Beware: pet food ads

This is an interesting article which appeared in the Truth about Pet Food May newsletter (I highly recommend all pet owners subscribe; it’s free and filled with good information):

In the UK, a viewer complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that a commercial for Go Cat cat food by UK Purina was misleading and the ASA agreed. The commercial was removed from TV.

Can you imagine that happening in the United States? Tucson Tails cannot.  One reason is (according to Truth about Pet Food) there is “no advertising authority to protect pet food consumers against misleading/exaggerated pet food advertising. They can (and do) make all types of misleading and exaggerated claims and no authority stops them.”

Scary.

So that got me thinking about Purina’s Beneful – you know the one with the cute and loveable commercials that make you want to reach through the screen to pet and play with the happy dog.

Brace yourself. According to Dog Food Advisor, there are almost 20 ingredients that are controversial. Beneful advertises healthy fruits and vegetables in every bag. You can read the Dog Food Advisor article in its entirety. Wait until you find out what “chicken by-product meal” is. The article is eye opening and the comments are devastating.

If you want your dog to have fruits (never grapes or raisins) and vegetables, grate some raw apple or carrots into their food. My greyhounds go bananas for frozen or mashed bananas and frozen green beans and cooked broccoli.

To file a pet food complaint, go here. Hopefully, someone is listening.

dry dog & cat food recall, salmonella

These pet food brands are included: California Natural dry dog & cat food;  EVO dry dog & cat food & treats, ferret food; Healthwise dry dog food & cat food & treats; Innova dry dog food & cat food & treats; Karma dry dog food.

from the Natura website

FREMONT, NEBRASKA, April 19, 2013––Natura Pet Products is voluntarily expanding its March 29, 2013 recall of dry pet foods because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella . The expanded recall now includes all dry pet food products and treats with expiration dates prior to and including March 24, 2014. (Blogger: Huge!)

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Sampling conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of Salmonella in additional dry pet food and a cat pet treat . In an abundance of caution, Natura is also recalling product made in the surrounding time frame. This action affects dry pet foods and treats only; no canned wet food or biscuits are affected by this announcement.

The affected products are sold through veterinary clinics and select pet specialty retailers nationwide and in Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and Costa Rica, as well as online. Consumers who have purchased these pet foods should discard them. For additional information, consumers may visit the website . For a product replacement or refund call Natura toll-free at 800-224-6123.

Click here for the list of products and UPC codes.

bird food recall

from the press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 18, 2013 – Merit Bird Company, LLC of Chatsworth, California is recalling the following items with lot codes; Vitae Cockatiel with Sunflower 2lbs, (#2840081), Vitae Cockatiel with Sunflower 4lbs, (#2840090), Vitae Small Hookbill 4lbs, (#2840225), Vitae Small Hookbill 20lbs, (#2840234), Vitae Hookbill with Sunflower 4lbs, (#2840252), Vitae Large Hookbill 4lbs, (#2840279) shipped between May 2012 to February 2013, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Animals with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some animals will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your animals have consumed the recalled product and have these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. “Vitae bird food was distributed through Southern California retail pet stores.

The bags in question are packaged in a factory sealed plastic bag or a white bulk bag for the 20# size.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

This recall was the result of a routine testing performed by Specialty Commodities, which revealed that the finished products, which include parsley that is on recall from Specialty Commodities, contain Salmonella. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

If you still have any bags on hand, please return them immediately to the place of purchase or Merit Bird Company for a full refund.

Information on what consumers should do with the product and where they can get additional information (e.g., consumers) who have purchased Vitae Bird Food are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-818-727-1655. Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, Pacific Standard Time.

Community effort for pet health

It was a good day in the South Tucson neighborhood on April 6 when AWASA (Animal Welfare Alliance of Southern Arizona) set up a makeshift veterinary vaccination clinic at the Casa Maria Soup Kitchen.

