Food Recalls-Updated: 3/19/2016

[Michele]

More on Nutro:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/04/pet_food_recalls93.html

 

[DivineOblivion19]

Food Recalls-Updated 3/14/08

SOURCE


By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com
June 23, 2008
Scores of pet owners report their animals became ill while eating Nutro products, then recovered when they were switched to another brand.
At least six dogs have died in the past two months, according to an analysis of complaints to ConsumerAffairs.com. The company discounts the reports, saying they are isolated and unconfirmed; at least one Nutro employee, sickened by the company's response, told us she resigned.
In related developments, ConsumerAffairs.com has learned:

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently investigated the April deaths of two dogs in Indiana. The FDA tested samples of the Nutro food those dogs ate, but did not find any toxins. No one, however, has tested the Nutro food the other dogs ate before they died;

• A pet for Nutro confirmed she's heard complaints about the company's food making dogs and cats sick. She reported those concerns to her supervisor, but said they were ignored. She recently resigned;

• There is a shortage of some varieties of Nutro dog food. The company says this is a supply problem – not a safety or quality issue;

• Some consumers have sent their pets' food to Nutro for testing. They have not received any results. Other pet owners plan to hire private labs to test their food and report their concerns to the FDA and the Animal Poison Control Center run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
The six dogs that recently died include two Italian Greyhounds in Indiana, a Beagle/Whippet mix in Pennsylvania, two German Shepherd puppies in North Carolina, and a Doberman Pinscher in Texas.
The dogs' owners all say their pets were in good health and they're convinced that Nutro's food is somehow connected to their animals' deaths. Those concerns are echoed by pet owners whose dogs and cats have recently become sick after eating the company's food.
Nutro, however, defends its products and says the food is 100 percent safe.
But scores of pet owners across the country -- including longtime Nutro customers -- no longer feel safe feeding this brand of food to their dogs and cats.

Max and Sophia

They're consumers like Theresa C. of Indianapolis. Her two healthy Greyhounds -- Max and Sophia -- died within days after eating Nutro's Natural Choice Small Bites Lamb and Rice food.

"We bought Nutro for the first time in April," Theresa said. "And within four or five days, both of our dogs were dead.
"These were healthy dogs that have never been sick. They were extremely housetrained, but before they died, they both were urinating everywhere…we were constantly refilling their water bowl."
Sophia, their four-year-old Italian Greyhound, showed the first signs of illness.
"On Sunday, April 27, she was vomiting, acting dizzy, and she became skittish," Theresa said. "Italian Greyhounds also don't smell, but I noticed Sophia had an unusual smell before she died. It was almost a sickening smell; I've never smelled anything like it before."
Sophia's condition quickly deteriorated.
"She continued to vomit up liquid and bile into the early hours of Monday, April 28," Theresa said. "And she became dizzy and almost appeared to be drunk."
Theresa rushed Sophia to the emergency animal hospital.
"By the time I got her there she was comatose and in kidney failure. She had to be euthanized."
Max, her three-year-old Italian Greyhound, had started to experience the same problems.
"He began vomiting at 2:30 am, but was not as ill as Sophia had been," Theresa said. "When I got him to the vet she found elevated creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) levels. She administered an IV and retested later in the evening on the 28th. The levels were still rising but, she said he may pull through."
Max's condition, however, did not improve.
"By the morning of the 29th he had blood in the whites of his eyes, was vomiting again, and showing signs of distress," Theresa said. "We again had his blood checked and the levels were through the roof."
Max's kidneys were failing.
"Our vet told us there is no hope because he was in renal failure…we decide to euthanize to limit his suffering."
Losing both dogs -- in such a short period time -- was heart-wrenching for Theresa, her husband, and their six children.
"I don't know who cried more – me, my husband, or my 20-year-old son. I was a mess for a week."
Despite her grief, Theresa vowed to find the cause of Max and Sophia's sudden deaths. Her vet suspected antifreeze poisoning.
"But we don't have antifreeze around our home," Theresa said. "These dogs were never alone. And we have the same neighbors we've had since Max was a puppy. I didn't see how it could antifreeze poisoning."
Theresa had autopsies done on her dogs at Purdue University. She sent samples of their kidney tissues to Michigan State University for testing.
She and her family also contacted the FDA and Nutro.
"Our 20-year-old son called Nutro after Sophia died and he asked if there was something wrong with the food. He said we've already had one dog die and another one is sick.
"The girl at Nutro said we've had complaints, but nothing that is a known issue right now."
FDA tests

The FDA immediately investigated the dogs' deaths.
"An investigator came over to my home before we had the autopsy results back," Theresa said. "He took samples of the food and had me file a complaint."
ConsumerAffairs.com confirmed that on May 7, 2008, an FDA investigator took samples of Theresa's Nutro food and had it tested for several contaminants, including melamine, aflatoxins, and ethylene glycol. That's a chemical in antifreeze.
Those tests did not find any toxins in the food.
"Findings were negative for melamine and its analog, aflatoxins, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, and for salmonella," the lab report stated. "No significant filth or foreign material was found."
Antifreeze

Theresa is baffled by the FDA's findings.
"I wonder if there's something in the food they're not testing for," she said after reviewing the FDA's report.
Theresa is also puzzled by the autopsy results on her dogs – and the tests run on their kidney tissues.
Those examinations revealed Max and Sophia had high levels of ethylene glycol in their systems, which indicated the dogs' deaths were consistent with antifreeze poisoning.
With Theresa's permission, ConsumerAffairs.com sent copies of her dogs' medical to veterinary toxicologist, Dr. Steven Hansen. He's the senior vice-president of the ASPCA's Midwest Office, which houses the organization's Animal Poison Control Center.
After reviewing the reports with a pathologist in his office, Dr. Hansen said: "The kidney lesions do not fit with melamine but are consistent with ethylene glycol. Since ethylene glycol was confirmed in high concentrations in the kidneys and not in the diet the diagnosis in this case is clear. Unfortunately, the dogs did die of antifreeze poisoning."
Theresa, however, still has her doubts.
"I know these dogs didn't get near antifreeze…especially in these extreme amounts," said Theresa, who may hire a private lab to test her Nutro food. "Like I said, I wonder if there's something in the food that no one is testing for."
Blue death

