Urgent Bravo Raw Recall
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 10:46 am Post subject: URGENT BRAVO RAW RECALL
http://www.bravorawdiet.com/recallinfo.html#talk
Bravo! Issues Nationwide Recall of Select Poultry Products for Dogs and Cats
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For Immediate Release
September 18, 2007 Contact: David Bogner
(866) 922-9222
www.bravorawdiet.com
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Vernon, CT – Bravo! announces a voluntary recall of select tubes of three of its poultry products for cats and dogs. The pet food is being recalled because two of the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, while the other product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Both Salmonella and Listeria are organisms which can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and if there is cross contamination, in people, especially small children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people with Salmonella infection may only suffer short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Long term complications can include arthritis and other more serious ailments. Healthy people with Listeria infection may only suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
The company has received no reports of illness in either people or animals associated with any of the three products.
The recalled products are distributed nationwide to distributors, retail stores, internet sales and directly to consumers, and they can be identified by the batch ID code located on the hang tag attached to the bottom of the plastic film tubes. The recalled products should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should return unopened frozen tubes of food to the store where purchased for a full refund. Pet owners should dispose of opened tubes of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the washed plastic batch ID tag to the store where purchased for a full refund.
Recalled Pet Food:
Product: Bravo Original Formula Chicken Blend frozen raw food
Product Numbers: 21-102, 21-105, 21-110
Sizes: 2 pound, 5 pound and 10 pound tubes
Batch ID code (on hang tag): 236
Reason for Recall: Salmonella, Listeria
Product: Bravo Original Formula Turkey Blend frozen raw food
Product Numbers: 31-102, 31-105, 31-110
Sizes: 2 pound, 5 pound and 10 pound tubes
Batch ID code (on hang tag): 236
Reason for Recall: Listeria
Product: Bravo Basic Formula Finely Ground Chicken frozen raw food
Product Number: 21-212
Size: 2 pound tube
Batch ID Code (on hang tag): 226
Reason for Recall: Salmonella, Listeria
Other Batch IDs for these same products are not involved in the recall.
Bravo! is issuing this action out of an abundance of caution and sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pet owners as a result of this announcement. This voluntary recall has been issued because the FDA detected the bacteria in samples during a recent review.
In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at:
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/foodbornetips.htm.
People may risk Salmonella infection not only by handling these pet foods, but also by contact with pets or other surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap. Anyone who is experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella or Listeria infection after having handled the recalled product should seek medical attention. Consumers may report any complaints to FDA's local District Complaint Coordinator’s located on the FDA website:
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.
Healthy cats and dogs rarely become sick from Salmonella. Animals ill with Salmonella will display symptoms similar to the ones listed above for humans. People who have concerns about whether their pet has Salmonella or not should contact their veterinarian.
For more information on the Bravo recall, please visit
www.bravorawdiet.com , or call toll free (866) 922-9222
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Bravo! Recall FAQs
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Click on the question below to read the answer.
Have any pets or humans become ill from Bravo! Raw Diet?
Why is Bravo! recalling their products?
How did your Bravo! products become contaminated?
Does this mean my pet is going to get Salmonella poisoning?
Here’s what the Merck Veterinary Manual says about Salmonella in pets
What does all of this mean to me and my pet?
What is Bravo! doing to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination?
How will I know if my pet has Salmonella sickness?
How can I avoid Salmonella infection?
There has been a lot of talk about Salmonella contamination, but what about the Listeria contamination?
What should I feed my pet in place of the recalled product?
How can I tell if the product I have in my freezer is part of the recall?
What should I do if I have recalled product in my home?
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Have any pets or humans become ill from Bravo! Raw Diet?
No. None that we know of.
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Why is Bravo! recalling their products?
There are existing FDA regulations which do not allow Salmonella presence in cooked pet foods – i.e., canned foods and kibble. While raw diet manufacturers do not make cooked foods, we fall under the same FDA standards as those who do. Despite the difference in products – cooked vs. raw – Bravo! wants to fully cooperate with the FDA and is voluntarily complying with their regulations.
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How did your Bravo! products become contaminated?
Raw meat, especially poultry, harbors pathogens (bacteria). That is why it is essential for you to wash your hands after handling raw meat and to clean surfaces and utensils that have been in contact with raw meat. Approximately 15 percent to 23 percent of all poultry is estimated to be contaminated with Salmonella by the time it reaches the age of slaughter.1 Therefore, contamination takes place long before the poultry parts ever make it to raw diet manufacturers for processing. The USDA recognizes Salmonella as a fact of life and has even set “tolerance levels†for Salmonella – so poultry producers are allowed to have a certain amount of Salmonella present in their birds. The reality for raw feeders is that low levels of pathogens are present in most raw meats, most of the time, whether they feed raw meat from the supermarket or whether they buy prepared raw diets from manufacturers. If you have been feeding raw food to your pet for more than a day or two, your pet has consumed pathogens such as Salmonella.
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Does this mean my pet is going to get Salmonella poisoning?
There is no definitive answer for this; however, we want you to consider the following:
Most dogs and cats can eat high quality raw meat without a problem, even if the same raw meat would make humans very sick. They are resistant - NOT immune - from the disease potential of these pathogens, and healthy dogs often harbor them without symptoms. Think about your dog - this is an animal that can lick itself, lick other dogs, eat a variety of disgusting rotting things, and ingest its own feces or those of other animals with no ill effects. Dogs, and cats as well, simply can handle greater bacterial loads than humans can because their physiology is different.
