Purina’s cat food recall announcement came in just before 5pm Friday night. Nestle Purina Petcare has recalled one lot of Purina Veterinary Diets OM Overweight Management canned cat food (5.5 oz size). This brand is carried by veterinarians in North America and is not available in retail stores.  ”Best by” date and production code:

June 2013 11721159  -  UPC Code: 38100 – 13810

Low levels of Thiamine (vitamin B1) were found, with one incident reported to the FDA. No other products have been affected according to the press release. Thiamine is essential for cats and neurological or gastrointestinal symptoms result from deficiencies. See the press release for more.

 For further information or to obtain a product refund, please contact Nestle Purina:

U.S. Consumers & Veterinarians:
Call toll-free 1-800-982-8837 Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, or visit www.purinaveterinarydiets.com.

Canadian Consumers & Veterinarians :
Call toll-free 1-866-884-8387 Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, or visit www.purina.ca.

Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pet food recall 2012 has another entry. I announced it on Facebook and Twitter, and am adding it here too for readers who  might not have seen it. Solid Gold announced on their Facebook  page the evening of May 7 that they would be talking to the FDA in the morning and issuing a voluntary recall  due to possible Salmonella contamination in a couple of products.  Here is the announcement on the FDA site:

“Contact: Consumer: (800) 364-4863

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 8, 2012 – Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc., El Cajon, California, announced a voluntary recall of one batch of WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food and one batch of Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog, both with a Best Before date of December 30, 2012, and an “X” in the 11th digit of the date code.

(quote)Solid Gold is voluntarily recalling the products below, distributed in the United States and Canada. This voluntary recall is being done out of an abundance of caution as these products were produced at the facility that has been linked to recent recalls of Diamond brand pet foods due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have 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 the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Individuals handling dry 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. People who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.

The products involved in this voluntary recall are:

Solid Gold WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food, 4 lb, 15 lb, and 33 lb, with a best before date of December 30, 2012 and batch code starting with SGB1201A31X.

4 lb identifying UPC 093766750005

15 lb identifying UPC 093766750012

33 lb identifying UPC 093766750029

Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog Food, 4 lb, 15 lb, and 28.5 lb, with a best before date of December 30, 2012 and batch code starting with SGL1201A32X

4 lb identifying UPC 093766750050

15 lb identifying UPC 093766750067

28.5 lb identifying UPC 093766750081

Best by dates (lot codes) can be found on the back of the bag in the bottom right-hand corner of 33 lb, 28.5 lb and 15 lb bags and the bottom of the 4 lb bags.

Other Solid Gold recipes, sizes or brands of food are not impacted by this voluntary recall.

Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, would like replacement product or have additional questions, may call us at (800) 364-4863 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM Pacific time).”

***

Pet food recall 2012 is an ongoing event. You will find updated product codes on the Diamond pet recall site. Please check there and the search engines for updates daily. “Surprise” and “Salmonella” are two words you don’t want to hear in the same sentence.

Remember to wash your hands – it’s the single most important thing you can do after handling processed pet food.  Dr Lorie Huston wrote a good post on how to protect yourself and your family from infection from pet food.

Pet food recalls hit the fan Friday night, with Wellness, Natural Balance, and Canidae publishing a late Friday recall notice. On Thursday evening the CDC reported that 14 people from nine states have been infected with Salmonella Infantis, a rare strain of salmonella. Five of those people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. The source of this outbreak was linked to dry dog food and then to Diamond Pet Food’s South Carolina plant. Yes, the same plant responsible for the 2005 recall from 22 states for tainted dog food, as fellow blogger John Woestendiek points out.

Check below for these three products, as well as the current, as of this writing, expanded recall of Diamond Pet Foods. This story is on-going and updates will be made available on each of the product websites linked below, as well as on this blog. I want to mention that Susan Thixton of Truth About Pet Food had a notice from a distributor with a copy of the recall letter from the manufacturers before it was published on company websites. Helpful!

Wellness:

Large Breed Puppy in 15 pound and 30 pound  bags- sku with best by date January 9,10,11 2013 and 5 oz. sample bags with best by dates of JAN 9 2013 through JAN 11 2013.

