March 2018 – Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog

Recalls – What Do I Need to Do If My Pet’s Food is Recalled?

The information you will need when you learn of a recall includes:

The specific brand name and formula of the food being recalled. (g., Yummy Pet Adult formula)
The size of the package being recalled (g. 3.2lbs bag). In some cases only a specific size package may be recalled, other times it may be multiple package types.
The SKU number for the product(s)
The manufacturer’s lot number, used to identify the date and time the food was manufactured.
The “Best by” or expiration date.
What to do with the product you have remaining.

When Green Acres Kennel Shop learns of a pet food recall we first determine if any of our clients have purchased the product. If a client has provided us with contact information, we call or email them if they have purchased the recalled product. We then post a recall notice on our blog at www.words-woofs.meows.com and on the Green Acres Kennel Shop Facebook page to alert others who may have purchased the recalled product from someplace other than our store. If you subscribe to our blog, you will be emailed these notices automatically. If you like and follow the Green Acres Kennel Shop Facebook page and set Following to “See First,” any recall notice we post there should automatically appear in your Facebook newsfeed. I say “should” because we all know Facebook is constantly changing. You can also retrieve information on pet food recalls from the FDA’s website at https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/.

Once you have the above information, you can determine what to do next. As long as you have kept the original bag/can/container/package which the food came in, you can compare the product SKU, lot number, and best by date to determine if you have a product that has been recalled. We recommend that you always keep the container the food came in until you have used all of the food. At Green Acres, we can tell you what SKU you purchased and when you purchased it, but we do not have access to lot numbers and best by dates.

If your specific pet food is not affected by the recall, you do not need to do anything.

If your specific pet food is affected by the recall, contact the retailer where you purchased the product, and they can provide you with instructions on how to proceed. At Green Acres, we will offer you a full refund on products that have been recalled, provided the product was purchased at Green Acres, and that you have the original packaging.

If you do not have the original packaging and therefore cannot determine if the food you have has been recalled, it will be safest to dispose of the food.

PET PRODUCT RECALL – Redbarn Bully Sticks

Redbarn Pet Products voluntarily recalls all lots of bully sticks manufactured with raw material from a single supplier because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall is limited to products distributed March 2017 through February 2018. This supplier’s raw material was used to produce the Redbarn, Chewy Louie, Dentley’s and Good Lovin’ brand products listed below with best-buy dates ending in BC. In total, 24 SKUs are affected. No illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported to date.

If you have products on the list below, it is recommended that you stop using them and that you return them to the place they were purchased for a full refund.

This recall has been expanded from the original notice of 9FEB18.

While Green Acres had not sold any of the products in the initial notice, we have sold some of the Redbarn Bully Sticks at Green Acres listed in the expanded notice. If you have them, please return them for a full refund.

Family-owned Redbarn takes the safety of our products, pets, and customers as a number one concern. Redbarn employs an extensive Quality Assurance team that run over 400 safety tests on their products every week. All products are tested multiple times, for bacteria like Salmonella, coliforms, and enteros. A product is declared safe to ship only after it tests negatively for these bacteria and other pathogens. As company President Jeff Sutherland explained, “In expanding this voluntary recall, in conjunction with the FDA, we are standing by our core values of quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have decided to recall all products that were produced from raw materials sourced from this supplier to ensure we fully captured all potentially affected product and keep our customers safe.”

Consumers with questions may contact the company via email at info@redbarninc.com or by phone at 1-800-775-3849, M-F, 8am-5pm PST.

More information is available at the Redbarn website at http://www.redbarninc.com/blog/redbarn-pet-products-issues-voluntary-recall-of-dog-chews/

Item #	REDBARN – Product Description	Best By Code Ending	UPC
205001	Redbarn 5″ Bully Stick	BC	785184205006
207001	Redbarn 7″ Bully Stick	BC	785184207000
207016	Redbarn 7″ Bully Stick 6pk	BC	785184207161
209001	Redbarn 9″ Bully Stick	BC	785184209004
230001	Redbarn 30″ Bully Stick	BC	785184230015
236001	Redbarn 36″ Bully Stick	BC	785184236017
245002	Redbarn Steer Stick 6pk	BC	785184245026
245010	Redbarn 5″ Steer Stick 10pk	BC	785184245101
247000	Redbarn 7″ Steer Stick	BC	785184247006
251005	Redbarn 7″ Bully Stick 3pk	BC	785184251058
290091	Redbarn 9″ Bully 1lb Bag	BC	785184290095
C207001	Redbarn 7″ Bully	BC	785184207017
C207016	Redbarn 7″ Bully Stick 6pk	BC	785184207062
C236001	Redbarn 36″ Bully Stick	BC	785184236116

