More Pet Food Recalls – Please Share

On May 4, 2012, Diamond Pet Foods expanded a pet food recall due to possible salmonella contamination.  More than a dozen people in several states may have been infected due to contact with contaminated pet food.   Affected foods include specific lots of dry dog and cat food branded as:

Diamond Pet Food Kirkland Signature (Costco brand) Natural Balance Wellness (WelPet LLC) Canidae Apex Pet Foods

These foods were widely distributed in the U.S. and Canada.
You can check your pet food to see if it has been recalled.  Affected bags of food have best-before dates between December 9, 2012, and April 7, 2013.   Recalled foods include:

·  Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul ·  Country Value ·  Diamond ·  Diamond Naturals ·  Premium Edge ·  Professional ·  4Health ·  Taste of the Wild ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Mature Dog Chicken ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Dog Formulated with Chicken &    Vegetables ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula ·  Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula ·  Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Formula for Dogs ·  Wellness Complete Health® Super5Mix® Large Breed Puppy ·  Canidae Dog, All Life Stages ·  Canidae Dog, Chicken Meal & Rice ·  Canidae Dog, Lamb Meal & Rice ·  Canidae Dog, Platinum ·  Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog ·  Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog ·  Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog ·  Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog ·  Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Large Breed Bites ·  Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can affect both animals and humans.  Symptoms may include decreased appetite, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain.  Pets and people who carry the disease can infect others, so if you or your pet are experiencing symptoms and you have purchased and used the affected dog food, take all due precaution and see a doctor and/or veterinarian.  You can prevent spread of the disease by washing your hands thoroughly and following physician instructions.
If you have purchased one of the recalled pet foods, you should immediately stop feeding it to your animals, and contact the place you purchased the pet food from – refunds may be available.  For complete information, visit the Diamond Pet Foods recall page, the Costco pet product recall pages, the Natural Balance recall page, the Wellness recall page, the Canidae recall page, or the FDA’s recall page, which has information on multiple brands in the Animal Health section. The CDC also has information on documented salmonella contamination.

Welcoming A New Pet Into Your Home by Tracy Robinson

by Tracy Robinson

Welcoming a new pet can be exciting and challenging for the humans, the new pet and the existing resident pets.  Before deciding to get a pet make sure no humans in the family are allergic.  It is unfair for a pet to be left outside a lot by its self for any reason including finding out someone in the family has allergies.   When adopting a pet be sure it is a welcomed family member for its entire life.   Again, don’t leave your pets outside all the time.  Pets are social they need and want to be included.   Pets deserve the attention of being a loved family member, allowing them to feel they are safe and well taken care of for their entire lives.  Think of your future.  If you see moving in your forecast, no matter how close or far in the future, make sure you will be able to take your pet with you.  Pets are not disposable commodities.  You are the alpha of their pack.

If you have existing pets, make sure they don’t feel threatened by the new family member.  When your pets have their own bowls, beds, etc., they feel safer knowing they have their own territory.   Introduce your pets to each other slowly.  Don’t leave them alone until you are absolutely sure they get along.  Bringing a younger pet into the family lets the existing pet feel they still have dominance.   Think about the age difference though keeping it in a safe, healthy range.  A new puppy can wear out and stress out an old dog. If you have older pets, don’t bring home new pets that will pick on them.  More energetic, younger pets can become aggressive to older pets, sometimes by just playing.  If you have a large breed dog, don’t bring home a toy breed puppy.  The large breed can hurt the smaller dog without realizing it. .  Common sense goes along ways to keep everyone safe, healthy and happy.

If your new pet is a puppy, a great way to spend good quality bonding time is with training classes.  Not only will you build a great bond, people like trained dogs much better than dogs that are uncontrollable.   Be aware of what type of trainer you are using.  Use trainers that use only positive reinforcements, with no punishment or loud noises.  You want your dog to respect and love you, not fear you.

If your new pet is a kitty, spending time petting him and praising him will make him more affectionate.  Again use only positive reinforcements.

Having multiple pets increases our joy but also increases our costs.  Be sure you have the budget for the pets you adopt.  To cut down on illnesses and veterinarian bills, buy only natural, fresh, high quality products for your pets.   I recommend the products at www.ajpetproducts.com .  For only pennies a day, these products will allow your beloved pets to live longer, healthier, happier lives.  You can feed your pets these affordable products from the convenience of your own home.  No more running out of pet products and scrambling to the store.  The food comparison chart shows price differences between major brands.  Our products have never been recalled!  These products are delivered fresh to your doorstep.  The Healthy Start Pack will give you everything you need to start for your new pet in one convenient pack. Smell the freshness when you open a bag or container.

Pet safety your house by keeping all dangerous materials out of the reach of pets.  Chocolate, garlic, grapes, olives, anit-freeze can all make your pets seriously ill, even die.  Google toxic products for pets and you will find a wealth of information.  Puppies like to chew.  Make sure there are no electrical cords they can bite into.

Most of all enjoy your new as well as your existing pet family members.  They all bring such joy and peace to our lives.  Studies show people with pets live longer, healthier lives.  It’s the win-win situation that’s good for everyone.   Thank you for changing a pet’s life for the better.

To the health of our pets.

Tracy Robinson (follow on Facebook at AJ Pet Products)

AJ Pet Products

References: Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM

Happy Earth Day.

Like the dog, above – who is a Forever Dog, our planet is a Forever Planet.

Be good to where you live, it is the only planet we’ve got.

