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Touch and go
After staying up with him almost all of Saturday night, Dr. Fred Northern has restored a deeply loved dog back to health.
The dog, a 10-year-old Shih Tzu named Cody who has a perpetual grin, had eaten some of the poisoned dog food that was recalled in mid-March.
Cody’s owner, Darlene Tolbert, could not be happier that Cody, “who I love very much,” is going to be all right. The veterinarian has her undying gratitude for pulling Cody through kidney failure.
“Dr. Northern is really super,” Tolbert said. “He’s really been on top of this, pulling Cody through.”
According to www.menufoods.com/recall, the company will pay the vet bills for any animals that get sick after it has been proven that they ate some of the tainted pet food. “If Menu Food product is the cause of sickness or death,” the Web site reads, “Menu Foods will take responsibility.
“Menu has engaged a professional firm to manage your concerns and is currently contacting concerned pet owners who have reached our call center.
“Specific direction will be received from these individuals. Please keep copies of all your vet records and receipts for pet food purchases as well as vet bills.”
The toll-free number to call is (866) 895-2708. When the McAlester News-Capital called it Tuesday afternoon, the reporter got through immediately and actually spoke to a human.
The man who answered, who refused to give his name, said the company has paid the vet’s bill for several people whose animals either got sick or died.
Meanwhile, no one knows how long Cody will have to stay at his veterinarian’s office.
“We just don’t know yet,” Dr. Northern said, adding that he is waiting on more blood test results. “It will all depend upon how much kidney damage he has.”
Cody is alert now, although he appears to be tired. He was able to raise his head up and look around when the doctor hooked his IV up again.
“He’s just getting fluids now, but the fluids are what’s keeping him alive,” Northern said as Cody gazed at him with what looked like adoration and gratitude.
According to Tolbert, Cody had eaten half a can of Nutro Ultra one day, ate different food the next day, and then finished off the can. “Dr. Northern said that if he had eaten more of that food it would have killed him,” she said in horror.
“Just that little bit gave him kidney failure. And he’s still not out of the woods yet.”
The veterinarian said the sickness comes on “real quick. Be alert for listlessness and lazing around, plus increased or decreased urination.
“You’ll want to get your pet to a vet as quickly as possible for treatment.”
He said Cody is his first case of renal failure that has been connected to the pet food, which, according to Menu Foods, has been contaminated with rat poison. The company says it does not know how that happened.
Tolbert is horrified that she fed her beloved Cody poisoned food and she worries that other people might not know about the recall yet. That is why she decided to tell her story.
“I just want people to check their cabinets and see if they have some of this recalled pet food,” she said. “And if their pet gets sick, I want them to take him to the vet as soon as possible.
“And I want people to know that Cody is going to make it, so there’s still hope for other animals.”
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