Item #	Chewy Louie – Product Description	Best By Code Ending	UPC
807101	Chewy Louie 7″ Bully Stick	BC	785184807019

Item #	Good Lovin’ – Product Description	Best By Code Ending	UPC
2729250	Good Lovin’ 10pk Steer	BC	800443272732
2729381	Good Lovin’ 6pk Bully Stick	BC	800443272862
2729410	Good Lovin’ 7″ Bully Stick	BC	800443272893
2729461	Good Lovin’ 5″ Bully Stick	BC	800443272947
2729532	Good Lovin’ XL Bully	BC	800443273012
207004	Prime Cuts 7″ Bully Stick	BC	800443104798
207005	Time for Joy Holiday 7″ Bully	BC	800443287781
207013	Prime Cuts 7″ Bully 3pk	BC	800443120446

Item #	Dentleys – Product Description	Best By Code Ending	UPC
920068	Dentley’s 7” Bully Stick	BC	737257479852

This voluntary action is listed on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website – https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/

PET HEALTH ALERT-Xylitol Is Toxic & Deadly To Pets

It is not news that Xylitol is toxic to pets, but far too few dog parents know this and are not aware that Xylitol is used in many places that one would never expect.

A few weeks ago friends lost their dog when the dog accidentally ingested a piece of gum that contained Xylitol. Even though they immediately took the dog to the emergency veterinary clinic, the dog did not survive. As I write this article, another friend’s dog is at the vet’s after ingesting several pieces of gum containing Xylitol.

I want to spread the word about Xylitol and the danger it poses to our furry friends. Please help spread the word!

Xylitol is sugar-alcohol derived from plants and used as an artificial sweetener. While safe for human consumption, xylitol is very toxic to dogs. Xylitol can be found in; gum, candy, jam, syrup, baking mixes, protein bars, energy bars, flavored waters, drink powders, chocolate, gelatin and pudding mixes, condiments, ice cream, honey, yogurt, peanut butter, other nut butters, and other food products. While our dogs are not fed most of the items on this list, I know many people who use both peanut butter and yogurt as a treat. It is essential to check the ingredients label on products you purchase because sadly products containing Xylitol do not bear a large red warning label that says “Xylitol is toxic to dogs!”.

While Xylitol is usually listed as “Xylitol” on a products ingredient panel, it may also be listed as “sugar-alcohols.” When examining a label for Xylitol do so very carefully, and just because Xylitol was not an ingredient last time, do not presume it has not been added the next time you purchase the product. Your dog’s life may depend on it.

In addition to being used in food, Xylitol may be found in OTC medicines and vitamins, nasal sprays, prescription medications, cosmetics, and dental products. Because of its anti-microbial properties, Xylitol may also be found in athletic clothing and pacifier and bottle wipes. This link leads to the Preventive Vet website and a comprehensive list of products containing Xylitol.< Click to read >

Even though we do not routinely give our dogs products containing xylitol, it is essential that we recognize that a dog is an opportunistic scavenger and will often chew and consume many things that are not good for them. Just because that tube of xylitol-containing toothpaste is on the bathroom counter does not mean your dog cannot get to it.

Symptoms of Xylitol poisoning

When a dog ingests xylitol, it causes a massive release of insulin which in turn can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and acute hepatic necrosis (severe liver failure). Symptoms of xylitol poisoning include:

A racing heart rate
Abnormal mentation (disoriented, stuporous, or comatose)
Acute collapse
Black-tarry stool
Bruising
Clotting problems
Death
Depression
Diarrhea
Jaundiced gums
Seizures
Trembling or tremoring
Vomiting
Walking drunk
Weakness or lethargy

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

URGENT! – HEALTH ALERT – Don’t Feed Nut Butters to Dogs Without First Checking for Xylitol! – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/08/19/urgent-health-alert-dont-feed-nut-butters-to-dogs-without-first-checking-for-xylitol/

Web Sites

Pet Poison Hotline – http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/xylitol/

Shared Facebook Post – Doodles & Grooming from Ragamuffin: A Full Service Grooming Salon

If you have any type of Doodle, I encourage you to read this post from Ragamuffin: A Full Service Grooming Salon. Doodles have become a very popular dog breed and because of the great variation in type of coat from Doodle to Doodle they can have very different grooming requirements; however, they all need to be brushed and combed at home DAILY if you want to keep them in a full, fluffy coat.

