Food Recalls

food for thought..... should humans and their companions worry about food chain safety?

A rare strain of Salmonella has been identified at Diamond Pet Foods Plant in Gaston, S.C. 

Interesting to note that so far 14 people have been fallen ill. That is correct, 14 people not pets! Pets are less likely to get sick from Salmonella according to Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, Veterinary Epidemiologist and leader of the response team investigating the contamination.

It seems that only one manufacturing plant is affected, but this particular plant produces quite a few different brands of dry dog and cat food. The brands being investigated are Diamond, Wellness, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Canidae, Natural Balance, Apex Pet Foods and Kirkland.

Pet owners are being warned to wash your hands after handling pet food, beware of big wet sloppy kisses right after a meal, watch out for excreted feces, and pets that groom themselves can pass along bugs from their saliva when a family member touches them. Symptoms of infection in people and pets are similar such as nausea, vomiting, chills and fever, cramps, and diarrhea.

My family always play a silly game with me called "Poison". The idea of the game is they run around yelling "poison, poison" and I try and catch them. Whenever I get close they scream ewwww and try not to let me touch them! It is really a fun game but now it has a whole new meaning.....

So why does this happen. Dry pet food is susceptible to bacteria because it is very rich in protein, and treated with flavoring. The flavoring is often where the contamination occurs. West Lebanon Feed and Supply is our areas largest pet food retailer, and you can find a lot of helpful information and advice on their website about all the foods that are being recalled. The people at WLFS can help you find an alternative diet during this scary time, don't hesitate to stop in at 12 Railroad Ave., West Lebanon or give them a call at 603-298-8600.

To get more information and find out how to report suspected pet food related illnesses, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Diamond's official recall website is Diamond Pet Food Recall, and they have listed production codes for those foods suspected of contamination. They can be reached for questions at 866-918-8756. They also show a map of the U.S. and where the pet food has been distributed. Our area is listed.
tata for now!

irene and rules, rules, rules

Everyone is talking about Irene.... a huge storm with winds that could sweep me away! They say it is traveling up the big waters of the ocean, and will even affect us in Vermont! Now that's a storm.

I don't really mind storms, the big claps of thunder make me want to chase petunia around. She on the other hand is soooo scared when a storm comes. I can't even imagine how she is going to survive Irene if she really makes it all the way over to us. My sister will wrap her up real tight in a blanket and give her some Composure, a natural supplement that calms her down.... I guess I will just have to wait and see but I don't think it is going to be pretty. Dad can always give her something stronger to make her sleep if it gets real bad.....

I have moved and I am not sure how much I like it. Living in a large town has it's ups and downs. Petunia and I have never had to wear a leash all the time.... poop in certain places..... this is all very new and strange. On top of that I am a lab with a sensitive stomach (me and about the whole rest of the lab population). Us labs, we like to eat everything and anything, our lives revolve around eating. Dad says you really know a lab is sick when it refuses to eat. My sister calls me Chumley after this chubby guy on a TV show. I'm not chubby but probably left to my own accord I would eat until I explode!

So back to the upset stomach thing. We moved and it upset my tummy. Between vomiting and diarrhea I am not sure what is worse. Dad says the first step to my recovery is 12 hours off food. 12 HOURS! Give me a break. Then he says a bland diet for a few days like boiled hamburger and rice. Sounds fine to me. He says since I have been de-wormed (what a terrible expression) regularly, up-to-date on all my vaccines, and have a history of upset tummies anyways,  I should recover just fine. If I start not being able to hold water down then it becomes more serious. I don't mind going to SAVES, I love the nurses, the doctors are so kind and the beds are pretty comfortable. But Dad says we can avoid an OFFICIAL stay (I am there every day anyways) if I take it easy, let my system rest, and stop being neurotic (what ever that means).

I meet so many labs each day at SAVES that have upset stomachs that either have eaten something they shouldn't have, drank out of a puddle contaminated with bacteria or just plain have a sensitive stomach. Sometimes they need intravenous fluids if they can't hold water down. Dehydration from vomiting can become very serious very quickly. Vomiting and diarrhea can be signs of so many different diseases. It is important that you differentiate between something like an allergy to food, a bacterial upset of the gut, or even more serious the start of a organ failure such as the kidney's or liver. Regular blood work and physical exams with your veterinarian can help catch things early so that diseases can be managed.

For me it appears to be a nervous type of thing. So many changes right now. My oldest sister is going away, way across the BIG ocean, we have moved, the summer is coming to an end, kids going back to school..... so many reasons I can think of that make me nervous sometimes. My mom thinks lots of exercise helps calm the mind, I think she is on to something. She has been taking me swimming and walking a real lot and I do feel so much better when I come back and lay down exhausted! Dad has added Fortiflora to my diet. Purina makes this nutritional supplement that helps keep the  "normal" bacteria in my intestines healthy (bugs in my bowels, ewww). It is a powder that they mix in my food (don't even know it is there because it is tasteless) and it provides some strong antioxidants, stimulates my immune system to fight off stuff, and helps me get through stressful situations without developing diarrhea. It is working! (Diarrhea is sooo embarrassing, especially when it comes on suddenly right when you meet a really cute girl dog, uggg)

tata for now!