Sadly, with spring comes a seasonal increase in Parvovirus. With this potentially lethal disease you and your pup need to be prepared. Life’s Abundance staff veterinarian, Dr. Sarah, explains what the disease is, how it’s transmitted, tips about how to hinder its spread, symptoms to look out for, as well as what to do if your dog contracts this illness.

 For other informative pet videos click here.

Breeder’s Choice, a Central Garden & Pet company, has issued a voluntary recall for a single batch of Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats due to mold discovered in one of the lots of dog biscuits.

The following product is included in the recall:

Product Code/SKU/ Material #: BCP-080

UPC Code:  0130104895

Size: 24 oz.

Product Name: Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats

Best Before Code: 19/Dec/2013

Product and product lots that do not appear above have not been affected.

According to a release from the manufacturer, the mold seems to have occurred due to varying dryer temperature settings for drying biscuits. This exposed the recalled product to excess moisture and has since been remedied.

Pet owners who fed their pets the recalled biscuits should watch for symptoms that may develop. Common symptoms associated with mold exposure include gastrointestinal issues such as loose stool. At the time of this release, there have been no reports of human or pet illnesses associated with this recall.

For more information, call the Central Customer Care line at (866) 500-6286 or visit goactivedog.com.

Source:  http://www.petmd.com/news/alerts-recalls/nws-breeders-choice-recalls-active-care-biscuits#.UW7e-sqNAa4

Manchester, CT– Bravo! is voluntarily recalling three of its raw diet frozen foods for dogs and cats:  5 lb tubes of Bravo! Chicken Balance product item code 21-405 with “best used by” dates of 3_6_15 and 3_12_15; 2 lb Bravo! Chicken Blend product item code 21-102 with the “best used by” date of 3_21_15 and 5 lb. bags of Bravo! Beef Blend Burgers product item code 51-508 with the “best used by” dates of 3_21_15 and 3_22_15, because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

This recall is being issued out of an abundance of caution, as while these products tested negative for pathogens by an independent third party prior to distribution, they were run on the same day or an adjacent day to a product that tested positive for pathogens.   The product that tested positive has been 100 percent contained and is not subject to this recall.

The recall involves only:

• Item #21-405 – 5 lb chub (tube) of Bravo! Chicken Balance frozen raw diet with “best used by” dates of 3_6_15 or 3_12_15 printed on the plastic casing of the package.
• Item # 21-102 – 2 lb. chub (tube) of Bravo! Chicken Blend frozen raw diet with a “best used by” date of 3_21_15 printed on the plastic casing of the package.
• Item # 51-508 – 5 lb. bag of Bravo! Beef Blend Burgers with the “best used by dates” of 3_21_15 or 3_22_15 printed on the back panel of the plastic bag.

No other products or sizes are affected.

The recalled product should not be sold or fed to pets.  The company has received no reports of illness in either people or animals associated with this product.

While these products tested negative, Bravo! is allowing concerned pet owners to return unopened frozen tubes of food and patties to the store where purchased for a full refund.  Pet owners should dispose of unopened product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle).  Consumers who believe they have opened these products at home should just dispose of the product in a safe manner and contact the retailer where they purchased their product for a full refund.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

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

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

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/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048182.htm.

For more information on the Bravo recall, please visit www.bravorawdiet.com, or call toll free (866) 922-9222 Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 29, 2013 – Natura Pet Products is voluntarily expanding its recall of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed to date.

Pet foods included are California Natural, Evo, Healthwise, Innova and Karma. The included lot codes are: Expiration Date: 12/14/13 thru 3/24/14. For a list of included products, click here.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

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

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

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

The affected products are sold through veterinary clinics and select pet specialty retailers nationwide and in Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Costa Rica, as well as online. The dry cat food expiration dates for this expanded recall range from 1/1/2014 to 3/24/2014. The dry cat treats have expiration dates from 7/1/13 to 9/27/13.

