[diverdogsfl]

Does anyone have any experience with finding insects and larvae in bags of Purina One? We are seeing eggs, larvae and flying insects hatching in the bags (34 lbs) of the Lamb & Rice and the Weight Management formulas.

We talked with Purina and they have simply sent coupons, but of course deny any responsibility.

We store the bags in special Rubbermaid airtight containers with wheels and made for dog food, so we are pretty sure it's not entering after we get the bags home.

The incidence of this for us is getting pretty high and each bag brings us new unwanted guests. Any thoughts on this?

Initially, we complained to Purina and they said "throw it out and we'll send coupons for new."

We did that, We even switched retailers, from Petsmart to Petco and got the same bugs. Purina did NOT want to see the bugs or photos of them and the parting remark from customer service was "they're not toxic!"

 

[missmarstar]

How many different bags has this happened with?

 

[diverdogsfl]

Over about a year, probably at least five or six bags (or more) and in some different sizes. For example, Sams sells this brand only in the Lamb & Rice formula, but in 44 lbs bags. I switched to Petsmart and got 34lb bags and had same problem. Then to Petco and same problem, so we think its factory or distributor level infestation.

Present solution, not wanting to throw out hundreds of pounds of food, is baking the chow slowing in the outdoor BBQ grill at about 400 degrees F on trays. This is slow, but apparently kills the bugs.

We have had the same bugs turn up in Milk Bone packages as well. Those too from Sams Club. Again, the manufacturer provided coupons to replace the products.

 

[Penny & Maggie's Mom]

I would not use these food products again. I think you'll find there are many quality foods out there and considering that with most you will feed considerable less, they aren't too much more in price. If you want to stick with Purina, try Pro Plan. Many here have good results with the original formula chicken and rice. I really like the Fromm foods, Innova, Acana to just name a few. If they are really so lax and uncaring that their prodicts are contaminated, I wouldn't consider them interested in the welfare of my pet's nutrition.

 

[diverdogsfl]

I agree with that strategy and we know others using Pro Plan.

Until these bugs turned up in the Milk Bone as well, I was pretty much sure it was a Purina problem. Now, I'm not sure. Where we live, resources are somewhat limited and i think that perhaps the retailers and distributors are not moving product fast enoug.

 

[missmarstar]

Where is the food stored? It just seems odd the same bugs would be found in both the kibble and the Milk Bones...

 

[diverdogsfl]

As I said before, the food is stored in airtight storage bins es[ecially designed for dog food storage. They easily handle the 44 lb bags and smaller. These bins have been sanitized before each new bag is put in them.

 

[Goldilocks]

When I buy a bag of kibble I very carefully inspect the bag all around the seal at the top and bottom. I cannot tell you how many bags I have come across that have holes in them or the seal has come apart. If a bag of food is sitting with a hole in it on a store shelf you can bet bugs are going to get in and the quality of the food is going to deteriorate.

You mentioned BBQing the kibble. I really wouldn't do that. It would be very damaging to the nutrients in the food as well as BBQ has been implicated as a carcinogen.

Personally I would find another brand of food to use. First of all its a big inconvenience and secondly the company doesn't seem to give a care that this is an issue with their product.

 

[Lucky's mom]

That's disgusting. Bugs in dog food isn't ok. To me it says its not stored properly.

That said....this is why I pop my pasta and flour in the freezer after I buy it. Bug eggs within the grain aren't killed by the heat, but freezing does kill them. I guess that would be the same with dog food.

 

[Willow52]

Thanks for posting this. I told our daughter & her boyfriend. They feed this food to their GSD and golden.

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

This can happen in grain products. Sometimes we find it in the horse's grain.

It sounds to me as though you are probably bringing them home from the store. They are probably storing large quantities. The contamination can happen anywhere, anytime after processing.

Try some smaller bags from a store that has a quicker turnover.

When we find the larvae in the horse feed, it's usually at the bottom of the barrel. We throw it out and hose out the feed container and leave it to dry in the sun.

Be sure to check your flours and cereals. It's the same bugs.

Generally pretty :yuck::yuck::yuck: and gross.

 

[hotel4dogs]

I've been told (don't know if it's true) that the bugs are actually in the packaging, especially the glue on the seams, not in the food. If the food doesn't turn over fast enough, then the bugs will hatch and get into the food.
So they claim.

 

[missmarstar]

I've been told (don't know if it's true) that the bugs are actually in the packaging, especially the glue on the seams, not in the food. If the food doesn't turn over fast enough, then the bugs will hatch and get into the food.
So they claim.

Ewwwww! I'm gonna be paranoidly (word?) checking all my food now!

 

[Elisabeth Kazup]

That rings a bell now that you mention it. In fact I don't remember ever getting bugs in the grain in the burlap bags which have much greater exposure. Just in the bags that are glued and sewn.

I've been told (don't know if it's true) that the bugs are actually in the packaging, especially the glue on the seams, not in the food. If the food doesn't turn over fast enough, then the bugs will hatch and get into the food.
So they claim.

 

[BeauShel]

I remember finding that and worms in the Canidae that I was buying for Beau so I switched him to something else. It just grossed me out too much.

 

[hotel4dogs]

or open things like flour, sugar, rice, etc. when you buy them (if you don't use it up quickly) and dump it into airtight tupperware type containers.
I even store stuff like that in the freezer in tupperware if I'm not going to use it up pretty quickly (like the cornmeal I use for hushpuppies, which I don't make very often!)

Ewwwww! I'm gonna be paranoidly (word?) checking all my food now!

 

[redhare]

Did they look like this?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianmeal_moth

We got them in birdseed and they are terribly hard to eradicate. It's taken us over a year to fully get them out of the house (traps, scrub out cupboards and behind appliances, etc.); they travel everywhere and breed like crazy! They even eat through plastic bags! Yuk!:yuck:

The birdseed is no longer being kept in the garage.....

 

[NuttinButGoldens]

Wow, maybe this is why my Gravy was lumpy this week. Bugs!

Just kidding

or open things like flour, sugar, rice, etc. when you buy them (if you don't use it up quickly) and dump it into airtight tupperware type containers.
I even store stuff like that in the freezer in tupperware if I'm not going to use it up pretty quickly (like the cornmeal I use for hushpuppies, which I don't make very often!)

 

[esSJay]

Eewwwwww!!!!

Are these the type of bugs that give dogs roundworms or the like? Have you had your pup(s) stool checked at the vet recently?

I will be thoroughly inspecting Molson's food when I get home!

 

[hotel4dogs]

Now that one should have come with a "spew alert".
I spit my coffee all over the screen laughing when I read it!

Wow, maybe this is why my Gravy was lumpy this week. Bugs!

Just kidding