CONTACT: DEBRA FAIR (973) 691-3536
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — FRANKLIN, TENN. – AUGUST 08, 2008 – MARS PETCARE US TODAY ANNOUNCED A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF LIMITED BAGS OF PEDIGREE® COMPLETE NUTRITION SMALL CRUNCHY BITES SOLD IN ALBERTSONS STORES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. THE PET FOOD IS BEING VOLUNTARILY RECALLED BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA. THERE HAVE BEEN NO COMPLAINTS OR REPORTS OF INJURY RESULTING FROM CONSUMPTION OR HANDLING OF THE RECALLED PRODUCT.
THE PRODUCT SHOULD NOT BE SOLD OR FED TO PETS. PET OWNERS SHOULD DISPOSE OF PRODUCT IN A SAFE MANNER (EXAMPLE, A SECURELY COVERED TRASH RECEPTACLE) AND RETURN THE EMPTY BAG TO THE STORE WHERE PURCHASED FOR A FULL REFUND.
SALMONELLA CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INFECTIONS IN DOGS AND CATS, AND, IF THERE IS CROSS CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY HANDLING OF THE PET FOOD, IN PEOPLE AS WELL, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, THE AGED, AND PEOPLE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. HEALTHY PEOPLE POTENTIALLY INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA SHOULD MONITOR THEMSELVES FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: NAUSEA, VOMITING, DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, ABDOMINAL CRAMPING AND FEVER. ON RARE OCCASIONS, SALMONELLA CAN RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS AILMENTS, INCLUDING ARTERIAL INFECTIONS, ENDOCARDITIS, ARTHRITIS, MUSCLE PAIN, EYE IRRITATION, AND URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS. CONSUMERS EXHIBITING THESE SIGNS AFTER HAVING CONTACT WITH THIS PRODUCT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.
PETS WITH SALMONELLA INFECTIONS MAY BE LETHARGIC AND HAVE DIARRHEA OR BLOODY DIARRHEA, FEVER, AND VOMITING. SOME PETS WILL HAVE ONLY DECREASED APPETITE, FEVER AND ABDOMINAL PAIN. ANIMALS CAN BE CARRIERS WITH NO VISIBLE SYMPTOMS AND POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER ANIMALS OR HUMANS. IF YOUR PET HAS CONSUMED THE RECALLED PRODUCT AND HAS THESE SYMPTOMS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN.
RECALLED PET FOOD
PRODUCT: PEDIGREE® COMPLETE NUTRITION SMALL CRUNCHY BITES SIZE: 20-POUND BAGS UPC CODE: 23100 14719 LOT CODE: 830BFCAT02 BEST BUY DATE: 07/2009 BEST BUY DATE LOCATION: BACK OF BAG AFFECTED STORES: ALBERTSONS LOCATIONS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND LAS VEGAS.
IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF SALMONELLA FROM PETS TO FAMILY MEMBERS AND CARE GIVERS, THE FDA RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE FOLLOW APPROPRIATE PET FOOD HANDLING GUIDELINES WHEN FEEDING THEIR PETS. A LIST OF SAFE PET FOOD HANDLING TIPS CAN BE FOUND AT: WWW.FDA.GOV/CONSUMER/UPDATES/PETFOODTIPS080307.HTML
PET OWNERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECALL SHOULD CALL 1-877-568-4463 OR VISIT WWW.PETCARE.MARS.COM.
BETTER FOODS TO FEED YOUR PETS AND WHY
If your dog has diarrhea mixing rice with their food and even some unflavored Metamucil helps to firm up stool. Pedigree is really not a very good food to begin with. Neither is IAMs Beneful Purina or any of the other foods you have usually heard of. The first several ingredients are usually corn (we know what happens when our body gets corn, we poop it out and don’t use it, same with dogs) meat by products (the take the meat off of whatever it is and you get the bones, feathers, coat, feet, beaks, etc) and white or brewers rice (no nutritional value, just a filler) because of this our dogs need to eat more to get the nutrients they need and poop a lot more too. Also…science diet and eukanuba are not very good foods either. They used to be but they were bought out by other companies who, to save money, changed the ingredients to fillers and by products. These foods cost about the same as the all naturals foods and you are getting pedigree quality food. You can check all the ingredients yourself. Stay away from the first 3 ingredients being corn, by products of any kind, and white or brewer’s rice. Go for foods with chicken, chicken meal, or any meats that don’t have by product after them, and BROWN rice. These are good foods. Try going to a specialty pet store and ask about a better food. Precise, Royal Canin, and Verus are all really good foods. When you look at the ingredients they will be along the lines of Chicken, brown rice (the only rice with nutritional value for dogs), and usually another protein source such as chicken meal (chicken meal is just dehydrated chicken, very good) your dogs will eat much less of the food so even though it cost a bit more you go through less food and it ends up saving you money. They also poop less, live longer, and are overall healthier. I have four shih tzus and I feed them Royal Canin dry food. 10lbs of that food last us over a month. 4 adults dogs eating only 10lbs of food between the 4 of them is pretty good! These foods are also all natural and organic so they are never involved in any recalls; you know your food is always safe. Go to your local pet store and ask about these brands (Precise, Royal Canin, Verus, Wellness, California Natural, Innova, Canidae, Merrik) many stores, such as Pets Plus, will even give you your money back for the dog food if your dog doesn’t like it and has programs such as buy 10 bags get your 11th free. It’s worth a try and trust me your dogs will love it.