If you need to learn how to do this, make an appointment to discuss this with our groomer, Peggy, at Green Acres Kennel Shop.

< Click to Read the Post >

PET FOOD RECALL – Steve’s Real Food Raw Frozen Turkey Canine Recipe, 5lbs package, Lot E178

Steve’s Real Food is voluntarily recalling one lot (Lot E178) of 5lb Raw Frozen Dog Food Turkey Canine Recipe due to the possibility it may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recall was initiated after the Steve’s was notified by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture that a retail sample was collected and tested positive for Salmonella. No pet or consumer illnesses from this product have been reported to date.

While Green Acres Kennel Shop sells Steve’s Real Food for Pets products, we have not sold this particular SKU during the timeframe noted below. If we had, we would contact our clients by phone or email.

Because of their commitment to overall safety and quality, Steve’s Real Food is conducting a voluntary recall of this product. Consumers should also follow the safe handling tips published on the Steve’s Real Food packaging when disposing of the affected product. The potentially affected lot of 5lb. frozen turkey nuggets were distributed to retail pet food stores in states of CA, CO, CT, IA, KS, FL, MD, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, and WA. Fifty-two cases of this product was distributed between 6/27/17 – 7/15/17.

The affected product was sold frozen in 5lb bags. Those bags affected by this recall are identified with the following UPC codes and the “Best by” date located on the bag.

PRODUCT – Steve’s Real Food Turkey Canine Recipe

Size – 5lbs Bag

UPC – 6-91730-15303-8

LOT# – E 178

Best By Date – 9/27/18

This voluntary action is listed on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website – https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 3 Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease

By Don Hanson, ACCBC, BFRAP, CDBC, CPDT-KA

< A version of this article was published in the March 2018 issue of Downeast Dog News>

< Updated 7MAY18 >

< Click to download or print a PDF file containing all 5 columns in this series >

In the past two months, I have been addressing Brambell’s Five Freedoms and how they provide a valuable reference point for assessing a dog’s quality of life. So far we have examined the first two of Brambell’s Five Freedoms; Freedom from Hunger and Thirst and Freedom from Discomfort. This month I will address Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease.

In many ways Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease is directly related to last month’s topic Freedom from Discomfort as pain, injury and disease are often the cause of extreme discomfort.

Ensure your pet is free from pain, injury, and disease.

Regular and as-needed veterinary care goes a long way toward meeting this freedom, but breeding also plays a huge role, as well as how we respond when a dog is injured or ill. Mental disease needs to be considered along with the physical illness.

