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 Happy Halloween!
Pet Food Recall
Emergency Preparedness
Halloween Safety Reminder
Welcome Lester and Leroy
Pet Food Recall
Mars Petcare announced a voluntary recall of pet food products on September 12th. The recall is due to a potential contamination of the pet food with Salmonella Schwarzengrund. Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats. Humans can be infected too through handling of the tainted pet food. Mars Petcare’s facility at Everson, Pennsylvania stopped production of pet foods on July 29, 2008 when it was alerted of a possible link between their product and two isolated cases of Salmonella in humans. Although there has been no confirmation of the link to their product, Mars Petcare is voluntarily recalling all products produced at their Everson plant from February 18, 2008 to the day they stopped production, July 29, 2008.
The recalled product brand names include:
Country Acres
Doggy Bag
Members Mark
Natural (Sam’s Club)
Ol’ Roy
Paws and Claws
Pedigree
Pet Pride
PMI Nutrition
Red Flannel
Retriever
Special Kitty
Wegman’s
A complete list of product names, sizes, and UPC codes can be found at www.petcare.mars.com. If you have a product that is on the list, look for a Production Lot Code, found on the back of the bag, just after the “Best Before” date. For all brands except Pedigree, the listing should look similar to this:
Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1
Product with 17 in the Production Lot Code number was made at the Everson facility and is on the recall list.
For the Pedigree Brand the code format will look similar to this:
PEDIGREE® Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00
The PAE in the sixth, seventh, and eighth digit positions indicate the product was made at the Everson facility and is on the recall list.
Mars has noted that the Pedigree brand pet food is manufactured in numerous facilities throughout the country and that the Everson facility makes only about 2.7% of total Pedigree production. So there is a lot of Pedigree pet food that will not be on the recall list.
If you find you have a product that is on the Mars Petcare recall list, return the product to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.
Signs of Salmonella infection
Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic, have diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain. Occasionally animals can be carriers with no visible symptoms but can infect other animals or humans. If your pet exhibits any of these signs, call your veterinarian immediately.
Salmonella infection in humans may cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Rarely, Salmonella infections can result in more serious conditions including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Call your doctor immediately if you suspect a Salmonella infection.
Prepare for Emergencies
 In mid-September this year a windstorm from the remnants of hurricane Ike, hit us here in Central Ohio causing major power outages and damage to many homes and businesses. Many area residents were without power for more than a week and some homes, damaged by falling trees, were made unlivable. The morning after the storm many of us were out looking for hardware stores that had power so we could buy flashlights, batteries, chain saws, emergency generators, etc. Luckily, there were areas with power but those stores quickly sold out of these badly needed supplies. The unexpected severity of this storm caught us off guard and made us think again about emergency preparedness.
We become so comfortable with our everyday lives that thoughts of what we would do in an emergency rarely even cross our minds. There are many websites that suggest what you should have in order to prepare, but skim over what we should prepare for our pets in case of an emergency. So we’re going to give you some information to get you started.
Preparing a Pet Emergency Kit
As is true with your household emergency kit, be sure to regularly review the contents of your pet emergency kit so foods and medicines will always be fresh.
Food
Keep at least three days of food in an airtight, waterproof container along with a bowl.
Water
Store at least three days worth of water for your pet. There is no need for another bowl as your pet’s food bowl can be used for water.
Medicine
Keep an extra supply of any medications that your pet takes regularly. Keep them in a waterproof container and make sure they are clearly marked with what they are and the expiration date.
Medical records
Keep an updated copy of your pet’s vaccine history in the emergency kit. And have a current photo of your pet marked on the back with sex, age, and any identifying features. Keep these items in a waterproof bag.
First Aid Kit
Most of the supplies that you keep in your family’s first aid kit can be used for your pet also. You may want to include at least one dose of heartworm preventive and flea control medications.
Collar and ID tag
Your pet should wear a collar with an ID tag at all times. We recommend keeping an extra collar (or harness) and leash in your emergency box and we highly recommend microchipping. Your pet will never lose this identification. (Once your pet has been microchipped and registered, be sure to keep the data current. Changes of address and/or phone numbers should be reported to the microchip company at your earliest convenience.)
Crate/Carrier
Have one for each pet. This will make evacuating, if necessary, much easier.
Sanitation
Keep paper towels and plastic bags with your emergency kit. If you have a cat, be sure to have a litter box, kitty litter, and a scooper in your emergency kit.
Familiar Items
Evacuating or living under circumstances that are out of the ordinary can be very stressful for your pet. Having something familiar could help your pet relax. Familiar toys, and beds or blankets could make all the difference.
Beyond your emergency supply box, you should set up a plan. Know what you are going to do in an emergency. Set up a buddy system with a neighbor or relative. Your buddy should know where your pet emergency kit, and crate or carrier are kept in case you are not home and the neighborhood has received an evacuation order. If you are moved to a shelter, there is a chance your pet will not be able to go with you. Mark the carrier or crate with your contact information and directions for medications for the animal evacuation team. Put this information in a waterproof bag and attach it securely to the outside of the crate.
It is also recommended that all family members have a planned meeting site. In case that location is unavailable, all family members should have a contact number of a friend or relative, out of the affected area, to check in with, thus letting the rest of the family know where they are. Also, report where your pet is if you know.
Early planning will increase the likelihood that you, your family, and your pets will survive a tornado, hurricane, winter storm, flood, fire, or terrorist attack. Stay informed – knowing in advance of the approach of threatening weather or other threat, will give you, your family, and your pets a better chance to get to a safe place together.
Halloween Safety Reminders
First, NO CANDY! Watch your pets around all those goodies; the temptation may just be too great. Use caution during Trick or Treat hours as frightened animals may bolt when the door is opened. Lit candles can be a pet hazard so watch them around the pumpkins too. If you decide to make Fido into a cowboy or Fluffy into a clown, make sure they are OK with the costume. It can be very stressful for an unwilling pet.
 Welcome Leroy and Lester
 A couple of months ago we welcomed our new hospital cat, Carly. Well, Carly turned out to not have the right personality for the job. She was adopted by a client and is working out well in her new home. About a month ago, we adopted two new hospital kitties, Leroy and Lester. So far, so good. Next time you are in look for our two new mascots.
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