Stella is dying. She won’t play with her tennis ball anymore. She can barely walk around the house or look up when someone tries to pet her.
She hasn’t eaten in 10 days and vomits every time she takes a drink.
Just two weeks ago, the 5 1/2-year- old golden retriever loved to go swimming and for long walks with her owner, Stu McFadden.
“How bad do you let it get?” McFadden asked Tuesday at his Denver Tech Center apartment.
McFadden has come to the decision that if Stella doesn’t get better by Thursday, he will put her down.
On March 10, Stella ate pet food that was later recalled after being linked to at least 10 pet deaths.
In all, Menu Foods has recalled at least 60 million cans and pouches of wet dog and cat food sold under various brands.
The recall has created a frenzy among pet owners nationwide and in pet-friendly Colorado.
Animal-rescue agencies that rely on donated food have also been strained. The Colorado Humane Society had to throw away most of its canned food because of the recall. But after it opened at 8 a.m. Tuesday, dozens of people came to the rescue, with Aspen Pet Products of Denver donating 1,000 meals to the shelter.
“The response has just been incredible,” said Susan Fredinburg of the Humane Society. “We can’t thank everyone enough.”
Tim Hackett, head of emergency and critical care at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, said the school has fielded many calls from worried owners. But it has yet to tie any illnesses to kidney failure, a sign that a pet has eaten the tainted food.
Symptoms of a sick animal include lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting and frequent urination.
Some of those symptoms are not uncommon for older pets. But they are for a 5 1/2-year-old retriever like Stella.
State officials could not say how many pets have died in Colorado from eating the recalled food. But owners of a cat in Evergreen believe their pet died after it ate several packets of the food.
McFadden is sure, too, about what has happened to Stella. He checked the can, and it was on the recall list. He plans to sue the company for all the bills he’s incurred since Stella became ill.
Since his dog got sick, he has taken Stella to the veterinarian several times. She has lost 10 pounds since becoming sick. Monday night, he took her again to the emergency animal hospital. She was given fluids, but Stella couldn’t keep anything down.
McFadden’s vet told him more tests could be done, but they agreed Stella isn’t a good candidate for further tests and treatments.
McFadden knows Stella is suffering, and he’s planning to euthanize his beloved dog unless something unexpected happens.
McFadden’s 17-year-old son, Brian, drove from Colorado Springs on Tuesday. He stroked Stella gently on the couch as the dog struggled to raise her head.
“I’m still hoping for the best,” Brian said.
Staff writer Carlos Illescas can be reached at 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com.
