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Jumat, 21 Februari 2014

Jerky Treats Now Safe???

Here's some important info about the pet jerky recall. –Kim

New Report about Chicken Jerky Treats...

A new story has come out claiming that Chicken Jerky Treats are now safe....

Two brands of chicken jerky pet treats will soon reenter the market after years of reports of pet illness – even death – associated with consumption of jerky treats made with chicken sourced from China. Milo's Kitchen and Nestlé Purina (the maker of Waggin' Train treats) say that since the voluntary recall of their jerky treats last year due to antibiotic residue, they have reevaluated, revamped, reformulated and even discontinued certain products mired in suspicion and a nearly decade-old U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation. Now manufacturers are staking their name on the belief that they finally have it right.
———————————————
Disturbing Facts
———————————————
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has received a total of approximately 3,000 reports of pet illness possibly related to the consumption of jerky treats, including 580 deaths.
———————————————
Cause STILL Unknown
———————————————
The FDA has issued several warnings about jerky products imported from China since it first received reports of pet illness in 2007. However, despite ongoing efforts to identify a cause of illness, testing has been inconclusive.
———————————————
What to Look Out For
———————————————
Watch your pet closely. Signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products are decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood or mucus), increased water consumption and/or increased urination. Severe cases are diagnosed with pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and kidney failure or the resemblance of a rare kidney related illness called Fanconi syndrome.
———————————————
Questionable Ingredients
———————————————
Milo's Kitchen ingredients
Chicken Jerky Strips: Chicken, soy flour, sugar, glycerin, textured soy protein, salt, guar gum, sodium tripolyphosphate, monoglyceride, garlic powder, sorbic acid, citric acid, BHA (used as a preservative), natural smoke flavor, annatto color, onion extract.
Chicken Grillers: chicken breast, rice flour, glycerin, gelatin, soy flour, wheat gluten, modified tapioca starch, sugar, soy protein concentrate, salt, monoglyceride, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium sorbate (used as a preservative), citric acid, caramel color, garlic powder, natural smoke flavor, BHA (used as a preservative), dried egg white.
Artificial color, artificial flavor, harmful preservatives (BHA), questionable protein sources, questionable carbohydrate contents

———————————————
Dr. Jones Responds
My Advice...
Don't EVER feed these to your pets.
The toxin is still unknown, and they contain an array of potential harmful ingredients, providing no nutritive value.

P.S. My supplements ONLY contain ingredients I have sourced to be safe and effective. Avoid harmful treats, but use these instead:

Dogs: www.thedogsupplement.com
Cats: www.thecatsupplement.com

Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM has been a practicing Veterinarian for over 20 years. He is a strong advocate of Natural Pet Health Care, and knows that the most important way to heal our pets and prevent disease is through proper nutrition. He developed Ultimate Canine to give our dogs that extra advantage – something that will provide them with everything they need to develop stronger immune systems to fight disease, heal sore or stiff joints, and help them live longer, happier lives. Dr. Andrew Jones' main focus is on alternative, non-traditional remedies for pets. His interest in alternative pet medicine culminated in the writing of his book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed.

Source: http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/jerky-treats-now-safe/

Also, see:
They May Have Killed 600 Dogs, But They're Headed Back to Store Shelves

Sabtu, 23 November 2013

Is Your Dog a "Bully"?

Here's a great article about "bully" dogs...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Why (and How) You Should Intervene if Your Dog Picks on Others

By Pat Miller
May 2006

You can find them everywhere – at dog parks and doggie daycare centers, in dog training classes, in your neighbor's yards ... perhaps even in your own home. "They" are canine bullies – dogs who overwhelm their potential playmates with overly assertive and inappropriate behaviors, like the out-of-control human bully on the school playground.

Jasper is a nine-month-old Labradoodle from a puppy mill, currently enrolled in one of my Peaceable Paws Good Manners classes. He was kept in a wire cage on a Pennsylvania farm until he was four months old, when his new owners purchased him. Katy Malcolm, the class instructor, asked me to sit in on the first end-of-class play session with Jasper because she was concerned that his lack of early socialization could present a challenge. She was right.

Four shots of the same playground bully, taken over a 20-minute period at a dog park. In the first photo, the Boxer-mix bully
has blindsided a dog who just entered the park. In the next three, she focuses her attention on the same victim, a
young Lab-mix. She clearly enjoys holding him down as a variety of other dogs come over to investigate.

