[Dailydrool] Alert: Iams Proactive Health chunks - Adult Green Bag

[Karen]

I know that this is a long post but anyone who feeds Iams needs to be aware of this.  I have checked and there is nothing on the recall list that I can find.
So the story goes:
I have feed Iams dog food for over 10 years.  My vet was fine with me feeding it and my 3 big kidz have been healthy with normal lab values. (Ruby is 7, Tucker and Abby are 2 1/2).  I have never had a problem until about the last month.  Before I start I want to say...I know I know I know...and now I really know.
It took me until Saturday to put this all together, but luckily and Thank God I did before something bad happened.  On the bag that I had purchased about 1 1/2 months ago the big kidz started being a little "urpy" not a lot , not daily, and not all 3 at the same time.  So it was not something that really stood out.  The last bag I bought 2 weeks, (same  kind) the urpy-ness started increasing.  Ruby Doo and Tucker started to not finish their food ...and by Friday they didn't want to touch it at all...Abby of course will eat anything.  My babies are not picky eaters and with their yogurt mixed in, for them not to eat is really unusual.  All three by this time are really urpy and Ruby and Tucker have both vomited bile on Friday evening.  Abby also developed a another rash while on this last bag, that I can usually clear up ...but this time it is really persistent.
Saturday I was talking to my daughter on the phone and she tells me that she is having a problem with not only Indy, but Nikko her cat as well.  She uses the same brand for her mixed breed as well and had purchased it at Tractor Supply (I bought my at Petco in Chico).  Indy has vomiting, diarrhea and doesn't want to eat.  Indy free feeds and only eats very small amounts at a time.  Nikko (kitty) is on Iams Indoor Cat.  She had just bought a new 20 lb bag and feed him twice out of it.  Nikko vomited both times immediately after eating.
To add fuel to the suspicions, my neighbor Debbie, who feed Shultzy (german shepard) the same brand, bought here in Oroville, in the past two weeks, is urpy with diarrhea.  I found this out Saturday evening and when I talked to her on yesterday, Shultzy is still having diarrhea.  I did tell her Saturday, what we suspected.
I did call Iams yesterday and did I get the run around.  I told them all the above and was told:
1. It is something you are feeding them besides their food.  I told her besides yogurt, a boiled egg twice a week, and carrots, they do not get human food. 
2. It must be something you are using in your yard...it's environmental-  No...I don't use fertilizers, no obnoxious plants.  This is the dogs yard and why would there be three households that are going through this.  Yes I share the fence with Debbie, my daughter lives across and up the street.
3.  It must be the heat, it has been hot in California - Nope my dogs have a dog door and in the heat, they just go out for short periods then they are back in the house with the air conditioning.
Anyway that when on for a while.  During this time I have kept asking "did you change something" with evasive responses or more questions for me to try and prove  it is my fault.  She finally tells me that when the food changed to Proactive that I was suppose to wean my dogs over on it.  I told her that the ads never stated that and when I went to get a new bag...that was all that was available...which was a few months ago and not related to this.
Finally I did get a response to the question, "Did you change something recently?"  Yes we made the chunks smaller.  Oh and we "added Caramel coloring to a portion of the food in each bag recently."  When I asked if it was natural or synthetic..no response.  When I asked why..."to make it more appetizing to the dogs".  She took the UPC codes and is sending a check to pay for the bag the least of my worries. Then asked me for a  nonexistent number that was suppose to be on the flap of the bag. Of course she offered to send me free coupons for Eukanuba or Iams 40 lbs bags for 6 months...My response...No I am not feeding your food anymore.  When I told her I have an appointment with my vet on Thursday and that I was taking a sample with me to have it tested, I was told "that is not necessary there is nothing wrong with it".  I did state "well if there is nothing wrong with it, then the vet will find nothing wrong with it"  Silence... long pause
 and "well if I can help you with anything else...blah blah blah.
The kidz diet is now changed and they are eating with gusto and licking their bowls clean and giving me the "can I have more" look.  I know that I could have problems as their was no weaning period on to their food, but I couldn't keep them on something that was harming them.  So far not problems, GI wise.  If anyone is feeding this I would get them off of it immediately.  There is too much to be a coincidence, especially when you throw the kitty into the mix.  I am composing my letter to Consumer Complaints, my daughter has already filed a complaint. Oh and when we talked to the owner at pet food store (she researches and keeps up on all the foods and doesn't sell "cheap" stuff as she puts it), said that in the last few weeks she has been getting some of the same complaints about Iams and Eukanuba along the same lines as mine.  I am wondering if we have another repeat of the recall last year.
Thanks for letting me voice this concern.  For anyone that feeds Iams, I hope your kidz are okay.
Droolz to All,  (depending on what the labs show, my kidz may be asking for some extra drools)
Karen
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