Some frozen dog and cat food is recalled

Posted February 15, 2010 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: UPI.com, Feb 15, 2010

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Nature’s Variety frozen chicken diet for dogs and cats is being recalled due to of possible contamination.

The FDA said the Lincoln, Neb., company initiated a voluntary recall of its chicken formula raw frozen diet with a “Best If Used By” date of “11/10/10″ because the product may be contaminated with salmonella. The company said the recalled product is limited to chicken medallions, patties and chubs varieties.

The recalled dog and cat food was distributed across the United States, with limited distribution in Canada.

Consumers with the affected products may return them unopened for a refund or replacement. If the package has been opened, consumers should dispose of the raw food by securing it in a covered trash receptacle and then take the receipt of the empty package in a sealed container to the place of purchase for a refund or replacement.

Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. 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.

Consumers with questions can contact the company at 888-519-7387 or 800-374-3142.

More information is available at http://www.naturesvariety.com/news/32

Categories: Feeding, Health, Natural/Healthy Pet Foods, Pet Food Recalls, Raw Food, Recent News
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FDA says Merrick Beef Filet Squares Dog Treats May Contain Salmonella

Posted January 22, 2010 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: AnimalRadio.com, Jan 21, 2010

While there has been no recall yet, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers that Merrick Beef Filet Squares for dogs may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The food is distributed by Merrick Pet Care with a package date of ‘Best By 111911.’ The treats come in a 10 oz. green and red plastic bag. The ‘Best By‘ date is printed on a part of the bag that is torn off when it’s opened. The FDA suggests consumers who are unable to read the ‘Best By‘ date – discontinue use of the product to be safe.

Salmonella can be spread between pets and people. Humans can become infected simply by holding the pet-food. Pet guardians should wash their hands immediately after holding any pet-treat or food.

No illnesses have been reported, however the FDA is warning pet-guardians that already have the questionable pet-treat ‘not to handle or feed them to their pets.’

Last December, Merrick Beef Filet Squares had tested positive for Salmonella. A follow-up inspection found problems with the packaging and manufacturing processes.

If you have the treat, you should dispose of it by securing them in the trash, away from prying animal noses.

You should see your doctor if you get any of these symptoms:
Vomiting, diarrhea, cramping or fever.

Untreated, Salmonella can cause endocarditis, arthritis and urinary problems.

You should get your pet to the vet if you see any of these symptoms:
Lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, decreased appetite.

Infected pets can infect other humans or pets.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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FDA warns pet owners to not use some Pet Carousel dog treats

Posted November 9, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: Sun-Sentinal.com, Nov 6, 2009

Salmonella discovered in routine product testing

The Food and Drug Administration is warning dog owners not to use treats made from pig ears or beef hooves by Pet Carousel because they may be tainted with salmonella.

The products made by the Sanger, Ca., company were distributed nationwide. Affected items include hoove treats sold under the names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel; and ear treats sold under the name Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. All sizes and lots of these products are included in the warning.

Federal regulators issued the advisory after routine testing turned up salmonella in the Pet Carousel pig ears. FDA officials then inspected the manufacturing plant and found further evidence of the bacteria in pet treats gathered there. No illnesses have been reported.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning in animals include diarrhea, fever and vomiting, but may be as minor as decreased appetitie or abdominal pain. Salmonella in pet food can be transmitted to humans who handle it and do not wash their hands.

The FDA advises consumers to discard the suspect product. Refunds are not being offered at this point, as there is no official recall.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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Government Website Offers Pet Food Recall Info

Posted September 11, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: DogChannel.com, September 10, 2009

he United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health & Human Services on Sept. 9 launched a food safety consumer website, Foodsafety.gov, that will include pet food recall information.

“We want to protect pets and animals so we will include information as it comes up,” said Vicki Rivas-Vazquez, a spokeswoman for HHS.

The new website features information from all the agencies across the federal government that deal with critical food and food safety information. The goal is to provide a “one-stop online shop for all the latest information [consumers] need to reduce the danger of food-borne illnesses,” said Jerry Mande, deputy under secretary for Food Safety at USDA.

The website will include information on food safety, human and pet food recalls, preventive tips about how to handle food safely and news from the key agencies. Visitors can also sign up to receive e-mail and RSS alerts on recalled or potentially unsafe food.