Two states away, another grieving pet owner shares Theresa's concerns about Nutro's food.
Susi B. of Pittsburgh, Pa., said her healthy ten-year-old Beagle/Whippet mix died on May 30th. She suspects Nutro's Lamb and Rice food is the culprit behind the sudden death of her beloved dog, Blue.
"I bought that bag at the end of March, and when I opened it up, it looked like it had little white bugs all over it," said Susi, a longtime Nutro customer. "When I picked up the food, it was like a granular substance. But I didn't think much about it because the food wasn't part of the recall."
Blue, she said, gradually started to become sick.
"I'd come home and see where he'd thrown up. But I didn't think about the food."
When she returned from work on April 18, Susi found Blue collapsed on the floor.
"Normally, he'd run to the door and greet me, but when I walked in that day I couldn't find him right away. He was on the floor and breathing heavy."
Susi immediately took Blue to the vet.
"But the vet couldn't find anything except an elevated white count, a low red blood count (he was anemic), and he had a temperature," Susi said. "They gave him an antibiotic and vitamins."
Susi also took Blue off his Nutro food and fed him hamburger and rice.
"And he got better. So over the next couple of weeks, I slowly reintroduced the Nutro dog food to him."
Blue's condition worsened again.
"He got to the point that when I put Nutro in front of him, he refused to eat it," she said. "And he was a dog who would eat everything. He didn't want to eat anything except melted ice cream.
"His weight went from 26 pounds to 18 pounds. He was skin and bones. He was lethargic. He became so weak he could no longer walk outside to use the bathroom or stand to drink water."
That's when Susi launched her own investigation.
"I went online and Googled Nutro and found out (on ConsumerAffairs.com) about all these other dogs that had symptoms like mine."
Bare shelves

She also discovered that some of Nutro's pet foods -- including the variety she'd fed Blue -- were no longer on the shelves at her local pet store.
"There was a note in the store that said the shortage was due to some manufacturing issues."
Susi immediately called Nutro to get some answers.
"I was told the reason the food was not on the shelves was because the company that made the bags had a machine break, and the company ran out of chicken. But I was feeding lamb and rice."
What about the complaints regarding Nutro's food?
"They said they were aware of your Web site and considered it nothing but a blog," Theresa said. "They said when one person posted (a complaint) it caused a panic, and none of those dogs' owner have contacted us."
At Nutro's request, Susi sent the company four cups of Blue's food for testing.
That was several weeks ago, but she has not received any results.
"I'm trying to find an independent lab to test the food, but some say it would be a conflict of interest to test the food and others say they don't know what to test for."
Susi said she'll keep digging for answers until she finds out what caused Blue to suddenly die in his sleep on May 30th.
"I'm convinced Blue's death is tied to that food and I won't stop until I prove it," she said, adding the last test done on her dogs indicated he had a blood tumor. "If I had listened to my dog, he might be alive today."
The guilt and pain surrounding Blue's death, she said, is almost unbearable.
"It's devastating. He was my best friend for more than ten years. He followed me all over the house. And in a matter of six to eight weeks after we opened that last bag of food, he'd gotten to the point that I had to carry him outside and hold him up to go to the bathroom.
"I am 100 percent convinced there is something in that food that is affecting these animals," she added. "It's not a coincidence that all these dogs are getting sick."

 

[DivineOblivion19]

Dead puppies

A grieving pet owner in North Carolina echoes those suspicions about Nutro's food.
Birgit H. of Franklinville said two of her puppies -- from the same litter of seven -- suddenly died on June 3rd.
The healthy six-week-old German Shepherds -- Anna and Anja -- had similar symptoms as the other dogs that died after eating Nutro's food.

Anna and Anja​

"They were vomiting, had diarrhea, and were lethargic," Birgit said.
What's so alarming to Birgit is the speed at which the puppies' health deteriorated.
"We started feeding them Nutro puppy food on June 2 and they died on June 3," she said. "I worked in a vet's office for ten years and I've never seen anything like this before. I've never seen dogs going down so fast, then get back up, then eat again, and crash. They got so weak and died so fast."
The veterinarians who treated the puppies couldn't explain their sudden deaths.
"They were puzzled because the puppies did fine in the morning, but that afternoon, they just died," Birgit said. "One died at home and one died at the vet's office.
"Everyone is puzzled by this. The first thing you think of with puppies is Parvo (a viral illness). But there weren't symptoms of Parvo. And if one dog has Parvo, they all have it. There's no way that happened. These puppies were healthy before we put them on Nutro."
The other five puppies in the litter -- and the mother dog -- also showed signs of illness.
"All the other puppies had started throwing up," Birgit said. "Then I received a phone call from another breeder and he asked me if I had recently switched to Nutro food. He told me about all the other dogs that had gotten sick on the food.
"That night, my husband and I put the dogs back on their old food and everyone is fine again."
Her friend's call, she said, saved her dogs' lives.
"I would have killed all my dogs because I would have kept feeding them that food."
Nutro not alarmed

Birgit contacted Nutro, but said the company didn't seem alarmed by the loss of her dogs.
"I've been on the phone with Nutro three times and they're blowing me off. I told them they need to take the food off the shelf and test it. But the person I talked to said the company won't do that; they said they have quality food."
In another call to Nutro – in which she waited for an hour to talk to someone -- the company "finally took a report."
"But they didn't ask me for a lot number on the bag or the date of purchase," Birgit said. "All they gave me was a customer number. That's it. They really disappointed me."
Nutro also wanted the rest of Birgit's puppy food.
"I told them 'no. I'm not sending you all my food.' They didn't like that. I'm thinking of getting it tested somewhere else." She also plans to contact the FDA and the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center about her puppies' deaths.
Nutro, however, did offer Birgit an explanation for the sudden deaths of her puppies – and the recent illnesses in pets nationwide that have eaten the company's food.
"They said it was a coincidence."
Birgit doesn't buy that explanation.
"Maybe one or two cases could be a coincidence. But it can't be a coincidence with so many cases. And it can't be a coincidence that once you take the dogs off the food they're fine.
"I'm not one to point fingers, but as soon as I took the puppies off the Nutro food, we didn't have any more vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy. They are now all doing great. So is their mom. Nutro needs to take this food off the shelves and test it."
Until that happens, this professional dog breeder will not recommend Nutro to her clients.
"I always thought it was a good food, but now, I wouldn't feed Nutro to my worst enemy."
McGee

