Recall of pet food expands to several brands including Taste of the Wild
flickr photo by waferboard
Information regarding additional dog food brands has been updated.
The wake of Diamond Pet Foods' troubles is increasing by the week, it seems, because of Salmonella contamination, and today brought the inclusion of more brands in yet another voluntary recall.
The company, in a statement on their website, noted the following to consumers:
Although none of the products being recalled have tested positive for Salmonella, the company is pulling them from store shelves as a precaution. Diamond Pet Foods is coordinating efforts with federal and state health and regulatory agencies but decided to independently expand the recall to ensure the safety and well-being of customers and their pets.
A total of 16 states, including Michigan are part of a wide-reaching recall that has to date, according to the company, not sickened any pets.
In early April, there were three separate recalls issued for specific brands of dog food made by Diamond that did test positive for the bacteria.
The current voluntary recall has been so vast, that the company has had to create a separate website in an attempt to answer consumer questions and clarify the brands and products in question.
Previously, production and delivery of product from their Gaston, S.C. plant had been suspended. It has since resumed.
The company has indicated that the following brands are under scrutiny with regard to possible Salmonella contamination:
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
- Country Value
- Diamond
- Diamond Naturals
- Premium Edge
- Professional
- 4Health
- Taste of the Wild
- Kirkland
- Apex
- Solid Gold
- Natural Balance
- Wellness
Canidae, which is also manufactured at the facility has also issued their own voluntary recall on some formulas of dog food that include specific production codes:
- CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, All Life Stages
- CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, Chicken Meal & Rice
- CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, Lamb Meal & Rice
- CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, CANIDAE Platinum
Salmonella, also referred to as salmonellosis, causes digestive problems, and dogs will typically present with fever, diarrhea, vomiting and weakness. Other symptoms can occur.
Salmonella is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be passed to humans as well, so care needs to be taken. Hand washing is a must — even when handling dry pet food that may be contaminated with the bacteria.
Because there are more than 2,000 strains of Salmonella, it's the most common cause behind pet product recalls. Very young and very old pets are most susceptible to the bacteria and suffer the effects most profoundly. The most common symptoms associated with Salmonella are vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Companion animals presenting with symptoms are treated with IV fluids and antibiotics.
That being said, Salmonella can affect other animals — not just the dogs who consume the food. There is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling dry pet food and/or treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the kibble or any surfaces exposed to any contaminated product.
The Wall Street Journal reported via the Associated Press that 14 people have been sickened by the bacteria in recent weeks.
"People who became ill, the thing that was common among them was that they had fed their pets Diamond Pet Foods," said CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell.
If you feed your pet one the the listed brands, you can easily tell if the bag in your possession is affected. Here's how: The affected products contain a “2” or “3” in the ninth or 10th position AND an “X” in the 11th position. The best-before dates for the recalled brands listed above are December 9, 2012 through April 7, 2013.
Diamond states that only four bags of food have tested positive for Salmonella out of nearly 6 million bags produced during the recall time period and that a thorough internal investigation was conducted of all systems and processes at their production plant and have taken corrective action.
For contact information and specific answers to your questions regarding this issue, go to diamondpetrecall.com
You can count on AnnArbor.com to have up-to-date information on pet product related recalls available. Search our archives of previous recalls here.
Lorrie Shaw is lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.
Comments
jns131
Tue, May 8, 2012 : 2:17 p.m.
I am totally surprised not to see Old Yeller and IAM"S not on the list, again. As I have been saying all along? Hills Science Diet is the only one that has yet to get recalled. As I tell everyone? Make sure the food is not made from China. Lets keep our pets safe.
Lorrie Shaw
Wed, May 9, 2012 : 3:02 p.m.
jns131: The brands that have been included in the recalls have been produced by one facility, and as has been discovered in recent days, the reason for the urgency is that the strain of Salmonella that has been implicated is a a rare one: Salmonella infantis. This should not be construed with the problem associated with the recall that took place in 2007, where pet food ingredients were found to be adulterated with melamine and imported from China, and the current mystery with chicken jerky treats imported from China.
Dog Guy
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 1:58 p.m.
Having lived on equine Alpo burgers and Alpo pizza through my college years, I take such contamination personally. Considering the large number of animals waiting in shelters, not adequately testing pet foods is unacceptable.
jscd91
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 1:25 p.m.
