Pet food sickened at least 79 people, CDC says

[DainBramaged]

Salmonella-contaminated dry pet food sickened at least 79 people, including many young children, and could still be dangerous, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.

Even though the affected brands have been recalled and the factory in Pennsylvania closed, pet owners could still have the cat and dog kibble in their homes, the CDC said.

No one is known to have died in the outbreak of a rare strain of Salmonella, known as Salmonella enterica serotype Schwarzengrund, the CDC said. But it can make people ill who handle the pet food, especially the very young and very old, and causes bloody diarrhea. No pets have been reported sickened.

Dry pet food has a 1-year shelf life. Contaminated products identified in recalls might still be in the homes of purchasers and could cause illness. Persons who have these products should not use them to feed their pets but should discard them or return them to the store," the CDC said in its weekly report on death and disease.

The brands, made by Mars Petcare U.S., include Special Kitty, Pedigree and Member's Mark, among others. The full list of brands affected was available on http://www.petcare.mars.com and http://www.petcare.mars.com/OtherNewsReleases.html.

"Mars Petcare U.S. has taken steps to ensure that recalled products are no longer on store shelves. On Oct. 1, the company announced that the Everson (Pennsylvania) plant would be closed permanently," the CDC team wrote.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27579785/


Mars Petcare US Announces Extension of Voluntary Recall

Franklin, Tennessee (November 25, 2008) —Today, Mars Petcare US announced an extension of a previously announced voluntary recall of dry cat and dog food products manufactured at its Allentown, Pennsylvania facility with “Best By” dates between August 11, 2009 – October 3, 2009. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella. This voluntary recall affects product sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club, ShopRite Supermarkets, and Wal-mart locations in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia.

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.

This action is an extension of the voluntary recall issued on October 27, 2008 of all sizes of SPECIAL KITTY® Gourmet Blend dry cat food produced at the Allentown facility on August 11, 2008. We recently learned that an additional sample of SPECIAL KITTY® made on September 25, 2008 at the Allentown facility tested positive for Salmonella. There have been no reported cases of human or pet illness caused by Salmonella associated with products produced at this facility. Mars Petcare US is taking an additional precautionary action to protect pets and their owners by extending the October 27, 2008 voluntary recall to include all dry pet food product produced at the facility with “Best By” dates between August 11, 2009 and October 3, 2009.

Recalled Pet Food
Berkley & Jensen Bistro Blend Premium Cat Food 21.6#
00000 20052

Berkley & Jensen Small Bites & Bones Dog Food 52#
00000 14958

Ol' Roy Puppy Complete Premium Dog Food 4#
81131 79078

Ol' Roy Puppy Complete Premium Dog Food 20#
81131 79080

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 4#
81131 17550

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 4.4#
81131 69377

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 8#
05388 67144

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 20#
81131 17549

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 22#
05388 60342

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 44.1#
81131 17551

Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition Premium Dog Food 50#
78742 01022

Ol' Roy High Performance Premium Dog Food 20#
05388 60345

Ol' Roy High Performance Premium Dog Food 50#
78742 05815

Ol' Roy Meaty Chunks & Gravy Premium Dog Food 22#
81131 69630

Ol' Roy Meaty Chunks & Gravy Premium Dog Food 50#
81131 69631

ShopRite Crunchy Bites, Bones and Healthy Squares Dog Food 20#
41190 04521

Special Kitty Original Premium Cat Food 3.5#
81131 17557

Special Kitty Original Premium Cat Food 7#
81131 17562

Special Kitty Original Premium Cat Food 18#
81131 17559

Special Kitty Gourmet Blend Premium Cat Food 3.5#
81131 17546

Special Kitty Gourmet Blend Premium Cat Food 7#
81131 17547

Special Kitty Gourmet Blend Premium Cat Food 18#
81131 17548

Special Kitty Kitten Premium Cat Food 3.5#
81131 17553

Special Kitty Kitten Premium Cat Food 7#
81131 17554


http://www.petcare.mars.com/

Simple handling precautions on THEIR part would have prevented this and saved them MILLIONS of dollars. As we have seen in the melamine scandals of China, the greed of these companies here, shows no decline in the level of stupidity.


