It seems as if Iams has a problem providing "complete and balanced" nutrition in its dog and cat food despite all the animal testing it does! PETA recently uncovered official reports issued by state and federal feed inspectors whose job it is to analyze pet food products and determine whether they are what they say they are and whether they pose dangerous risks to animals. Iams obviously would rather these reports not reach the public for fear of a consumer backlash, and it turns out that Iams has good reason to fear such scrutiny since the company’s violations are shocking and could potentially induce great harm to animals consuming Iams diets!

Since 1999, Iams has had an astounding 27 violations in Texas alone! The most worrisome case came from the most recent Texas inspection report, in which an Iams cat food had a 54.7 percent vitamin A deficiency compared to the amount of vitamin A that was guaranteed on the product label. According to PetPlace.com, if a cat lacks vitamin A in the diet, - poor growth, weight loss, damage to cell membranes and decreased resistance to disease are among the possible consequences. [F]emale cats may fail to cycle, the embryo may fail to implant or the pregnant cat may abort or produce kittens with abnormalities, such as a cleft plate.

Another violation of great significance was described in the most recent report issued by South Dakota inspection officials an Iams cat food had a 22.86 percent taurine deficiency relative to what was guaranteed on the label. Ironically, Iams has an entire Web page dedicated to the dangers of taurine deficiency entitled, Taurine and Its Importance in Cat Foods. Specifically, Iams notes the following: If insufficient taurine is present, the retinal cells don’t function properly and may die, eventually causing impaired vision and even blindness. This process is referred to as feline central retinal degeneration. Taurine deficiency leads to weakening of the heart muscle, which in turn can lead to heart failure. This condition is known as dilated cardiomyopathy and can be fatal. Taurine is necessary for optimal reproductive and growth performance.

In the most recent commercial feed report issued by Rhode Island inspectors, they found an Iams adult cat food and an Iams kitten food that had a 35.76 percent and 29.36 percent deficiency in fat content, respectively, relative to what was guaranteed on the product label. According to Yahoo! Pets, "Without an adequate intake of dietary fat, cats may develop flaky skin and a greasy coat. In severe cases, fatty acid deficiency may lead to problems such as retarded growth and weight loss, impaired wound healing and increased vulnerability to infection."

Just as alarming is the most recent commercial feed report issued by Illinois inspectors, in which they found an Iams cat food that had a 32 percent magnesium deficiency. According to FelineFuture.com, A deficiency of dietary magnesium severely affects cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and renal tissues, and contributes to calcium deposits in the kidneys (kidney stones), in blood vessels, and in the heart. It can also be the cause of gastro-intestinal disorders, irritability, irregular heart rhythm, lack of coordination, muscle twitch, tremors, and weakness. The symptom picture of long term dietary deficiency of magnesium is very similar to a deficiency in calcium, including muscle cramps, high blood pressure, and malformation of the bones.

Unfortunately, dogs fed Iams food don’t fare any better than their feline counterparts. Texas inspection officials found an Iams dog food that had a 12.03 percent deficiency in crude protein relative to what was guaranteed on the product label. According to Petcurean.com, protein deficiency can lead to depressed appetite, poor growth, loss of weight, rough or dull coat, lower reproductive performance and reduced milk production.

Even more damaging for dogs was the recent revelation by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that an Iams dog food had dangerously high levels of the amino acid DL-methionine, which could cause methionine toxicity or imbalance. Upon recognizing the scope of this danger, the FDA ordered a recall of 248,080 pounds of the Iams dog food from New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

For years, Iams has laid claim to the notion that it has complete and balanced diets that enhance the well-being of dogs and cats. After reviewing these violations, it’s easy to see that Iams doesn’t take its duty to companion animals or consumers very seriously.

Iams’ nutritional violations raise an important question: What’s the point of caging animals in labs for years on end to conduct "scientific" studies that result in the creation of products that are nutritionally inadequate and unhealthy for companion animals? Answer: There is no reason-legal, ethical, or scientific to continue conducting cruel laboratory tests on animals to make pet food.

Please click here to see which companion-animal food companies conduct cruelty-free research and create products that are truly "complete and balanced".

We will continue to gather commercial feed inspection reports to alert consumers to the dangers of feeding their animal companions Iams food products, so please check back for updates. Given these violations, Iams’ insistence that it tests on animals for the sake of animal health and well-being rings even more hollow. Please click here to see what you can do to convince Iams to abandon cruel laboratory tests and instead pursue cruelty-free and scientifically accurate home-testing alternatives.