Dog Treat Recalls

An outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium related to peanut butter consumption is affecting people in the US. Oregon has had 7 human cases and 4 are pending comfirmation at this time (1/21/2009).

There is now a recall in place for Grreat Choice (R) Dog Biscuits sold at PetSMart.

Update:
Albertsons is voluntarily recalling Happy Tails multi-flavored dog biscuit products because they may contain peanut butter that has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. The precautionary move follows a nationwide recall issued by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) of peanut butter and peanut paste produced in its Blakely, Georgia processing facility.

According to the FDA, 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. Well animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The products were sold at Albertsons stores in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Elko, Nevada, and Williston, North Dakota. The identified items have not been directly linked to the salmonella outbreak. However, because the safety of customers, and in this case their pets, is a top priority and out of an abundance of caution, Albertsons has voluntarily recalled the products.
This product recall includes all:
Product Name and Description: Happy Tails Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits, 26 ozUPC#: 41163-42406
Product Name and Description: Happy Tails Multi-Flavored Dog Biscuits, 4 lbUPC#: 41163-42403
Customers who purchased the recalled dog biscuit products can bring the product back to an Albertsons store location for a full refund or exchange.
No other products are currently included in this recall. Based on information from the FDA at this time, the peanut butter for sale in Albertsons stores is not affected by the recall issued by Peanut Corporation of America.
Customers with questions can contact SUPERVALU Inc. at 877.932.7948. Customers can visit the FDA Web page at www.fda.gov for more information and updates on the situation.

Rabies in 2008

The state of Oregon just released Rabies statistics for last year. 14 cases of Rabies were diagnosed in Oregon animals in 2008. We generally think of Rabies as a rare disease in Oregon but these numbers suggest we need to be more aware of its presence.

The Rabies vaccines we used are highly effective so there were no cases of Rabies in domestic animals in Oregon this year. All cases this year were found in bats. It appears that cats have the highest risk of Rabies exposure. First, cats are frequently not vaccinated for Rabies. Secondly they hunt bats, which are the reservoir for Rabies in this area.

Rabid bats have been found in Hood River County. As recently as 2006 a rabid bat was found within 2 miles of our Veterinary clinic. We always recommend vaccinating your pets for Rabies.

Rabies vaccines are approved for dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and ferrets. Rabies vaccines give protection for 1-3 years depending on which product is used and how many times the animal has been vaccinated for Rabies over its lifetime.
If your have any questions about your pet’s coverage, please contact us.