Neither will a grieving pet owner in Texas.
Peter B. of Houston said his nine-year-old Doberman Pinscher, McGee, suddenly died in April.
McGee ate Nutro, too.
And his symptoms mirror those of the other dogs that have recently died after eating Nutro's food.
"He was a healthy Doberman…he was fine before," Peter said. That all changed on April 27.
"I came home around 6pm and was outside watering my lawn," Peter said. "I noticed McGee was on the ground and had thrown up. He was also shaking."
As the night progressed, McGee's condition took a turn for the worse. He threw up again.
"And it looked like more food that I'd given him," Peter said. "He was also thirsty. He just wasn't himself."
Later that evening, Peter noticed McGee had started breathing heavily.
"And he kept getting water. He then started shaking again…he just wasn't right.
"McGee went back outside at 2 am," Peter continued. "When he came back in, he got some water and then he was sitting in the hallway."
A short time later, McGee came back into Peter's bedroom.
"He flopped down and he was breathing heavily, he was shaking, and crying."
Peter rushed to get McGee immediate medical attention.
"We tried to get him in our SUV and all of the sudden, he collapsed. I put him in the back and probably did 100 mph going to the vet."
But McGee died on the way.
"He was gone when we got there. They tried CPR, but he was gone."
The veterinarian wasn't sure what caused McGee's sudden death. "He was pretty generic," Peter said. "But he said it might have been some type of heart arrhythmia.
"In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten an autopsy, but it was such a shocker."
Peter, however, started researching possible causes for McGee's sudden death.
"I put in some of the symptoms he had and Googled them," he said. "And Nutro kept showing up. I thought that was scary because that's what I've always fed him. But I noticed that these problems seemed to be a lot more recent…they were new problems."
Peter contacted Nutro about McGee's death.
"I've sent them three e-mails, but they haven't responded. I tried the 800-number, but it kept ringing and ringing."
No Nutro

Peter also stopped by the local pet store where he bought McGee's food.
"The shelves that contained Nutro Natural Choice were almost bare. That never has happened."
He asked a Nutro representative -- who was working in the same aisle -- about the shortage.
"He stated that no recall was in effect, and Nutro just happened to shut down a few plants producing what he termed 'not as tasty food,' and the 'quality' was not up to par."
That explanation didn't make sense to Peter.
"Seeing that a dog can't talk, I asked him how the company would know if the food was not 'tasty.' It seemed far more plausible that a company whose main product is dog food would not shut down a plant -- and have no product -- unless some very extreme situations were coming to light."
Peter then told the Nutro representative about McGee's sudden death.
The representative called it a "coincidence."
But Peter is certain something is wrong with Nutro's food. He plans to hire a private lab to test the food and prove his theory.
"I'm doing this because something has truly happened. I don't have any evidence now, but based on my dog's symptoms and all the complaints I've read, the logical deduction is the food probably got some dogs sick, and in my case, caused my dog's death.
He added: "I will not let this be swept under the rug and hopefully will get the confirmation I am looking for by testing the pet food I still have."
Scores sickened

During our investigation, we found that scores of pets -- primarily dogs -- continue to become seriously ill after eating Nutro's food.
Consider what happened to a healthy, three-year-old Chocolate Lab named Choco.
His owner, Sharon A., of Cheektowaga, New York, has fed him Nutro Max for the past five months.
He never had any problems eating the food until April.
"That's when he suddenly got sick," she said. "He started vomiting, had loose bowel movements (diarrhea) and was very lethargic. It really worried me so I took him to the vet.
"He even threw up at the vet's office."
The veterinarian diagnosed Choco with pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas).
"They put him on IV's, gave him some antibiotics and Pepcid, and kept him hospitalized for three days," Sharon said. "When I brought him home, he was much better – almost back to normal."
The vet also switched Choco to a prescription dog food.
"They told me when he was done with that food he could go back to Nutro. But when I put him back on Nutro, he got sick again – with the same symptoms."
Her vet ran additional tests on Choco.
"This time, they said he did not have pancreatitis, but they gave him antibiotics anyway."
Choco's condition, however, did not improve.
"He got sick again and I took him to the vet for a third time," Sharon said. "They said his levels were elevated again for pancreatitis. They put him on IV's and other medications."
Like other pet owners, Sharon started to investigate her dog's symptoms. Her search led her to ConsumerAffairs.com.
"I couldn't believe all those people on your Web site whose dogs had the same symptoms as mine," Sharon said. "After I read all those, I stopped feeding Choco the Nutro food. And he's now gotten better."
Does she think it's a coincidence that so many pets have become sick after eating Nutro's food?
No way.
"They get sick when they're eating Nutro – they have vomiting, diarrhea, and they're lethargic," said Sharon. "And they get better when they stop eating the food. I don't think that's a coincidence."
Overseas complaints

Our investigation also found that some dogs overseas are now experiencing similar health problems after eating Nutro's food.
We learned that two healthy Italian Greyhounds, who live on a U.S. military base in Italy, recently became sick.
Their owner, Michelle M., purchased their Nutro food at the base's commissary.
"I thought the yard started to smell funny after they had been on Nutro for a couple of weeks," she said. "I noticed that they threw up regularly, particularly the nine-month old."
His condition worsened last week.
"He woke up and started to whine for no reason," she said. "He was clearly in pain, if he stood up his back legs shook, then he would go lie down. He has been lethargic all day and has passed four bloody/mucus-filled stools."
Michelle desperately searched for answers.
She ran an online search of Nutro and was shocked to learn that scores of other dogs -- eating the same brand of food -- had experienced similar problems.
"I am detached from all of the press stateside and am very upset that no effort has been made to alert military families overseas of a possible problem (with the food.)"
Michelle stopped feeding her dogs Nutro and is now cooking chicken and rice for them.
"I'm hoping there will not be any long-term health consequences for my boys. They are both members of my family and my children and I love them immensely."
She added: "I'm glad we caught this in time, unlike some of the others who have reported very serious illnesses or even death associated with this brand of dog food. If the FDA is examining Nutro, they need to move quickly -- it is hard to tell how many people at overseas military bases are feeding this (food) to their dogs and possibly killing them."
Ex-Nutro employee

