Ebola and Your Dog....Know the Facts

"Little evidence of transmission to humans"

The American Humane Association and the world’s top veterinary experts are asking pet owners across the country to exercise caution but not to panic following reports of illness in animals such as Bentley, the King Charles Spaniel belonging to the Dallas nurse hospitalized with Ebola.

"It is important to be vigilant if you live in an area close to an Ebola case, but not to overreact,” said Dr. Kwane Stewart, Chief Veterinary Officer for American Humane Association. “While some animals in Africa were shown to harbor antibodies after eating infected corpses or other animals, we do not have this situation in the United States and there is little evidence at this point to indicate transmission from animals to people.”

Fear of illness can lead to the deaths of pets without substantiated cause. In Spain, authorities recently ordered the euthanization and burning of a dog owned by a medical professional who fell ill after treating Ebola patients in Africa.

The chance that dogs might spread Ebola is very small in the U.S. or other places where dogs aren't near corpses or eating infected animals, American Veterinary Medical Association spokesperson Sharon Granskog told CBS.

 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports on its website, “At this time, there have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola or of being able to spread Ebola to people or animals.”

 “As with any threat to ourselves or our animals, it is important to know what to do and what not to do,” said Dr. Stewart.  “At this point there have been no reports of dogs or cats becoming sick with Ebola even though they may develop antibodies from exposure to the disease. A greater understanding of the effects of Ebola on dogs and cats is needed to help prevent panic and their needless destruction.”

Stay alert.  Stay safe

and Keep your tails wagging, 

Bear's P4ws

RECALL ALERT: Kong Aussie Sticks Dog Treat

Kong Aussie Sticks dog treats have been quietly recalled by the product manufacturer, JAKKS Pacific of Walnut, California due to possible contamination with mold.

As of the time of this writing, neither Kong nor JAKKS Pacific has posted any public information webpage giving specific details about this event.

The products being recalled have the following item numbers:

Item 75559

Item 75560

And these “Best Before” dates:

1/30/16

1/31/16

Where Was the Product Sold?

According to a letter obtained from JAKKS Pacific and forwarded by Kong to The Dog Food Advisor, the recalled product was sold only at PetSmart.

No further store location, online sales or other distribution details have been provided by either company.

Silent Recall?

We are troubled by the covert nature and lack of transparency exhibited by both companies associated with this particular event.

Obtaining confirmation and collecting details about this recall were especially challenging. Apparently, the companies only notified PetSmart and relevant distribution centers.¹

And evidently they made no effort to post a public notice.

According to a company spokesperson:

The products were not dried properly so a small percentage of finished goods have gone moldy.

Majority of the product is fine, and the mold was caught at our DC, but some product may have made it to PetSmart so we are recalling all the product at PetSmart and destroying all the product we have at our DC.

What to Do?

According to JAKKS Pacific in that same email, the “product can be returned to PetSmart for a full refund.”

Just the same, here are the customer service contact numbers for the two companies:

You may contact JAKKS Pacific at 877-875-2557, Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm PT. Kong can be reached at 303-216-2626.

U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.

*article originally sourced from DogFoodAdvisor.com

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Parasites and Your Pet

Parasites (fleas, ticks, and worms) can make your cat or dog sick. The good news is that you can

protect your pet from parasites. It costs some money to prevent parasite-borne diseases, but it is cheaper to prevent than treat an illness!

Fleas

The height of flea-and-tick season is April-August, but fleas can cause problems all year. Fleas move fast, so they can be hard to see in your pet’s fur. Look for flea dirt in the area where your pets sleeps. Flea dirt looks like black specks, but when you rub it with a damp paper towel, it shows as a reddish smear.

Fleas can make your dog or cat very itchy, lose their hair, and lose lots of blood. In addition, fleas can carry tapeworm eggs. If your pet eats a flea that is carrying tapeworm eggs, your pet can get tapeworms. If your pet has tapeworms, you will notice small, hard, seed-like particles where your pet sleeps.