“The majority of Wellness natural products for pets are produced in WellPet’s own modern state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mishawaka, Indiana. WellPet no longer purchases any products from Diamond Pet Foods.

Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, would like replacement product or have additional questions, may call us at (877) 227-9587 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM Eastern time and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM Eastern time).”

Natural Balance:

5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; March 12, 2013

15 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; December 14, 2012; March 5, 2013; March 6, 2013

28 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; December 14, 2012; March 5, 2013; March 6, 2013; March 7, 2013; March 8, 2013; March 12, 2013

5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

15 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

15 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012; December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012; December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

5 LB Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Large Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 20, 2012; December 21, 2012

5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 21, 2012

12.5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 21, 2012

As of May 4, only these 5 flavors of Natural Balance were affected. The other flavors are produced on other lines and plants.

No salmonella cases have been reported on Natural Balance. The recall is for safety reasons.

Recalled products may have been distributed in the following states:

Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Canada.

States that are NOT affected include:

Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

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 our Customer Service team at (800) 829-4493 or email info@naturalbalanceinc.com. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available.

Canidae

The below Canidae skus with production codes that have both a number “3″ in the 9th or 10th digit and an “X” in the 11th digit with a best before dates of December 9, 2012, through January 31, 2013 which are being recalled.

Canidae Dog, All Life Stages

Canidae Dog, Chicken Meal & Rice

Canidae Dog, Lamb Meal & Rice

Canidae Dog, Platinum

“It is with regret that we are reporting a voluntary recall on a limited production run of CANIDAE dry dog food produced out of the Diamond Pet Foods South Carolina plant. Even though not one of our products have been tested positive for Salmonella, it is out of pure precaution that this product is being removed from the market place. We are working diligently to make this process as seamless as possible for you, our retailers and consumers.

Although there have been no animal or human illnesses related to Canidae Pet Food, and the product has not tested positive for Salmonella, the company has voluntarily initiated this recall out of caution to ensure the health and safety of consumers and their pets.

Following is an example of how to read the production code and best before date:

Production Code                              Best Before Date
FDE0104R5 3X TS                              10 – January – 2013

The recall affects only products distributed in the following Eastern U.S. states which were manufactured at the Diamond Pet Food Gaston, South Carolina plant. Further distribution to other pet food channels may occur:

Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee”

Diamond Pet Food

Diamond Pet Food has had an ongoing problem since April with their South Carolina processing plant, stopped manufacturing in April. The May 4 recall notice  expands on an initial voluntary recall, and explains where to look on your package to determine if your bag is in this recall and where the product was distributed:

Consumer Contact: 866-918-8756
Media Contact: 816-255-1974

“Brands included in the recall:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Country Value
• Diamond
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Taste of the Wild
• Kirkland (Signature)Foods*(separate instructions follow the instructions below which cover the other 8 brands)

To determine if their pet food is recalled, consumers should check the production codes on the back of bags that have a number “2” or a “3” in the 9^th or 10^th digit and an “X” in the 11^th digit. The best-before dates for the recalled brands listed above are December 9, 2012 through April 7, 2013.

The following graphic illustrates how to read the production code and best-before date:

Kirkland Foods instructions

The following Kirkland pet foods are being recalled:

• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best BeforeDecember 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best BeforeDecember 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Mature Dog Chicken, Rice & Egg Formula (Best BeforeDecember 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Dog Formulated with Chicken & Vegetables(Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula (Best BeforeDecember 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula (December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
• Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Formula for Dogs (December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)

***

Pet food recalls are often dumped on Friday night at closing time. Why? I don’t know – it’s not as if this kind of news can be buried, but I agree with Therese Kopiwoda’s comment about the fact that companies release the news and go home – but is it actually because they don’t want to pay overtime? Maybe so, but it seems absurd that they would not want to take care of panicked customers even if only a handful of calls come in on Friday night. Many have asked this question over the years and it’s not clear there’s an answer yet. Is this a scheduling problem regarding the time it takes to get the test results? There was a prior recall notice from Diamond that came out on a Thursday, so what gives?

Pet travel is not unfamiliar to author Sherry Long. She was ahead of the crowd 8 years ago when she started traveling across country with her then 9-month-old Sheltie, Chula, getting her accustomed to and comfortable with the new experiences that happen on a daily basis while traveling. Sherry is still ahead of the curve in pet travel.