One hundred forty (140) animals received free services.Three veterinarians — Dr. Khalsa of Acacia Animal Hospital, Dr. O’Donnell. of Northwest Pet Clinic, and Dr. Rademaker of Sunrise Pet Clinic volunteered their valuable time to examine and administer dewormer, vaccines, and flee/tick to those in need. Pima Medical Institute provided the vaccines as well as instructors and students to assist. Northwest Pet Clinic for donated flee/tick application and dewormer.

Other volunteers, many bilingual, assisted with crowd coordination, handing out leashes and food for those who needed it.

Pet Fix flyer

What is Pet Fix?

Pima County gives AWASA $220,000 per year to provide free spay & neuter in targeted areas with a depressed economy and the highest intact volume.  This year, in addition to these boundaries more opportunities have been added to include people on AHCCS, in Title 8 housing, on food stamps and Medicare. The money is generated from donations, Pima County Health Department, and the Arizona Pet Friendly Spay/Neuter License Plate.

Fifteen percent of the money can be used for feral cats.

Over the past three years, the average number of spay & neuter pets from Pet Fix program has been 3,406 per year.

You can download the Pet Fix flyer in English or in Spanish.

Other options for Spay and Neuter in the community include Spay and Neuter Solutions, private grants to various rescue groups, or accessing one of the many low cost spay and neuter clinics that offer this service at a greatly reduced price.

What can people do to help this program?

AWASA will accept donations to be utilized in spaying and neutering animals and helping to support the administrative costs (not currently being funded) of this program.  Donations can be sent to AWASA at 5425 E Broadway # 227 Tucson Az. 85711 or use the donate button on the website.   AWASA is a 501©(3) organizations and your donations are tax deductible.

avoid corn in dry dog food

According to an informative article in healthy pets.com, Reuters reports high levels of aflatoxins have been discovered in bags of dog food on store shelves in Iowa. Aflatoxins cause acute lethal illness and cancer in animals and humans, and are among the most carcinogenic substances on earth. Aflatoxins poison the liver, and their carcinogenic properties can lead to tumor formation.

Before buying dog food especially dry dog food, avoid products containing corn in any form, including corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, corn flour, etc. Corn is not only highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination, but also allergenic and difficult for most pets to digest. Yet corn or some form of corn is in many brands of dog food because it’s a relatively cheap ingredient and filler.

A dog food recall is happening in six Midwest states. For now, it’s only a matter of time before the recall expands to other regions. Buyers beware.

To read the entire article, click here.

Just say no to chicks for Easter

Just say no to giving your children or grandchildren some chicks for Easter. Chicks are living breathing animals. They are not toys to be later discarded.

The same advice about not giving puppies or kittens to kids or adults as gifts for Christmas — also applies to Easter chicks.

Someone must be responsible for chicks. Once the novelty wears off in a few days and all the colored eggs and jelly beans have been eaten and the colorful baskets have been put away — chicks lose their appeal. Easter is over; kids get bored with chicks. Give them a stuffed animal instead.

While plenty of folks are raising chickens for their own eggs, that requires planning and suitable products and equipment. Chicks for Easter are a totally different concept. Dyed chicks are the worst further exploiting chicks as novelties vs. caring for chicks as pets. Chickens can live to be 16 years old. How committed are you?

People buying chicks for Easter have no idea that chicks require special feeding, care, and handling. No, a shoebox is not the proper place to house the chick.

Chicks are delicate and small children may try to cuddle them resulting in injuries and death. Children may be at risk for acquiring Salmonella infection from chicks as pets after receiving them as gifts.

The majority of chicks are neglected or dumped. Just don’t buy them!

Be responsible, consider peeps instead.

No animal cruelty happens with peeps. Peeps are marshmallow candies that are shaped into chicks, bunnies, and other animals. While chicks are delicate; peeps are indestructible. This peep website will entertain you for hours. Unleash your peep creativity. Have fun.

Here’s a recipe to make homemade marshmallow chicks.

How to keep your dogs and cats safe for Easter.

(Image – wpclipart.com – public domain)

Saffron models her Easter bonnet

While you and your family are enjoying Easter be sure to practice these safety tips so your pets won’t have any mishaps, some which can be fatal.