You can treat a flea problem with flea collars, powders, sprays, shampoos, and dips. These treatments must be repeated often in order to work. The easiest and best way to prevent fleas is to use a monthly “spot-on” topical medicine. A few drops on your pet’s neck is all it takes to kill fleas for one month.

Remember: It’s cheaper to prevent your pet from getting fleas than to hire exterminators to get rid of them!

Heartworms

Heartworms are deadly worms carried by mosquitoes. If an infected mosquito bites your dog, your dog will get worms that actually live in the pet’s heart. Heartworms cause blocked blood vessels,

Signs of a serious heartworm infection include coughing, intolerance of exercise, fainting, and difficulty breathing.

breathing problems, bleeding problems, and heart failure. Your pet can die from untreated heartworms.

The only way to prevent heartworms is by giving your dog medicine each month. Monthly heartworm medicine kills baby heartworms in your dog's blood.

Some heartworm preventatives protect your pet from other parasites, too. For instance, Revolution and Sentinel protect your pet from heartworms, fleas, mites, intestinal worms, and ticks. Sentinel is a tablet, while Revolution is the spot-on treatment applied to the dog's neck.

If your dog is already infected with heartworms, there are several ways to kill them. You can have the dog treated at your vet. Your vet will give the dog injections to kill the worms. This treatment is expensive and requires that the dog remain still and mostly inactive for weeks during treatment. If this isn't an option, many vets are now giving dogs antibiotics that kill the bacteria that co-exist with the worms. Killing the bacteria should weaken the worms.

Heartworm-positive dogs can be started on ivermectin-based heartworm preventative, such as Heartguard or Iverheart. Heartworm preventative will not kill existing adult worms, but it will prevent new ones. Adult worms will die naturally in about two years. Even if you can't afford to treat existing heartworms, starting them on preventative will keep your dog from further infestation.

Ticks

Ticks can cause diseases in your pet such as Lyme disease. Some flea treatments, like Revolution and Frontline, also kill ticks. You can get cheap tick collars from pet and discount stores, and very effective tick collars from your vet. The easiest way to remove a tick from your pet is to grab it with tweezers and gently pull it out. Be sure and pull out the tick’s head, too! After removing the tick, apply some alcohol to the spot.

Hot Spots

Hot spots are common in summer, often caused when your dog scratches. A hot spot is a moist, red, strong-smelling, infected area on the dog's skin. If you see your dog constantly scratching the same spot, check for an oozing, red area. You can treat hot spots yourself by keeping the infected area clean and dry:
1. Cut all the hair away from the area. Sometimes you have to cut quite a bit of hair off. Cutting the hair off allows air to reach the infected area and dry it out.
2. Clean the area. Pour rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, or hydrogen peroxide onto the infected area, then pat it dry.
3. Treat the area with antibacterial powder or spray from your vet, Neosporin spray from the grocery, or dissolve an aspirin in a cup of black tea and apply the tea with a rag.
Clean the area several times a day and be sure it stays dry.

Other Worms

There are four other types of worms that live in the intestines and make dogs and cats sick. The most common is the roundworm. Most puppies and kittens have roundworms. Pets with roundworms may have a “pot-bellied” appearance, vomiting, and poor growth. Puppies and kittens should be tested for worms when they get their shots. If untreated, roundworms can kill baby animals. Adult animals can also get roundworms. Hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms are similar to roundworms. Diarrhea, dehydration and weight loss are the most common symptoms. Sometimes you will see worms or parts of worms in your pet’s bowel movements, around the anus, or in their bedding.

Your vet can test babies and adults for worms.

Mites

Mites are so small that they are hard to see. Some mites cause a serious skin problem called mange (a disease that causes itching, hair loss, and sores). Ear mites are a common problem in both dogs and cats. They produce a buildup of very dark, waxy matter inside the ear and cause itching. An animal with ear mites will scratch at its ears and may shake its head a lot. Your vet can give you inexpensive medications to treat mites.

Stay safe this summer!  Make sure you book regular yearly appointments with your vet to keep up on your dog's annuals and blood work.  Remember, it's more cost effective and much safer for your pet if you take preventative measures against fleas, ticks, mites and worms than if you simply react.  

