Wednesday, October 7, 2009

KMR warning update

Everyone who fosters needs to check the smell of their KMR powder! If it does NOT smell like milk, call PetAg (the company that makes it) at 800-323-0877 and tell them. They will send out a replacement in liquid form.

The rancid KMR powder is due to excessive heat while shipping! It is NOT a manufacturing issue or anything related to PetAg. It is the fault of the shipping companies letting the product sit in enclosed trailers in the summer heat.

There is no way to tell which packages will be rancid before they are opened. It is not by lot number or by expiration date. It is by when and how they were shipped.

PetAg is being very nice about this issue. I called about our can, and the lady was extremely polite and kind. She is sending liquid replacement that can be stored for up to a year and a half, and sending a call label so the rancid powder can be sent back free of charge.

They are going to reformulate KMR powder so that it stands up better to extreme heat and doesn't separate as much. The liquid wasn't affected at all.

The lady said that some of the symptoms the tiny tuxies had (diarrhea, listlessness) could have been caused by the powder, but since they didn't have the vomiting usually associated with food poisoning that it wasn't the whole story.

Please, please, PLEASE pass this on to individuals and organizations who foster!

Warning about KMR

If you bottle-feed kittens, or know someone who does, check the smell of the KMR powder. Some shipments have been exposed to heat after they left the plant and smell "off". If it does NOT smell faintly like milk, don't feed it. Information on the PetAg website to report it.

I checked the can that I fed to the tiny tuxies, and it smells really bad. I'm going to report it in the morning. I *hope* it didn't cause their deaths! :*(

UPDATE:
The KMR wasn't the whole cause of the tiny tuxies' death. There's a new post on this blog with the information I got when I called the company.