Consumers who have purchased these pet foods should discard them. For additional information, consumers may visit www.naturapet.com. For further information or a product replacement or refund call Natura toll-free at 800-224-6123. (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM CST).

About Natura Pet Products

Natura Pet Products is recognized as a trusted name behind natural and holistic pet foods and treats. Founded more than 20 years ago by John and Ann Rademakers and Peter Atkins, Natura is dedicated to providing the best natural nutrition. Natura is committed to making premium pet foods and treats based on nutritional science and high-quality ingredients, combined with trusted manufacturing processes, for complete pet health. Lines include: Innova®, California Natural®, EVO®, HealthWise®, Mother Nature® and Karma®. To learn more about Natura Pet Products visit the Natura Pet website.

From the Petsmart website:

Proctor and Gamble has issued a voluntary market withdrawal of Iams Shakeables Turkey and Lamb Dog Treats with certain “Impacted Lot Numbers” listed below. These treats are being voluntarily withdrawn due to potential for mold growth. No other products are affected. Proctor and Gamble has not received any reports of human or pet illnesses.

To find the lot code on your can, look at the first 4 numbers of the second line on the bottom of the can as they identify the affected lots.

Please stop feeding these products and bring any remaining Iams Shakeables Turkey and Lamb Dog Treats affected by the voluntary withdrawal to your closest PetSmart store for a full refund. If you have questions about this voluntary withdrawal, please call Proctor and Gamble (Iams) at 1-877-894-4458.

PetSmart sells a variety of treats from many brands, and our associates can help you find the right item for you and your pet.

At PetSmart, we’re concerned pet parents, too. We’ll continue to do everything we can to help you and your pet.

Sincerely,
Ellen Hahn
Vice President of Marketing Services

From the Natura website Natura Products…

Dear Natura Family,

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

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

Natura was founded on the commitment to provide the healthiest natural pet food in the world. As Natura employees who live this commitment every day, words cannot express our disappointment with this finding. We place quality as the cornerstone of our products. It is a process of ongoing improvement, and we will continually review and raise these standards. Unfortunately, salmonella and other contaminants pose a great challenge to the food industry, and no company is immune.

We want to assure you, our valued customers, that we are more committed than ever to animal and human safety. We have fully investigated and identified the cause of this incident. Our production is ongoing, and you can continue to feed any Natura products outside of this incident with confidence.

We know that trust is earned. This incident further fuels our passionate commitment to your pet’s health and safety. We promise to demonstrate this commitment through our actions now and in the future.

Click here for details on the recall products. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at (800) 224-6123.

Sincerely,
Employees of Natura Pet Products

Affected Products

Please download this PDF to see which products are affected by the voluntary recall.
View Affected Products (PDF)

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has issued a “consumer advisory” for Bravo! Raw Food Diet 2 lb. Chicken Blend for Dogs and Cats and previously recalled Steve’s Real Food, Inc.

From the Minn. Department of Agriculture website:

MDA issues consumer advisory for two brands of raw pet food

Samples tested positive for Salmonella bacteria

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is alerting consumers to avoid feeding or handling two separate brands of poultry-based raw pet food after the MDA laboratory found Salmonella bacteria in routine sample tests. The brand varieties include:

Bravo! Raw Food Diet 2 lb. Chicken Blend for Dogs and Cats manufactured by Bravo!, LLC, of Manchester, Connecticut. This is a frozen pet food product with the production code of 06/14/12, which is located on the white tag on the end of the package. This advisory is for the 2 lb. size of Bravo! Chicken Blend with the “best used by date” of 6/12/14 only. No other products, sizes, or production dates are involved. For further information, contact the company at 1-866-922-9222.

Turducken Canine Diet 8oz. Patties, manufactured by Steve’s Real Food, Inc., of Murray, Utah. This is a frozen pet food product with the “Use By” date code of 10/27/13 B209, which is located on the lower front panel of package. For further information, contact the company at 801-540-8481 or gary@stevesrealfood.com.