Michelle's complaint -- and the scores of others we received about Nutro food -- don't surprise a former pet nutrition specialist for the company.
"I would say that about 20 people in the last six months came up to me and said their pets were having similar problems with Nutro's food," the former employee told us. "They said their dogs and cats were vomiting, they were lethargic, had diarrhea, and were drinking lots of water."
The former employee, who asked not to be identified, reported those complaints to her boss. But her concerns, she said, fell on deaf ears.
"Every time I brought it up the chain, my concerns were brushed off. All I kept hearing about was the wonderful quality controls Nutro has."
Frustrated by the company's lack of response – and worried about the safety of pets nationwide -- the employee left Nutro and agreed to share her concerns with us.
"I do not feel comfortable promoting a product that is currently showing a very strong correlation with causing pet illness or death," said the employee, who is also a certified veterinary technician. "For 82 years Nutro had stood on its own as a leader in pet specialty. This past year, Nutro has lost consumer confidence and shaken my confidence as well. Something is wrong."
News of the recent deaths possibly linked to Nutro's food is especially troubling to this former employee.
"On my last day, one of the managers of a store I worked with came to me and reported a very recent death of a young dog. The dog's owner and its vet highly suspect it was caused by Nutro Lamb and Rice (small bites).
"I sure hope that it wasn't the Nutro food, but due to some of these sudden death incidents it makes me fearful that it is," the former employee said.
She wondered if these health problems could be related to the way Nutro's food is stored and transported on trucks.
"Are there pesticides on those trucks?" she asked. "The bags are not covered in plastics when they arrive at the stores. They're in paper bags. Could something be leaching into the bags? Is something happening during the transport? It's just a theory.
"I think that further testing needs to be done with the food."
'Hearsay'

We contacted Nutro about the complaints we've received regarding its food.
A company spokesperson, who resigned last week, directed us to Nutro's Web site.
The company posted new information after we started asking questions about Nutro's food and its possible connection to the illnesses and deaths of pets nationwide.
"All NUTRO products are 100 percent safe and conform to the standards set by the FDA, USDA, and AAFCO," the Web site states. "NUTRO pet foods undergo rigorous quality assurance testing, beginning with raw ingredients and ending with testing all finished products. This includes testing to confirm that no melamine, mold toxins, or pathogenic bacteria are detected in any NUTRO pet foods."
The company said the complaints we've received are "isolated reports of inaccurate information posted online."
"Many blogs and Internet sites can be a repository for misinformation and hearsay regarding many topics," the company wrote.
Nutro said the recent shortages of some of its foods are supply issues – and have nothing to do with any safety concerns.
"Over the past several months, suppliers of key ingredients used in select products have been unable to meet Nutro's volume needs," the company stated. "We have secured additional high quality supply sources and while availability will vary by marketplace, we can now say that supply issues are being resolved."
The company said its Natural Choice Venison Meal and Brown Rice, and Natural Choice Herring Meal, Rice and Potato foods should arrive in stores later this month.
Nutro denied reports that any of its plants are closing.
Formulas changed

The company also confirmed that it recently changed some of its formulas.
"MAX Dog and MAX Cat foods have been improved with the addition of more chicken and/or salmon," the company stated. "MAX Large Breed Puppy and MAX Large Breed Adult are now being made with chicken meal rather than beef meal because preference testing has shown that dogs prefer the taste of the chicken product."
The company said it rarely receives complaints about its products, but takes all concerns seriously. Customers can contact Nutro's Consumer Service line at 1-800-833-5330.
"In the rare instance when a consumer does have a concern with any of our products, an in-depth review of the consumer-provided samples is performed to determine if an issue does exist," the company stated.
We asked Nutro if it had recently tested its foods for possible toxins. The company did not respond to that question.
Meanwhile, some loyal Nutro customers warn pet owners not to jump to conclusions based on what they call unsubstantiated claims posted on the Internet.
Veterinarians also told us it's not uncommon for pets to have sudden bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems.
They said a number of factors -- pet food, stress, or a viral infection-- could be the culprit.
But Dr. Hansen with the ASPCA agreed that additional testing and research should be done in these cases.
He encouraged pet owners to report any problems with Nutro to the FDA, his organization's Poison Control Center, the pet food maker, and their veterinarians.
Still a mystery

For now, the recent illnesses and deaths in many pets that have eaten Nutro remains a mystery.
Even to pet owners like Theresa, who still believes that Nutro played a role in the deaths of her Italian Greyhounds.
"I have a gut feeling something in that food is making dogs sick and killing others. And I truly believe it is what killed both my dogs…I just wish we could prove it.

 

[Pitgrrrl]

I wonder if the problem with Nutro is due to the company being bought out by the Mars company? http://www.nutroproducts.com/press5-1-07mars.shtml

I never had problems feeding my fosters Nutro until recently. We get food donated for the fosters, so I usually pick the Nutro over Iams, Purina, etc. However, I recently fed my foster Rosie some Lamb & Rice formula Nutro and she got really, really sick. Vomit and diarrhea everywhere in huge amounts. I won't be feeding her that anymore.

 

[Vicki]

Feds Seize Food From PETCO DC

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_lifestyle_animal/2008/06/feds-seize-anim.html



Feds seize animal foods from PETCO center.



Federal marshals, acting on the orders of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have seized animal food products stored at the PETCO Animal Supplies Distribution Center in Joliet , Ill. Federal agents inspected the center in April and found widespread and active rodent and bird infestation. they checked it again in May and the situation had not improved.

"We simply will not allow a company to store foods under filthy and unsanitary conditions that occur as a direct result of the company's failure to adequately control and prevent pests in its facility," said Margaret O'K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "Consumers expect that such safeguards will be in place not only for human food, but for pet food as well."

The distribution center in Joliet, Ill., provides pet food products and supplies to PETCO retail stores in 16 states including Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

 

[Vicki]

Pedigree Dog Food Recall Affects Nevada

Dog Food Recall Affects Nevada

Updated: Aug 14, 2008 03:13 PM EDT

Mars Petcare is voluntarily recalling some dog food because of potential contamination with salmonella.
A limited number of 52-pound bags of PEDIGREE Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites have been recalled from Costco stores in Northern California and Nevada.

Additionally, about 100 of the 20-pound bags of PEDIGREE Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites sold in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada Albertsons locations were also called.

The company says there have been no complaints or reports of injuries associated with dogs consuming the food.

People who have the dog food are advised to dispose of it in a securly covered trash receptable and take the empty bag back to the store where it was purchased for a refund.

PEDIGREE® Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites
20-pound bags
UPC Code: 23100 14719
Lot Code: 830BFCAT02
Best Buy Date: 07/2009
Best Buy Date Location: Back of bag
Stores: Costco and Albertsons locations in Southern California and Las Vegas.