What I don't understand is that the article says that the company stated no products being listed for recall have tested positive for salmonella, but then the bottom of the article says that Diamond has stated only four bags of food have tested positive. Which is it?
Lorrie Shaw
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
To clarify, jscd91, the bags found to be positive for Salmonella were randomly tested by company QC departments, and were not found in the stream of shipped bags to distributors and then purchased by consumers. This story is evolving day by day, and we'll post any new information as it becomes available. Thanks for your question!
G. Orwell
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 1:10 p.m.
Another reason to buy local fresh produce and meats. And less processed foods. It is shocking what is put in our foods. Good diet alone will reduce medical bills.
Terrin
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 3:15 a.m.
Dog food is unregulated by the government. That should be all you need to know. The only reason it is being recalled is because of the pet owners getting sick from handling the food. I cook my dog food in the crock pot using meat from places like Hillers, Whole Foods, and Arbor Farms. It doesn't cost much more, but my dog is worth it.
Cheryl Weber
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 1:47 a.m.
The only CANIDAE products subject to this recall are as follows. No canned products, cat food products or treats are being recalled. Only a limited production run of these dry dog foods products manufactured in the Diamond South Carolina facility from December 9, 2011, through January 31, 2012 are being recalled: • CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, All Life Stages • CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, Chicken Meal & Rice • CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, Lamb Meal & Rice • CANIDAE Dog Dry Dog Food, CANIDAE Platinum Only CANIDAE dry dog food formulas with production codes that must have BOTH a number "3" in the 9th position AND an "X" in the 10th or 11th position with best before dates of December 9, 2012, through January 31, 2013 are being voluntarily recalled. On the Canidae web-site is an example of how to read the production code and best before date:
Lorrie Shaw
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 2:10 a.m.
Thanks, Cheryl - there is a link provided to the Canidae site in the text. I appreciate you chiming in!
lagenii
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
Unfortunately, I believe both my dog and me got sick due to the contaminated TOTW I bought recently. I have to give credit to my retailer wag.com though, they emailed me to warn me about the possibility that the food I bought from them may be recalled and they pulled the entire line off their site. (That's what I call being responsible!) I was not aware of the recall until I saw their email and when I checked, sure enough, I got two if not three bags of TOTW being recalled. No wonder my dog has been having diarrhea since I began mixing TOTW to his current food, he never had problem switching to new food mixing or not. And I got pretty sick for two weeks and now I know why... Here's the question, the reason I said two if not three is that I saw different information on Diamond's recall site and the info on the public news channel, Diamond says 2 or 3 on the 9th digit but new channel says 2 or 3 on the 9th or 10th digit, I have one bag that has 3 on the 10 digit, does anybody know if that is being recalled too?
Lorrie Shaw
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 2:19 a.m.
lagenii: Oh, I am so sorry to hear about the illnesses of you and your dog. How are you feeling? How long ago did it happen? Here is the info directly from the TOTW site. (Sometimes news channels give incorrect info... it happens.): "To determine if their pet food is recalled, consumers should check the production code on their bag. If the code has a "2" or "3" in the 9th position AND an "X" in the 10th or 11th position, the product is affected by the recall. The best-before dates for the recalled products are December 9, 2012 through April 7, 2013." If any more info becomes available, be assured that you can find it here on the AnnArbor.com pets section. Thanks for asking that question!
johnnya2
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 7:46 p.m.
A couple of things to note 1. Raw food diets are the best for animals, unless they are in compromised health 2. In reading this article it says PEOPLE were made sick, but no animals. Dogs (and cats) can digest salmonella (and e Coli and other bacteria) much easier than humans because they have shorter digestive systems. Dogs in the wild eat animals and this is not a problem. The issue becomes when humans screw with what is their natural diet for convenience (kibble)
ArgoC
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 5:24 p.m.
It's odd how people bring up the health of "dogs in the wild" so much. In my experience, "dogs in the wild" are full of parasites and illness, and have a lower-than-normal life expectancy. Johnnya2, where is your data? That site you quote is wacky.