Sam was a 10-week-old Golden Retriever puppy, well bred, purchased from a responsible breeder by knowledgeable dog owners who immediately enrolled him in one of my Peaceable Paws Puppy Good Manners classes to get him started on the right paw. Sam unexpectedly also turned out to be a challenge at his first end-of-class puppy play session.

These two dogs had considerably different backgrounds, but when it came time to play, both dogs exhibited bullying behaviors: Jasper because he never had a chance to learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs; Sam because – well – who knows? Genetics, maybe? Early experiences in his litter, maybe? Regardless of the reasons, both dogs required special handling if they were ever to have a normal canine social life.

Bullying Defined
In her excellent book, Fight!, dog trainer and author Jean Donaldson defines bullying dogs (not to be confused with "Pitbull-type dogs") as those dogs for whom "roughness and harassment of non-consenting dogs is quite obviously reinforcing." Like the human playground bully, the bully dog seems to get a kick out of tormenting less-assertive members of his playgroup. Donaldson says, "They engage at it full tilt, with escalating frequency, and almost always direct it at designated target dogs."

When released with permission to "go play," the poorly socialized Labradoodle, Jasper, immediately pounced on the back of Mesa, an easy-going and confident Rottweiler who was playing nicely with Bo, a submissive but exuberant Golden Retriever. Jasper barked insistently, nipping at Mesa's back as she tried to ignore his social ineptness. Finally, fed up with his boorish behavior, she flashed her teeth at him one time, at which point he decided Bo was a better target for his attentions. Indeed, Bo found him overwhelming, a response that emboldened Jasper to pursue him even more energetically.

We intervened in his play with Mesa several times by picking up Jasper's dragging leash and giving him a time-out when his behavior was completely unacceptable, then releasing him to "Go play!" when he settled a bit. Each time we released him he promptly re-escalated to an unacceptable level of bullying, until Mesa herself told him to "Back off, Bud!" with a quick flash of her teeth.

Human-controlled time-outs, however, made no impression on Jasper. The canine corrections were more effective, but didn't stop the behavior; they only redirected it to a less-capable victim. Because Bo wasn't assertive enough to back Jasper off, we ended the play as soon as Jasper turned his attentions to the softer dog.

Bully #2
Like Jasper's preferred victim, Sam's favorite bullying target was also a Rottweiler – not a breed you'd expect to find wearing an invisible "bite me!" sign. Max was a pup about Sam's own age, who outweighed Sam considerably but was no match for the smaller pup's intensity.

Sam had given us no indication during class that he had a play problem. In fact, he was a star performer for his clicks and treats. However, when playtime arrived his demeanor changed from an attentive "What can I do to get you to click the clicker?" pupil to an "I'm tough and you just try to stop me!" bully.

Several seconds after the two pups began frolicking together, Sam suddenly pinned Max to the ground with a ferocious snarl, then released him briefly, just to pin him again in short order. Needless to say, we also intervened quickly in that relationship!

Appropriate Play
Owners often have difficulty distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate play. Some may think that perfectly acceptable play behavior is bullying because it involves growling, biting, and apparently pinning the playmate to the ground. Appropriate play can, in fact, look and sound quite ferocious.

The difference is in the response of the playmate. If both dogs appear to be having a good time and no one's getting hurt, it's usually fine to allow the play to continue. Thwarting your dog's need to play by stopping him every time he engages another dog, even if it's rough play, can lead to other behavior problems.

With a bully, the playmate clearly does not enjoy the interaction. The softer dog may offer multiple appeasement and deference signals that are largely or totally ignored by the canine bully. The harassment continues, or escalates.

Any time one play partner is obviously not having a good time, it's wise to intervene. A traumatic play experience can damage the softer dog's confidence and potentially induce a life-long fear-aggression or "Reactive Rover" response – definitely not a good thing!

Some bullies seem to spring from the box full-blown. While Sam had, no doubt, already been reinforced for his bullying by the response of his softer littermates, he must have been born with a strong, assertive personality in order for the behavior to be as pronounced as it was by the tender age of 10 weeks. Jasper, on the other hand, may have been a perfectly normal puppy, but months of social deprivation combined with a strong desire to be social turned him into an inadvertent bully.

There can certainly be a learned component of any bullying behavior. As Jean Donaldson reminds us, the act of harassing a "non-consenting dog" is in and of itself reinforcing for bullies.