If you need to reach Mars Petcare about this pet food recall please call 1-877-568-4463 or go to www.petcare.mars.com

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8842449&nav=menu102_2

 

[Shon]

Mars Petcare US Issues Voluntary Recall of Everson, PA Plant Dry Pet Food Product due to Potential Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Debra Fair
Public Relations Manager — Central Marketing
MARS PETCARE US
(973) 691-3536

For Immediate Release

Mars Petcare US Announces Nationwide Voluntary Recall

Franklin, Tennessee (September 12, 2008)—Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Schwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States.
Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross contamination caused by handling of the pet food, in people as well, especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, 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. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms and can potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
The company stopped production at the Everson facility on July 29, 2008 when it was alerted of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant and two isolated cases of people infected with Salmonella Schwarzengrund.
Even though no direct link between product produced at Everson and human or pet illness has been made, Mars Petcare US is taking precautionary action to protect pets and their owners by announcing a voluntary recall of all products produced at the Everson facility beginning February 18, 2008 until July 29, 2008 when we stopped production.
The company is continuing to work collaboratively with the FDA to determine the nature and source of Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility. Since it has not yet identified the source of the Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility, Mars Petcare US does not plan to resume production out of a commitment to the safety of our pet owners and their pets, customers, and associates.
The top priority of Mars Petcare US has always been and continues to be the health and welfare of pets and their owners. Consumers can continue to have confidence in the quality and safety of the products produced at other Mars Petcare US facilities. Only those products which were produced at the Everson facility are impacted by the voluntary recall.
Many of the brands involved in the recall are national brands produced at multiple facilities. A chart for all products is below. For example, PEDIGREE® is manufactured in numerous facilities throughout the country, and Everson represents a very small portion of the manufacturing base – 2.7 percent of total PEDIGREE® production.
Mars Petcare US will work with retail customers to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or fed to pets. In the event that consumers believe they have purchased products affected by this voluntary recall, they should return the product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. Specific product details and other information can be found at www.petcare.mars.com
Please find recalled pet food UPC information below.
The products listed below are made at our Everson facility on behalf of a variety of retailers. All code dates, with the exception of PEDIGREE®, are listed in a similar format as noted below:
Consumers should look for “17” as the first two digits of the second line. Sample:
Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1

For PEDIGREE® the Everson code date format is as follows:
Consumers should look for “PAE” on the bottom line – the sixth, seventh and eighth digits. Sample:
PEDIGREE ® Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00

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: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html
Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.

http://www.petcare.mars.com/

Recalled Pet Food

Note: If you see a product you purchased listed below, please review the code date information samples from above to confirm that your product is included in the recall.

 

[Phantom]

Health: Mars Pet Food Recall Announced on September 12th, 2008
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]Mars Pet Food announced a voluntary recall of many brands of dog food and cat food on September 12th, 2008 due to "potential contamination with Salmonella". The recall only affects products sold in the United States. Products affected...
[/FONT]

 

[Team Peanut]

Solid Gold Dog Food Recall 12/12/08

Solid Gold issued a dog food recall.


FYI.

Solid Gold Voluntary Recall - Turkey, Ocean Fish, Carrot, & Sweet
Potatoes Formula

Turkey, Ocean Fish, Carrot, & Sweet Potatoes Formula Canned Dog Food 13.2 oz
Cans – POP-TOP CANS ONLY WITH A 'USE BY DATE 01/02/2010' located on the
bottom of can

A limited production of this Turkey canned food was made with the POP-TOP,
and none of the product was distributed in any of the following states:
Arizona, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Hawaii, or Alaska.

Solid Gold has received several complaints regarding mold found in a batch
of 13.2 oz canned Turkey, Ocean Fish, Carrot, & Sweet Potatoes Formula, with
Pop-Tops. As a precautionary measure, they ask that you return any of this
product with the 'Use By Date 01/02/2010'; you will find these numbers on
the bottom of the cans.

*

13.2 oz Turkey and Ocean Fish Canned Dog Food.
*

Purple label with a POP –TOP (Pull top) only..
*

Date on bottom of can 01/02/2010
*

Turkey and Ocean Fish cans without a Pop-Top are not affected.

 

[Vicki]

Petsmart Great Choice Dog Bisquit


By Consumer Reporter Tak Landrock
t.landrock@krdo.com

COLORADO SPRINGS - You will want to check your pantry for the latest recall that could make your dog sick.
Petsmart is recalling seven of its Grreat Choice Dog Biscuit that contain peanut paste.

The company says the biscuits were sold between August 21st until last Monday.

These are the product codes you should look for:

• Small Assorted 32 oz., UPC 73725702900
• Small/Medium Assorted 4 lb., UPC 73725700601
• Small/Medium Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700605
• Small/Medium Assorted 10 lb., UPC 73725702755
• Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700638
• Extra Large Assorted 8 lb., UPC 73725700779
• Peanut Butter 4 lb., UPC 73725700766

So far the company has not received any reports of illness due to the nationwide recall of peanut recall from the Peanut Corporation of America. Consumers are urged to either throw out the product or return it to the store for a full refund.

If you have any questions call Persmart at 888-839-9638.
It does take a larger exposure for dogs to become infected by salmonella according to Dr. Susan Bloss of the Cheyenne Mountain Animal Hospital.
She tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 that symptoms include watery diarrhea within six to 12 hours after exposure. If this happens, you should take your pet to the veterinarian.

Also, since this is a bacterium, it can be spread to humans. You should wash your hands if your dog is infected.

http://www.krdo.com/Global/story.asp?S=9712619

 

[Vicki]

Jewel recalls dog biscuits on salmonella worries

Jewel recalls dog biscuits on salmonella worries

January 24, 2009 12:38 PM

Jewel-Osco said this morning it is recalling a brand of dog biscuits because it may contain peanut butter contaminated with salmonella.


In a statement, the company described it as a "precautionary move" and said that the product has not been "directly linked to the salmonella outbreak" that resulted in a nationwide recall of some peanut products made by Peanut Corp. of America in its Blakely, Ga., facility.

The recalled products, sold at Jewel-Osco stores, are Happy Tails Brand Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits in 26-ounce (UPC#: 41163-42406) and 4-pound (UPC#: 41163-42403) sizes.

