The Safe Pet Treats app will identify these products by scanning the barcode should you happen to come across it at the pet store. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.

The following product is being voluntarily recalled because of the possible presence of Salmonella.

201 cases of this product were sold to distributors, retail stores, internet retailers and directly to consumers in the U.S.

The following products did not test positive for Salmonella.

However, they are also being voluntarily recalled out of an abundance of caution. This is because they were produced in the same manufacturing facility on the same day as the product that tested positive.

These products were sold to distributors, retail stores, internet retailers and directly to consumers in the U.S. All products tested negative by a third party independent laboratory prior to release for distribution to consumers. No additional products are affected by this recall.

The company has received no reports to date of illness in either people or animals associated with these products.

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FDA Recall Pet Food Products are out there

Since 2011, 956 pet food recalls have been announced by the FDA.  It is up to the manufacturer of the pet food product to contact every single retailer to have the product removed. Unfortunately, some of these products remain on the shelves of retail stores for days after the recall is announced.  Click here to check out our blog entry on a recalled product we purchased.  Arm yourself with this app to identify recalled pet food products and report them anonymously when found.

App Features

SCAN BARCODES
Every product includes a UPC/Barcode on the packaging. The next time you’re at the pet store, scan the UPC/Barcode with this app to determine if the pet food product is safe.

MANUAL SEARCH
Have you ever wondered if a certain brand of pet food has been recalled? The manual search feature is a great way to find out if your favorite pet food brand has been recalled within the last couple of years.

REPORT PRODUCT
It is very easy to just put the recalled product back on the shelf and go about your day, but why risk the health of other pets when you can report the pet food company for not having the product removed from the retail store? With the Safe Pet Treats app you will not only have the power to look after the well-being of your pet, but others also.

INSTANT ALERTS
As soon as the database is updated with a new recalled product an alert will be sent out in the form of a push notification to your smartphone.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS
A safe scan result will also give you similar product alternatives which you can purchase instantly through Amazon. These alternatives may be less expensive resulting in savings for you.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHARE
Do you know other pet lovers? Easily share the app with a few clicks through Facebook, twitter, Google+ or email.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this article with other pet owners.

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Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet 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.

No pet or consumer illnesses from this product have been reported to date. However, because of their commitment to safety and quality, Northwest Farm Food Cooperative is conducting a voluntary recall of this product.

The potentially affected lots of frozen raw Cat Food were sold from their facility located at 1370 S. Anacortes Street Burlington, WA 98233.

The affected products are sold in 50 pound blocks and cases of six 10 pound chubs; packaged in a white plastic bag labeled Cat Food. The products affected by this recall have the production code Jul12015B and have no UPC code. The production code can be found on the outside of the case (box).

The recall was the result of a sampling done by the Food and Drug Administration which revealed that the finished product contained the bacteria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and the company continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.

This cat food recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Consumers who have purchased the above lots of frozen raw Cat Food are urged to stop feeding them and return product to place of purchase for a full refund or dispose of them immediately. For further information about the recall please call (360) 757-4225 Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm PST.

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The FDA publishes recalls as soon as they are aware of them and most brands and manufacturers take immediate action to remove these items from the market.  However, there can be delays in getting all the products pulled from retailers causing you to inadvertently purchase an already recalled pet food product and feed it to your pet.

A case in point:  On July 14, 2015,  I and love and you, a Boulder, Colorado pet food brand, expanded their voluntary recall of cow-boom! strips – beef gullet due to the potential of salmonella contamination.  Salmonella is the name of a harmful group of bacteria that can cause illness in your pet. It can also cause illness to humans just from handling the product.

On July 23, 2015, 9 days after the recall notice, we purchased this exact product, the same UPC code and lot #, through an online retailer and delivered on July 25, 2015.

This is why the Safe Pet Treats app is so critical for pet owners to have.  By downloading this app you can either scan the barcode or search by product to determine immediately if it is a recalled pet food product before you purchase.

The planned release date for the Safe Pet Treats app is currently set for 08/05/15.  To learn more about the app, click here and join our mailing list for the app release notification and updates.

We have  reached out to I and love and you to let them know of this, but have not yet heard back at the time of this post.  We will update upon their response.

Update 07/27/2015:  I and love and you has responded and are taking measures to ensure all products from all retailers are pulled!

The post Why you need the Safe Pet Treats app appeared first on Safe Pet Treats | Pet Food Safety and Recalls.

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 the symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The affected products are limited to the Instinct Raw Chicken Formula Frozen Diets packaged in the following forms:

• UPC# 769949611431 – Instinct Raw Chicken Formula Bites for Dogs 4 lb.; Best By 04/27/16
• UPC# 769949611448 – Instinct Raw Chicken Formula Bites for Dogs 7 lb.; Best By 04/27/16
• UPC# 769949611486 – Instinct Raw Chicken Formula Patties for Dogs 6 lb.; Best By 04/27/16

The “Best By” date is located on the back of the package below the seal. The affected product was distributed through retail stores in the United States and limited distribution in Canada. No other Nature’s Variety products are affected.

No illnesses have been reported to date. Even though no illnesses have been reported, consumers should follow the Simple Handling Tips published on the Nature’s Variety package when disposing of the affected product.

Nature’s Variety became aware of a potential issue after receiving notification from the FDA that a routine surveillance sample of seven pound Instinct Raw Chicken Bites for dogs tested positive for Salmonella.

Consumers feeding the affected product should discontinue use and monitor their pet’s health, and contact their veterinarian if they have concerns. Consumers who have purchased one of the above products can obtain a full refund or exchange by either returning the product in its original packaging or bringing a proof of purchase back to their retailer.

Consumers with additional questions can call our Consumer Relations team at 888-519-7387 from 8 am to 7 pm Central time, 7 days a week during the recall.  Or, consumers can email Nature’s Variety directly via cservice@naturesvariety.com.

Reed Howlett, Chief Executive Officer of Nature’s Variety, stated, “At Nature’s Variety we take quality and safety very seriously. We believe that under all circumstances, health and safety comes first, and we are committed to providing the best possible nutrition for pets.”

The post Nature’s Variety Dog Food Recall appeared first on Safe Pet Treats | Pet Food Safety and Recalls.

BOULDER, Colo., July 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — NatPets LLC, d/b/a “I and love and you,” of Boulder, CO (the “Company”), is expanding its voluntary recall of cow-boom! strips – beef gullet because the product has the potential to be contaminated withSalmonella.

There have been no reported pet or human illnesses associated with this recall.

This voluntary recall is limited to cow-boom! strips – beef gullet that were packaged into 2.0 oz bags, with lot numbers ending in 4T1 or 5T1, a best-by-year of 2016 or 2017 and UPC number 8 18336 01134 4.

The Company has notified its distributors and retailers and is taking this voluntary action as a precautionary measure. No other products of the company are affected by this recall.

Routine sampling by an inspector for the Colorado Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Salmonella, which prompted this voluntary recall. This product is supplied by a U.S. supplier.

Consumers should look at the lot numbers and best-by-dates printed on the bag to determine if it is subject to this recall. People who have purchased these products are instructed to dispose of the product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the product, and there is risk to humans who handle the product, especially if the handler does not thoroughly wash his or her hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to the product.

Healthy people handling the product contaminated by Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Although rare, Salmonella may 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 the product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

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 product and has exhibited these symptoms, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Consumers with questions may contact the Company at 855.ILY.LOVE Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM (M.T.)or via email at service@ilypet.com.

Source: PRNewswire/

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American-made jerky tied to illness in dogs
Cases of acquired Fanconi arise despite treat-market shift.

Dogs fed jerky-style pet treats labeled as made in the United States are turning up with a rare kidney disease that’s been associated with jerky made in China.

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman confirmed Friday that the agency is “aware of complaints related to ‘USA’ made products.” Siobhan DeLancey of the FDA’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine said: “We have found some of these products may contain ingredients from outside of the U.S. FDA continues its investigation into these, as well as other, jerky treats potentially linked to illnesses.”

Dr. Urs Giger, director of the Metabolic Genetics Screening Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, said his laboratory has diagnosed recent cases of acquired Fanconi disease in dogs that ate treats that ostensibly were not made in China or with ingredients from China.

Since 2007, the FDA has been receiving complaints of illness in pets, predominantly dogs, that ate jerky treats. The phenomenon became commonly understood as a Chinese-chicken-jerky-treat problem because most of the products were chicken-based and made in China. Until recently, virtually all chicken jerky for pets was imported from China.

FDA and other investigators have been unable to identify a contaminant in the implicated treats or other reason for illness. But public pressure led many companies selling treats to shift or establish manufacturing operations in the United States within the past year or two.

In February, the FDA reported that the rate of complaints it received involving jerky treats slowed between May and Sept. 30, raising hopes that the problem might resolve on its own. Whether that trend has continued since then is unclear; the agency has not posted an updated tally.

One thing is clear: Veterinarians still are seeing cases of jerky-related illnesses. Dr. Bonnie Werner, an internal medicine specialist at Animal Emergency Medical Center in Torrance, California, for example, is treating a 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier who was referred by her regular veterinarian. The dog was sick with vomiting and diarrhea for more than a week prior.

According to Werner, tests showed the dog had impaired kidney function and glycosuria — glucose in urine — which are signs that point to acquired Fanconi disease.

Werner said the dog’s owner was aware of the link between jerky treats and illness but thought that products made in the U.S. were safe. As a regular treat, the 5-pound terrier was given Spot Farms “all-natural chicken strips,” Werner said. The strips are described on the product website as made from “antibiotic-free chicken raised on family farms in Kentucky.”

The website also says that “all of the ingredients that we use in our products are certified fit for human consumption. Because all of the ingredients used in our treats are all natural, our treats are free of artificial colors and preservatives. You won’t find things like BHA, BHT, or any other chemical with strange abbreviated names in any of our treats.”

Werner said she called the company’s customer-service line the first day she saw the patient. “The representative just kept repeating that the chicken was raised in Kentucky and that all the other ingredients were sourced from U.S. companies,” Werner said in an interview by email. “She did not have any information on whether those companies use ingredients from overseas.”

A spokeswoman for Spot Farms, contacted by the VIN News Service on Friday, was unaware of the veterinarian’s phone call and the case of illness.

Julie DeYoung, a member of the media-relations staff for the chicken-producing company Perdue Farms Inc., which owns Spot Farms, said in a written statement: “We are deeply saddened to hear of this dog’s illness. We … (do not know) the circumstances regarding the dog’s illness or whether our treats were a factor. What we do know is that we have never received any reports of serious illness since we launched Spot Farms dog treats in 2013.”

DeYoung noted that the treats are not meant to be fed in large quantities. “Because we do not use any fillers in our chicken strips, our treats are very high in protein,” she wrote. “It is always important, especially with smaller dogs, to adhere to the feeding guidelines by dog size printed on the back of each bag.”

In a follow-up telephone conversation Monday, DeYoung said the company is trying to determine why Werner’s call to customer service wasn’t forwarded to managers as called for by the company’s “standard procedure if we receive a call relating to a sickness.”

DeYoung added that the company has since spoken with Werner as well as the dog’s owner. “We’re gathering information that will hopefully allow us to evaluate whether our treats are the cause of this illness. We’re highly motivated to understand what happened here, and what role, if any, our treats played,” she said.

On Friday, Werner said she intended to report the case to the FDA but had not yet done so.

She said the Yorkshire terrier requires intravenous fluids to bring her kidney function near normal. “Her kidneys have not repaired themselves yet,” Werner said, adding that the pet’s future is uncertain because her owners have reached their financial limit for treatment.

Not only are cases continuing to occur in the United States, instances of jerky-associated Fanconi have begun turning up in Europe, as well.

Giger, the metabolic genetics lab director at UPenn, said, “We have recently received samples from Europe where we confirmed an acquired Fanconi syndrome and associated it to jerky-treat consumption, and reversal (of illness) or improvement following withdrawal (of the treats).”

Only two years ago, during a talk with clinical pathologists in Berlin, Giger found that “they had not even heard or seen a case.”

Giger co-authored a report of the first jerky-related case of Fanconi in Europe to be recorded in a scientific journal. Involving a 5-year-old male border terrier, the case was published April 5, 2014, in Veterinary Record, the journal of the British Veterinary Association. Every day, the dog ate various beef and chicken jerky treats, some of which contained ingredients originating in China. His clinical signs improved four weeks after he no longer was given the treats. By 19 weeks after he first took ill, the owner reported that the dog was completely normal.

As a geneticist, Giger encountered the jerky-treat issue through his work on hereditary Fanconi syndrome. His laboratory has provided Fanconi screening for decades, he said. Historically, Fanconi in dogs was a well-recognized genetic disease in basenjis. Around 2007, Giger said, the laboratory began seeing cases of Fanconi-like syndrome in other breeds, mostly small-breed dogs and mostly related to jerky consumption.

Between 2009 and 2012, Giger said his lab identified 400 cases of Fanconi. He said he continues to see new cases weekly, amounting to about 100 per year.

Whether American-made treats are less suspect than or equally suspect as Chinese-made treats is impossible to say, Giger said, because labels tend to tell an incomplete story.

“When you’re looking at pet jerky-treat products, and I’ve checked shelves at stores, the label does not necessarily say where it came from,” Giger said. “It (identifies) the company but not where it was manufactured or where (all) the ingredients came from.”

If a marketer claimed a product was made from ingredients that originated solely in the United States, he said, “one would have to check on that very carefully, as manufacturers may have sourced ingredients through third parties.”

Asked whether jerky inherently might make some dogs sick, Giger said he thinks not, because he’s seen cases in which dogs ate homemade jerky without becoming ill, then became ill when fed commercially manufactured jerkies.

He speculated that homemade jerkies would be softer in texture than mass-produced treats, which he said likely are subject to any of a variety of processes, possibly including marination or irradiation.

Giger added that treats associated with illness aren’t necessarily identified as jerky, but may contain jerky and be called sausages or biscuits or something else.

In light of the ongoing mystery, Giger suggested that pet owners consider refraining from giving any commercial jerky treats to their pets. “While some may think pets cannot be without jerky treats, I do not consider them as part of a healthy diet or treat, even when labeled ‘all natural,’ and thus, currently do not recommend any,” he said.

See original article here

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