As overseas travel with dogs appears to be sprouting wings since the EU made it easier to bring your dog on holidays, Sherry has come out with a book on her experience traveling to and in France – or should I say her dog Chula has? Dog Trots Globe is one dog’s view on the wonders of the markets, the fields and the sausages of Provence and the somewhat less joie de vivre experience of Paris due to limits on where you can take your dog. No experiencing art at the Louvre, but most restaurants will allow them to dine inside if you ask.

Chula did have a bit of a walk on the wild side we were told, boldly snatching a baguette from a shopper’s bag – the aroma must have been too tempting! Every day was a new adventure – even the scary one in the South of France involving thousands of animals Chula had never seen…that was a bit much for her according to Sheron, but Chula gamely conquered her fears when she met these creatures later in the countryside. You’ll know all when you listen!

You can find this charming, delightful book, Dog Trots Globe, at Amazon and iTunes in book, e-book or enhanced e-book formats. The research and extensive information on pet travel to France and the preparation that involves is at the publisher’s site. Enjoy the many beautiful photos Sherry provided for the video, and check out their Facebook page for more fun.

Now retired, Sherry Long founded and directed The Hampton-Brown Company, a ” leading publisher of language and literacy materials” K-12.  She served as CEO for National Geographic School Publishing after National Geographic bought the company in 2006.

It’s the beginning of another quarter and time to offer ways you can be the change for animals! No need to become an activist, march in front of pet stores, puppy mills, fight local Breed Specific Legislation,  or take up lobbying on Capitol Hill in your spare time.  All these things and many more are available, but helping to change animals lives – or the life of one animal – can start with simple support. Here are a couple of examples:

1. Go Pet Friendly has a blog the change medley of interesting “Be The Change” causes, one of which is the May 19th Chicago event to raise funds for Trio Animal Foundation. This is the second year of Rockin’ for Rescue which will be held at the Double Door Rock Club. Check out Go Pet Friendly for more.
2. Rescued Insanity wants to show the world that cats are dogs too and she’s asking for your help. Send in your stories of how your cat has changed your life, maybe even saved it, or how you managed to train your cat to do a trick or otherwise engaged cooperation on a consistent basis.

You can get a list of ways to support good causes by spending some time, but not a dime, at BTC4Animals. Each Monday you’ll find something new that takes less than fifteen minutes to do, often much less, that will have a positive effect for animals.

If you’d like a more active support position with a non-profit, you might consider volunteering with a National group like Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS).  Dedicated to ending cruelty and abuse in puppy mills and the pet shops who sell them, CAPS is involved in investigations, legislation, puppy mill dog rescues, and consumer assistance among other programs.

Being the change we want to see in the world, especially for animals, is a privilege, a fulfilling reward. Walk some shelter dogs, give a few puppy mill dogs a bath, reach out to the wildlife rescue to see how you might help if that’s an interest. Find something that suits you. Working together, activists and volunteers and professionals of all stripes have made a significant difference, one animal at a time – look at the “no-kill” movement, the vision that became reality one shelter at a time. There are scores of examples that have reshaped the place animals have in the environment, in our lives and in our hearts. You can be part of shaping their now and their future. What you do now matters.

There are so many positive steps you can take to be the change for animals – maybe the next step you take will change your life, too…

Pet food companies understand the value of social media – we see their representatives on Twitter and Facebook every day.  What company doesn’t welcome all the attention free product reviews, customer testimonials and engaging Facebook chat brings? When there’s a problem, responding quickly with the facts and providing timely, forthright updates translates to trust, trust to purchasing loyalty -  or at least respect. And then there are companies who really don’t embrace the concept.

Transparency must be a scary idea to brands who still believe they alone control their message. Some know they can bury bad news by getting bloggers to write about a new campaign, effectively pushing the bad reviews so far from page one, no one will see them. That sense of autonomy can set the stage for withholding information or facts that might be harmful to sales but helpful to the consumer in their decision-making process. It is not as if companies don’t know consumers are not keen on pet food from China. I found last year through a trade magazine that the big pet food companies were importing $21 million dollars of ingredients for pet food and treats  – and that was a report for only one month. Not a fact likely to be broadcast and you won’t find it on the label, either.