The website will eventually include recall feeds for texting and mobile phones as well as a widget that the public and media can download and promote on their websites and social networking sites. The widget will instantly update viewers with the latest food safety recalls and will be a valuable public health and safety tool, according to the USDA and HHS.

“Protecting the health and well-being of the American people is a fundamental responsibility of the federal government,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Our new and innovative approach to connecting consumers to food safety information in an easy and timely manner is a critical improvement in this effort.”

Categories: Feeding, Health, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News
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FDA approves first drug developed specifically to treat cancer in dogs

Posted June 3, 2009 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: AssociatedPress.com, June 3, 2009

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug made specifically to treat cancer in dogs.

Until now, all cancer drugs used in veterinary medicine were developed for use in humans and weren’t specifically approved for animals. Federal law allows vets to administer cancer medicines and other human treatments under controlled circumstances.

The new drug, Palladia, manufactured by Pfizer Animal Health Inc., has been approved to treat a type of cancer that accounts for about one in five cases of canine skin tumors.

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumors — the cancer in question — can appear small and insignificant when dogs have them, but while some are easily removed, others can lead to life-threatening disease, according to the FDA.

“This cancer drug approval for dogs is an important step forward for veterinary medicine,” Bernadette Dunham, director of FDA’s center for veterinary medicine, said in a statement Wednesday.

“Prior to this approval, veterinarians had to rely on human oncology drugs, without knowledge of how safe or effective they would be for dogs,” Dunham said. “Today’s approval offers dog owners, in consultation with their veterinarian, an option for treatment of their dog’s cancer.”

Palladia is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works by killing tumor cells and cutting off blood supply to the tumor. Common side effects include diarrhea, decrease or loss of appetite, lameness, weight loss and blood in the stool.

Categories: Cancer, Health, Recent News, Research
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Buying a ‘Natural’ Pet Food Product is Like Buying Fool’s Gold

Posted November 15, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

Source: (NaturalNews) By SusanThixton, Nov 12, 2008

A recent survey from the GoodLife Recipe Pet Food company provided by (www.mediapost.com)
website states that two-thirds of pet owners don’t consider cost when
selecting a dog food or cat food. Their survey states that nearly 60%
of pet owners said that “natural ingredients” are the most important
issue to influence a pet food purchase. The problem for pet owners is
that searching for a pet food labeled ‘Natural’ can be like finding
fool’s gold.

AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control
Officials) and the FDA has no official definition for the word
‘natural’ in pet food regulations. ‘Natural’ on a pet food label
implies the food should be free of risky chemicals, colors, or any
ingredient considered treated or disguised. You know… natural. But
instead, under current pet food regulations, any pet food manufacturer
can make the claim ‘natural’ on the label, yet the food could contain
many ingredients most would not consider natural; such as added
chemicals, colors, and other unnatural ingredients. Even though there
are no survey results to substantiate this, my guess would be that
almost every pet owner who seeks out ‘natural ingredients’ in their dog
food or cat food choices, firmly believes the food is natural.

The power of advertising

A northern California newspaper InsideBayArea.com
puts advertising of pet food into a realistic light — “Playful puppies
and adorable kittens almost seem to jump out of the colorful packages,
beckoning pet owners to choose their very special brands of food. Large
pallets containing bags of dry food, stacks of orderly cans and rows of
moist pouches often leave pet owners literally dazed and confused with
the overwhelming selection. Marketing ideas leap off the products
claiming to be “organic”, to have “no by-products” and to have “real,
wholesome ingredients.” All of these speak to us as ways to provide the
very best for our family members. But in light of pet food recalls and
concerns about pet food manufacturing, how can pet owners really know
they are providing the best?

That’s a difficult question; really
knowing you are providing the best food for your dog or cat is not as
easy as it should be. It should be that a pet owner can read the pet
food label claiming ‘natural’ or ‘real wholesome ingredients’ knowing
that label is providing true and accurate information. It should be
that pet owners are provided with ingredient country of origin
information on the label. It should be that pet food labels clearly
state if dangerous chemicals or inferior ingredients are used. ‘Should
be’ is not what ‘is’ however.

What ‘is’ legally allowed on pet food labels:

Unqualified
claims (either directly or indirectly) – Pictures displaying choice
cuts of meat even if no meat is provided in the food. Misleading pet
food names such as Albacore Tuna ‘Flavor’ or Sirloin Steak ‘Flavor’ –
no tuna or steak is required to be in the pet food. The list goes on
and on.

