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Salmonella concerns prompt voluntary recalls of some Natural Balance dry dog food, Pro-Pet dog vitamins

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Several companies that manufacture food and supplements for dogs have issued recalls over salmonella concerns over the past few weeks.

Natural Balance Pet Foods, the company co-founded by actor Dick Van Patten, has issued a voluntary recall of its Sweet Potato & Chicken dry dog food after random-sample testing by the FDA revealed salmonella contamination. Products affected by the recall are 5-pound and 28-pound bags with a ‘best by’ date of June 17, 2011.

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Natural Balance has stressed to its customers that it has received no complaints of adverse affects in dogs that have eaten the affected food, but says it is recalling it out of an abundance of caution. Further testing conducted at Natural Balance’s request in an independent laboratory found no evidence of salmonella, according to the company.

‘I am sure your dogs are like my dogs -- they sleep on our beds, they watch TV with us and if they are lucky enough, they come to work with us. This is why we are following the FDA’s recommendation and issuing a voluntary recall,’ Natural Balance President Joey Herrick wrote in a letter posted on the company’s website. ‘Since we have not had any complaints on this product and it was manufactured six months ago, I expect that most of it has already been consumed.’

The affected dog food was sold at pet stores in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, the company said. It urged consumers to return any unused product to the store where it was purchased.

Another company, the United Pet Group, issued a voluntary recall of all unexpired lots of its Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin products for dogs after lab testing determined that one lot was contaminated with salmonella. Affected products bear the UPC code 26851-01800 and an expiration date on or before June, 2013. The vitamins were sold in 100-count white bottles with a light blue label.

United Pet Group encourages all pet owners to immediately discontinue the use of affected vitamins and to contact either the company or the pet store where the product was purchased for more information.

Symptoms of salmonella infection in dogs can include lethargy, lack of appetite, fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Owners should contact their veterinarian if their dog exhibits such symptoms.

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Concerned pet owners can contact Natural Balance Pet Foods at (800) 829-4493 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time; and United Pet Group at (800) 645-5154, Ext. 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

To keep track of pet-related product recalls and warnings, the Food and Drug Administration’s animal-related recalls and withdrawals page is a good site to check.

RELATED PET HEALTH NEWS:
USDA licenses first-ever canine influenza vaccine
Procter & Gamble announces voluntary recall of some Iams canned cat food over thiamine concerns

-- Lindsay Barnett

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