Keep your tails wagging, 

Bear's P4ws

RECALL ALERT: True Raw Choice Treat Recall

November 20, 2013 — Health Canada has announced Your True Companion Pet Products is recalling its True Raw Choice Bulk Dehydrated Natural Pet Treats due to possible contamination with Salmonella bacteria.

Recalled products include:

• Duck Feet (Lot 228870)
• Duck Wings (Lot 213825)
• Chicken Feet (Lot 214733)
• Lamb Trachea (Lot 225215)
• Chicken Breast (Lot 154339)

A total of 280 total cases of the affected treats were sold in bulk at various pet food stores across Canada.

About Salmonella

Pets such as dogs and cats (and their food) can carry Salmonella bacteria. People can get infected with the bacteria from handling pets, pet food or feces.

Symptoms of salmonellosis often include:

• Sudden onset of fever
• Stomach cramps
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

What to Do?

Consumers should contact Your True Companion Pet Products at 855-260-5024 if unsure if the product you have is affected or not.

As of November 8, 2013, all affected products have been disposed of in the market place.

Canadians can report any health or safety incidents related to the use of this product by filling out the Consumer Product Incident Report Form.

U.S. citizens can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

Snack Safely and keep your tails Wagging,
Bear's P4ws

ALERT: Dog Treat Recall! Bailey's Choice Chicken Treats.

Bailey’s Choice Dog Treats, LLC, of Waleska, Georgia is expanding its voluntary recall to include additional five-ounce packages of its chicken dog treats.

According to the announcement on the company’s Facebook page:

“These two lots tested positive for Salmonella. We have had no reports of anyone or any pet becoming sick. These treats will not harm your dog, dogs digestive systems are designed for eating raw food. It is more dangerous to humans. As with all raw foods, after handling jerky products, we recommend washing your hands thoroughly. We are working with the GA Dept of Agriculture closely to recall the effected lots. We will have more details here as they become available.”

The recall was announced by officials of the Georgia Department of Agriculture because of possible contamination of the treats with Salmonella bacteria.

• 100% Chicken Treat
  Lot “Jun 2 2013″
• 100% Chicken Treat
  Lot “Jun 3 2013″
• 100% Chicken Breast Treat
  Lot “Jun 4 2013″
• 100% Chicken Treat
  Lot “Jun 15 2013″
• 100% Chicken Treat
  Lot “Jul 8 2013″
• 100% Chicken Treat
  Lot “Jul 11 2013″
• 100% Teriyaki Chicken Treats
  Lot 132881

What to Do?

If you are in possession of one of the affected packages, officials recommend consumers discard the remaining contents.

Bailey’s Choice Dog Treats LLC will provide a full refund. They can be reached at 770-881-0526, by email at thomdo4570@gmail.comor online at www.baileyschoicetreats.com

You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.

Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

sourced via Dog Food Advisor

RECALL ALERT: Iams and Eukanuba Dog and Cat Food Recall

The Procter and Gamble Company of Cincinnati, Ohio has announced it is voluntarily recalling specific lots
of its dry pet foods because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

According to the company, no Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported to date in association with these product lots.
The affected 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 time-frame have the potential for Salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling the potentially impacted products made during this time-frame.

No other dry dog food, dry cat food, dog or cat canned wet food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.

What’s Being Recalled?
(Dog food only - cat food list can be found here)

About Salmonella 
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.


What to Do? 
Consumers who purchased a product listed above should stop using and discard the product immediately.
You may also contact the company toll-free at 800-208-0172 (Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM ET).
Or visit their websites at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.
You can report complaints about FDA-regulated pet food products by calling the consumer complaint coordinator in your area.
Or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

Make sure to check back with us for updates and other recall alerts!

Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws

Veterinarian Sits In A Parked Car For 30 Minutes...

