WARNING!!.... Are you using Pet Tabs / Virbac supplements!!

[jp4m2]

Sadly, I have another warning for people using a vitamin supplement. Yet again, the good old FDA has fallen down on the job again..... This is important for those who's pet may be having symptoms and the vet is clueless as to what may be the problem.......

PET-TABS ALERT
by
Robert Jay Russell, Ph.D.,a
Coton de Tulear Club of America President,
Coton de Tulear Club of America, Home of the Coton de Tulear dog breed!
CotonNews@aol.com
(607) 693-2828

August 5, 2009. DO NOT GIVE YOUR DOG ANY PET-TABS. THEY ARE CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS!

I cannot emphasize enough the extreme danger these multivitamins represent. Quixotically, they are not being recalled and the FDA has taken no notice of the results of testing published by ConsumerLabs.com.
ConsumerLab, a paid subscriber testing service, tested Pet-Tabs Complete Daily for Dogs in 2007 and again in 2009. They found very high levels of lead contamination in the product: 1.41 mcg (in 2007) and 6.45 mcg (in 2009). The latter is nearly 13 times above the level mandated as safe by the state of California.
Dr. Russell continues:
Pet-Tabs are perhaps the most widely sold dog and cat vitamin supplement. We’ve used them (albeit not for many years). Pet-Tabs are sold by PetsMart, Doctors Foster and Smith, and virtually every pet shop, and on-line pet store in the nation. Pet-Tabs are made by the giant Pfizer Pharmaceutical Corporation, one of America’s leading opponents of health care reform and industry inspection and regulation. Pet-Tabs are sold under another corporate name: “Virbac” << Pet-Tabs | Virbac Animal Health >>
ConsumerLab tests mostly human products. Sadly, this report and the previous years’ report confirming lead contamination in Pfizer/Virbac Pet-Tab supplements calls into serious question the safety and efficacy of these giant corporations’ entire product lines.
ConsumerLab tests mostly human products. There is no other information (such as why or how this supposed animal health care product has been laced with toxic levels of lead for years).

LEAD POISONING
Lead can be absorbed through the skin or, in the case of these supplements, ingested and absorbed. Clinical signs can be gastrointestinal and/or neurological. Many dogs or cats who are chronically ill, have upset stomachs, anorexia (food avoiders), blood disorders, kidney disorders (degeneration of the glomeruli and tubules), immunological problems, reproductive problems, or are suffering abnormal behavioral signs could have suffered chronic, catastrophic lead poisoning through supplements.

Before this revelation of supplement poisoning, the most common known cause of lead poisoning in people and dogs was contact with lead based paint or old car batteries. Other common causes of lead poisoning include ingestion of lead shot (fatal to many wild birds and sometimes served up in food that is hunted) and handling lead painted toys and ceramic ware. During the past 6,000 years humans have mined and redistributed lead on the planet to the extent that each of us has approximately 1,000 times the lead in our system (as measured in our bones) than prehistoric North American Indians.

Puppies absorb lead more readily than adults and are at greatest immediate risk for signs of lead poisoning, but lead poisoning can prove debilitating, even fatal for mature pets as well.

If your dog suffers from the diffuse signs of lead poisoning or if your dog or cat have been exposed to Pet-Tabs, the CTCA recommends you have its blood tested for lead concentration. Children in the household should also be tested should your pet prove contaminated.

CTCA RECOMMENDATIONS
I would avoid all vitamin and mineral supplement products sold under labels by either Pfizer or Virbac. These include labels such as “Pet-Tinic,” and “Lixotinic,” and “Liqui-Tinic,” which are generally sold for large animals.
Save any bottles of these products in a sealed Zip Loc bag. Label the bag well, stating “DO NOT USE - POISON!” You may need a sample of this product should your dog or cat become symptomatic. You will need to save the original packaging and product should Pfizer/Virbac be subject to a Class Action suit.
REFERENCES FOR VETS
Veterinarians normally do not first associate gastrointestinal, immunological or even neurological signs with lead poisoning. Given America’s current largely untested, unregulated food, supplement, and pharmaceutical supply, perhaps they should.

Should your vet need additional information about lead toxicity, its diagnosis and treatment, I suggest the following available, up-to-date references:

Michael E. Peterson, Patricia A. Talcott (editors), “Small Animal Toxicology, Second Edition,” Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis, MO. 2006

Ramesh G. Gupta (editor) “Veterinary Toxicology: Basic and Clinical Principles,” Academic Press, New York, NY. 2007.

WHAT VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS ARE SAFE?
That question is analogous to asking: “what food is safe?” It’s a crap shoot to be sure. ConsumerLab tested only three pet supplements; one was “Halo Purely for Pets VitaGlo Daily Greens.” It did not contain lead, but it contained less than half its advertised vitamins. “21st Century Pet Nutrition Pet Chews Plus” was “approved” since it did not contain lead and its ingredients were as labeled.

