Our Healthy Pets

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm214996.htm

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Our Healthy Pets Blog tries to post all recalls when it involves pet products.

“P&G Recalls Specific Canned Cat Foods Due to Low Levels of Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Contact:
Jason Taylor
513-622-3205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CINCINNATI, June 9, 2010 – The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure. Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats. Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency.

The following Iams canned cat foods are included:

Product Name

Date on Bottom of Can
Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans 09/2011 to 06/2012

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America. No other Iams pet food is involved.

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss. In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it. For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).”

Healthy Pet Net Newsletter features Dr. Sarah and her video series relating to our canines and felines.

This video (part one of part two) Dr. Sarah talks about Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is the term veterinarians use to indicate that “the bladder is inflamed and we don’t entirely know why”. FIC accounts for 60-70% of urinary disease seen by veterinarians in cats younger than 10 years of age, and is marked by cats that pee outside their litter box, distressed meowing when urinating and/or possibly bloody urine.

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As the owner of the blog and a rep with Trilogy, I do recommend and feed Lifes Abundance Cat Food as well as our premium canned cat food. I feel it is so imporant for BabyCat to consume concentrated nutrition and moist food.

This FDA Update can be found by visiting the link below

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm192404.htm

“Recall — Firm Press Release  

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company. 

Diamond Pet Foods Announces Recall of Premium Edge Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball Cat Food  

Company Contact:800-977-8797 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 27, 2009 - On September 23, Diamond Pet Foods issued a voluntary recall for Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat because they have the potential to produce Thiamine Deficiency. Today’s announcement provides additional information from the company’s posted announcement of September 23 when the initial recall information was provided. 

Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. At the first stage the cat may show decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, and weight loss. Later, neurologic signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures. These ultimately may result in the death of the animal if left untreated. If your cat has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. 

The affected products were distributed in

The affected date codes were RAF0501A22X 18lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0501A2X 6 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAF0802B12X 18lb (BB30FEB11), RAH0501A22X 18 lb. (BB28NOV10), RAH0501A2X 6lb. (BB28NOV10, BB30NOV10, BB08DEC10) 

To date, 21 cases of thiamine deficiency in cats have been reported and confirmed by Diamond. The reports have been confined to the

Diamond has tested the product and found the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Samples taken by the FDA indicated that there were additional lots with insufficient levels of thiamine. No other complaints have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. 

Consumers who have purchased the affected lots are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-977-8797, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time.” 

From the FDA News Center: Information current as of noon October 20, 2009 

“Note: This compiled list represents all pet food recalled since January 1, 2006. If and when new information is received, this list will be updated. The “Information Current as of” date provided above indicates when this Web page was updated; it does not indicate the date when the pet food recalls listed below were initiated. Once listed, each of the recalled pet food products remains listed, even if there are no new recalls associated with that product. Although we have taken care to make sure the information is accurate, if we learn that any information is not accurate we will revise the list as soon as possible. For initiation dates of specific recalls, click on the brand name and then the recall numbers that appear on these pages. For recalls that occurred before September 1, 2008, a date range might appear in the initiation date field. The date range indicates the timeframe within which multiple recalls of this product were initiated. For recalls that occur September 1, 2008 and after, the actual initiation date of each recall event is provided for each product. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled before September 1, 2008, the food product will be listed again, with the new recall initiation date. If a new recall is initiated for a product that had previously been recalled after September 1, 2008, the initiation date of the new recall event will be added to the previous date listed.” 

Please visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/ for all information and brands

October 20, 2009

From the FDA Updates: 

“FDA is providing the following information from Premium Edge Pet Foods to alert pet owners of a voluntary recall of certain cat foods manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods for Premium Edge. The affected brands were found to contain an inadequate level of thiamine, which may cause clinical signs of thiamine deficiency in cats eating this food. FDA is working on this situation and will provide additional information as it becomes available. If your veterinarian diagnoses that your cat has become ill from consuming the affected pet food, please ask your veterinarian to file a report with FDA. 

