There was an update to a recent dog food recall.  While this food was marketed in Louisiana and not in Virginia, my concern is for any families that may have recently traveled there for the holidays.

Please contact us with any concerns.
Updated New Release With Corrected Lot Numbers
Petrus Feed And Seed Stores, Inc. Recalls Its 21% Dog FoodContact:
Consumer/Media 
318-443-2259

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 14, 2011 - Petrus Feed and Seed Stores, Inc. today announced a voluntary recall of its dry dog food – 21% Protein Dog Food in 40 lb Petrus Feed bags. The product is being recalled because the product was manufactured with corn which tested above acceptable levels for Aflatoxin. The affected products were manufactured at Cargill’s manufacturing facility located in LeCompte, Louisiana between December 1, 2010 and December 1, 2011.

The recall only applies 21% Dog Food, packaged in 40 lb Petrus Feed bags with the following packaging Date codes (lot numbers) 4K1011 through 4K1307. Updated lot numbers are 4K1011 through 4K1335.

The affected dry dog food was distributed in Petrus Feed and Seed in Alexandria, Louisiana.

While no adverse health effects related to these products have been reported, Petrus Feed and Seed Store, Inc. is implementing this recall as a precautionary measure. Consumers are urged to return affected products – whether in opened or unopened packages – to their place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact 318-443-2259, Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM and Saturday, 7:30 AM – 1:00 PM.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring mold by-product. Pets that have consumed any of the above recalled products 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 be seen by a veterinarian.

Add Comment
 
 

If you are planning on taking a trip with your pet for the holidays (or any other time), we can be of assistance.

If your pet is anxious in the car, barks, meows, throws up, or is otherwise uncomfortable, we can help you.

Should your trip be taking you out of the state or the country, we can complete the necessary Health Certificates.  Remember, when traveling by air, you must book your pet's travel arrangements in advance with the airline.  At the airport be prepared to have to take your pet out of their carrier for security checks.  It is a good idea to bring a small bowl for water and a Ziploc bag of food in case of an unexpected delay.

When traveling we also recommend having your pet microchipped.  In the event your pet would ever get lost, this microchip is a permanent form of identification.  All shelters and vet clinics have microchip scanners, and we've united several lost pets who were microchipped.  

Contact us if you have any questions.

Happy Holidays from Dr. Silverstone and the Staff of Animal Care Clinic.

I'd like to share with you some holiday travel tips from the ASPCA.
 For some pet parents, a trip's no fun if the four-legged members of the family can't come. But traveling can be highly stressful, both for you and your animal companions. With thoughtful preparation, you can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone.

Planning a road trip? Traveling with a pet involves more than just loading the animal in the back seat and motoring off—especially if you will be driving long distances or plan to be away for a long time. The ASPCA offers the following tips to help you prepare for a safe and smooth car trip:

  1. Keep your pets safe and secure in a well-ventilated crate or carrier. There are a variety of wire mesh, hard plastic and soft-sided carriers available. Whatever you choose, make sure it's large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around in. And P.S., it's smart to get your pet used to the carrier in the comfort of your home before your trip. 

  2. Get your pet geared up for a long trip by taking him on a series of short drives first, gradually lengthening time spent in the car. And please be sure to always secure the crate so it won't slide or shift in the event of a quick stop. 

  3. Your pet's travel-feeding schedule should start with a light meal three to four hours prior to departure. Don't feed your furry friend in a moving vehicle—even if it is a long drive. 

  4. Never leave your animal alone in a parked vehicle. On a hot day, even with the windows open, a parked automobile can become a furnace in no time, and heatstroke can develop. In cold weather, a car can act as a refrigerator, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. 

  5. What in your pet's traveling kit? In addition to travel papers, food, bowl, leash, a waste scoop, plastic bags, grooming supplies, medication and a pet first-aid kit, pack a favorite toy or pillow to give your pet a sense of familiarity. 

  6. Make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and wears a collar with a tag imprinted with your home address, as well as a temporary travel tag with your cell phone, destination phone number and any other relevant contact information. Canines should wear flat (never choke!) collars, please. 

  7. Don't allow your pet to ride with his head outside the window. He could be injured by flying objects. And please keep him in the back seat in his crate or with a harness attached to a seat buckle. 

  8. Traveling across state lines? Bring along your pet's rabies vaccination record, as some states requires this proof at certain interstate crossings. While this generally isn't a problem, it's always smart to be on the safe side. 

  9. When it comes to H2O, we say BYO. Opt for bottled water or tap water stored in plastic jugs. Drinking water from an area he's not used to could result in tummy upset for your pet. 

  10. If you travel frequently with your pet, you may want to invest in rubberized floor liners and waterproof seat covers, available at auto product retailers.