A Little History

Much like treatments or preservatives used in food/raw ingredients before they reach the manufacturer, foreign ingredients need not be mentioned on the packaging when the finished product is produced in the US. The consumer will never know what is actually in their pet’s food if they buy from the big names. That is why you can’t tell what ingredients come from where using barcodes, even though barcodes may be registered to specific regions. This is also why it took weeks to find the source of tainted turkey not long ago…it comes from everywhere and they mix it. And when the treats hit the fan…

Chicken jerky treats from China have been a danger for nearly 5 years. FDA released it’s third warning about these products in November 2011. Truth About Pet Food’s Susan Thixton notes when Zicam, a human intranasal medicine, was found to affect sense of smell retailers removed the product from their shelves as early as the next day. The numbers of pets who have reported various ill effects, including death, tally 600*[revised]. There is no verifiable information as to how many deaths have been positively linked to these treats yet. Veterinarians point to the chicken jerky product as a suspect cause, but without a definitive named chemical or ingredient that caused death, a recall can’t be mounted. How many National retailers have removed this product from their shelves? None. And not one manufacturer has recalled their product. Do they care about their customers?

New Food Laws, Non-Enforcement and Suggestions

It was more than a year ago that the Food Safety and Modernization Act was signed into law. The FSMA as I read it offers the FDA a new power – to recall when manufacturers won’t. I don’t know what the problem is – perhaps we should help them decide to use this power for good of pets everywhere in an email campaign, and copy our Senators. We already know the brands involved: Waggin’ Tails, Canyon Creek Ranch, Milo’s Kitchen. Senator Sherrod Brown (R-Ohio) and Rep Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) have also been looking for answers and I would wager that is why FDA is, finally, in China.

I was reading a guest post by Mark Nicholson over on Jeff Bullas blog “How to Shield Your Brand’s Social Reputation”. I think Nestle Purina and Del Monte, the two pet food companies involved, might read and apply some basic principles discussed like, “If it concerns your customer, it should concern you.”

We know that social media offers consumers the pathway to have their voices be the “shot heard ’round the world.” Nicholson relates:

Entire product lines have been wiped out. Vacation destinations and hotels have been left with only the sound  of crickets, simply because a group of customers rallied together and called them a bad name.

An Australian Cattle Dog herding merino sheep at Cambden, NSW. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dog training for sport and competition should not be limited to working dogs. Companion dogs need to experience their own innate talents.  Have you seen the YouTube video with the dog who herds chairs when the family is out? Maybe you have been on the receiving end of a dog who is really smart and learns how to open the refrigerator door, or worse, the front door. Dog training for sport and competition helps channel these behaviors and energy in a positive way, engaging the dog’s natural drives, and changing his behaviors at home.

Dog training exercises your dog’s brain, offering a quality of life much different, more goal-oriented from free-wheeling it around at the dog park. Training actually makes high energy dogs more tired than that romp will – trying to figure out what is being asked and responding successfully is a workout. There’s no difference between the needs of a working dog and a pet dog in terms of allowing them to discover and use their natural gifts. There are many sports and games available for all types of dogs like rallys, dock diving, scenting competitions – you get the idea.

When you find yourself with a behavior problem, your dog can be telling you he needs an outlet that will satisfy his instinctual drives. You might not have a pronounced problem at home, but it’s smart to think about training your puppy or dog earlier rather than later. It takes much less time and effort to start off on the right foot right away. Training is not only a gift to dogs to do work they were bred to do, it’s a gift to you to understand and gain a deeper appreciation of the special talents that belong to particular dog breeds.

Kelly Gorman Dunbar, Animal Cafe’s Dog Training Correspondent, spoke with San Francisco trainer Sandra Mannion about dogs who find themselves in trouble due to their natural behavioral inclinations. While owners often think in terms of getting rid of a behavior, like escaping, jumping on or herding people, behavior, according to this interesting discussion, is something to be directed in such a way that produces a positive outcome.  Behavior and energy can’t be suppressed. If this approach is applied, what is suppressed artificially will often come out in unexpected, undesired ways.

To hear more on training companion dogs for sport and competition head over to Animal Cafe!