By definition, a behavior that's reinforced continues or increases – hence the importance of intervening with a bully at the earliest possible moment, rather than letting the behavior become more and more ingrained through reinforcement. As with most behavior modification, prognosis is brightest if the dog is young, if he hasn't had much chance to practice the unwanted behavior, and if he has not been repeatedly successful at it.

Oops!
Successful modification of bullying behavior requires attention to several elements:

Skilled application of intervention tools and techniques: Leashes and long lines, no-reward markers (NRMs) and time-outs;
Excellent timing of intervention: Application of NRMs and time-outs;
Reinforcement for appropriate behavior: Play continues or resumes when dog is calm or playing nicely;
Selection of appropriate play partners: Dogs who are not intimidated or traumatized by bullying behavior.

While working to decrease or extinguish your dog’s bullying, you might have to let him
drag a short leash, or keep him on a long line while playing. This enables you to stop
his bullying the moment it starts. Keep him on a “time out” until he is calm.

The most appropriate human intervention is the use of "negative punishment," in which the dog's behavior makes a good thing go away. In this case, the most appropriate negative punishment is a time-out. Used in conjunction with a "no-reward marker" (NRM) or "punishment" marker, this works best for bullying behavior.

The opposite of the clicker (or other reward marker, such as the word, "Yes!"), the NRM says, "That behavior made the good stuff go away." With bullying, the good stuff is the opportunity to play with other dogs. Just as the clicker always means a treat is coming, the NRM always means the behavior stops immediately or good stuff goes away; it's not to be used repeatedly as a threat or warning.

My preferred NRM, the one I teach and use if/when necessary, is the word "Oops!" rather than the word "No!" which is deliberately used to shut down behavior – and as such is usually delivered firmly or harshly and unfortunately often followed by physical punishment. "Oops!" simply means, "Make another behavior choice or there will be an immediate loss of good stuff." An NRM is to be delivered in a non-punitive tone of voice; it's almost impossible to say "Oops!" harshly.

Timing is just as important with your NRM as it is with your reward marker. It says, "Whatever you were doing the exact instant you heard the 'Oops!' is what earned your time-out." You'll use it the instant your dog's bully behavior appears, and if the bullying continues for more than a second or two more, grasp his leash or drag-line (a long, light line attached to his collar) and remove him from play. Don't repeat the NRM. Give him at least 20 seconds to calm down, more if he needs it, then release him to go play again. If several time-outs don't dampen the behavior even slightly, make them longer and make sure he's calm prior to returning to play.

If a half-dozen time-outs have absolutely no effect, end the play session for the day. If the NRM does stop the bullying, thank your dog for responding, and allow him to continue playing under direct supervision as his reward.

Another sometimes-effective approach to bully modification requires access to an appropriate "neutral dog" – a dog like Mesa who is confident enough to withstand the bully's assault without being traumatized or responding with inappropriate aggression in return. A flash of the pearly whites as a warning is fine. A full-out dogfight is not.

It's important to watch closely during interactions with the bully. Any sign the neutral dog is becoming unduly stressed by the encounters should bring the session to an immediate halt. A neutral dog may be able to modify your bully's behavior, and have it transfer to other dogs – or not. If not, you may be able to find one or two sturdy, neutral dogs who can be your dog's play companions, and leave the softer dogs to gentler playpals. Not all dogs get along with all other dogs.

Outcomes
Sam's owners were exceptionally committed to helping their pup overcome his inappropriate play behaviors. We continued to allow him to play with one or two other sturdy, resilient puppies, using an NRM and his leash to calmly but firmly remove him every time his play intensity increased. We moved him away from the other pups until he was calm, then allowed him to resume his play. By the end of his first six-week class he was playing appropriately most of the time with one or two other pups, under direct supervision. After two more six-week sessions he played well with a stable group of four other dogs, under general supervision, without needing NRMs or time-outs.

The last time I saw Sam was an incidental encounter, at Hagerstown's Pooch Pool Plunge event. Every year when the city closes its community pool for the winter, they open it up on one Saturday for people to bring their dogs for a pooch pool party. Sam, now a full-grown adult dog, attended the Plunge at the end of Summer 2005, with more than 100 dogs in attendance. His behavior was flawless.

Jasper may have a longer road, but I'm optimistic that he'll come around as well. We plan to continue having him play with Mesa, as long as she's handling him as well as she did in last week's class. Between Mesa's canine corrections and our time-outs, we're hopeful that he'll learn appropriate social skills and be able to expand his social circle to other appropriate dogs. Is there a Pool Plunge in Jasper's future? We'll just have to wait and see.