Diamond Pet Foods has issued a voluntary recall on the following date codes of Premium Edge Finicky Adult cat food and Premium Edge Hairball cat food:  RAF0501A22X 18lb., RAF0501A2X 6 lb., RAH0501A22X 18 lb., RAH0501A2X 6lb. The date of manufacture is May 28, 2009. All retail outlets shipped the above lots were contacted, asking them to pull the product from the store shelves. The retailers were also asked to contact their customers via email or telephone requesting them to check the date code of the food. However, if you or anyone you know has these date codes of Premium Edge cat food, please return them to your retailer. 

Symptoms displayed by an affected cat will be neurological in nature. Symptoms may include wobbly walking or muscle weakness, paralysis of the hindlimbs, seizures, ventroflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, and abnormal eye movement called nystagmus. Any cats fed these date codes that display these symptoms should be immediately taken to a veterinarian. 

The company tested the product and found no contaminants in the cat food; however the cat foods were deficient in thiamine. Diamond tracked the vitamin premix lot number that was utilized in these particular cat foods and have performed testing on another lot of Premium Edge cat food that used the same vitamin premix, and it was not deficient in thiamine. No other neurological signs have been reported on any other product manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods.” 

To contact Premium Edge Pet Foods, please call 800-977-8797 between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm central time, Monday through Friday.

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm187218.htm#

From the HealthyPetNet July 2009 Newsletter:

In the summer of one the most turbulent economic periods in a lifetime, Americans are rediscovering simplicity and frugality. These days, it’s not uncommon to see a small group playing an impromptu game of Frisbee, or a couple enjoying a nature hike through a local park, or an extended family spending an afternoon in the backyard barbecuing.

The summer months provide ample opportunities for outdoor fun, whether your idea of open-air enjoyment is a power-walk with your dog or watching an afternoon storm roll in from the safety of a back porch with your cat. These activities help us brush away the winter cobwebs, shedding new light on our daily life. But sometimes, we make discoveries that are not altogether pleasant. Too often, the thinner, summer coats of our pets can reveal what winter coats have hidden from plain view – reddened skin irritations, possibly the sign of a seasonal or chronic allergy.

That’s right …. just like humans, pets suffer from allergies. Allergens can come from any number of sources, including grasses, trees, molds, dust mites and flea bites. Even their food may contain allergens. With all of these possible culprits, how can a pet parent learn what’s causing their pet’s allergy?

The first step for many of us is to hop online. We know that information is plentiful on the internet, even if not all of it is trustworthy. That inclination, to try and uncover the reasons ourselves, especially when that impulse is coupled with hard economic times, can lead to a scenario where many pet parents will try to diagnose Fido’s or Fluffy’s allergies on their own, without veterinary assistance. But the cause of allergies is notoriously difficult to pin down because it so hard to isolate one possible cause from another.

If you want to determine whether or not your four-footer is truly suffering from an environmental or food-related allergy, you should have your vet do an evaluation. They will use either a blood test or a skin test, or perhaps both, to assess what allergens are producing the symptoms.

When animals experience allergic reactions, their bodies alter normal hormone production. Some of the resultant chemical reactions can lead to cellular inflammation, the process bodies use to remove the allergens. To understand this process, consider the following example: the common flea bite. Commonly, after a flea bite, there may be swelling and possible irritation (usually itchiness). But if your dog or cat has a flea allergy, the reaction is a much larger rash with severe itching. This is the body attempting to eliminate the allergen; in this case, flea saliva.

So, what’s the best way to nip allergies in the bud? Leading holistic practitioners and natural-care veterinarians have long endorsed foods and supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids, especially those coming from fish oil, which help inhibit the body’s inflammatory response. And the amazing properties of omega-3’s don’t end there. When coupled with omega-6’s derived from a source like flaxseed, a balanced blend of these fatty acids are known to provide much-needed support by helping to strengthen the body’s natural response to allergens. They do this by enhancing the functions of the immune system and by fortifying the walls of individual cells in the body. At the same time, omega-3’s also help to protect neurological and blood systems. If you encounter information disparaging the inclusion of fatty acids in the diets of companion animals – either from online sources, friends or even veterinarians – it may be based upon outdated beliefs about these nutrients.