Dr Ernie Ward has spent most of his career trying to get us to treat our pets better. Here, he sits in a parked car for 30 minutes to show you how hot is really does get when you leave your pet there. Listen to your veterinarians. You may not think it, but they are doing essentially human-level medical science on pets, not just giving your pooch a bath



It just goes to show you:  if a human finds it almost impossible to stay in the car, imagine your dog and his fur coat.  We have the power to change the lives of our pets, for better or for worse, it's up to us to make the right choice.

Don't leave your dog in a parked car (ANY parked car).  For you it may be a simple errand, but for you dog, it could cost them their lives.


Keep your tails (cool and) wagging!
Bear's P4ws

RECALL ALERT: Innova, Evo, California Natural, Healthwise, Karma, and Mother Nature Pet Foods and Treats

Natura Pet Products today announced a voluntary recall of several brands of dog, cat, and ferret dry food and treats due to possible Salmonella contamination. The following brands, in all package sizes, lot codes, and UPC numbers with an expiration date prior to June 10, 2014 are effected by this recall.

These products were packaged in a single production facility. During routine FDA testing, a single lot tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. There have been no reports of pet or human illness associated with this product. In an abundance of caution, Natura is voluntarily recalling all products with expiration dates prior to June 10, 2014.

The following items are being recalled:

Innova Dry dog and cat food and biscuits/bars/treats

All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

EVO dry dog, cat and ferret food and biscuits/bars/treats

All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

California Natural dry dog and cat foods and biscuits/bars/treats

All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

Healthwise dry dog and cat foods

All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

Karma dry dog foods
All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

Mother Nature biscuits/bars/treats
All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes – With expiration dates prior to 6/10/2014

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.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call Natura toll-free at 800-224-6123. (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM CST).

sourced by Dogington Post

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

RECALL ALERT: Virbac Recalls Six Lots of Iverhart (Heart-worm Preventative)

Six lots of Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables, a heart-worm preventive, have been recalled because of a stability issue involving the medication’s active ingredient ivermectin, the American Veterinary Medical Association reported this week.

The manufacturer, Virbac Animal Health of Fort Worth, Texas, did not issue a public recall notice. A spokesperson could not be reached to comment.

A selected amount of Iverhart was recalled:

• Large dogs (51 to 100 pounds): lots 120076, 120086 and 120856.

• Medium dogs (26 to 50 pounds): lot 120202.

• Small dogs (up to 25 pounds): lots 120196 and 120844.

Iverhart Plus, a generic equivalent to Merial Ltd.’s Heartgard Plus, is formulated for the prevention of heartworm disease and for the treatment and control of roundworms and hookworms.

Stability concerns led Virbac to recall a single lot of Iverhart Max Chewable Tablets in April 2012. A lack of stability can reduce a medication’s efficacy.

Veterinarians or pet owners who have questions may contact Virbac Technical Services at 800-338-3659, ext. 3052.”

Source: Pet MD

Keep your tails wagging
Bear’s Paws

RECALL: Natura Pet Food Recalls at Least Four of its Brands

On March 19 the Dancing Dog Blog posted regarding a Natura products pet food recall. As of today Natura has announced that the original pet food recall has been expanded to include more products that may be contaminated with Salmonella:

 Innova

EVO

Healthwise

California Natural

and Karma

The FDA lists the symptoms of Salmonella as follows:
“Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. People who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever.

Natura announcement from their website:

“On March 18, 2013, we informed you of a voluntary recall on select Natura products. In the course of further examination, additional products have tested positive for the presence of salmonella. All of these products were made on a single manufacturing line. As an additional safety measure, we are broadening our voluntary recall to include all dry dog and cat food products made on this single manufacturing line [Ed. bolded] in the Jan-Mar, 2013 timeframe.

Your pets’ health and safety is our #1 priority. We assure you that we are extensively investigating, inspecting and taking all actions necessary to ensure that our products meet both your expectations and ours.

Please see below for details on all affected products. If you have a product included on this list and would like a refund or replacement, please follow the instructions below. For additional inquiries, contact us at http://www.naturapet.com/about/contact-us or (800) 224-6123.

Sincerely,
Employees of Natura Pet Products

To identify what products are involved in this expanded voluntary recall, please see this list.