Pat Miller, CPDT, WDJ's Training Editor, lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.

Source: The Whole Dog Journal
© 2013 Belvoir Media Group, LLC

Also, see:

Senin, 02 September 2013

Blind Kellar Plays Fetch

Here are 2 great videos that I thought I would pass on... Blind dogs make GREAT pets! –Kim

Blind Dogs Make Great Pets!

Kellar was originally trained to play ball with the commands "hot" and "cold". The owner later added "warmer," "passed it," "left" and "right." The process took about a week for the basic commands.

Check out the heartwarming video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha92yzmVv2s

And, here's the sequel!...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slDtJxcLPDg

Also, see:

Kamis, 22 Agustus 2013

Iams & Eukanuba Pet Food Recall

Here's another food recall that I thought I would pass on... –Kim

P&G Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Dry Pet Food Due to Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 14, 2013 - The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has voluntarily recalled specific lots of dry pet food because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. These lots were distributed in the United States and represent roughly one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) of annual production. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported to date in association with these product lots.

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.

This issue is limited to the specific dry pet food lot codes listed below. This affects roughly one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) of total annual production. The affected product was distributed to select retailers across the United States. These products were made during a 10 day window at a single manufacturing site. P&G's routine testing determined that some products made during this timeframe have the potential for Salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling the potentially impacted products made during this timeframe. No other dry dog food, dry cat food, dog or cat canned wet food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.
P&G is retrieving these products as a precautionary measure. Consumers who purchased a product listed below should stop using the product and discard it and contact P&G toll-free at 800-208-0172 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST), or via Web site at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.

Products affected by this announcement:

EUKANUBA DRY DOG FOODS

Description	Size	Lot Code	UPC Code	Best-by Date
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Large Breed Mature Adult	15 LB	31874177	19014270156	6Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Large Breed Mature Adult	30 LB	31874177	19014270309	6Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Maintenance Mature Adult	30 LB	31954177	19014149308	14Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Maintenance Puppy	16.5 LB	31884177	19014042234	7Nov14
	33 LB	31884177	19014609468	7Nov14
	5 LB	31884177	19014039852	7Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Small Breed Adult	16 LB	31904177	19014010516	9Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Small Breed Adult	4 LB	31904177	19014039722	9Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Base Small Breed Puppy	16 LB	31944177	19014010509	13Nov14
	4 LB	31874177	19014039678	6Nov14
	40 LB	31874177	19014011070	6Nov14
	40 LB	31944177	19014011070	13Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Breed Specific Boxer Adult	36 LB	31944177	19014019588	13Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Breed Specific Boxer Adult	36 LB	31954177	19014019588	14Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Breed Specific Chihuahua Adult	4 LB	31884177	19014607037	7Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Breed Specific Labrador Retriever Adult	36 LB	31954177	19014019564	14Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Premium Performance 30/20 Adult	33 LB	31884177	19014609475	7Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Professional Feeding Bag Small Breed Puppy	44 LB	31874177	19014113194	6Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Weight Control Large Breed Adult	30 LB	31894177	19014269303	8Nov14
Eukanuba Dog Food Weight Control Large Breed Adult	30 LB	31924177	19014269303	11Nov14

IAMS DRY DOG FOODS

Description	Size	Lot Code	UPC Code	Best-by Date
Iams Dog Food Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult	13.3 LB	31884177	19014612017	7Nov14
		31904177	19014612017	9Nov14
		31924177	19014612017	11Nov14
		31934177	19014612017	12Nov14
		31944177	19014612017	13Nov14
	2.9 LB	31944177	19014700165	13Nov14
	25.7 LB	31884177	19014700646	7Nov14
		31894177	19014700646	8Nov14
		31904177	19014700646	9Nov14
		31914177	19014700646	10Nov14
		31934177	19014700646	12Nov14
	5 LB	31904177	19014612635	9Nov14
	5 LB	31914177	19014612635	10Nov14
Iams Dog Food Healthy Naturals Weight Control Adult	13.3 LB	31894177	19014612024	8Nov14
Iams Dog Food Premium Protection Chicken Adult	12.1 LB	31894177	19014611362	8Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Large Breed Mature Adult	30 LB	31884177	19014611331	7Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Large Breed Senior Plus	13.3 LB	31934177	19014612000	12Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Large Breed Senior Plus	26.2 LB	31934177	19014700615	12Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Large Chunks Adult	15 LB	31944177	19014610815	13Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Small Breed Adult	13.3 LB	31874177	19014610990	6Nov14
		31894177	19014610990	8Nov14
		31924177	19014610990	11Nov14
	3.1 LB	31874177	19014700110	6Nov14
	3.1 LB	31894177	19014700110	8Nov14
	5 LB	31874177	19014612055	6Nov14
		31894177	19014612055	8Nov14
		31924177	19014612055	11Nov14
Iams Dog Food ProActive Health Small Breed Puppy	5 LB	31904177	19014700943	9Nov14

