Wednesday, May 30, 2012

FDA & CDC May 30, Diamond Puppy Food Recalled

May 30, 2012
Diamond recalls puppy food:
The South Carolina site is also recalling their puppy food for the same strain of salmonella.
Please use caution when touching any food made from Diamond at this time if you do not know which factory it came from or if your  food and lot number were recalled. Always wash your hands after touching any dry dog food because even though at present  it seems to be strictly foods produced at the diamond factory it can happen anywhere any time to another company. 


I AM QUOTING THIS SO YOU REALIZE IT IS FROM A DIFFERENT DIAMOND PLANT. ONE FROM MO.

"A surveillance sample of Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Lamb and Rice collected by the state of Ohio from the Diamond Meta, MO plant has now yielded a positive for Salmonella Liverpool (not the outbreak strain). Diamond has issued a recall for this product."


 All the information you need can be found here.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm302904.htm?source=govdelivery


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The One Car Ride That Made a Big Difference in Our Lives!


Casey



“I think that’s it! You just passed it!” I yelled.
“Aright, alright, Peter said, calm down, let me turn around.”  He eyed over the property I was pointing out. “You’re sure you want to go in there?” He asked. “
“Yes!" I replied. "We’re just going to look at them!” 
 “Right!" Peter laughed. "Grab the blanket from the back seat, we’re not leaving empty handed. Ya know, he went on, we could be killed out here and no one would know!”


It was 13 years ago that Peter and I took one of our famous drives through the hills of Pennsylvania since we moved here in 1992. This time though we actually had a mission and an address, just no GPS!  An ad placed in the paper two weeks prior brought us to a little Amish farm in…. well, we really didn’t know where we were, but surely we were somewhere in God’s country. It seemed like we drove for hours to get there, but as I look back at it now, it was probably only forty minutes or so.

We pulled into a partly gravel, partly grass, and very bumpy driveway. To the right side of us was a huge field of corn and other vegetables. To our left there was a large farmhouse and from the side of this farmhouse came a small Golden Retriever with teats hanging to the ground and who continued to bark as it ran round the car. Directly in front of us was an old red barn.  (I often wonder why farmers paint their barns red, don’t you?)
 

To the right of us where the corn fields lay, there suddenly appeared through the tall corn stalks three little Amish kids. Two boys and a girl, maybe age 11 and down. They were strewn in mostly black and gray attire with suspenders of course, right down to their wide brimmed black hats. They stood motionless as they stared at the car and at us inside the car. They held their hands up high to their heads grasping tight their hat brims so as not to loose them to the September winds.
“I’m sure this is it!” I said to Peter excitedly. “Come on let’s go!”



  Peter looked over at me and I soon heard the click of car’s electric door locks. “I’m not getting out of this car!” He protested. “Those kids right there, he said, are seriously the Children of the Corn!” 


Of course he was referring to one of the many horror movies we had seen over the years. To be fair though, this was the only time we had ever come up close and in person with the Amish.  Being from New York, there was not much happenstance to run into an Amish person on the street!




“Come on!” I pleaded. “For goodness sake they’re just Amish kids!”
“Ain’t no way in hell I’m gettin’ outta dis car.” He replied. 
“Alright.” I sighed. I clicked my car door’s lock open and jumped out and no sooner did the door shut behind me before I heard locks click once again!


“Hi!” I said to the kids with a smile. “I’m here to see your father about a puppy.”

The three kids stood motionless, expressionless as their hands clasped tighter to the brim of their hats.   

“Is he home?” I asked. “He’s expecting me, I called earlier. Could you get him?”

The children said nothing as they held their ground and hats against the cool winds.

I looked over at Peter who sat in the safety of his green machine and I shrugged my shoulders. Peter waved for me to get back into the car.

“Um, is your father or mother here?” I asked the three kids again.

They took a step back and had smiles on their little plain faces, but no words passed through their lips.

Maybe Peter is right, I thought, maybe these are the Children of the Corn! But I was not giving up and just as I started to turn toward the farmhouse to find the owner I was startled by the sound of the car horn. I looked over at Peter who was pointing to the house. I looked at the front door of the house but did not see what he was trying to tell me with his hand gesture. I started to walk toward the home when the horn honked again. I looked in Peter’s direction and again his hand was pointing and moving back and forth as if to say STOP AND LOOK! So I did!

I saw an adult Amish man walking down the side of the roof with ease as if he were walking down a short ramp and then climb down the ladder to the ground.

 Peter cracked open the car’s window. “That must be him.” He whispered.
“Ya think?” I asked sarcastically as only I can do. “You coming?”

