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Natural Balance Pet Foods

Karina of Los Angeles, CA November 1, 2009

my 7 years old golden retriever developed a severe kidney disease. She has been eating only a natural balance dog food. My 5 years old has a constant bladder infections. Both dog are eating the same food. We are paying thousands in the vet bills. But most importantly we love our pets dearly and loosing them due to the contaminated pet food is unspeakable .

Sam of Coon Rapids, MN October 30, 2009

Regarding Natural Balance Cat food "Green Pea and Duck" and "Green Pea and Salmon" dry. We also fed our cats "Venison and Green Pea" canned food. We noticed that the duck formula that we had been using for over a year changed shape. After that both cats seemed lethargic and one cat, KC would vomit daily. Ted lost weight more rapidly and eventually passed away. KC contintued to loose weight and still vomited daily. We got a new cat and the new cat started to vomit after eating the food.

During this time we switched to the salmon formula and the cats continued to show the same symptoms. Our vet encouraged us to feed KC canned food so we switched his diet to the canned venison formula from Natural Balance. We noticed that our new cat would not eat the canned Venison formula and that KC would only pick at the venison food without eating all of it.

KC was very lethargic and near death. We changed to a Science diet DD formula and KC became significantly better. KC immediately devoured the canned Science diet formula where he would only pick at the Natural Balance food. The Science diet formula was rabbit and green pea.

Natural balance admitted to changing the formula to add "more duck and green pea". We have samples of the Natural Balance duck and salmon formulas. I suspect that there is some tainted ingredient in the food. Its not just that grain or other meats were added. Something is poisonous in this food. Our cat Teddy passed away in July. Our other cat became very ill and required treatment and testing at the vet, we paid roughly 300 in vet bills for KC. 100 to dispose of the cat that passed away.

Ashley of Erie, CO April 25, 2007

Ashley of Erie CO (04/25/07)

I have 4 Golden Retrievers and one of my Male Furkids, Harley who is 9 and acts like a puppy with NO previous health problems, has been poisoned with Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice. Two of my four dogs ate the food and I have had to have all four dogs undergo testing several times to make sure they were ok. Harley has been in the hospital since Wednesday 4/11/07 and I have spent almost 3,000.00 so far with the bill on going. He still is not able to go home and his kidneys have 75% failure and I am told IF he makes it he will NEVER physically be the same.

I am outraged. I have not agreed to any reimbursement or compensation with Natural Balance for I don't know the final outcome will be. I am beside myself with worry. No person or any animal should die a death by poison!

Dave of Victoria, TX April 22, 2007

Dave And Jennifer of Victoria TX (04/22/07)

We have an in-home kennel where we raise Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Last week our dogs began getting sick. I took two of my dogs to my local vet and she said to withhold food for 12-24 hours until their vomiting stopped. Then by late Friday night my oldest girl, Katy, began to go down hill quickly. I took her back to my vet early Saturday morning and my vet said that she appeared to be in Acute Renal Failure. By 6:00 p.m. Saturday, we very sadly lost our precious Katy.

By late Saturday night, Abby our 10 month old girl from Germany, began showing signs of decline. Sunday morning, we loaded up 3 of our dogs and started on our way to Texas A& M University's Small Animal Emergency Clinic. We took Abby and our Timmy, and Tia. We made the 3-hour trip and once arriving, we quickly learned that all three dogs were in Acute Renal Failure. The doctors at A&M were almost certain that it was from some sort of toxic exposure.

Monday morning, we learned that Abby had taken a rapid decline at the hospital overnight and that her chances were very slim at best. The doctors requested that we let her go and have them perform an autopsy in order to perhaps figure this out and save the other dogs. By Monday afternoon, we loaded up again with our remaining dogs and took them to A&M University Hospital. Peaches is in severe acute renal failure with her numbers being off the chart.

With several college professors and doctors, fortunately for us, verifiably some of the best in the nation, working on our case, around 9:00 p.m. last night (4-16-07), the doctors met with us and confirmed that it was the Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice Dog food that is the cause. The autopsy on Abby confirmed the crystal formation that is seen in all the renal failure cases concerning the recent dog food recalls. We still have 3 Adult Cavaliers at Texas A&M and although they are making improvement, our vet is uncertain if they have will have long term renal disease if they make it through treatment. We also have 5 puppies that are being treated at Texas A&M as well and their outcome is still uncertain.

It appears that Natural Balance may pay our Vet bills if we sign a Claims release form which basically makes it so they do not have to pay anything except the Vet bill. Our kennel has been destroyed by Natural Balance Dog Food. We want Natural Balance company to compensate us for our losses and help us recover. We were on their breeder dog food referral program. We are left devastated and we desperately need help.

Jacqueline of Orange, CA April 20, 2007

Jacqueline of Orange CA (04/20/07)
On Fri. 13th April I bought a new bag of the Venison & Brown Rice dog food which I fed to my dog that same evening. During the night he was sick and vomiting. Over the next few days he was lethargic and wouldn't eat. On Tues. 17th April I heard that Natural Balance had recalled this particular dog food and then I became really concerned. I made an appointment with my vet right away and he did tests on him and told me he was suffering from renal failure.

After hydrating him for two days his kidneys were re-tested only to find that his condition had worsened. This was a very sick dog and there was nothing more the vet could do for him. We just returned home this afternoon after having him euthanized and we are sick at heart and devastated to lose our special friend this way.

I have yet to find out what my vet bills are but after all the work done at the vet's and the critical care unit I am sure that they will be substantial.

Carolynne of Brick, NJ April 17, 2007

Carolynne of Brick NJ (04/17/07)
I sent the following email to Natural Balance after discovering that the allergy formula I'd been feeding my cats was taken off the market:

I am very concerned about the fact that I learned about the recall of your Venison and Green Pea dry cat food on the CNN crawler last evening. I have been feeding my cats both canned and dry Venison and Green Pea formulas for months, and 10 days ago, one of my cats was treated as an emergency for kidney stones at our veterinary clinic. She very well could have died had she not had surgery in time.

I would have thought that as soon as the first pet food recall had occurred, you would have investigated the Natural Balance formulas for safety and purity. I pay extra money for Natural Balance products and I do not understand why, if there is no wheat or gluten in the special allergy formulas, there would be reason for a recall of this product. This leads me to believe that despite all of your published claims, you are using inferior ingredients in your products and I have discontinued the use of all Natural Balance products.

Until now, the Venison and Green Pea formulas had been the answer to my prayers in terms of feeding my allergic cats. But now I realize that I had only been putting my cats' health in jeopardy by feeding them your product.

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