If you are not already feeding your companion a diet rich in omega-3’s like Life’s Abundance, you might consider incorporating into your pet’s diet a supplemental source of omega-3’s, either in chewable tablet form (like Skin and Coat Formula) or in capsule form (many of our customers provide Sealogix for their pets). Dr. Jane advises against feeding omega-3 supplements in the half-hour immediately before and after a meal, as the precise balance of fats can be thrown off, resulting in diminished absorption of those beneficial nutrients. Under no circumstances should you add liquid fish oil to dry food.

If you believe that your favored feline or precious pup suffers from allergies, please schedule time with your trusted veterinarian to determine the appropriate treatment, and consider incorporating essential fatty acids in your pet’s diet. By taking a proactive stance now, your pet might be able to avoid allergic reactions in the future.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01825.html

“FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2008

Kimberly Rawlings, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA Orders Pet Food Maker to Obtain Emergency Operating Permit

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an order requiring that Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co., Inc., in Wheeling, Ill., obtain an emergency permit from the FDA before its canned pet food products enter interstate commerce.

A recent inspection revealed significant deviations from prescribed documentation of processes, equipment, and recordkeeping in the production of the company’s thermally processed low acid canned food (LACF) products. These problems could result in under-processed pet foods, which can allow the survival and growth of Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), a bacterium that causes botulism in some animals as well as in humans.

“As outlined in the Food Protection Plan, the FDA uses a risk-based approach to locate the areas of greatest risk for foods, and targets preventive controls and inspections to those areas, ” said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “The FDA’s authority to issue an order requiring an emergency permit is an enforcement tool designed to prevent unsafe foods from reaching consumers.”

The FDA issues an “Order of Need for Emergency Permit” if the agency determines that a company fails to meet the regulatory requirements to process a product that does not present a health risk. For Evanger’s to resume business, the company must document that corrective actions and processing procedures have been implemented to ensure that the finished product will not present a health hazard.

Botulism is a powerful toxin that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. The disease has been documented in dogs and cats. Signs of botulism in animals are progressive muscle paralysis, disturbed vision, difficulty in chewing and swallowing, and progressive weakness to the body. Death is usually due to paralysis of the heart or the muscles used in breathing.

In light of human botulism illnesses and recalls that occurred due to under-processed hot dog chili sauce, and potentially under-processed canned green beans, FDA has urged all LACF processors to review their operations and the apply scientific principals and regulations that have been established to provide a safe product.

While FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has authority over animal feed and foods, CFSAN is responsible for regulating all human and animal LACF processing. The two centers are collaborating on this enforcement action.”

FDA Investigation Leads to Several Indictments for Importing Contaminated Ingredients Used in Pet Food

Contaminated pet food caused pet illnesses and deaths last year

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations announced that two Chinese nationals and the businesses they operate, along with a U.S. company and its president and chief executive officer, were indicted by a federal grand jury today in separate but related cases. The indictments are for their roles in a scheme to import products purported to be wheat gluten into the United States that were contaminated with melamine. These products were used to make pet food.

Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co., LTD. (XAC), a Chinese firm that processes and exports plant proteins to the United States; Mao Linzhun, a Chinese national who is the owner and manager of XAC; Suzhou Textiles, Silk, Light Industrial Products, Arts and Crafts I/E Co. LTD. (SSC), a Chinese export broker that exports products from China to the United States; and Chen Zhen Hao, president of SSC and a Chinese national were charged in a 26-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury today in Kansas City, Mo.

Also indicted were ChemNutra, Inc., a Las Vegas, Nevada corporation that buys food and food components from China to sell to U.S. companies in the food industry, along with ChemNutra owners Sally Qing Miller and her husband, Stephen S. Miller, who were charged in a separate, but related, 27-count indictment. Sally Qing Miller, a Chinese national, is the controlling owner and president of ChemNutra; Stephen Miller is an owner and CEO of ChemNutra. The indictments charge all seven defendants with delivering adulterated food that contained melamine, a substance which may render the food injurious to health, into interstate commerce; introduction of a misbranded food into interstate commerce; and other charges.

