild symptoms, some with severe, even fatal symptoms, and some not at all. These dogs are all owned by pet owners who have just one or two dogs. Most of these owners have never heard of toxins in pet foods, and some who bring the dog to the clinic don't know what food is in use because the other spouse buys it and feeds the dog. But at the same time the first 2 dogs in Dr. Smith's clientele get sick, a breeder with a "kennel" of 8 adult dogs starts to feed a new bag of Brand X, batch #12, to all of them, and within a few days, 6 of these dogs get sick with the same symptoms at the same time, and are taken to Dr. Jones' clinic. The owner remembers exactly when she opened the new bag of food, and reports this, because she remembers hearing of very sick or dieing dogs who ate food with a toxin in it several years ago. She has even brought the batch information with her. When she gets home, she finds that the remaining two dogs are ill, and notifies the vet. When one dog dies that night, she takes the dog to the vet for a necropsy that morning. Which vet is more likely to suspect contaminated feed first? Why? Which vet is most likely to promptly make a report to the government, and to post it to a vet communication site of some sort.... and possibly call a few of his peers in his community to ask if they have seen this problem yet? Why is it more difficult for one of the vets to make the connection immediately? I am very glad to see that the Feds are starting to get their acts together..... We shall see....... Jo Wolf Martinez, Georgia, USA |
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__________________
Pekingese training is not a joke. You need to have patience, dedication, perseverance, and heart. Do you have them all??? |
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