Tuxedo Mom
Member Since 2014
This was sent to me by Vet Professionals and may be worth reading for UK members feeding raw
Sent by: Vet Professionals Limited
Do you feed your cat a raw food diet?
Latest studies have shown that TB in cats may be linked to raw pet food - please read the Press Release below from Edinburgh University for more information.
Cases of tuberculosis in indoor cats may have been linked to a particular type of raw pet food, research suggests. Some 13 cats from across the UK are thought to have been affected so far. Experts stress that the risk to people is very low, however.
The issue came to light when six cats were taken to separate vet practices across England with clinical signs of TB. Tests confirmed the animals were infected with bacteria that usually cause TB in cattle, called Mycobacterium bovis. This bacteria can also infect other animals including rodents and deer.
An additional seven cats living in the same households were also found to be infected but did not have symptoms of disease. All of the affected animals were exclusively indoor pets and had no contact with any wildlife that could have passed on the disease.
Vets at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies carried out an investigation to identify the source of infection. They found the only common factor was that they had all eaten the Wild Venison variety of a commercial brand of pet food, called Natural Instinct. The team did not test food samples so they cannot confirm that it was the source of the infections. The company voluntarily recalled the product in December 2018 and has advised people who may still have stocks to return unused items for a full refund.
Symptoms of TB in cats include swollen belly, persistent cough and enlarged lymph nodes. There have been rare cases of people catching TB from their cats, though experts say the risk is very low. A report on the first six cases is published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, of the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: “We found circumstantial evidence that these cases of TB in cats were linked to a particular brand of raw food diet. Not all animals that are infected with the bacteria will develop disease but we would encourage owners with concerns about their pets to get them checked by their local vet.”
A spokesperson from Natural Instinct said: “Everything we do at Natural Instinct is done so with the best interests of our customers and their pets in mind. We can assure our customers that Natural Instinct followed, and continues to follow, every food standard, hygiene regulation and best practice required to produce raw pet food in the commercial market place. As a responsible manufacturer, we are regularly inspected by the Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA). We have complied with all of the necessary requirements, and consequently APHA have confirmed they are satisfied all standards have been met by us. Even though we no longer manufacture and sell the Venison cat product, we are continuing to work with Food Standards Agency as part of the investigation into the Venison cat food product.”
To find our more about TB in cats, please click here
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, relating to raw food and TB:
Were these infections definitely caused by food?
We did not test the food itself so we cannot say with certainty that the food was the source of the infection. We were not able to identify any other source of infection.
I have bought this food, can I still feed it to my cat?
Natural Instinct voluntarily recalled their Wild Venison product from the market on 11 December 2018. The company has advised owners not to feed Wild Venison products sold before this date to their cats. Anyone with unused product can return it to the store they purchased it from for a full refund. No other products from this company are affected. For further information, please visit the Natural Instinct website - https://www.naturalinstinct.com/product-recall.
I have fed this food to my cat – what should I do?
The link between the recalled food and the disease has not been proven. Even if the link is confirmed, not all cats fed this food will be infected and not all cats that are infected will develop disease. If your cat shows signs of ill health, you should take it to your local vet immediately. TB infections can lie dormant for many years so if you have fed this recalled product to your cat you should remain vigilant throughout its life. If your cat becomes ill at any stage, you should mention to your vet that they have eaten this food so that appropriate tests can be arranged.
For more information please contact: Jen Middleton, Press & PR Office, Tel.: 0131 650 6514, 07795 640662, or email: Jen.Middleton@ed.ac.uk
Vet Professionals Limited
Midlothian Innovation Centre
Pentlandfield, Roslin
Edinburgh, EH25 9RE
Tel: 0131 440 9029
Email: info@vetprofessionals.com
Website: www.vetprofessionals.com
Sent by: Vet Professionals Limited
Do you feed your cat a raw food diet?
Latest studies have shown that TB in cats may be linked to raw pet food - please read the Press Release below from Edinburgh University for more information.
The issue came to light when six cats were taken to separate vet practices across England with clinical signs of TB. Tests confirmed the animals were infected with bacteria that usually cause TB in cattle, called Mycobacterium bovis. This bacteria can also infect other animals including rodents and deer.
An additional seven cats living in the same households were also found to be infected but did not have symptoms of disease. All of the affected animals were exclusively indoor pets and had no contact with any wildlife that could have passed on the disease.
Vets at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies carried out an investigation to identify the source of infection. They found the only common factor was that they had all eaten the Wild Venison variety of a commercial brand of pet food, called Natural Instinct. The team did not test food samples so they cannot confirm that it was the source of the infections. The company voluntarily recalled the product in December 2018 and has advised people who may still have stocks to return unused items for a full refund.
Symptoms of TB in cats include swollen belly, persistent cough and enlarged lymph nodes. There have been rare cases of people catching TB from their cats, though experts say the risk is very low. A report on the first six cases is published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Professor Danièlle Gunn-Moore, of the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: “We found circumstantial evidence that these cases of TB in cats were linked to a particular brand of raw food diet. Not all animals that are infected with the bacteria will develop disease but we would encourage owners with concerns about their pets to get them checked by their local vet.”
A spokesperson from Natural Instinct said: “Everything we do at Natural Instinct is done so with the best interests of our customers and their pets in mind. We can assure our customers that Natural Instinct followed, and continues to follow, every food standard, hygiene regulation and best practice required to produce raw pet food in the commercial market place. As a responsible manufacturer, we are regularly inspected by the Animal and Plant Health Authority (APHA). We have complied with all of the necessary requirements, and consequently APHA have confirmed they are satisfied all standards have been met by us. Even though we no longer manufacture and sell the Venison cat product, we are continuing to work with Food Standards Agency as part of the investigation into the Venison cat food product.”
To find our more about TB in cats, please click here
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, relating to raw food and TB:
Were these infections definitely caused by food?
We did not test the food itself so we cannot say with certainty that the food was the source of the infection. We were not able to identify any other source of infection.
I have bought this food, can I still feed it to my cat?
Natural Instinct voluntarily recalled their Wild Venison product from the market on 11 December 2018. The company has advised owners not to feed Wild Venison products sold before this date to their cats. Anyone with unused product can return it to the store they purchased it from for a full refund. No other products from this company are affected. For further information, please visit the Natural Instinct website - https://www.naturalinstinct.com/product-recall.
I have fed this food to my cat – what should I do?
The link between the recalled food and the disease has not been proven. Even if the link is confirmed, not all cats fed this food will be infected and not all cats that are infected will develop disease. If your cat shows signs of ill health, you should take it to your local vet immediately. TB infections can lie dormant for many years so if you have fed this recalled product to your cat you should remain vigilant throughout its life. If your cat becomes ill at any stage, you should mention to your vet that they have eaten this food so that appropriate tests can be arranged.
For more information please contact: Jen Middleton, Press & PR Office, Tel.: 0131 650 6514, 07795 640662, or email: Jen.Middleton@ed.ac.uk
Vet Professionals Limited
Midlothian Innovation Centre
Pentlandfield, Roslin
Edinburgh, EH25 9RE
Tel: 0131 440 9029
Email: info@vetprofessionals.com
Website: www.vetprofessionals.com