Air Travel Tips

Top 10 Tips for Safe Air Travel with Your Pet   Traveling can be highly stressful, both for you and the four-legged members of your family. But with thoughtful preparation, you can ensure a safe and comfortable trip for everyone.

The ASPCA urges pet owners to think twice about flying their pets on commercial airlines, especially if they plan on checking them in as cargo.

Unless your animal is small enough to fit under your seat and you can bring him or her in the cabin, the ASPCA recommends pet owners to not fly their animal. If pet owners have already committed to transporting their pets on commercial airlines, the ASPCA is offering the following top ten tips for safe air travel with your pet:

  1. Make an appointment with your pet's veterinarian for a checkup, and make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date. Obtain a health certificate from your veterinarian dated within 10 days of departure. For travel outside of the continental United States, additional planning and health care requirements may be necessary. Contact the foreign office of the country you are traveling to for more information. 

  2. Make sure your pet has a microchip for identification and is wearing a collar and ID tag. Breakaway collars are best for cats. The collar should also include destination information in case your pet escapes. 

  3. Book a direct flight whenever possible. This will decrease the chances that your pet is left on the tarmac during extreme weather conditions or mishandled by baggage personnel. 

  4. Purchase a USDA-approved shipping crate that is large enough for your pet to stand, sit and turn around in comfortably. Shipping crates can be purchased from many pet supply stores and airlines. 

  5. Write the words "Live Animal" in letters at least one inch tall on top of and at least one side of the crate. Use arrows to prominently indicate the upright position of the crate. On the top of the crate, write the name, address and telephone number of your pet's destination point, and whether you will be accompanying him or if someone else is picking him up. Make sure that the door is securely closed, but not locked, so that airline personnel can open it in case of an emergency. Line the crate bottom with some type of bedding; shredded paper or towels; to absorb accidents. 

  6. Affix a current photograph of your pet to the top of the crate for identification purposes. Should your pet escape from the carrier, this could be a lifesaver. You should also carry a photograph of your pet. 

  7. The night before you leave, make sure you've frozen a small dish or tray of water for your pet. This way, it can't spill during loading, and will melt by the time s/he's thirsty. Tape a small pouch, preferably cloth, of dried food outside the crate. Airline personnel will be able to feed your pet in case he gets hungry on long-distance flights or a layover.
  8. Tranquilizing your pet is generally not recommended, as it could hamper his breathing. Check with your veterinarian first. 

  9. Tell every airline employee you encounter, on the ground and in the air, that you are traveling with a pet in the cargo hold. This way, they'll be ready if any additional considerations or attention is needed. 

  10. If the plane is delayed, or if you have any concerns about the welfare of your pet, insist that airline personnel check the animal whenever feasible. In certain situations, removing the animal from the cargo hold and deplaneing may be warranted.
rdtrip_edu.pdf
File Size: 1240 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Add Comment
 
 
Please review this urgent recall regarding Iams dog food.  If you have any questions or are concerned 

|MoreRECALLSRecall: Iams dry dog food—unacceptable levels of the toxin AflatoxinDec 6, 2011 2:30 PMOne lot of P&G's Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy dry dog food is being recalled due to high levels of a naturally-occurring toxin that can sicken pets, Proctor & Gamble and the U.S. Food and Drug administration announced today.

According to the FDA, the recalled dog food was distributed to specific retailers in the following states: AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SC, VA. The specific retailers are not named in the recall notice, but the FDA does say that it is a limited number. It is also unclear how many bags of Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy dog food is included in one lot.

The FDA reports, however, that retailers have removed the affected dog food from store shelves, and that no health effects related to this recall have been reported. No other dry or canned dog and cat food (or dog and cat biscuits, treats or supplements), are affected by this recall.

The recalled dog food has a use by or expiration date of either February 5 or February 6, 2013, and includes the following specific products:

SizeCode DateUPC Code

7.0 lb bag12784177I619014023058.0 lb bag12794177D2
12794177D3190141020817.5 lb bag12794177K1
12794177K21901401848The toxin, 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 be seen by a veterinarian.

Consumers who purchased the recalled Iams dry dog food should stop using it and throw it away. Consumers can also contact Iams at the number below for a voucher toward a replacement bag of dog food. For more information, or a product replacement or refund call P&G at 866-908-1569, or visit www.iams.com.

P&G Voluntarily Recalls One Production Lot of Dry Dog Food [US FDA]

—Maggie Shader


Add Comment
 
 
We will be featuring cases of common pet ailments on our blog.  Rest assured, we’ve asked our client’s permission prior to featuring their case and we will protect their identity. 