The release said that pets infected with salmonella "may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain." The release also said animals could carry the bacteria and infect humans or other animals.
The company advised owners concerned their pets may have consumed the biscuits to consult a veterinarian.

Owners can return the dog biscuits to a Jewel-Osco store for a full refund or exchange.

The company said no other products are included in the recall at this time and that other peanut butter products in its stores are not part of the Peanut Corp. of America recall.

Jewel-Osco, a SUPERVALU company, operates 186 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.

Customers with questions can contact SUPERVALU at 877-932-7948 or visit the FDA Web page for more information.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/...g-biscuits-because-of-salmonella-worries.html

 

[Vicki]

Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates†between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Israel. We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® dry cat food product. Cat owners who have more questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST

http://www.nutroproducts.com/

 

[Vicki]

Recalled Pet Food
The varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods
and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods listed below with “Best If Used By Dates” between
May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are affected by this voluntary recall.
# # #
Nutro Products Recall List – Dry Cat Foods
U.S. Product Name Bag Size UPC

NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food 4 lbs 0 79105 20607 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food 8 lbs. 0 79105 20608 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Bonus Bag) 9.2 lbs. 0 79105 20695 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food 20 lbs 0 79105 20609 9
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Sample Bag) 1.5 oz none
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult 4 lbs 0 79105 20610 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult 8 lbs. 0 79105 20611 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Bonus Bag) 9.2 lbs 0 79105 20694 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult 20 lbs 0 79105 20612 9
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Sample Bag) 1.5 oz none
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor 4 lbs 0 79105 20622 8
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor 8 lbs 0 79105 20623 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor (Bonus Bag) 9.2 lbs. 0 79105 20698 3
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor 20 lbs 0 79105 20624 2


NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 3 lbs 0 79105 10228 5
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 6 lbs 0 79105 10229 2
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 16 lbs 0 79105 10230 8
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag) 1.5 oz none
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 3 lbs 0 79105 10243 8
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 6 lbs 0 79105 10244 5
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor 16 lbs 0 79105 10245 2
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag) 1.5 oz none
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor 3 lbs 0 79105 10246 9
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor 6 lbs 0 79105 10247 6
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor 16 lbs 0 79105 10248 3
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control 3 lbs 0 79105 10249 0
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control 6 lbs 0 79105 10250 6
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control 16 lbs 0 79105 10251 3

http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/nutro05_09.html

 

[Vicki]

Evanger's

FDA Suspends Temporary Emergency Permit of Pet Food Maker

June 12, 2009
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today it was suspending the temporary Emergency Permit issued to Evanger's Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc.

Evanger's, operating in Wheeling, Illinois, deviated from the prescribed process, equipment, product shipment, and recordkeeping requirements in the production of the company's thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products. The deviations in their processes and documentation could result in under-processed pet foods, which can allow the survival and growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), a bacterium that causes botulism in some animals as well as in humans.

In April 2008, Evanger’s was issued an “Order of Need for Emergency Permit†after the agency determined that the company had failed to meet the regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. In June, 2008, FDA issued Evanger’s a temporary Emergency Permit. During inspections conducted between March 2009 and April 2009, FDA determined Evanger’s was not operating in compliance with the mandatory requirements and conditions of the Temporary Emergency Permit.

“The FDA is stopping Evanger's ability to ship pet food in interstate commerce,†said Dr. Bernadette Dunham. “Today’s enforcement action sends a strong message to manufacturers of pet food that we will take whatever action necessary to keep unsafe products from reaching consumers.â€

In order for Evanger's to resume shipping in interstate commerce, the company must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard.

Botulism is a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. The disease has been documented in dogs and cats. Signs of botulism in animals are progressive muscle paralysis, disturbed vision, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and progressive weakness to the body. Death is usually due to paralysis of the heart or the muscles used in breathing.

While FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is responsible for regulating all human and animal LACF processing, FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has authority over animal feed and foods. The two centers are collaborating on this enforcement action.

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm166265.htm

 

[Shon]

Nutro Products Voluntary Retrieval of Select Puppy Foods

Q: I heard that there may be plastic in some NUTRO® products. Is this true?
A: Small pieces of melted plastic were recently found in the production line of select varieties of NUTRO® dry dog and cat food products. We immediately retrieved the affected pet food from our distributors, and only three sku’s reached retail stores. These were delivered to a small number of PetSmart and Petco stores. The specific products are listed below.


Upon discovery of the melted plastic, we immediately halted manufacturing and performed a thorough search of all equipment. We identified the source as a worker’s “bump cap,†similar to a hard hat, which inadvertently made its way into our manufacturing process.


Based on our extensive review, it is highly unlikely that any pieces of plastic made it into finished product. However, upon learning of the incident, we voluntarily retrieved all potentially affected products.

We strive to produce pet food of the highest quality and safety standards. Consumers who believe they have purchased potentially affected product should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® product, or contact the Nutro Products Consumer Care team at 1-800-833-5330.

Thank you for your continued loyalty and support for Nutro Products.

Press Release

 

[Vicki]

Wysong

The following batches of Wysong Canine Diets Maintenanceâ„¢ and Seniorâ„¢ have shown above acceptable moisture levels and may contain mold.

Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090720
Wysong Seniorâ„¢: lot #: 090623

We ask that if you have received any of these Wysong products to please not feed them, and contact Wysong for product replacement.

Email: Wysong@Wysong.net
Subject: Product Replacement

Alternatively, please return or exchange at the store from which you purchased the product. Credit will be issued via our Distributors to the Retailer.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Untitled Document

 

[Vicki]

MOLD IN PAST WYSONG PET FOODS​

-Notice, Explanation, and Response-

​

Mold has been found in some bags of Wysong dry extruded foods manufactured in June and July of 2009. To be safe, no suspect products from these batches should be sold or fed. The affected products are:

Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090617
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090624
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090706
Wysong Maintenanceâ„¢: lot #: 090720
Wysong Seniorâ„¢: lot #: 090623
Mold spores are in all natural foods. When there is heat, oxygen, and sufficient moisture the spores can bloom into mold. Everyone has experienced this with foods at home.
From what can be determined, the problem with the Wysong foods stems from unusually high heat and humidity on those summer dates. This combined with a malfunctioning moisture checking device is believed to be the cause of the higher moisture.
Sometimes the enrobed dust-on ingredients used on Wysong foods are confused with mold. If there is a question, discontinue feeding and contact Wysong for a determination.
As noted in the article below, mold is a ubiquitous problem in all packaged foods. Wysong takes many measures to address this:

1. Incoming ingredients are tested for moisture and mycotoxins.
2. Finished products are also tested.
3. Ingredients are used to inhibit mold growth.
4. The NutriPak oxygen and light barrier packaging inhibits aerobic mold growth.
5. Products are nitrogen flushed to remove oxygen.
6. Products are fresh batched.
7. Ingredients are used to help adsorb toxins should they be present.
8. People are advised to refrigerate or freeze unused product, i.e. treat it like any fresh natural food is treated.
9. Most importantly, Dr. Wysong has advised for the past 30 years against feeding any singular food meal after meal. Diets should be rotated and fresh foods incorporated into meal planning in order to decrease the risk of chronic exposure to toxins that may be present in any one food. This information is on all Wysong packaged pet foods.
Notice of the problem:

1. Immediately alerted all distributors and retailers.
2. Posting to website
3. Report to FDA and attempted contact with USDA/APHIS
4. Replies to all customer inquiries
Concerns, questions, allegations:

We ask that you please consider the following before giving credence to allegations and committing to an opinion. Also consider that Wysong has led the pet food industry in almost every natural and healthy food innovation for the past thirty years. This has resulted in wonderful health to tens of thousands of pets through multiple generations.
As will be seen below, the primary complaint seems to be about the speed with which we gave notice. At first report of potential mold in our products, Wysong launched an internal investigation. Batch records were re-examined, numerous bags of product opened and scrutinized, product samples were acquired from customers, and testing in-house and out-of-house conducted

Once Wysong ascertained that there was mold presence and the potential for mold (based on moisture tests) in certain batches we alerted our distributors, who were the primary recipients of these batches of product. Distributors were instructed to dispose of the product, as well as pull product from stores that had already received the product. Product from these problematic batches that remained in-house was disposed of.

Additionally, Wysong immediately contacted stores that received recalled product from us directly, and asked them to remove the products from store shelves.

Much of the criticism regarding the recall has centered on us purportedly not publicizing the recall enough, or that we are attempting to downplay or hide the recall. What is missed here is that we keep thorough records pertaining to who receives what products. Accordingly, when we determined a recall was necessary we put our focus into alerting those that actually received the products, and not those that had no reasonable chance of acquiring the affected products. Also, consider that Wysong is a small family business, not on the scale of most pet food companies that sell products far and wide with no knowledge of who purchases. Such companies would need to do a more generally publicized recall.

Wysong response to comments on Internet sites, blogs, and messageboards:
>Heard about recall but do not see on website

W (Wysong) response: Recall notice was/is posted on the website.

>Questioning of cat products and has our line somehow been compromised

W response: No problem with cat products as of this date. The production line is not the problem, mold spores are ubiquitous in every food production facility. The problem products were too high in moisture.
>So…..You “put principle ahead of marketâ€, eh?Where’s the recall notice?????I will NEVER AGAIN buy your product and I will tell everyone I know to avoid your products as well. Liars.

W response: See above. The recall was targeted at the people who actually purchased the products, not to the population at large.
>There is no date on that document. Recall post.

W response: The date of the recall notice to distributors and retailers was the date mold was confirmed in the products – 9.29.2009.
>Been feeding recalled product Please advise me if there have been adverse effects on dogs that have eaten this product.

W Response: There have been reports that we cannot confirm as cause/effect. If there are problems, please contact us.
>Where to find lot numbers on bags or boxes.

W Response: The lot numbers are on the top flaps of our boxes and pressed into the bottom seal of bags.
Lot numbers are unreadable.

W Response: Contact us if difficulty in reading.
>I’m seeing no difference between Wysong and Diamond and Nutro…

W Response: There is no difference among any foods in terms of potential vulnerability to mold. See below article.

>Wysong? Thank you for showing me what kind of company you really are, it just saved me from buying some of your food for my pet.

W response: Any food you purchase could have this or a similar problem. That is why all consumers are told to follow the Wysong Optimal Health Program. Dr. Wysong has alerted the public to the dangers in all foods for the past 30 years, and we are the only company to actively help people feed in rotation and variety, including foods that have nothing to do with Wysong.
>I made repeated phone calls and emails before they posted the information. I was told “we’ll get the info to you†but had to hound them to get it. And what do they do - they hide the darn recall notice!

W response: That is the opposite of what we do and have done.
>Just out of curiosity - is Wysong being produced at the Diamond plant?

W response: No. We have our own facility that has produced our products for the past 20 years.
>A week after notifying retailers, Wysong Pet Foods just put a notice on their website about a recall.
How about apologizing for taking a week to tell.

That's a shame.

W response: Our primary focus was on alerting customers who actually purchased the foods, not people who were buying products unaffected.

>I'm feeling better and better about my decision to go all raw. I guess it just goes to show that bad things can happen even with good companies, which I think Wysong is.

W response: Thank you. Please keep in mind that raw products have their dangers as well. Try to follow the Optimal Health Program for not only best health but best safety.

​

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif](Excerpt from June 2009 Petfood Industry magazine)
Mold in pet foods
Greg Aldrich, PHD​

[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Wysong Limited Recall Notice
[/FONT]​

[/FONT]

 

[BlueLuke]

PetSmart Voluntarily Recalls Dentley's Beef Hooves
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm189296.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Phoenix, AZ, Nov 4, 2009 - PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM) is voluntarily recalling two Dentley's Beef Hoof products for potential salmonella contamination. The products were manufactured by Pet Carousel, Inc. in Sanger, Calif.

The recalled products include only the following types of Dentley's Beef Hooves purchased between Oct. 2, 2009 and Nov. 3, 2009:

Dentley's Bulk Cattle Hoof UPC# 73725703323
Dentley's 10 Pack Beef Hooves UPC# 73725736055

No other products are included in this recall.
The affected products were shipped from the Pet Carousel plant to three PetSmart distribution centers in Ottawa, Ill.; Groveport, Ohio and Newnan, Ga.; and then shipped directly to certain PetSmart stores. Although the affected product was not shipped to every store, as a precautionary measure PetSmart immediately recalled the product from all of its US stores and instituted a register block to prevent any product from being inadvertently scanned and sold. In addition, PetSmart removed the product from the PetSmart.com Web site and notified PetPerks customers with valid e-mail addresses in the PetSmart database who purchased the affected products.