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Here’s what the Merck Veterinary Manual says about Salmonella in pets:
“Many dogs and cats are asymptomatic carriers of Salmonellae. Clinical disease is uncommon, but when it is seen, it is often associated with hospitalization, another infection or debilitating condition in adults, or exposure to large numbers of the bacteria in puppies and kittens.†2
To translate: Many dogs and cats carry Salmonella in their systems (as evidenced by the presence of Salmonella in their feces), but they rarely become ill. It is just a natural part of what lives in their GI systems. When illness does occur it is usually associated with an already ill animal who is already immune-compromised. Illness may also occur when young animals are exposed to very high numbers of the bacteria. This might happen if a puppy finds and licks the inside of an outdoor garbage can that has never been washed and is teeming with bacteria.
Research indicates that approximately 36 percent of healthy dogs and 17 percent of healthy cats carry Salmonella in their digestive tract.3 The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) agrees with these numbers.4 It is interesting to note that these numbers are based on kibble-fed dogs – which means that Salmonella is a natural part of life for our pets regardless of what they are eating.
The resistance to illness in dogs from Salmonella is apparent in a study of raw-fed dogs in Canada. In that study 16 dogs were deliberately fed commercial raw diets contaminated with Salmonella. None of those 16 dogs became ill. Additionally, only 7 of those 16 dogs shed Salmonella in their feces.5 While it was not further studied, one might speculate that the 9 dogs who ate Salmonella-contaminated food but did not shed it in their feces effectively neutralized the bacteria.
Even the FDA, in the FDA Consumer magazine, acknowledges that healthy pets rarely become ill from Salmonella contamination.6
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What does all of this mean to me and my pet?
All types of pet food carry some risk. That is also true for raw diets. These risks can be reduced by feeding the highest quality products you can buy and by following all the recommendations about temperature, storage and hygiene. Only you can decide if the risks outweigh the benefits. Most people feeding raw diets were not completely happy with the health of their pets when they were being fed kibble. If they were, the entire raw diet movement would have never taken root. There’s nothing more convenient than pouring kibble into a dish. So, some people must be seeing benefits from feeding raw.
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What is Bravo! doing to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination?
Bravo! products are manufactured in a USDA-inspected human meat processing facility which we own. Our full line of products are made with only high-quality, USDA-inspected and approved meats and poultry. All processing is done by our own local employees to insure high-quality production, and all of our Bravo! production adheres to the same USDA standards required for processing human meat products.
Our meat processing rooms are kept between 35 to 40 degrees during production. Processed products are then immediately placed in a blast freezer where they are subjected to a temperature of -20 degrees for a minimum of 24 hours. The blast-frozen products are then transferred to our commercial freezers where temperatures between 0 and 10 degrees are constantly monitored and maintained.
Bravo! follows all of the FDA guidelines for manufacturing raw diets (except irradiation). You can find those guidelines at:
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/Guidance/Guide122.doc
Additionally, Melinda Miller, one of Bravo!’s principals, is one of the founders of the North American Raw Petfood Association (NARPA) and is currently its President. NARPA has been investigating manufacturing options to further reduce pathogen presence in raw diet products and will hopefully be establishing industry standards as viable processing procedures are found. Bravo! will be introducing some of these production steps into its manufacturing process.
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How will I know if my pet has Salmonella sickness?
As noted above, it is highly unlikely your pet will contract Salmonella. However, as with humans, younger, older or sickly pets would most likely be affected. The symptoms of Salmonella sickness in pets is also similar to those in humans and includes: vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, dehydration, sluggishness, weakness and high fever. If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
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How can I avoid Salmonella infection?
In short, hygiene, hygiene, hygiene. When dealing with any raw protein, such as meat, poultry or fish, or when handling pet foods and/or coming into contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods it is essential to thoroughly wash your hands with hot water and soap. It is also advised you wash counters, utensils, storage containers and pet food bowls that are exposed to raw meats. You should also avoid contact with your pet’s stool as Salmonella and other pathogens may be present in the stool. If you do have contact with pet feces, always remember to thoroughly wash your hands afterwards. You should also avoid letting your pets lick you immediately after they’ve eaten.
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There has been a lot of talk about Salmonella contamination, but what about the Listeria contamination?
Listeria is not seen in cats and is extremely uncommon in dogs. When it is seen in dogs the symptoms are typically diarrhea, fever, neurological signs and vomiting. The symptoms are the same in people. Listeria infection in pregnant women has been associated with miscarriages and stillbirths. Again, when handling raw meat products, practice good hygiene. For information on Listeria:
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/listeriosis_g.htm
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What should I feed my pet in place of the recalled product?
You should continue with your pet’s raw diet. Only the specific products from the specific batch ID codes are affected by the recall. Other Bravo! products, which have other batch ID codes, are not part of the recall.
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How can I tell if the product I have in my freezer is part of the recall?
Please check the product batch ID code located on the plastic hang tag attached to the bottom of each tube. Only the specific products from the specific batch ID codes are affected by the recall. Other Bravo! products, which have other batch ID codes, are not part of the recall.
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What should I do if I have recalled product in my home?
If unopened, you may return it to the store where purchased for a full refund.
If opened, you may dispose of the contents in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the washed plastic batch ID tag to the store where purchased for a full refund.
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Footnotes
1.
www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/food-safety/chicken-safety/chicken-safety-1-07/overview/0107_chick_ov.htm
2.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfle=htm/bc/20900.htm
3. Hand, M.S., Thatcher, C.D., Remillard, R.L., and Roudebush, P. (2000) Small Animal Clinical Nutrition. Mark Morris Institute. Pg. 36-42,188.
4.
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znsalmonellosis.asp
5. Finley, R., et al. (2007) The Risk of Salmonellae Shedding by Dogs Fed Salmonella-contaminated Commercial Raw Food Diets. Can Vet J. Vol 48 #1. Pg. 69-75.
6.
http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/departs/2000/500_upd.html#pigs
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