IAMS DRY CAT FOODS

Description	Size	Lot Code	UPC Code	Best-by Date
Iams Cat Food Healthy Naturals Chicken Adult	16 LB	31874177	19014611881	6Nov14
	16 LB	31944177	19014611881	13Nov14
	5 LB	31874177	19014612697	6Nov14
	5 LB	31944177	19014612697	13Nov14
Iams Cat Food Healthy Naturals Weight Control Adult	5 LB	31894177	19014612703	8Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Chicken Adult	10.8 LB	31864177	19014612086	5Nov14
		31904177	19014612086	9Nov14
		31914177	19014612086	10Nov14
		31924177	19014612086	11Nov14
		31944177	19014612086	13Nov14
	17.4 LB	31864177	19014611836	5Nov14
		31864177	19014611836	5Nov14
		31914177	19014611836	10Nov14
		31924177	19014611836	11Nov14
		31944177	19014611836	13Nov14
	3.2 LB	31904177	19014612659	9Nov14
		31924177	19014612659	11Nov14
		31934177	19014612659	12Nov14
		31944177	19014612659	13Nov14
	5.7 LB	31864177	19014612499	5Nov14
		31914177	19014612499	10Nov14
		31924177	19014612499	11Nov14
		31944177	19014612499	13Nov14
	6.3 LB	31944177	19014611621	13Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Chicken Kitten	17.4 LB	31904177	19014611867	9Nov14
	3.2 LB	31904177	19014612628	9Nov14
	3.2 LB	31954177	19014612628	14Nov14
	5.7 LB	31904177	19014612505	9Nov14
		31904177	19014612505	9Nov14
		31954177	19014612505	14Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Digestive Care Adult	16 LB	31904177	19014611904	9Nov14
	16 LB	31954177	19014611904	14Nov14
	3 LB	31904177	19014700202	9Nov14
	3 LB	31954177	19014700202	14Nov14
	5 LB	31904177	19014612451	9Nov14
	5 LB	31954177	19014612451	14Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Hairball Adult	16 LB	31874177	19014611911	6Nov14
	16 LB	31954177	19014611911	14Nov14
	3.1 LB	31884177	19014700219	7Nov14
		31914177	19014700219	10Nov14
		31954177	19014700219	14Nov14
	5 LB	31874177	19014612420	6Nov14
		31884177	19014612420	7Nov14
		31914177	19014612420	10Nov14
		31934177	19014612420	12Nov14
		31954177	19014612420	14Nov14
	9.8 LB	31894177	19014612161	8Nov14
	9.8 LB	31914177	19014612161	10Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Hairball Mature Adult	5 LB	31954177	19014612604	14Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Weight Control & Hairball Adult	16 LB	31884177	19014612147	7Nov14
		31914177	19014612147	10Nov14
		31924177	19014612147	11Nov14
		31934177	19014612147	12Nov14
		31944177	19014612147	13Nov14
	2.9 LB	31914177	19014700240	10Nov14
		31924177	19014700240	11Nov14
		31934177	19014700240	12Nov14
		31944177	19014700240	13Nov14
		31954177	19014700257	14Nov14
	5 LB	31884177	19014612789	7Nov14
		31914177	19014612789	10Nov14
		31924177	19014612789	11Nov14
		31934177	19014612789	12Nov14
		31954177	19014612789	14Nov14
	5.5 LB	31924177	19014611652	11Nov14
	9.8 LB	31884177	19014612130	7Nov14
		31914177	19014612130	10Nov14
		31924177	19014612130	11Nov14
		31934177	19014612130	12Nov14
		31944177	19014612130	13Nov14
Iams Cat Food ProActive Health Weight Control Adult	16 LB	31874177	19014612178	6Nov14
	16 LB	31934177	19014612178	12Nov14
	5 LB	31874177	19014612680	6Nov14
	5 LB	31934177	19014612680	12Nov14
	9.8 LB	31874177	19014612123	6Nov14
Iams Cat Food Professional Feeding Bag Chicken Adult	33 LB	31914177	19014105458	10Nov14
Iams Cat Food Professional Feeding Bag Chicken Adult	33 LB	31944177	19014105458	13Nov14

Contact: Procter & Gamble
P&G Consumer Relations, 800-208-0172

Source: P&G Press Release
© 2013 Procter & Gamble

Rabu, 15 Mei 2013

Ditch This Pet Food Now!