Salmonellosis is an infection with bacteria called salmonella. Most persons infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most persons recover without treatment. However, in some individuals, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. In these patients, the salmonella infection may spread from the intestines to the blood stream, and then to other body sites and can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Many dogs do not show clinical signs of salmonella. However, when they do, they often have diarrhea or other signs of systemic infections.
Customers who purchased the recalled products should discontinue use immediately and return the product to any PetSmart store for a complete refund or exchange. Customers who have concerns about their health or their pet's health should consult a medical professional. For additional information about the recall, customers can visit www.petsmartfacts.com, Pet Supplies, Pet Accessories, and Many Pet Products | PetSmart ; http://www.fda.govor contact PetSmart Customer Service at 1-888-839-9638.

 

[Michele]

Petsmart Adds More Pet Carousel Products to Recall List





Posted: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, 5:20 p.m. EDT

Petsmart's voluntary recall of beef hoof products was expanded Nov. 10 to include a dozen more products manufactured by Pet Carousel Inc. of Sanger, Calif., because of concerns of potential salmonella contamination.
The newly recalled products include additional beef hoof chews and certain rope toys containing hoof or bone components. The retailer also expanded the purchase dates to include products bought from Sept. 1 to Nov. 6.
The complete list of recalled products is:
Dentley's Bulk Cattle Hoof: 1611247 (SKU), 73725703323 (UPC)
Dentley's Choobles 10-Pack Beef Hooves: 5019015 (SKU), 73725736055 (UPC)
Choo-Hooves Stuffed With Cheese-Bacon: 1611993 (SKU), 3465190058 (UPC)
Choo-Hooves Stuffed With Peanut Butter: 611994 (SKU), 3465190056 (UPC)
Flossy Chews Choo-Hoove Roper Two-Hooves: 1813131 (SKU), 3465117005 (UPC)
Flossy Chews Roper Bone Buddy: 1815505 (SKU), 3465190002 (UPC)
Flossy Chews Beef Bones With Rope Toy: 5080721 (SKU), 3465117055 (UPC)
Flossy Chews White Bone Rope: 5147942 (SKU), 3465117065 (UPC)
Knucle Steaks 2-Pack: 5084141 (SKU), 3465190046 (UPC)
Choo-Hooves Dog Chews 3-Pack: 1611410 (SKU), 3465184103 (UPC)
3-Pack Smoked Hooves: 5042279 (SKU), 3465114003 (UPC), 34651140037 (UPC)
5-lb. Cow Hooves: 5042275 (SKU), 34651150609 (UPC), 3465115060 (UPC)
5-lb. Smokies-Hooves: 5042277 (SKU), 34651140556 (UPC), 3465114055 (UPC)
60-Piece Smoked Hooves: 5042278 (SKU), 3465112122 (UPC)
Petsmart recalled its Dentley's brand of Bulk Cattle Hooves and Choobles 10-Pack Beef Hooves on Nov. 4 after learning from Pet Carousel that the products may be contaminated with salmonella.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration later warned against using all beef hoof and pig ear pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel. The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley's, Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel.

In its alert, the FDA said a routine testing of Pet Carousel's pigs ears in September turned up a positive reading for salmonella. After conducting an investigation, the FDA reported finding salmonella present in the company's pig ears, beef hooves and manufacturing environment.

According to the FDA, consumers who handle dry pet food can become infected with salmonella, especially if they fail to wash their hands after handling the treats or touching surfaces that have been exposed to the food.

Pets with salmonella can become lethargic, lose their appetite, run a fever, suffer abdominal pain, and have diarrhea, fever and vomiting.
For additional information, visit PetsmartFacts. com, Petsmart.com or www.FDA.gov, or contact Petsmart customer service at 888-839-9638.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....65&p=factset01

 

[Vicki]

Nature's Variety Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall on Raw Frozen Chicken Diets

Nature's Variety Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall on Raw Frozen Chicken Diets with a 'Best If Used By' Date of 11/10/10


LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Nature's Variety has initiated a voluntary recall of their Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet for dogs and cats with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10 because these products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The only products affected are limited to chicken medallions, patties, and chubs with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10. No other Nature's Variety products are affected.
The affected products are limited to the Nature's Variety Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet packaged in the following forms:

• 3 lb chicken medallions (UPC# 7 69949 60130 2) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10
• 6 lb chicken patties (UPC# 7 69949 60120 3) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10
• 2 lb chicken chubs (UPC# 7 69949 60121 0) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10

The "Best If Used By" date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions. The affected product was distributed through retail stores and internet sales in the United States, and in limited distribution in Canada.
If you are a consumer and have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your retailer for a full refund or replacement. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.
Nature's Variety became aware of a potential problem after receiving a consumer complaint. Subsequent testing indicated that the lot code related to the consumer complaint tested negative for Salmonella. However, additional subsequent testing found the "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10 to be contaminated with Salmonella.
No pet or human illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this lot code.
Reed Howlett, Nature's Variety CEO, stated, "Because pet health and safety are our top priority, Nature's Variety takes every step necessary to ensure the quality and safety of our products. In addition to our industry best manufacturing practices, and in an abundance of caution, all Nature's Variety raw frozen products now will undergo a 'test and hold' period before being released for sale."
Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. Even though no illnesses have been reported, consumers should follow the Safe Handling Guidelines published on the Nature's Variety package when disposing of the affected product. People handling raw frozen pet foods may become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not followed the safe handling guidelines set forth by the company.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella may experience some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, or fever. Although rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, or urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with the affected product should contact their health care provider.
Pets with Salmonella infections may become lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, or vomiting. Some pets may experience only a decreased appetite, fever, or abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed any of the affected products and is experiencing any of these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Consumers with additional questions can call our dedicated Customer Care line 24 hours a day,
7 days a week at 800-374-3142. Or, consumers can email Nature's Variety directly by visiting naturesvariety.com.
About Nature's Variety
Nature's Variety specializes in natural, holistic dog and cat food. The line of premium products was developed by families who have been practicing sustainable agriculture for more than 140 years, raising quality livestock and growing crops in America's heartland. Nature's Variety offers the purest forms of pet nutrition – including a wide variety of protein choices in every pet food form (raw frozen diets, dry kibble diets, canned diets, and treats). For more information about Nature's Variety, visit www.naturesvariety.com.
SOURCE Nature's Variety
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