VetLocator.com Pet Health Alert for September 13, 2008
Mars Petcare, with brand names that include Pedigree, issued a
voluntary recall for pet food produced at its plant in Everson, PA due
to the potential for salmonella poisoning. Some of the food may be a
retail store brand.
Here
is the official release from the FDA. Near the bottom of the release
is the specific information to look for to see if you have any of the
recalled food:
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
-- Fanklin, Tennessee -- September 12, 2008 -- Today, Mars Petcare US
announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson,
Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled
because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotypeSchwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States.
Salmonella
can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, if there is cross
contamination caused by handling of the pet food, in people as well,
especially children, the aged, and people with compromised immune
systems. Healthy people potentially infected with Salmonella
should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms:
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and
fever. On rare occasions, 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. Animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms
and can potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has
consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact
your veterinarian.
The company
stopped production at the Everson facility on July 29, 2008 when it was
alerted of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant
and two isolated cases of people infected with Salmonella Schwarzengrund.
Even
though no direct link between product produced at Everson and human or
pet illness has been made, Mars Petcare US is taking precautionary
action to protect pets and their owners by announcing a voluntary
recall of all products produced at the Everson facility beginning
February 18, 2008 until July 29, 2008 when we stopped production.
The company is continuing to work collaboratively with the FDA to determine the nature and source of Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility. Since it has not yet identified the source of the Salmonella Schwarzengrund
at the Everson facility, Mars Petcare US does not plan to resume
production out of a commitment to the safety of our pet owners and
their pets, customers, and associates.
The
top priority of Mars Petcare US has always been and continues to be the
health and welfare of pets and their owners. Consumers can continue to
have confidence in the quality and safety of the products produced at
other Mars Petcare US facilities. Only those products which were
produced at the Everson facility are impacted by the voluntary recall.
Many
of the brands involved in the recall are national brands produced at
multiple facilities. A chart for all products is below. For example,
PEDIGREE® is manufactured in numerous facilities throughout the
country, and Everson represents a very small portion of the
manufacturing base – 2.7 percent of total PEDIGREE® production.
Mars
Petcare US will work with retail customers to ensure that the recalled
products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or
fed to pets. In the event that consumers believe they have purchased
products affected by this voluntary recall, they should return the
product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund.
Specific product details and other information can be found at www.petcare.mars.com
Please find recalled pet food UPC information below.
The products listed below are made at our Everson facility on behalf of
a variety of retailers. All code dates, with the exception of
PEDIGREE®, are listed in a similar format as noted below:
Consumers should look for “17” as the first two digits of the second line. Sample:
Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1
For PEDIGREE® the Everson code date format is as follows:
Consumers should look for “PAE” on the bottom line – the sixth, seventh and eighth digits. Sample:
PEDIGREE ® Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00
In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella
from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that
everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding
their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html
Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.mars.com.
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Infection
with the Salmonella bacteria produces an illness called salmonellosis.
According to the CDC, most infected people develop diarrhea, fever, and
abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours. The illness typically lasts
four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. But, for
some, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized.
In these patients, the infection can spread from the intestines to the
blood stream, and then to other parts of the body, leading to death
unless antibiotics are administered promptly. The elderly, infants, and
those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe
illness.
Because
dog food has such a long shelf life, there might be some of this dog
food still on shelves or in people's homes. As a precaution, take the
following steps to avoid possible salmonella contamination:
- Wash your hands right after you handle any dry dog food, any other pet food, pet treats, even supplements or vitamins
- Keep
infants and other young children away from pet food. Kids tend to want
to see what their dogs are eating and grab at the pet food and play
with it or even put it in their mouth.
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