Our veterinarian believes that one-half a Centrum Senior (human vitamin) is safe and effective for a dog the size of a Coton de Tulear. But without widespread government tests of our food, drug and supplement supply, who knows?

We have been using ProPet 8-in-one Vitamin supplements without problems, but chronic, gradual poisoning is not something we’d necessarily see. As noted: it is a gamble. And one that no one in this country should have to take.

[Dame]

The FDA does not regulate supplements (which includes vitamins).

This is why any human supplement (which includes multi-vitamins) bears the same seal. "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure of prevent any disease."

I do not wish to offend.. but the FDA has never taken, nor will most likely ever take responsibility for monitoring supplements. Human nor otherwise.

The effectiveness of multivitamins is incredibly controversial, as most studies show that they have absolutely no effect on the body when taken daily. I would be surprised if the same did not apply to dogs as well. As someone who suffers from a B-12 & vitamin D deficiency, I know this first hand all too well.

[jp4m2]

No offense taken.....This is from the FDA site......

* Who is responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements?
Under the law, manufacturers of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe before they go to market. They are also responsible for determining that the claims on their labels are accurate and truthful. Dietary supplement products are not reviewed by the government before they are marketed, but FDA has the responsibility to take action against any unsafe dietary supplement product that reaches the market. If FDA can prove that claims on marketed dietary supplement products are false and misleading, the agency may take action also against products with such claims.


I just wanted to let people know about the lead content so they can be on the look out for any symptoms in their pets.....

[Dame]

Originally Posted by jp4m2

No offense taken.....This is from the FDA site......

* Who is responsible for ensuring the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements?
Under the law, manufacturers of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe before they go to market. They are also responsible for determining that the claims on their labels are accurate and truthful. Dietary supplement products are not reviewed by the government before they are marketed, but FDA has the responsibility to take action against any unsafe dietary supplement product that reaches the market. If FDA can prove that claims on marketed dietary supplement products are false and misleading, the agency may take action also against products with such claims.


I just wanted to let people know about the lead content so they can be on the look out for any symptoms in their pets.....

I totally understand you wanting to warn people about the dangers of lead and the possibility of it being in pet vitamins. But, there is so much room in what you posted for... misinformation.

It is so easy to take something written out on the web and read it at face value. The fact that we're forming this whole entire concept on a test by consumerlabs seriously concerns me though. Consumerlabs is not some labratory company that was hired with no alterer motives. Consumerlabs is full of alterer motives. It is their business mission to "to identify the best quality health and nutritional products through independant testing." Their entire slogan is "make sure its CL approved." Its a subscription service aimed to provide you information about what you should or shouldn't take and a large part of their business is testing products so they they can sell those manufacturer the right to use their seal on their products. The entire purpose of their website is for you to pay to see the information they have. They don't exist to run testing for the general public or hire themselves out to companies for impartial testing of their products. They are there to make money from consumers, and from manufacturers who will pay to be able to use their logo on their bottles so that the consumers who subscribe will purchase them.

You will find a lot of articles on the web that mention lead in vitamins. What you will be hard pressed to find is one that isn't basing it on a consumerlab.com study... and they are not the only ones who do "reliable" testing on vitamins. By all means, question your pet vitamins and their safety... but do not do it simply on one study from one lab, as that is far from reliable results. (Which is why most drugs in accordance with the FDA get tested in 3 stages, in 3 different settings to avoid interference and get clear reliable results.)

[jp4m2]

I understand the skepticism on Consumer Labs, I've seen the criticisms concerning their tendency to be biased..... Having said that I have seen the reports concerning our pharmaceuticals and vitamin supplements being outsourced to China and India in order for the pharmaceutical companies to increase profits..........India and China have very serious and extremely poor sanitary conditions in their manufacturing facilities. They are rarely inspected, are filthy, and are severely lacking in quality control. The vast majority of imported drugs and supplements are NOT tested when they come back into the US for distribution. Some of the produced products are questionable if they even contain their active ingredients in therapeutic dosages or if it's even in there at all , it's also not unusual to contain contaminants, including but not limited to lead....

The FDA is already stretched thin conducting inspections in the US , so to include inspections in foreign countries,the rate is almost nil. Over 93% of the facilities have not been inspected. This not only puts our supplements in question but it also puts human otc'ers and prescription products in question if they are safe from contaminants or if the even contain their active ingredients.

Since Pet Tabs are manufactured in India I would be very cautious about this products safety, regardless of Consumer Labs findings......

[Zanders' mom]

Thanks for the info.

[jp4m2]

Originally Posted by Zanders' mom

Thanks for the info.

Your welcome!....If this helps just one pet than it's worth posting....

[bjh]

Geeez, is anything safe these days. I am glad I have not been using Pet Tabs.