Thursday, July 9, 2015

Stella & Chewy's Recall of Poultry Freeze-Dried Patties

This week, it was reported  that a great pet food company Stella & Chewys has issued a voluntary recall of some of their foods as a safety precaution.  Unfortunately, these things can happen to even the best companies. The list contains mostly poultry versions, which due to the high occurrence of allergies in dogs, we do not generally recommend. We still think using Stella and Chewy’s rabbit and/or venison verisons are a great healthy option for pets. For the safety of you and your pet, always use safe handling procedures. Wash your hands well before and after handling the food, and disinfect the preparation area and dishes/ utensils. 
Here is their press release with the lots being recalled:
Stella & Chewy’s is voluntarily recalling some of its products due to concerns of a possible presence of Listeria Monocytogenes. The recall was prompted by a positive test confirming Listeria monocytogenes in Chewy’s Chicken Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties for Dogs, 15 ounce, Lot #111–15, during routine surveillance testing by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. There have been no reported pet or human illnesses associated with this recall.
Listeria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Retailers and consumers can find the full product recall list at http://www.stellaandchewys.com/stella-chewys-recall-notice/Consumers should look at the lot numbers and UPC codes printed on the bag to determine if it’s subject to the recall. People who have purchased these products are instructed to dispose of the food or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Monday, July 6, 2015

What To Do If You See a Pet Locked in a Car

Summer is in full swing, and with it comes certain dangers for your pets. We recently came across this article titled “Here’s What To Do When You See an Animal Trapped in a Hot Car" on One Green Plant website.  Leaving a pet in a locked car can have potentially deadly consequences.  As the article states, the temperature can reach 160 degrees (inside a locked car) on a hot day and a pet can suffer from heatstroke in a matter of minutes. Symptoms of heatstroke includes; restlessness, excessive thirst, thick saliva, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, rapid heartbeat, fever, and vomiting.  If the dog shows any of these signs it is important to get them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. The article lists the steps that can be taken, if you come upon a pet locked in car.
1. Write down the car’s make, model, and license plate number
2. Find an authority figure nearby
3. If no officer is nearby, call the police
4. If the police are slow to respond, contact animal control
5. Watch for signs of distress in the animal
     6. If Authorities still haven’t responded, try opening the door*
        *know the laws in your community, pertaining to pets being left in cars.
The entire article can be found here

Dogs Run For Their Lives on July 4th

July 4th aftermath. Pictured is a neighbor's deaf white husky playing with our dog Legend. The dog is neglected and stays at our home for extra TLC whenever we are given permission by the owner. He looks so happy here but not on July 4th. There were 2 beautiful July 4th shows near our home and he was inconsolable, panting, pacing and terrified. As soon as the fireworks started, even though he was inside the house, he ran to the front door and tore the screen, frantically trying to run. The dogs don't know where to run, they are just afraid they "run for their lives". What is amazing is that he is deaf but the vibrations of the booms must affect him. Legend did not have an issue at all. Some dogs are more afraid than others.  Many dogs will run and run not knowing where they are going just to try to escape the scary noise.  Many pets are now at the shelters awaiting pickup so please, if your animal is missing, head to the shelter right away.