Princess is a 12 year old cat that came to us for vomiting.  After going over with her owner what had been happening we performed a thorough examination.  We first ruled out any intestinal parasites (worms) as the cause of her throwing up.  Since she was an older cat, we decided to perform a quick blood screen on her.  With a few drops of blood we were able to obtain a complete picture of how well her liver, kidneys, and thyroid gland were working.

In her case we discovered that Princess had a common condition of making to much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroid).  We then discussed treatment options for Princess.  Recently a new prescription diet was introduced for treating feline hyperthyroid.  We elected to start Princess on this diet, call Y/D by Hills Science Diet.  So far Princess has been doing great.  She will still need regular blood tests to make sure the diet is treating her condition adequately, but she will not need any other daily medications.

I’m now going to take a step back and discuss the diagnosis and treatment options of hyperthyroid in cats.  The thyroid gland drives our body’s metabolism.  In other words, it revs our engine.  Cats are prone to producing too much thyroid as they get older.  The condition can go undetected for many years.  Most recently we’ve started recommending a quick blood screen for all cats over the age of five year.  We can do this test in a matter of minutes in our hospital.

Cats with hyperthyroid will often begin to shed excessively.  They will start to eat more and more voraciously, and often throw up.  They will drink more water and urinate more often.  They may seem agitated and behave differently.  When we examine any cat we look for other changes that might give us clues to this condition.  We listen for an elevated heart rate.  We palpate along the bottom of the neck (Adam’s apple) to feel for swelling.  We also check the eyes for signs of hypertension and if needed we can do blood pressure checking.  While there are other conditions that can cause these same signs, we look at the patient as a whole and decide if we need to blood test.

Once we’ve diagnosed the condition with a blood test, we have three treatment options.  Daily medication, surgery, a special treatment with Iodine, and now we have the Y/D diet.  All the treatments have their pros and cons and have various costs.  Fortunately the cost of the diet is very similar to that of the daily medication and regular diet.  Many cats are not easy to medicate, so the diet also brings the convenience of just being able to treat your cat with food alone.  Regardless which treatment has been chosen, there is still close monitoring of your cats blood chemistry values and urinalysis that is required.

For cats that are already being treated for hyperthyroid, they can be transitioned for daily medication to the diet.  For families with more than one cat there are special considerations as well, but under the right circumstances the diet can be fed in a multi-cat household.

If you have a cat with hyperthyroid or if you just have an older cat that you’d like us to check out, please let us know.  Keep in mind, this diet is considered to be a prescription.  Your cat has to be a patient with us for us to dispense it.

Please contact us by phone 757-340-6996 to make an appointment if you wish to discuss any of your pet's medical concerns.

Dr. Silverstone

Here's a follow up on Princess.  She is doing great on the y/d diet.  Her hair coat is shinier.  She is not vomiting as frequently and she is gaining weight.  

Like all hyperthyroid patients, we will continue to monitor Princess' progress with routine checkups and testing.  This is done to ensure we are providing her with the safest treatment possible.
Picture
Click on the image for a link to Hill's y/d page.
Add Comment
 
 
The FDA recently released a serious health warning about chicken jerky treats, which I am posting below.  Please contact us if you have any concerns about your pet.  We can quickly test your pet if you believe your pet may have gotten one of the culprit treats.

FDA Continues to Caution Dog Owners About Chicken Jerky ProductsNovember 18, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is again cautioning consumers that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs. In the last 12 months, FDA has seen an increase in the number of complaints it received of dog illnesses associated with consumption of chicken jerky products imported from China. These complaints have been reported to FDA by dog owners and veterinarians.

FDA issued a cautionary warning regarding chicken jerky products to consumers in September 2007 and a Preliminary Animal Health Notification in December of 2008. After seeing the number of complaints received drop off during the latter part of 2009 and most of 2010, the FDA is once again seeing the number of complaints rise to the levels of concern that prompted release of our earlier warnings.

Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed occasionally in small quantities.

FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.

FDA, in addition to several animal health diagnostic laboratories in the U.S., is working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (VLRN) is now available to support these animal health diagnostic laboratories. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA continues extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified a contaminant.

The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem and its origin. Many of the illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in their state or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints.

Add Comment
 
 
Hi to all our current clients and new ones.  We will be utilizing this blog from time to time to provide important pet education information.  Please note, if your pet is sick or having an emergency, please call the clinic at 757 340 6996.  We are unable to provide patient information or recommendations via email or via online.
Add Comment
 
Stayed tuned 11/20/2011
 

Start blogging by creating a new post. You can edit or delete me by clicking under the comments. You can also customize your sidebar by dragging in elements from the top bar.
Add Comment