Here's another important pet food recall article. –Kim

Corn Products can be Deadly to Your Pets

By Dr. Becker
April 3, 2013

In an article last November, I reported on the very real danger of future widespread aflatoxin contamination of commercial pet food, primarily dry dog food. Thanks to the very hot, dry summer of 2012, experts predicted U.S. corn crops would be heavily infested with two types of mold – Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.

These molds produce metabolites called aflatoxins. Aflatoxins cause acute lethal illness and cancer in animals and humans, and are among the most carcinogenic substances on earth. Aflatoxins poison the liver, and their carcinogenic properties can lead to tumor formation.

Recalls of Aflatoxin-Contaminated Dog Food have Begun

Reuters reports high levels of aflatoxins have been discovered in bags of dog food on store shelves in Iowa. And according to Michael Wright, the CEO of Pro-Pet, a pet food company in Ohio that recently learned some of its product was contaminated with aflatoxins, "Last year's corn crop – it's a huge issue. We test every load coming in. And we reject a lot of loads."

During the last week of February, the Hy-Vee Inc. grocery chain was forced to recall five different products in its private dog food line due to high levels of aflatoxins in the corn used in the formulas. The dog food was produced at a Kansas City Pro-Pet plant and distributed across eight Midwestern states.

As I explained back in November, the behavior of the A. flavus and A. parasiticus molds makes it very difficult to control or minimize aflatoxin contamination, or to accurately assess the extent of the problem. There can be pockets of plants that are heavily contaminated, while the rest of the crop is relatively mold-free, so analyzing occasional random samples of corn plants can give misleading results.

Corn used in pet foods
The corn used in the recalled Hy-Vee formulas had been tested before it was added to the dog food, and the finished product was reportedly tested as well. But the contamination wasn't discovered until a random bag was pulled from a store shelf in Iowa by an inspector for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

According to PetfoodIndustry.com, Hy-Vee officials say the recall is only a precautionary measure and no illnesses have been reported. The recalled products were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26, 2012 and January 11, 2013. Specific details of recalled products can be found here.

If you happen to have a bag of recalled product, you should stop feeding it to your pet. You can also return the food, opened or unopened, to a Hy-Vee store for a full refund.

How to Avoid Aflatoxin-Contaminated Pet Food

Aflatoxin-related illness is seen much more often in dogs than cats, because more commercial dog foods than cat foods contain corn products.

To be very safe, I recommend you transition your pet away from all dry food. Replace it with a high quality canned food, a commercially prepared raw diet, dehydrated raw, a balanced home cooked diet, or a combination.

If you want to continue to offer dry food to your dog, I recommend you study the ingredients carefully and avoid products containing corn in any form, including corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, corn flour, etc. Corn is not only highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination, it is also allergenic and difficult for most pets to digest.

Source: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/04/03/aflatoxin-contaminated-dog-food.aspx
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola

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Minggu, 31 Maret 2013

Another Pet Food Recall

Here's another pet food recall alert. –Kim

P&G Natura Pet Voluntary Recall

Natura Pet has confirmed they are recalling at least 20 pet food products affecting dogs, cats, and ferrets. We heard a rumor that Natura was having a major recall due to possible salmonella contamination. After spending half an hour on hold with them, a friendly representative finally confirmed the recall and gave us the list. Why they don't have a readily available press release on their website or through the FDA, we don't know.

The products listed below may be contaminated with salmonella. These products appear to be distributed nationwide through Petco, various online retailers and local businesses. This is shaping up to be a large recall. Please spread the word. Like Healing Springs Animal Hospital on Facebook for the latest pet health & safety updates.

This is not the first negative news since Proctor & Gamble purchased Natura Pet in 2010. In 2011, Natura Pet settled a $2.15 million class action lawsuit for allegedly overstating the quality of their ingredients. The lawsuit was started in 2009, one year before Proctor & Gamble became involved with Natura Pet.