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Beware of the Spring Thaw!!

Two posts in one day? Oh my!

Bear's been feeling a little left out, so we put together this very special Tip Tuesday just for you and your dogs!

Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws

Two More RECALL ALERTS: Honest Kitchen and Hy-Vee Dog Food

The Honest Kitchen, manufacturers of top-quality dehydrated raw dog foods are voluntarily recalling five lots of their Verve, Zeal and Thrive recipe dog foods because they may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Recalled lots of the food were produced between August and November of 2012 and were sold nationwide across the US and Canada. For specific Lot Numbers and product information, see the chart below.

The dehydrated foods contain fresh vegetables and leafy greens, including a batch of human-grade parsley that has been found to potentially be contaminated with the bacteria. The Honest Kitchen is taking steps to ensure their products are completely safe moving forward. See the letter from their president below, detailing The Honest Kitchen’s efforts to keep their products and our pets safe in the future.

The following notice was released by the Food & Drug Administration:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 21, 2013 – The Honest Kitchen today announced that it is voluntarily recalling five lots of its Verve, Zeal and Thrive pet food products produced between August and November 2012 and sold nationwide in the US and Canada via retail stores, mail order and online after August 2012 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No other Honest Kitchen batches, production dates or products are affected.

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.

Animals with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some animals will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your animals have consumed the recalled product and have these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The Company is taking this action after learning that one of its raw ingredients suppliers has recalled a batch of human-grade parsley that may contain Salmonella. The batch of parsley was shipped to the Company in 2012 and used in the production of five lots of finished Honest Kitchen products.

The Honest Kitchen regularly tests for Salmonella and other pathogens as part of its quality control process and has not received to date any reports of illness associated with these lots of products. Nonetheless, the Company is proceeding with this action in order to ensure the full safety and quality of its products.

“We are committed to providing the highest-quality human-grade food available to our customers’ pets,” said Lucy Postins, founder, CEO and CMO of The Honest Kitchen. “While our quality control tests did not find evidence of Salmonella in any of our finished products, we are accountable for everything we make, and are taking precautionary action to ensure the safety and integrity of our products.”

The lots being recalled are:

Item Code	Product Name	Production Date	Expiration Date	Size	Lot Number
V4 + VR	VERVE	8/20/12	8/20/13	4 lb. box, 10 lb. box	2332A (batches 1-3)
VR	VERVE	11/1/12	11/1/13	10 lb. box	3062A (batches 8 & 9)
TM	THRIVE	9/18/12	9/18/13	1 oz. sample	2622A (batch 3)
Z4 + ZR	ZEAL	8/14/12	8/14/13	4 lb. box, 10 lb. box	2272A (batches 1–5)
ZR	ZEAL	9/21/12	9/21/13	10 lb. box	2652A (batches 1–4)

Consumers who purchased the above lots of Honest Kitchen Verve, Zeal or Thrive products should stop feeding the products to their pets, remove the UPC (bar code) and lot code from the packaging, and discard the contents in a covered trash receptacle. Lot codes are located on the top of product boxes either adjacent to or opposite the UPC.

Consumers can receive a replacement or full refund of the MSRP of the affected products plus $1 to cover postage, by mailing the UPC and lot code along with a completed Reimbursement Form to The Honest Kitchen, 145 14th Street, San Diego, Calif. 92101, Attn: Reimbursements. All refunds will be processed within five business days (plus postage time).

The Honest Kitchen products use human-food grade ingredients. The Company’s products are made in a human food facility and held to the same high quality control standards as human food products. Employees taste products as part of the quality control and research & development processes.

To supplement its quality control processes while maintaining its commitment to gentle processing that protects natural nutrients, The Honest Kitchen is enacting additional procedures:

·         All dehydrated leafy greens will be steamed, to further protect against the possibility of Salmonella and other pathogens;

·         All leafy greens will receive a second test for pathogens after arrival at the Company’s manufacturing facility, in addition to the testing conducted internally by suppliers;

·         The Company has discontinued its relationship with the supplier who provided the parsley used in the production of the lots being recalled.

