Does anyone know where these two batches were made?  Didn't it say they were using new facilities?  If so, I wonder if any other brands made there turned out too nutrient rich also.

Not really about Nature's Variety, but thing makes me really curious. You say a number of cats and dogs were harmed by people changing their diet every couple of weeks. I am familiar with guidelines for slow switching etc., however all that does not make much sense to me based on experience with my cats.

They get different flavor and/or brand of canned food for breakfast and for dinner. They don't develop GI upsets. I've been giving foods with significant variations in protein content (10-18%) and fat content (0.5-several %) for breakfast and for dinner, no diarrhea, no vomitting. In fact, if I give them the same thing for breakfast and for dinner, they will refuse to eat. Even foods they like very much, if they get too often they get tired of them and refuse to eat them for a while. Dry food is also rotated, and no GI upsets without slow switching from one to another. Since they eat different foods all the time, naturally the stools consistency will exhibit some variation, but within normal parameters.

So what I am trying to say is that while GI upsets can and do happen in dogs and cats who are normally fed same old, same old and then suddenly switched to something else. I do not think that this is normal and good thing for dogs and cats, and I do not think that they should be fed same thing all the time. Furthermore, if a dog or a cat who is normally fed varied food would develop GI upset, I would be very suspicious that there is something else wrong other than "too rich".

I would like to now why are many vets discouraging people from feeding varied diets saying it leads to GI upsets when this is not really true, and I would also like to know how often are GI upsets due to other more serious reasons dismissed as "new food issue". Do you think it would be perfectly normal for YOU to get diarrhea if you eat a dannish for breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal? If not, why should this be "normal" for cats and dogs?

I agree, alek0.  I rotate foods too, always have, and it never seems to upset my cats' stomachs.  I've always thought of this as more of a dog problem, but I don't have dogs.  Different vets will tell you different things.  Some say it is a myth that switching foods too quickly causes GI upset; others swear that it is true.  I've never understood why this should be the case, since wild canids and felids do not eat exactly the same prey (or scavenge the same foods, in the case of the dogs) every day.

I guess like anything else, it varies from individual to individual, just as with people.  I can eat most anything and not suffer problems.  My DH is up all night after eating certain foods.

I wonder if the NV problem is an excess of vitamins, or of a food ingredient such as the chicken meal.  I sure wish they would be more specific, since I use the cat kibble as one of my rotation dry foods.

Carol--I don't think they meant the statement about cooking with gas vs. electric to be taken literally.  I think it was just an analogy.  But I do think you have a right to a more specific answer about the problem, since you have noticed problems with your dogs.

I can not find a phone number---there is only the address on the bag-and I can't find it on the website---maybe I'm overlooking it---help me please!   (this is not a good week for even a hint of trouble with my pet food)

Wasn't Sammy from MI posting here as SMGMI?
Maybe that's also an alternate route to contact them?

I just called info for the #'s & the only 1 coming up is thw 402-466-8303. There is no 800 #. I just tried[9:58 eastern time] & got voice mail for a Jessica. I left all my #'s & the reason for the call. Hopefully will hear back, but I'm going to keep trying.Just tried the 888# & left a message for Jessica[who is not in yet] with Alex. Alex is new & doesn't know anything about it.

I understand that you are a vet tech?  I have found thru many years of having animals that the small animal GI tract does not necessarily adapt to changes in food in 2 to 3 days.  Sometimes they never do once they get started in with diarrhea and vomiting.  And do you know what the reports of owners were exactly other than what NV is saying on their website?  If I had a pet with mild symptoms that only lasted 2 to 3 days, I probably wouldnt have even thought to contact the company.  My guess is these pet's symptoms were bad enough that led to concern by the pet parents.  If the symptoms were so mild, I dont think NV would have pulled those 2 batches of food from stores.  There is more they can do, they just chose not to do it.  With the 1 year anniversary of our kitty being killed from the pet food, all I can say is this brings back many memories of how things started with our cat.  She began vomiting and having diahrrea, we called the pet food company in Dec of 2006, they said their food was fine and it might have been due to a small change in the pet food due to normal inconsistencies that can happen when being processed.  Im not saying that this is the same situation but I do hope they have tested their food extremely thoroughly and know for absolute certain, that this is "not a big issue".