Lorrie Shaw
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 2:07 a.m.
johnnya2, I'm pretty well-versed in the raw diet movement, & I can tell you that this site that you provided concerns me a bit. Who created this site, & what are their credentials? This site is like a lot of others; it really doesn't offer enough in the way of real hands-on mentoring when it comes to a pet owner getting started on a raw diet. If it's one thing that holistic professionals have told me, it's that real education is key, one-on-one mentoring & knowing where one gets their meat from to ensure its quality/safety. I hear the "dog in the wild" argument frequently with regard to feeding (&, yes, behavior) & I have yet to find any lay person who can come up with hands-on experience of their own to support how wild dogs - if they've really encountered any - eat today on their own, & how healthy they really are. I always look for hard facts, not opinions, or who's got a book deal or the latest trends. Please understand that I'm not trying to pick a fight; this is a serious issue that comes up when discussing the original topic & with today's ability to gain information - accurate or not - is easy. Having correct information is crucial. It's likely that with the 2,000 + strains of Salmonella out there (some that are antibiotic resistant), there are some dogs sick from the pet food in question. How many people do you know that call their vet at the first sign of a loose stool/vomiting? If it continues, sure - but in some cases, it runs its course in healthy animals, it just depends. As far as humans, we're very likely to realize that there is something amiss when we have more than run-of-the-mill tummy trouble, right? It's especially true with certain demographics of people. It doesn't happen as often in humans (as opposed to dogs & it gets brushed off at times unless things become quite serious). We don't know the history of people that were referenced in the AP article. Were they immuno-suppressed? Kids? Elderly? Thanks
johnnya2
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 12:02 a.m.
Lorrie, I must respectfully disagree about the jury being out on raw diets. Dogs and cats have been around longer than Purina or any commercial brand food. Dogs and cats in the wild survive on diets that never get cooked or canned. I will agree that a sudden shift to a raw diet is not the way to go without doing a LOT of research. I would say that is the case with humans as well. I would suggest looking here to see what thousands of years of evolution has to say about the research needed. http://rawfed.com/myths/ The interesting part of all this hype is that is it PEOPLE who are getting sick from the salmonella. There is no associated case with the dog. Could it be one species is set up through evolution to handle uncooked meat, while the other is not so much.
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
johnnya2: The truth is when it comes to Salmonella, animals and humans can get sick from ingesting the bacteria, and are affected by it just the same. Sorry... Salmonella doesn't discern between humans and pets! An Ann Arbor-based veterinarian explains more here, including the whole-goose-poop-and-wild/dead animal thing: http://www.annarbor.com/pets/fdas-center-for-veterinary-medicine-has-new-strategic-plan-in-place-for-protecting-pet-human-health/ As for raw diets, the jury is still out on that. Raw diets, both made at home and popular brands, can and have been affected by contamination by pathogens: http://www.annarbor.com/pets/raw-pet-food-primal-recall-cat-feline-fda-voluntary-chicken-salmon/ A false sense of security based on the fact that raw diets have somehow escaped the wrath of recalls is dangerous. If one is going to feed a raw diet, you *really* need to understand what you're doing and have quality ingredients that are fed in the right amounts and such. Further, the dietary needs of a cat and a dog differ greatly. Those things aren't always taken into consideration. Thanks for weighing in!
bunnyabbot
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 7 p.m.
your post didn't offer all the info out there regarding this! one article I found (sure there are others): http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/05/salmonella-in-dog-food-sickens-14-people-in-us/?test=latestnews this shows kirkland as a brand (isn't that the costco brand?)
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 9:09 p.m.
bunnyabbot: The info that we reported was confirmed on the Diamond Pet Recall website (that has not been updated), but we've added Apex and Kirkland to the list (found at Costco) as the Associated Press has indicated that those two brands are included. Thanks again for interacting with regard to this very important issue. We appreciate it!
bunnyabbot
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 6:55 p.m.
Dog food recalls are scarry, this story along with all those chicken dog treats (from China) that happened of late I now don't trust processed dog food. Recently my dog started vomiting his normally fine dog food which he has ate exclusively for several years, after him puking a meal every other day for about two weeks I switched him to "people food", rice and egg or steamed chicken breast to settle his stomach, I eased him back on to the dog food after about two weeks and he immediately started loosing his dinner, I have now decided to completely avoid "dog food" and he has been back on rice with egg or chicken breast. His stools have returned to normal but I am still searching for homemade food that will have the nutrients he needs that will keep him from upchucking and living without above normal amounts of gas or the runnies. He is a large dog and stories of big dogs stomachs "flipping" flip me out :(
Philip Santini
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
In my last line IO meant 'nutritional supplements.'
Philip Santini
Sun, May 6, 2012 : 5:48 p.m.