Ways to Volunteer by Tracy Robinson

As a society of pet lovers, now, more than ever, homeless pets need our help.

Many of us want to provide assistance, but don’t know the best way to make a difference. Fortunately, there are five ways to reach out and make a difference to pets in need.

1. Volunteer at a shelter
Many shelters urgently need “boots on the ground”. Volunteers are needed to walk dogs, play with kittens and greet potential adopters, as well as handle routine feeding and cleaning tasks. In some cases, you may be able to offer assistance based upon your unique skillset. If you have a knack for organization, your talents could help streamline anything from file systems to fundraising appeals. Even if you only volunteer for only a couple of hours per week, you will still be providing invaluable help.

2. Donate money
Unfortunately, growing shelter populations are not the only crisis shelters and animal rescues are experiencing. Organizations of all sizes are struggling with finances, as personal and corporate donations have dropped off a cliff. As you might expect, this lack of funding affects every aspect of a shelter’s operations, including staffing, facility maintenance, veterinary care, food and medical supplies. Any amount you can spare will be welcomed by your local shelters. Don’t fall prey to the misconception that small donations don’t make a difference. Even $5 or $10 can provide several meals for a pet in need.

3. Donate goods
If you prefer to donate physical items rather than cash, please consider donating items like food, treats, blankets or toys. In most cases, these items are sorely needed and gratefully accepted at most animal rescue organizations. Be sure to contact your local shelter to learn their specific needs prior to deciding what you’ll give. If you can’t afford to give new items, consider doing some “Fall cleaning” … because old towels dry just as well as new ones! Just like with financial donations, the gift of goods is tax deductible; just be sure to confirm that the organization you choose has non-profit status.

4. Foster a homeless pet
Fostering a pet is a great option if you’re not ready to commit to a long-term relationship with a companion animal. As a temporary adopter, you will not only provide a loving and healthy environment for a pet in need, but you will also free up valuable space and resources at rescue facilities. Be aware that many of these animals are coming from difficult circumstances and may require a good deal of patience and understanding on your part. To get more information, speak with your local rescues, veterinary schools or humane societies about foster programs in your area.

5. Adopt a pet
Lastly, the boldest and most dramatic step you can take also offers the greatest rewards. Perhaps the best way to combat pet homelessness is by opening your home to an abandoned pup or kitty. Many shelters maintain an online presence where you can review photos and descriptions of the companion animals that are available for adoption.

Even if they receive outstanding care during their stay, shelter animals experience high levels of stress, which can lead to minor illnesses (like colds). With time, love and good nutrition, these conditions usually quickly abate. If you adopt, remember to be realistic about your expectations with the pet and invest time early on acclimating your new family member to their new environment.

If you have ever considered adopting a companion animal in need, the time to act is now.

If your circumstances prevent you from taking part in any of these solutions, please keep in mind that simply by purchasing products at http://www.ajpetproducts.com you’ll be making a positive difference. Every order that you place results in a contribution to our foundation, which in turn awards financial grants to small rescues across the country.

No matter how you choose to help during this crisis, you will have my eternal thanks.  Together, we truly can make our world a better place.

You can find AJ Pet Products on Facebook by clicking here.

Sunday Share

This was shared by Vicki Nelson today and it brought a smile – so we are sharing with you!

Dear God: It’s me, the Dog 

Dear God: Is it on purpose that our names are

spelled the same, only in reverse?

Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers
but seldom, if ever, smell one another?

Dear God: When we get to Heaven, can we sit
on your couch? Or will it be the same old story?

Dear God: Why are there cars named after
the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang,
the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE
named for a Dog? How often do you
see a cougar riding around? We love a nice car
ride! Would it be so hard to rename
the ‘Chrysler Eagle’ the ‘Chrysler Beagle’?

Dear God: If a Dog barks his head off
in the forest and no human hears him,
is he still a bad Dog?

Dear God: We Dogs can understand human
verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles,
horns, clickers, beepers, scent IDs,
electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee
flight paths. What do humans understand?

Dear God: More meatballs,
less spaghetti, please.

Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven?
If there are, will I have to apologize?

Dear God: Here is a list of just some of the

things I must remember to be a good Dog:
1. I will not eat the cat’s food before he eats
it or after he throws it up.
2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish,
crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.
3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.
4. The sofa is not a ‘face towel’.
5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s
underwear when he’s on the toilet.
7. Sticking my nose into someone’s
crotch is an unacceptable way of saying ‘hello’.
8. I don’t need to suddenly stand
straight up when I’m under the coffee table.
9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before
entering the house – not after.
10. I will not come in from outside,
and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.
11. I will not sit in the middle of the living
room, and lick my crotch.
12. The cat is not a ‘squeaky toy’,
so when I play with him and he makes that noise,
it’s usually not a good thing.

P.S. Dear God: When I get to Heaven,
may I have my testicles back?

 

Great Article about Preventing Cat Poisoning

http://www.catchannel.com/catalyst/catalyst-030812.aspx

Not sure if you read Cat Fancy magazine, the above article is written by Steve Dale, a regular contributor to that magazine and a syndicated columnist.  The advice is excellent.

Do you have any tips for preventing cat poisoning in your home?  Please share!

Monday’s Pet Fact

Thirty percent of all Dalmatians are deaf in one or both ears. Because bulldogs have extremely short muzzles, many spend their lives fighting suffocation. Because Chihuahuas have such small skulls, the flow of spinal fluid can be restricted, causing hydrocephalus, a swelling of the brain. – Provided by RandomHistory.com