Franklin, Tennessee (September 12, 2008)—Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Schwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States.

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 can potentially infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The company stopped production at the Everson facility on July 29, 2008 when it was alerted of a possible link between dry pet food produced at the plant and two isolated cases of people infected with Salmonella Schwarzengrund.

Even though no direct link between product produced at Everson and human or pet illness has been made, Mars Petcare US is taking precautionary action to protect pets and their owners by announcing a voluntary recall of all products produced at the Everson facility beginning February 18, 2008 until July 29, 2008 when we stopped production.

The company is continuing to work collaboratively with the FDA to determine the nature and source of Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility. Since it has not yet identified the source of the Salmonella Schwarzengrund at the Everson facility, Mars Petcare US does not plan to resume production out of a commitment to the safety of our pet owners and their pets, customers, and associates.

The top priority of Mars Petcare US has always been and continues to be the health and welfare of pets and their owners. Consumers can continue to have confidence in the quality and safety of the products produced at other Mars Petcare US facilities. Only those products which were produced at the Everson facility are impacted by the voluntary recall.

Many of the brands involved in the recall are national brands produced at multiple facilities. A chart for all products is below. For example, PEDIGREE® is manufactured in numerous facilities throughout the country, and Everson represents a very small portion of the manufacturing base - 2.7 percent of total PEDIGREE® production.

Mars Petcare US will work with retail customers to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or fed to pets. In the event that consumers believe they have purchased products affected by this voluntary recall, they should return the product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. Specific product details and other information can be found at www.petcare.mars.com

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
http://www.petcare.mars.com/OtherNewsReleases.html

[flvegan]

1. *ahem* Ol Roy is Wal Mart's label dog food *ahem*

[DainBramaged]

2. I am shocked I tell ya shocked Mars would make pet food for the great demon

:think:

[flvegan]

3. I'm shocked that WalMart would sell a shoddy product.

Oh, wait...that's not right at all.

[DainBramaged]

4. I has been a Purina person for over 30 years

My bebbens lives long lives, never a recall, never a food related illness, Never.

[flvegan]

5. You really shouldn't eat dog food, Purina person.

:rofl:

30 years, though. Damn.

I kid, I kid.

:rofl:

[DainBramaged]

6. When Beneful first came out, I was given this little bag to sample

so I took it home and me and my dogs (Buddha and Pogo at the time) all tried it. They emptied their bowls in seconds. I took a little longer, the veggies were too tasty to pass up and devour.

And they got Beneful till the day they died. One lived to 11+, the other 13+ and they were big dogs, not those little snack dogs you carry around in your pocket.

:hi:

[littlebit]

8. That's all my guys eat.

It's the only brand I have found that doesn't tear up their stomachs.

[DainBramaged]

9. Purina makes good products, my kittehs only get Purina indoor now.

:hi:

[catnhatnh]

7. Ahem....

...79 PEOPLE including many young children??? How long has "Ol' Roy" been considered a HUMAN entree?

[Pharlo]

10. The article referred to handling the product to be enough to make an

individual ill. Also, cleaning up after sick pets can cause transmission. Ingestion was not a necessity.

I know that when my nephews were young, they had some 'superjock' toys. A basketball player and a football player. If you smacked the head, the arm of the basketball player would shoot forward as if to launch a ball and the football player's leg would 'kick' the ball. The kids lost the balls inside of a week. BUT, the dog food morsels were JUST the right size. The kids and the dogs had a blast. The kids would 'shoot' or 'kick' the dog food as far as they could and the dogs would chase it and eat it.

Based upon this article, had these foods been used, my nephews could have contracted the salmonella simply by playing.

Back then, you didn't worry about foods being contaminated like you do now though. It happened, but very rarely. Or, maybe it did, we just weren't as informed about it. This would have been the 1980's.

[DainBramaged]

11. I grew up in the 50's and 60's, this shit never happened

We didn't have allergies, kids didn't have ADD, you didn't get sick from food. I don't EVER remember getting food poisoning or projectile diarrhea until I started to travel for my work in the 80's, and I've had it four times in my life, three times in the hospital.


It's the chemicals, I am sure it has broken down our resistance.

[DainBramaged]

12. Kick for the daywalkers