You can imagine that dog foods and cat foods providing
accurate information on the label such as ‘Chemical Preservatives
inside linked to tumors and cancer’ or ‘Includes By-Products rejected
for use in human food’ wouldn’t be top sellers at the pet store. The
pet food companies that use these types of ingredients are not forced
by regulations to tell you; which in turn hurts the companies that
wouldn’t consider using risky chemicals or inferior by-products in
their foods. One pet food might actually contain natural ingredients
yet because of existing rules and regulations, they can’t tell you
anything different than the pet food who claims natural while using
added colors and risky chemicals. All pet food labels must stay within
particular parameters, hiding the truth from pet owners. Hiding the
truth of quality ingredients and hiding the truth of risky ingredients.

Pet
food regulations need to be changed — yesterday. As the research shows
the majority of pet owners are actively seeking out dog and cat foods
that are natural. That’s great news and would be beneficial to millions
of pets if only someone could decide what ‘natural’ means. But since
AAFCO and the FDA give pet owners no official definition for ‘natural’,
pet owners might as well be searching for Fool’s Gold. Current pet food
regulations designate ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘Natural Pet Food’ to have an
equal value.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Homemade Pet Foods, Pet Food Recalls, raw food
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The FDA ignores Pet Food Safety Deadline

Posted October 18, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.
Source: American Chronicle, by Susan Thixton, October 17, 2008

The FDA Amendments Act (FDAAA) was signed into law last year requiring the FDA to make improvements on food safety for people and pets. The first deadline required by the Amendments Act law, requiring an Early Warning and Notification System during a pet food recall, has come and gone seemingly ignored by the FDA. If the FDA can ignore the law, where does that leave 74 million US pet owners?

On September 27, 2007 President Bush signed into law the FDA Amendments Act, known as FDAAA. Section 1002(b) of FDAAA required the FDA to develop “Early Warning Surveillance Systems and Notification During Pet Food Recalls”. The deadline for these pet food safety measures was clearly stated; “Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish an early warning and surveillance system to identify adulteration of the pet food supply and outbreaks of illness associated with pet food.” The deadline for this to be completed was September 27, 2008. The FDA has not developed a pet food surveillance system or recall notification system; but they are working on it.

On May 14, 2008, four months before the deadline to complete the pet food surveillance and recall notification system, the FDA held the 5th Animal Feed Safety System Public Meeting in Gaithersburg, Maryland. One would think that during this meeting, the FDA would have been feverishly working out the final details of the mandated pet food recall notification system. However, quite the opposite happened. Eight months into the one year deadline, the FDA Animal Feed Safety System meeting merely re-stated what needed to be accomplished and highlighted existing gaps in existing programs. http://www.fda.gov/cvm/AFSS051408Welcome.htm

Still ´working on´ the mandated pet food safety reform, the FDA provided pet owners with “Update #5″ in August 2008 (one month before the deadline). This update from the FDA brags about a few speeches given by the FDA; a 50 state meeting on food protection held in August 2008; and a reminder of a formerly discussed FDA 3rd party certification program for Food and Feeds safety. There was no mention in the FDA update regarding the upcoming deadline for a pet food surveillance system or pet food recall notification system. http://www.fda.gov/cvm/AFSSprojplan5.htm

As of mid October 2008, there is no updated information on the FDA´s website regarding Section 1002(b) of FDAAA – the early warning system and notification system of a pet food recall.

The deadline – September 27, 2008 – has passed. The FDA has accomplished little to nothing in the year since Congress developed the Amendments Act and the President signed it into law. Please contact your Congressman and urge them to hold the FDA accountable for ignoring the FDAAA mandated deadline. Pet owners and all consumers cannot afford for the FDA to ignore the law.

Categories: Feeding, Health, Homemade Pet Foods, Legal, Pet Food Recalls, Recent News, Recommended Reading, raw food
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FDA Pet Food Safety Policies Comprised of Twisted Logic

Posted September 13, 2008 By aschae and has no comments yet.

(NaturalNews) The FDA is supposed to protect our pet’s food. Congress took note of the deadly pet food recall last year and mandated the FDA to clean up its act. Human food and pet food regulations are supposed to be updated and in working order by September 2009 according to the Amendments Act. I have my doubts. The list below does not come directly from the FDA in exact words, yet it is a fair interpretation of how the FDA acts in caring for the safety of our pet’s food and treats….(more)

Categories: Pet Food Recalls
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