The indictments allege that more than 800 tons of purported wheat gluten, totaling nearly $850,000, was imported into the United States between Nov. 6, 2006, and Feb. 21, 2007. According to the indictments, SSC falsely declared to the Chinese government that those shipments were not subject to mandatory inspection by the Chinese government prior to export.

Melamine can be used to create products such as plastics, cleaning products, glues, inks, and fertilizers. Under certain conditions, melamine mixed with wheat gluten can make the product appear to have a higher protein level than is actually present. Melamine has no approved use as an ingredient in human or animal food in the United States. Wheat gluten is a natural protein derived from wheat or wheat flour, which is extracted to yield a powder with high protein content. Pet food manufacturers often use wheat gluten as a thickener or binding agent in the manufacture of certain types of pet food.

ChemNutra contracted with SSC, a Chinese registered export broker, to purchase food grade wheat gluten, according to the indictment. SSC then entered into a separate contract with XAC to supply the wheat gluten it needed to fulfill its contract with ChemNutra.

The indictments allege that the products purported to be wheat gluten were misbranded because the labels incorrectly represented that the purported wheat gluten had a minimum protein level of 75%.

On March 15, 2007, a pet food manufacturer alerted FDA to the deaths of 14 cats and dogs, several reported by consumers and several that died during routine taste trials conducted by the company. The animals were reported to have developed kidney failure after eating pet food that had been manufactured with the purported wheat gluten.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01792.html

Enjoy this little tid bit of information from The HealthyPetNet June/July 2005 Newsletter.

Food and treat selection is a serious matter. We can’t stress this enough. It all starts now. Once you cultivate certain eating habits, its almost impossible to break them, especially with cats. It is not uncommon for a cat to get hooked on one food only. If that food is a good food then you lucked out. If it is not a good food, conversion may be extremely difficult for you and your cat. When your dog doesn’t want to eat his breakfast or dinner, don’t let him persuade you to add something to the food or find something more desirable to eat. If he seems as healthy and happy as usual, chances are that he just isn’t hungry, his body doesn’t need the food. He will eat it later or the next day. Once you add something to the food, you will create a picky eater and possibly jeopardize his nutrition. In other words, once you’ve done your home work and selected the best food and treats for your pet, dog or cat, be prepared to stand up to any challenge they may give you. Remember that the food and treats you select will help determine your pet’s fate.

Unfortunately, most weight reduction foods focus on weight loss but not on sound health. These foods are formulated to deliver a diet of low protein, low fat, low calories and high fiber. While one would think that cat owners would be content with the weight loss, if there is any, they generally discard the diet food because of the consequences: itching and scratching, dandruff, excessive shedding, dull brittle coats, insatiable hunger, changes in personality and overall lack in
vitality. Since older cats are generally the victims of this food, one must be concerned about their already-frail immune systems. Unless your cat is extremely obese and/or are under veterinarian orders to lose weight, the alternatives are:

Increase Daily Exercise

Feed a High Quality Premium Food

Most owners of obese cats seek out a diet, light or senior food hoping that this will be the key to weight loss. Unfortunately, in most cases, a cat becomes obese simply because he is over fed. Since every nugget contains calories, some more then others, the key to a slim waist line for a kitty is to measure the amount of food being fed. Since every food contains different amounts of calories and is metabolized differently, one must follow the feeding directions for the selected food and then lower the amount if necessary. If the food is decreased by 25% and the kitty is not loosing any weight, then changing to a weight loss food may be necessary. A cat doesn’t have to stay on that weight loss food forever. Once a waistline returns, the cat can be changed back to regular food. Measure out the food and don’t free feed. Spread its allotted amount of food into two to three meals per day.

Life’s Abundance Health Food for Cats is an excellent, nutrient rich food for felines.