The recall affects the products named below that also have an expiration date between 12/17/13 and 1/2/14. If you have products possibly contaminated with salmonella, you should discontinue use. You can contact the company (800) 532-7261 between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (CST) Monday – Friday.

The company now has an official press release on their Web site.

Healthwise:

Weight Control
Puppy
Lamb & Oatmeal

California Naturals:

Kangaroo & Red Lentil

Innova:

All three cat formulas
Puppy
Adult large bite
Senior plus
Prime beef & lamb
Herring & Salmon
Herring
Large breed adult & puppy

Evo:

Ferret
Turkey & Chicken Cat & Kitten
Herring & Salmon Cat food
Red Meat Large Bites Dog
Turkey & Chicken - Dog
Senior
Weight Management

Source: Food.com
© 2013 Scripps Networks, LLC

Replacement Product Information

If your product is affected, and you would like a replacement, please download this form (PDF) and follow the instructions.

Updated Press Information
Download official Press Release (PDF)

More info:
EVO, Innova, California Natural and HealthWise Dog Food Recall

Sabtu, 23 Februari 2013

New Pet Food Recalls

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it informative! –Kim

New Pet Food Recalls

Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM

Nature's Variety

One batch of Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula for dogs and cats has been recalled after clear plastic was found in some of the bags, posing a possible choking risk to pets, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Nature's Variety says the source of the plastic has been identified and the issue has been resolved. There have been no reports of harm to pets, but a consumer complaint alerted the company to the problem.

The affected product was limited to a single batch of Organic Chicken Formula with the "Best if Used By" date of 10/04/13. This includes:

UPC number 7 69949 60137 1 – Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula medallions, 3 lb. bag
UPC number 7 69949 70137 8 – Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula medallions, 27 lb. case
UPC number 7 69949 60127 2 – Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula patties, 6 lb. bag
UPC number 7 69949 70127 9 – Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula patties, 36 lb. case

Consumers with additional questions can call the Nature’s Variety Consumer Relations team at (888) 519-7387, Monday through Friday.

Kasel Industries

Kasel Associated Industries is pulling a wide variety of dog treats over salmonella contamination. The recall covers a wide variety of treats, from chicken jerky to pig ears to hearts of lamb, produced in its plant in Denver between April and October last year. The items were sold in Target, Costco, Sam's Club and through its Web site.

A Kasel official said the Colorado Department of Agriculture found salmonella in its chicken jerky, prompting a recall of that product in September. The Food and Drug Administration investigated, urging the company to issue the wider recall.

Consumers with additional questions can call Kasel Associated Industries at (800) 218-4417, Monday through Friday.

Best Wishes,
Dr Andrew Jones, DVM

P.S. Neutraceuticals are KEY in treating and preventing diseases associated with toxins. These include Essential Fatty Acids, Probiotics, and even Colostrum. ALL of these can be found in my supplement. You can get your 50% OFF trial here:

Dogs: www.thedogsupplement.com
Cats: www.thecatsupplement.com

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Sabtu, 08 Desember 2012

Another Pet Food Recall

More bad news from China! –Kim

WARNING! Contaminated Pet Food ... Again

By Dr. Victoria A. Gardner
December 4, 2012

Do you remember back in March of 2007, when thousands of pets died from kidney failure after eating tainted wet cat and dog food ... and the ensuing giant recalls of pet food? Several major companies recalled more than 5,300 pet food products, involving extensive media coverage and much public outrage.

Initially, the culprit was contaminated wheat gluten from a single Chinese company, and recalls were made of pet foods containing the wheat gluten from companies in North America, Europe and South Africa. One month after the initial recall, contaminated rice protein from a different source in China was identified as causing kidney failure in pets in the United States. Contaminated corn gluten also caused it in South Africa. As a result of investigating the 2007 pet food recalls, a broader investigation of the contamination of vegetable proteins in China ensued. It revealed that several Chinese companies sold products labeled wheat gluten, rice protein or corn gluten that were actually contaminated wheat flour. It also raised concerns about the safety of the human food supply. You can learn more at Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007: Main Page.

Deadly Chicken Jerky Dog Treats
Five years later, the problem is continuing. On Memorial Day, May 28, 2012, a beautiful healthy 8-year-old German Shepherd named Heidi died from eating just two chicken jerky dog treats from China two days earlier. Her owner was devastated. Other reports have come in about dogs getting sick and dying from eating chicken jerky dog treats from China.

On October 5^th, 2012, during a routine sampling inspection, FDA investigators found Salmonella bacteria in Nature's Deli Chicken Jerky Dog Treats at Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, CO. Once notified of the results, the company responsibly recalled and ceased distribution of its product. Additional information on this recall can be found at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm322471.htm.

Since 2007, the FDA has received approximately 2,200 reports of pet illnesses related to jerky treats. The majority involve chicken jerky (treats, tenders, and strips), but others include duck, sweet potato, and treats where chicken or duck jerky is wrapped around dried fruits, sweet potatoes, or yams. Over the past 18 months, the reports have contained information on 360 canine deaths and one feline death. There does not appear to be a geographic pattern to the case reports, which have been from all 50 states and 6 Canadian provinces.

While the recent Salmonella incident doesn't seem to be related to the tainted pet food from China, they all raise questions about the safety of the food we give our beloved pets. An even bigger concern was brought up recently by Food & Water Watch: "The FDA regulates the import of pet food and processed human food, but they have done very little to stop contaminated food from China from being sold in the U.S. ... Right now there are more than 60 human food products that are banned from being imported from China because of unsafe substances, including milk products contaminated with melamine. New food safety rules that passed more than a year ago haven't been implemented yet, so there may be other contaminated food ending up in your [home]."

Protein Adulteration is the Problem

So how is the food from the People's Republic of China contaminated? It's called "protein adulteration" and involves adding to food and feed ingredients compounds like melamine, cyanuric acid, ammeline, and ammelide. These inexpensive substances inflate the apparent protein content of products, enabling them to pass for more expensive, concentrated proteins.

The worst culprit has been melamine. An organic compound, melamine is often combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine foam, a polymeric cleaning product, and melamine resin, a plastic that's highly stable, durable, fire resistant, and heat tolerant. End products include Formica countertops, floor tiles, dry erase boards, flame resistant fabrics, glue, sound proofing, and the ever-famous Melmac tableware. Now we all appreciate these products, but I certainly don't want their components in my food!

Some sources indicate melamine alone does not seem to be toxic to animals or humans except possibly in very high concentrations. However, melamine contamination of pet food was implicated as the cause of the deaths of thousands of pets in 2007, and the combination of melamine and cyanuric acid has been implicated in kidney failure in pets and people. There are also reports that cyanuric acid may be independently and widely used as an adulterant in China, which has heightened concerns for both pet and human health.

Buying Healthy Pet Food

Only buy brands you trust, and carefully read the ingredients on the label.
When trying a new brand, initially feed your pet only a small amount so in case there's a problem, they've had limited exposure to it.
Most of the recalls have been wet pet foods and jerky treats, so you might want to stick to dry food until these problems are resolved.
Always keep the original bag of pet food in case of a recall, or if you suspect you've purchased a bad batch.
Check the Pet Food Recall Products List of the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), the division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that regulates the manufacture and distribution of food additives and drugs that will be given to animals, including animals from which human foods are derived. The list contains links to more information about all pet food recalled since March of 2007 ... 1,107 entries as of April 30, 2012! Yikes! However, it's a bit misleading because once listed, each of the recalled products remains listed, even if there are no new recalls associated with that product.
Report any problems with pet food to the FDA through their Safety Reporting Portal, https://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or call your state's FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.
For dog lovers, sign up to get regular notifications of dog food recalls from Dog Food Scoop, www.dogfoodscoop.com/dog-food-recall-list.html, an organization that "sniffs out" dog food. In addition to recalls, they compare and rate dog foods.

Pet Signs to Contact the Vet
Get your pet to a vet immediately if they show signs of poisoning, which usually include

Lethargy (severe fatigue, sluggishness or stupor)
Fever
Gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea and vomiting…especially if there's blood and/or mucus in the vomit or diarrhea.

Other common signs that can lead to kidney failure include:

Severe thirst
Frequent urination
Increased urine

Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Some pets infected with Salmonella can appear healthy, but be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed a recalled product, act quickly. Don't take any chances with the life of your beloved companion!

Sources:

Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
Dog Food Scoop
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Delbert G. Carlson, DVM and James M. Giffin, MD. Howell Book House, Inc.
Food & Water Watch
Wikipedia, 2007 Pet Food Recalls
Wisegeek.com, What is Melamine?

Source: Holistic Health-Wellness Digest

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