I highly recommend Karen Becker DVM and Beth Taylor's book 'Real Food for Healthy Dogs & Cats-Simple homemade food' I have been using a close variation of this homemade diet for my shelites for the past year and have had great results. Keep in mind that one of the worst diets for both cats and dogs is a homemade diet that lacks balanced proteins and required nutritional diets.
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 9:03 p.m.
bunnyabbot: Sorry to hear about your pet's trouble - that's awful! I can relate to how distressing it is when a pet becomes ill. I just had a client experience some serious digestive issues this past week which called for my taking them to the vet. Thankfully, they sorted everything out and dictated a strict RX diet for a couple of days, along with some anti-nausea meds to get things back in order. I do have to state that as a rule, if a pet's health suddenly changes - especially digestive issues - it's best to have a clinician check them out *immediately*. That's for one important reason: It could very well be the batch of food that you're feeding them. Your veterinarian needs to be involved in ascertaining what is going on, because the illness could be widespread and your pet's illness could provide clues to a bigger piece of the puzzle. Pet owners and clinicians are a huge part of pet food recalls. Here's more information to support that stance. http://www.annarbor.com/pets/the-process-of-a-pet-food-recall-the-role-of-consumers-and-companies/ As for the problem of a dog's stomach "flipping", yes, it does happen. However, bloat or gastric dilation and volvulus syndrome (GDV) is more likely to be caused by ingesting excessive amounts of food or water, delayed emptying of the gastrointestinal system, and too much activity after eating. (The latter is a common reason.) I haven't heard of specific foods, nor inadequate nutrition causing GDV. Here's a link: http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_gastric_dilation_volvulus_syndrome#.T6WUR1JCnKR Thanks for raising that concern, and I hope that your pup finds a happy medium where diet is concerned. Best wishes!
justcurious
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 5:46 p.m.
Can't go wrong with good old Purina brands. My dogs have done fine of it ever since I started having dogs. To my knowledge it hasn't had the recalls in the past - even when Iam's did. No need to pay an arm and a leg for decent dog food in my opinion. Oh, they also get 1/5 of a can of Firskies pate every day! Have to split the can between 3 dogs and 2 cats. :)
justcurious
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.
Thanks Lori for the cat food recall info. We feed our cats plain old Meow Mix. Not fond of the dye in it but Haley is 17 going on 18 and likes it fine.
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 7:08 p.m.
justcurious: I'm so glad that your pets are doing so well! I have had several clients on Purina and brands like it who have lived long, healthy lives. In some cases, though, pets need to be on what was considered to be a prescription diet years ago, but is now largely mainstream: grain-free. These do tend to be more expensive because of more because of the ingredients, which tend to be more costly. My Gretchen is one of them. Nestle Purina Petcare Company has had their hat thrown in the recall ring, unfortunately, last summer: http://www.annarbor.com/pets/pet-food-recall-nestle-cat-dry-animal-fda-kibble/ http://www.annarbor.com/pets/cat-food-recall-purina-one-july-2011-feline-salmonella-michigan-fda/ I always say, "You know your pet better than anyone", and it sounds as though you really have a good handle in knowing what works for your pets best. Keep up the good work, and thanks for taking the time to chime in.
RunsWithScissors
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 1:09 p.m.
Ah shucks. This explains why I had difficulty finding large bags of TOTW last week. My dog may be a garbage gut when he's out roaming the fields but when it comes to processed dog food he's got a sensitive system. I may have to switch back to home-cooked dog food. Kudos to Diamond for the voluntary recall.
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 7:10 p.m.
mc244: I bought the same one, too and out production code and sku is on the safe list. TOTW is very popular - it's less expensive than other grain-free brands and we've always been pleased with the quality of the product.
mc244
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 5:06 p.m.
We bought a bag of the Pacific Stream flavor at Wags to Whiskers a week ago and the barcode is okay. Maybe try there?
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 1:36 p.m.
RunsWithScissors: Our family can relate to sensitive systems. Gretchen has had the problem since she was a pup. We feed TOTW too, and just bought a bag a couple of days ago. I agree - kudos to Diamond for coming forth with a voluntary recall.
KathrynHahn
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 9 a.m.
•Taste of the Wild Any specific flavors, or the whole brand overall?
Lorrie Shaw
Sat, May 5, 2012 : 12:08 p.m.
Kathryn, As I understand it, the recall applies to each formula of TOTW. Thanks for asking. It does seem a bit broad and confusing.