For questions or more information, contact The Honest Kitchen by phone at 1-866-437-9729 or email at info@thehonestkitchen.com. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST to respond to inquiries.

Additionally, The Honest Kitchen’s president, Lucy Postins, penned the following letter to consumers.

As for Hy-Vee Dog Food, the Hy-Vee brand dog food, manufactured by Pro-Pet, LLC, is voluntarily recalling 6 different labels of their Hy-Vee Complete Dog Foods stamped with three different “Best By” dates and distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26, 2012 and January 11, 2013.

The foods were found to contain higher than normal levels of aflatoxin, a chemical compound naturally produced by Apergillus flavus, a fungus known commonly to grow in certain grains like corn. Corn, a controversial dog food ingredient, is commonly used in lower-end dog foods because of its low cost to weight ratio. Pet parents can avoid aflatoxins by switching to a higher quality, grain-free dog food.

Aflatoxin poisoning in pets can result in lethargy, reluctance to eating, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, and/or diarrhea. If your dog currently eats Hy-Vee brand food and is experiencing any of the above symptoms, discontinue feeding immediately and take your dog to the veterinarian.

Because many dog food manufacturers use corn from the same farms and processors in their food, we are expecting that many other corn-based dog foods may be recalled in the near future. If your dog is eating a corn-based food, monitor his activity levels and keep an eye out for symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning. If possible, find a higher quality, meat-based food instead.

Hy-Vee Stores released the following notice to consumers:

Hy-Vee issues voluntary recall of certain dog food products
Routine testing identifies higher-than-normal contaminant levels in select products

WEST DES MOINES, IA – Hy-Vee, Inc. today issued a voluntary recall of certain bags of Hy-Vee dog food due to elevated levels of a chemical contaminant commonly found in corn.

Routine random tests conducted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture indicated higher-than-normal levels of aflatoxin in some samples of Hy-Vee dog food produced at a Kansas City plant operated by Pro-Pet, LLC.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring by-product from the growth of Aspergillus flavus and can be harmful to pets if consumed in significant quantities.  Pets which have consumed this product and exhibit symptoms of illness including sluggishness or lethargy combined with a reluctance to eat, vomiting, yellowish tint to the eyes or gums, or diarrhea should consultant a veterinarian.

The recalled products carry three different “Best By” dates and 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.

The following products are subject to the recall:

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 34-lb.
UPC:  07545005647
Lot # ending with:    29812KC
“Best By” Date:    11/24/13

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 8-lb
UPC: 07545005667
Lot # ending with:    29812KC
“Best By” Date:    11/24/13

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC: 07545005665
Lot # ending with:    29812KC
“Best By” Date:    11/24/13

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Complete Nutrition (Green Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC: 07545005665
Lot # ending with:    29912KC
“Best By” Date:    11/25/13

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Bites, Bones & Squares (Yellow Bag) – 20-lb.
UPC: 07545005680
Lot # ending with:    29312KC
“Best By” Date:    11/19/13

Hy-Vee Complete Dog – Bites, Bones & Squares (Yellow Bag) – 4.4-lb.
UPC: 07545005560
Lot # ending with:    29312KC
“Best By” Date:    11/19/13

The recall is limited to the products, sizes and code dates listed above. No other Hy-Vee dog food products or code dates are affected by the recall.

Customers are urged to check the “Best By” dates on any product they have at home and refrain from feeding any of the recalled products to their pets. Any bags of Hy-Vee dog food subject to the recall, whether opened or unopened, may be returned to Hy-Vee stores for a full refund.

Hy-Vee officials emphasized the recall is voluntary and only conducted as a precautionary measure. No illnesses have been reported in dogs consuming the product, and the product does not pose a health risk to humans handling it. Hy-Vee officials have also removed all potentially affected products from Hy-Vee stores.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 800-289-8343. This number is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST.

Keep your eyes open for more recall alerts to be announced in the future - we have a feeling that there will be a lot more to add to this list within the next few months. 

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws