Dogswell Recalls Chicken and Duck Jerky Treats Made in China

Heads-up, dog people: The treats contain residue of an antibiotic that's not approved for use in the United States.

Dogswell is voluntarily withdrawing certain Dogswell and Catswell jerky treats made with chicken or duck with a “Best Before” date of Jan. 28, 2015, or any earlier date. 

The culprit is one we've seen before: trace amounts of an antibiotic residue that has not been approved for use in the United States, though it is important to note that this antibiotic is accepted for use in other countries, including the European Union.

The New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets discovered the residue during routine testing of a sample of Dogswell Happy Hips Chicken Breast Jerky. The department notified the company during the week of July 22, and the company voluntarily recalled Chicken Breast and Duck Breast jerky under the following brands: Breathies, Happy Heart, Happy Hips, Mellow Mut, Shape Up, Veggie Life, Vitality, and Vitakitty. 

This recall covers brands that are labeled with a “Best Before” date of Jan. 28, 2015, or any earlier date. The company says the jerky treats were made in China.

The company stresses that the rest of its products are safe, that no animals have become sick, and that there is no evidence that products containing trace amounts of this antibiotic pose a health risk for pets.

  Interestingly, the company explains why it uses products made in China, which is ground zero in the ongoing chicken jerky treat debacle. It says that most Dogswell products are made in the U.S., but "some" are made in China. Why? The company explains:

"China is a country where dark meat is more popular due to its inherent fat and flavor. Dogswell believes it is less wasteful to obtain our white meat in China where it is abundant, rather than sourcing it domestically, where white meat is less available and held at a premium. Not only do we care about your pet's health by sourcing only the healthiest meat available, we also practice sustainability by reducing as much waste as possible."

The company also explains its treatment of chickens: "Cage-free chickens are kept in barns where they can roam, scratch and perch as they please. Our chickens eat a natural diet, have plenty of room to roam, and live and grow free of stress."

For more information, and to received a full refund for an affected product, you can call Dogswell at 1-888-559-8833. Visit the website here.

View the original article here

Bravo Recalls Raw-Food Diet Chicken Blend Tubes

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture detects salmonella in a batch of the product.

Bravo is recalling two-pound tubes of Bravo's Raw-Food Diet Chicken Blend for Dogs and Cats because of the presence of salmonella. 

The recall affects only those tubes made on June 14, 2012, and no other sizes or Bravo products are involved. Look for the ID code 6 14 12 on the white hang-tag attached to the bottom of the plastic film tube. The tubes went out nationwide to distributors, retail stores, and Internet retailers.

While Bravo's own third-party testing did not detect salmonella, routine testing by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture done on samples collected from a single retail location tested positive for presence of salmonella, according to the FDA. 

There have been no reports of illness. 

According to the FDA, "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."

Obviously, a raw food product containing chicken is something to handle carefully, but Bravo appears to have a good system in place, despite this episode. According to its Quality Assurance page, every Bravo raw diet product is sent to an independent laboratory, Northeast Labs, and tested for the presence of bacteria -- and the results of those tests can be sent to customers. 

"No product leaves our plants until we receive confirmation the the product has tested to be free of bacteria," it reads. "We do not subcontract production of any of our products to outside third-party sources. We carefully select the sources from which we buy the raw ingredients, we control how it is handled after delivery to our plant, we control every step of the manufacturing process, and we use human grade ingredients and no animal by-products in any of our formulas."

To contact the company, call 866-922-9222.

View the original article here

Priority Total Pet Care Recalls All Natural Bullstrips

The dog-treat manufacturer recalls its bully stick chews nationwide.

Dog-treat maker Carolina Prime Pet Inc. is voluntarily recalling certain packages of its Priority Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips, according to the FDA. No illnesses have been reported, but the product tested positive for Salmonella by the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture. 

The recall affects the Priority Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips in the 5-count package with the following UPC and lot codes, which can be found on the back of the packages of the dried bull penises: 

UPC: 0-21130-42080-3 Lot Codes: 20082712 S3195 and 20090312 S3195

The affected products were distributed nationally to stores from about the first of September until now. Those stores include:  

Safeway stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington DC, and WyomingVons, Pavilions and Pak 'N Save stores in CaliforniaRandalls and Tom Thumb stores in TexasGenuardi’s stores in Pennsylvania and New JerseyDominick’s stores in Illinois

According to the FDA, "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."

For more information, contact Carolina Prime Pet Inc. at 1-888-370-2360.

Interestingly, as reported by Philly.com, no mention is made of the recall on Carolina Prime Pet's website, likely because the product is sold under a different label. 

View the original article here

Wellness Dry Dog Food and Charlee Bear Dog Treats Announce Recalls

In unrelated recalls, Wellness and Charlee Bear both take products off store shelves over Salmonella fears.

Charlee Bear Products announced the company is voluntarily recalling certain lots of Protein Crunch Bar products due to Salmonella fears. The recall went into affect after a sample tested positive for Salmonella.

The recall affects two flavors in the 5.5-oz package size, which were distributed nationally in September and October 2012.

The first, Chicken Recipe with Carrots, has UPC Code: 8710890000 and includes these lot numbers:

Lot number 19812;  Best by date: 07-16-2015;Lot number 19912; Best by date: 07-17-2015Lot number 20012; Best by date: 07-18-2015Lot number 20212; Best by date: 07-20-2015

The second, Chicken Recipe with Sweet Potatoes, has UPC Code 8710890001 and includes just a single lot number:

Lot number 20112; Best by date: 07-19-2015

To contact the company, call (800) 396-8893 or email info@charleebear.com.

Next up with a recall is Wellpet, which posted on its Wellness Facebook page that a "small amount" of Small Breed Adult Health Dry Dog Food (12 pound) with the Best By date of August 18, 2013, did not meet the company's "high standards."

The company found a higher moisture content in the product, which has the potential to cause mold before its expiration date.

To contact Wellness, call (800) 225-0904.

If you suspect your pet is infected with Salmonella from either of these recalls, watch for the warning signs, via the FDA:

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.

View the original article here

Merrick recalls Doggie Wishbone treats due to salmonella

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Nestle Purina recalls dry cat food for salmonella

June 27, 2011

Purina is recalling some of their dry cat food due to possible salmonella contamination.

Nestle Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling approximately 870 bags of dry cat food shipped to Colorado, Idaho and Oregon.  This is being done as a precautionary measure, as the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  Only the following products with both the “Best By” date and production codes shown are included in this voluntary recall:

Bag Size
“Best By” Date & Production Code*
Bag UPC Code

Cat Chow Naturals Dry Cat Food
6.3 lb.
AUG 2012  10331083 13
17800  11320

Friskies Grillers Blend Dry Cat Food
3.15 lb.
AUG 2012  10381083  06
50000  08450

Friskies Grillers Blend Dry Cat Food
16 lb.
AUG 2012  10381083  06
50000  57578

The bags of dry cat food in this recall were distributed in error in February, 2011 to a small number of customers in Colorado, Idaho and Oregon, which may have further distributed the product to other Western states.   There have been no consumer complaints and no reports of illness.

No additional Purina cat or dog products are involved.  Only products which match the “Best By” date and production codes above are involved.

You’ll find the press release here, but for the life of me, I can’t find anything about the recall on the Purina website. If you find it, please post a link below.

View the original article here

Primal Pet Foods recalls cat food due to Salmonella

May 31, 2011

Primal posted a recall noticed a couple days ago for their Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula, due to salmonella contamination.

Dear Primal Pet Foods customers,

Primal Pet Foods has initiated a voluntary recall of their Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17 because this product may be contaminated with Salmonella. The only product affected is limited to Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17. No other Primal Pet Foods products are affected.

The affected product is limited to the Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula packaged in the following forms:

4 lb chicken & salmon nuggets (UPC# 8 95135 00025 0) with a “Best By” date code of 043112-17

The “Best By” date code is located on the front of the package on the right side of the product label. The affected product was distributed through retail stores sales in the United States.

Please be assured, no human or pet illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue. Also, no other Primal Pet Foods products are affected by this issue.

If you have purchased a bag of Primal Pet Foods Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula Raw Frozen Diet (nuggets) with the “Best By” date code of 043112-17, we ask that you take one of the following steps.

If you are a consumer and have purchased the affected product, please contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You’ll be instructed to bring the unopened package to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, contact Primal Pet Foods directly at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST and we can assist in getting you a full refund or replacement from your local retailer that it was originally purchased from. You’ll be instructed to bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a full refund or replacement.

We truly appreciate your cooperation, and we apologize for any inconvenience that this matter may have caused for you. If you’d like to speak with one of our representatives regarding this issue, you can call our customer service line at 866-566-4652 Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM PST.

Our Commitment to Quality
We want to reassure you that Primal Pet Foods is committed to the health and safety of your pets. Our quality control and quality assurance programs include but are not limited to: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP’s), a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, regular lot segregation, and other industry best practices. Our manufacturing facility also adheres to these specific quality measures:

Our ingredients are sourced from USDA inspected facilities, and/or facilities regulated by the FDA
We adhere to state and federal regulations regarding product safety
Our manufacturing facilities are USDA and California State Department of Agriculture inspected.

In addition to the industry best practices listed above, and in an abundance of caution, we’re taking additional steps in our manufacturing process to help ensure that our products are free of all pathogenic bacteria.

As always, Primal Pet Foods is fully committed to maintaining the highest quality standards in the pet food industry. Thank you for your continued trust in Primal Pet Foods.

Matt Koss
CEO, Primal Pet Foods

The recall, along with a list of questions and answers, can be found on their website. They’ve done a good job with the Q&A, but what they didn’t do is post the recall to their Twitter or Facebook pages. Hopefully that will happen today.

View the original article here

Bravo! recalls pig ears due to salmonella

May 31, 2011

Salmonella recall #2 of the day. This one’s from Bravo!

Vernon, CT– Bravo! is voluntarily recalling select boxes of Bravo! Pig Ears Chews because it has the
potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

[...]

The company has received no reports of illness in either people or animals associated with the product.
Bravo! is issuing this action out of an abundance of caution and sincerely regrets any inconvenience to
pet owners as a result of this announcement.

Bravo! Pig Ears were distributed to retailers on the East and West Coasts. They were shipped to
distributors and retailers distributed between January 1 and February 28,2011 where they were available
for purchase.

The products affected by this recall include: Bravo! Pig Ears Product Code: 75-121 Lot # 12-06-10.

The recall is the result of routine sampling program by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, which revealed that the finished products contained the bacteria. The company has no product left in inventory from this batch of pig ears.

Consumers who have purchased any of these pig ears are urged to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions about the recall, should visit www.bravorawdiet.com or call toll free 1.866.922.9222.
You’ll find the full release  on their website, and more information in an online newsletter, here.

No comments yet.

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Wellness recalls canned cat food — and does it right

March 1, 2011

Wait … it’s not Friday night, is it? Could it be that the problems of the dump-and-run Friday night recall are finally getting through to pet-food companies?

Or maybe just Wellness, which gets major props not only for recalling certain lots of canned cat food in a timely fashion but also for putting the recall notice on the home page with a letter from the CEO.

Yeah I know: ALL recalls are voluntary, since the FDA still can’t do a damn thing about rogue producers. But you gotta allow folks a little spin, don’t you?

From Wellness:

Please know, the vast majority of products tested had the appropriate levels of thiamine; however, with the number of recipes we offer, we did not want to make this more confusing. Therefore to avoid confusion and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all canned cat products with the specific date codes noted below. Cats fed only product with inadequate levels of thiamine for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.

The lots involved in this voluntary recall are:

Wellness Canned Cat (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;

Wellness Canned Cat Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with best by date of 10NOV13 and 17NOV13.

If you have cat food from these lots, you should stop feeding it to your cats. You may call WellPet at 1-877-227-9587 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.

This recall is so unusual — a Monday? — that we didn’t even notice it until this morning. Recalls released when they happen — not when you think they won’t be noticed — show respect for your customers, and caring for their pets. The dump-and-runs show contempt for customers and more concern about continued sales than pet health.

And thanks to Dorene P for flagging me so I could get it posted.

View the original article here

Merrick Pet Care Recalls Jr. Texas Taffy Pet Treats

Merrick Pet Care is recalling its Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat (Item # 27077, UPC # 02280827077, all Lots up to and including 10364) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. So far no illnesses have been reported. A company press release states that so far no illnesses have been reported, but that “Merrick Pet Care has made the decision to recall all Jr. Texas Taffy pet treats in the abundance of caution.”

Anyone who has purchased the Jr. Texas Taffy treats should return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. (Be sure to wash your hands immediately after handling them.) Read more about Salmonella symptoms here. If you have questions, phone Merrick at 800/664-7387 M-F 8 am – 5 pm CST.

View the original article here

Kroger recalls Pet Pride, Old Yeller, Value Chunk pet foods for aflatoxin

December 18, 2010

Been a while since we saw a late F riday night dump-and-run pet food recall!

This weekend it’s the grocery store mega-chain, Kroger, recalling dog and cat food sold in Kroger, Dillons, Gerbes, Baker’s, Food 4 Less, Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less, and Scott’s stores. From their release:

The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select packages of pet food sold in some of its retail stores because the products may contain aflatoxin, which poses a health risk to pets.

Kroger stores in the following states are included in this recall:  Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The recall also includes Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; Food 4 Less stores in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana (Chicago area); and Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.

Stores the company operates under the following names are not included in this recall: Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, Smith’s, QFC, City Market, Foods Co., and Food 4 Less stores in California and Nevada.

I didn’t see a link to the recall info on their main page, but if you click on “recalls” in their navigation, it’s right there.

List of affected products under the jump.

Kroger is recalling the following items:

Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088128Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071357Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088152Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074580Pet Pride Kitten Formula Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071903Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 22 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074566Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074563Kroger Value Cat Food sold in 3 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000018Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 15 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071559Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000108

View the original article here