There are no reports of human or animal illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Consumers are asked to discard any of these products they may have.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated products. People handling contaminated raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product.

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

Human symptoms of salmonellosis include diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps and fever. Symptoms usually begin within 12 to 72 hours after exposure, but can begin up to a week after exposure. Salmonella infections usually resolve in 5-7 days, but approximately 20 percent of cases require hospitalization. In rare cases, Salmonella infection can lead to death, particularly in the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. Anyone who has become ill after handling this product should see their health care provider.

Premium Edge, Diamond Naturals and 4health Dry Cat Food Formulas Voluntarily Recalled Due to Possibility of Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) Consumer Contact: 888-965-6131

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 10, 2013 COLUMBIA, S.C. — Diamond Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling limited production codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat Formula dry cat food, Premium Edge Senior Cat Hairball Management Formula dry cat food,Premium Edge Kitten Formula dry cat food, Diamond Naturals Kitten Formula dry cat food and 4health All Life Stages Cat Formula dry cat food. Tests conducted by the company indicated the products might have a low level of thiamine (Vitamin B1).

Only product with the following Best By dates and Production Codes are included in the voluntary recall. Further distribution of these affected production codes has occurred through online sales. It is best to check the production code to determine if the product has been recalled or not.

There have been no complaints regarding thiamine levels, or any other health issues, related to these products. In association with this voluntary recall, Diamond Pet Foods has tested all other Diamond brands for thiamine deficiency to ensure the safety of the cat food it manufactures. No other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods is involved in this voluntary recall.

“At Diamond Pet Foods, we have a process where we continuously test our products, and this process allowed us to find the undesired levels of thiamine in some of our cat formulas. Our food safety protocols are designed to provide safe food on a daily basis,” says Michele Evans, Ph.D., Diamond Pet Foods Executive Director of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. “In the event an error occurs, we have the data to quickly alert pet owners, giving them the confidence they demand of a pet food manufacturer.”

Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, or who would like replacement product or a refund, may contact the Pet Food Information Center at 1-888-965-6131, Sunday through Saturday, 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. EST. Consumers also may visit http://www.petfoodinformationcenter.com.

Cats fed product with the previously listed Production Codes and Best By dates exclusively for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is essential for cats in maintaining normal nervous system function. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, Neurological signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, falling, circling and seizures. Pet owners should contact their veterinarians immediately if a cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency typically is reversible.

Click Here to view the Diamond Pet Food press release for the U.S.

Note for Canadian pet food consumers: Click Here to view the Diamond Press release for Canada (production codes are different).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Steve’s Real Food of Murray, Utah is recalling its 5 lb. bags of “Turducken Canine Diet – 8oz. Patties due to potential contamination of Salmonella.

From the FDA web site:

Kasel Associated Industries Recalls All Products Manufactured at its Denver, Colorado Facility from April 20, 2012 thru September 19, 2012 Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact
Consumer:
800-218-4417

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 19, 2013 – Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, CO is voluntarily recalling ALL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED AT ITS DENVER, COLORADO FACILITY FROM APRIL 20, 2012 THRU SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 due to possible Salmonella contamination. Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products and humans are at risk for salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

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

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

The recalled Products of Dog Treats were distributed nationwide through various retailers from April 20th to September 19th.

Kasel Industries is recalling Boots & Barkley, BIXBI, Nature’s Deli, Colorado Naturals, Petco, and Best Bully Stick items. Lot numbers as shown in 1 Year Best By Date Table and 2 Year Best By Date Table, which are attached.

Kasel Industries has not received any reports of illnesses to date in connection with these products.

No other products made by Kasel Associated Industries are included in the recall. Specifically no products with best by dates after the specified ranges are included in the recall.

Consumers who have purchased any listed products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Kasel Associated Industries at (800) 218-4417 Monday thru Friday from 7am to 5pm MDT.