Are you familiar with how your dog expresses discomfort so that you recognize when your dog is in pain? –Dogs can be very stoic about hiding their pain. Signs of pain may include agitation, anti-social and aggressive behavior, changes in eating, drinking, and bathroom habits, non-typical vocalization, excessive self-grooming, panting and non-typical breathing patterns, trembling, difficulty moving, changes in posture, restlessness, and anxiety. It is essential to have a thorough understanding of the many subtle signals our dogs use to indicate that they are under stress or anxious. Just because a dog is not reacting does not mean they are free of pain. ( FMI – http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear )
Is your dog a working dog or do they compete in dog sports? Dogs that are more physically active have a higher probability of injury than the average pet. Appropriate physical training, just like that for an athlete may be beneficial. Also, if the dog is injured having adequate time off from work and sports to recover can be critical. Depending on the injury, retirement from the activity may be the best decision. Working and competing can negatively affect mental health just as much as it can cause physical problems.
Are your dog’s pain and injury being adequately addressed? Sadly, I remember a time when dogs were not given pain medication because it was believed they did not need it. However, today we also need to ask ourselves are painkillers enough? Physical therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and acupuncture can be very helpful in alleviating pain in people as well as pets and should be considered.
Does your dog see their veterinarian for regular wellness exams? – Dogs are subject to chronic diseases such as anxiety, arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, periodontal disease and more. Early diagnosis and treatment of disease help prevent pain and discomfort. Every dog should see their veterinarian at least once a year for a wellness exam, and as they age this may need to be more frequent. Behavior and mental health should be discussed at every exam.
Is your dog obese? Just as with humans, fifty percent or more of the dogs in the US are overweight. A dog that is obese is more subject to injury, pain, and disease. If your dog is a little chubby or profoundly corpulent, please see your veterinarian and learn how you can address this issue. Your dog will thank you.
What is our responsibility when breeding pets? Some dogs, because of their breed standard, are intentionally bred for physical characteristics that often affect their ability to breathe, to move, and even to give birth naturally. How does this benefit the pet? Would it not be more appropriate to breed to eliminate these exaggerated physical deformities that affect soundness and health? Would it not better for dogs if people looking for a pet avoided these breeds?
Are you doing all that you can to prevent and avoid genetic disorders? Most purebred dogs are susceptible to one or more genetic disorders. Are breeders doing everything that should be done to eliminate these diseases and create healthier pets? When a person is considering what breed to get, should they avoid breeds prone to genetic disorders?
Are you as concerned about your dog’s mental and emotional health as you are about their physical health? Animals can experience mental disease and disorders (anxieties, phobias, dementia, ) just like humans. How do we reconcile that the treatments of behavioral issues are often not considered as necessary as physical disorders? Is it appropriate to breed a dog for behavioral traits that might be regarded as an asset for a dog who works or competes, but might negatively affect that dog’s ability to thrive as a companion dog?
Do you use tools and methods for training, management and the care of your dog that are designed to work by causing pain and discomfort? – Aversives (shock collar, choke collar, prong collar, leash corrections, etc. ) are used to physically or emotionally punish a dog. Dogs that are trained in this manner are unlikely to be happy and have a much greater probability of becoming aggressive. ( FMI – http://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive )

Next month we will examine the Freedom to Express Normal Behavior.

To read other articles in this series visit the Downeast Dog News website at https://downeastdognews.villagesoup.com/ or visit Don’s blog at https://www.words-woofs-meows.com

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 1, Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Hunger-Thirst

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 2, Freedom from Discomfort – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Discomfort

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 3, Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Pain-Injury-Disease

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 4, The Freedom to Express Normal Behavior – http://bit.ly/Bramble-NormalBehavior

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 5, The Freedom from Fear and Distress – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Fear-Distress

Recommended Resources

References

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-Farm Animal Welfare Committee-Five Freedoms: http://www.defra.gov.uk/fawc/about/five-freedoms

Press Statement”. Farm Animal Welfare Council. 1979-12-05: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121010012428/http://www.fawc.org.uk/pdf/fivefreedoms1979.pdf

Assessing Pets’ Welfare Using Brambell’s Five Freedoms, D. Hanson, APDT Chronicle of the Dog, Fall 2014 – http://www.greenacreskennel.com/images/stories/pdf/Articles/assessing%20pets%20welfare%20using%20brambells%20five%20freedoms-apdt_cotd_fall2014.pdf

Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 1, Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Hunger-Thirst

Helping Your Dog Thrive – Brambell’s Five Freedoms – Part 2, Freedom from Discomfort – http://bit.ly/Brambell-Discomfort

How Can I Tell When My Dog Is Anxious or Fearful? – http://bit.ly/DogsSignsofFear

Dog Training – Reward Based Training versus Aversives – http://bit.ly/RewardVSAversive

Pet Health and Wellness – Your Pet’s Behavioral Health Is As Important As Their Physical Well-Being – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2015/08/01/pet-health-and-wellness-your-pets-behavioral-health-is-as-important-as-their-physical-well-being/

Podcasts from The Woof Meow Show ( http://www.woofmeowshow.com )

Pet Behavior, Vets & The AAHA Canine and Feline Behavior Management Guidelines – Dr. Dave Cloutier – Veazie Veterinary Clinic – http://blog.greenacreskennel.com/2016/07/02/podcast-encore-pet-behavior-vets-the-aaha-canine-and-feline-behavior-management-guidelines-dr-dave-cloutier-veazie-veterinary-clinic/

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Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) in Bangor. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC) and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). He produces and co- hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show heard on The Pulse AM620 WZON and streamed at http://www.wzonradio.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. A list of upcoming shows and podcasts of past shows can be found at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com. He is committed to pet care and pet training that is free of pain, force, and fear. The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.