You’re not the only one who likes chocolate, although it is never good for dogs or cats. Chocolate is toxic as it contains varying amounts of theobromine and caffeine. Eating chocolate may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and trembling.

Easter candy, if made with xylitol, is also toxic. Xylitol is a popular artificial sweetener used in baked goods, candy, and gum.

Colorful plastic grass used in making festive Easter baskets can obstruct the digestive tract causing dehydration, severe vomiting, making it difficult to poop. Cats are especially attracted to this grass because it moves in the breeze.

The Easter Lily may be indicative of Easter but but is highly toxic to cats as are daffodils. Symptoms include lethargy and vomiting and may progress to kidney failure and/or death.

Some people will go a little berserk and dye their dogs to match their outfits. (Go dye some eggs instead!). However, if this is the path your travel, never use commercial hair dye to color the hair on your pet. Natural and safe food colorings and unsweetened Kool-Aid (not sweetened with xylitol) are the “acceptable” methods. Dogs will lick themselves and you don’t want them licking poison or toxic products, which is also bad for their skin.

Source: ASPCA

(Photo by Loren Dawn: Saffron Greyhound is a feisty, furry greyhound at 11 1/2.)

Evo, Innova, California Naturals, Healthwise – possible salmonella

Another kind of pet food recall notice, possible salmonella is the concern.

Dear Natura Family,

As pet parents and dedicated pet health advocates, it pains us to inform you of the first recall in our company’s 21-year history.

During a recent random sampling, the FDA confirmed the presence of salmonella in one of our products. We take this extremely seriously, because your pets are like ours – they’re part of the family – and we aren’t taking any chances. As a result, we have voluntarily recalled a number of our products as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, there have been no reported animal or human health issues associated with these products, and we have confirmed that this is not a widespread issue.

You can read the remainder of the press release here on the Natura site.

Natura is now owned by Proctor & Gamble.

Here’s the entire list including some Evo, California Naturals, Innova, and Healthwise products.

Pet food recall notification via  USPS:

Received March 1 or 2 (forgot to check mailbox)

“Dated Feb 20, 2013

Dear Costco Member,

Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, CO is voluntarily recalling ALL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED AT THEIR DENVER, COLORADO FACILITY FROM APRIL 20, 2012 THRU SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 due to possible salmonella contamination.

The best by dates/lot codes included in the recall are Best By 0420213 DEN through Best By 10032013 DEN. Costco’s records indicate that you may have purchased Nature’s Deli 3 lbs Chicken Jerky product with the lot codes affected this voluntary recall. If you have this specific lot codes please stop using the remaining product and return it to your local Costco for a full refund.

Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products and humans are at risk for salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Should you have any questions regarding this letter please contact Kasel Associated Industries at 800-218-4417.”

———————

The person I share my Costco membership with received this letter in the mail.

Yeah, I have some questions: I wonder why — if the product was produced as far back as almost a year ago — does it take so long for the awareness of possible salmonella? What transpires in between? I also wonder when the product was first put on the shelf?  Questions for the 800 number…

possible salmonella contamination

Another day, another recall of another dog food product made in the USA. I guess if you want to feed your dog jerky products — dehydrate it yourself. Any recommendations for dehydrators? Just yesterday, I blogged about more brands with the same problem.

from the press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 20, 2013 – Nutri-Vet, LLC. of Boise, ID is voluntarily recalling its Nutri-Vet and NutriPet Chicken Jerky Products because they may be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products and humans are at risk for

Salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these symptoms after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Click here for the extensive list of recalled products.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has any of these signs, please contact your veterinarian.

Nutri-Vet is recalling the lot numbers below because the manufacturer of an ingredient used in the products below informed us of the possibility of Salmonella presence at the manufacturing facility, although no positive test results have been found on Nutri-Vet or NutriPet products to date.

The recalled Chicken Jerky Treats were distributed nationwide through online sales and in retail stores from April 2012 through February 2013 with Best By Dates ranging from April 20, 2014, through October 3, 2014.

Click here for more product labels.