“Hell no!” He said. “But I’ll leave the car running for a fast get away!”

I met the Amish man in the driveway and introduced myself as the woman he had talked to earlier on the phone regarding the puppies.
“Yep, this way.” Was all he said.
I looked at the car and waved my hand for Peter to come as we had indeed found the right place.  I heard the engine shut off and in my mind I could hear the reluctance of Peter getting out too join us on our journey to the barn. The three little kids followed behind us, then to the side of us and then to the front of us. None spoke a word. The small Golden Retriever mama ran ahead of us to the barn.

We entered the barn and swear on my life this is what I saw. The inside of the barn was not that big and seemed to be partitioned off into small sections, similar looking to the way one would cut an apple pie.   To the right was a small V type stall with a small horse, next to that a similar stall with pigs, then a smaller pie shaped stall for the puppies, next to that a stall of cows and last but not least a stall of chickens!  It was unbelievably tight quarters in there to say the least.   Peter, I, the Amish man, and his three children, stood in 5 x 12 rectangular dirt and hay filled area. The man opened the stall to the dogs and let the puppies out. It seemed like found freedom to them as they jumped, ran and played in this area like a classroom full of kids let outside for recess!     


I of course interacted with each puppy watching their reactions to certain stimuli all the while asking a variety of questions of this thin bearded man who owned them.



“Do you have the father? How many litters does the female have a year? What is the size of the father? Have the pups had their first shots and worming? What is the registration? Have the parents been certified for hips, eyes and heart?”


Why I asked these questions I do not know as this was not a normal breeder by any means and nothing , not a registration, a certificate, a missing shot record was going to stand in the way of me bringing home a puppy. I like to kid myself about such things, but truth is, when it comes to pups, I’m a real sucker!

  I went on and on and all my questions were answered by either a yes or a no, that was it.    Peter in the mean time was getting more and more  uncomfortable as he kept saying things like, “Are you gonna get one? Which one do you want? Let’s let this gentleman get back to his roof.”

 When the owner stepped outside the barn for a minute to yell at the kids for horsing around leaving one kid crying, Peter under his breath mumbled, “Pick a damn dog and let’s get the hell outta here!”



That was that and Casey was picked! 



Casey blended in very well with our resident dogs and took his place among the pack. As he grew we lost a few dogs due to cancer and soon all that were left were Casey and my devil dog Cocker Spaniel, Cody. However Cody was no match for Casey’s niceties and he hardly knew what to be mad about anymore! The two lived in harmony which for me was great as I had taken on some health issues myself and many times could hardly function. As much as I hate to say this, coming home from work to only Casey and Cody to care for was a pleasure. Both were potty trained and not needy dogs so spending the day resting was alright by them!


By the time Casey was a year old he had already known how to reply to my call for help, could identify many objects and bring them to me and always enjoyed his drives in the green machine with his head sticking out of the sunroof.  Like any Golden Retriever which has the need to be right by your side, Casey was no different! 

Somewhere along the line and it is a blur for sure, after having lost Forrest Gump,  our St. Bernard to bone cancer  Peter fell in love with a Newfoundland puppy and brought it home!  Hence my solace was over, my peace and quite gone and replaced with a Shop Vac! Casey’s solace was over as well because when the Newf puppy wore me out, I took a rest and Casey jumped in to take over in keeping the pup occupied and out of trouble. We went back and forth like this for months until another Newfoundland puppy came into our lives and surely if he could, Casey would have thrown both front paws in the air and said, stick a fork in me I’m done!

Casey, God love him, was never short of love or patience with his owners or others that came his way. He was a one of a kind dog in this family and will always be remembered as such. He was the comic among his family of dogs, the one who sought to please all the time, the one who listened without much training, the one who sought out love from everyone and anyone, and the one who not only guided others in his dog pack but also guided those in his human pack.  His humor was endless, his love everlasting, and his heart as big as the world.

Casey was a dog that if one could afford it, would have him cloned generation after generation, and passed down like a family heirloom.

Rest in peace my Casey Boy, dog ownership and training had never been as easy as it was when you were here. 




Casey’s video tribute click here 
  

Casey Kasem's Top 40~ 1999 ~ 2012



Okay off topic:  I had to look it up. Why do farmers paint their barns red, click here.









Saturday, May 19, 2012

5/18 New Diamond Food Recall Small Breed Food Affected

Chicago tribune reports more recalls of Diamond foods. Small breed adult lamb and rice. read below for lots and states sold.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm304917.htm?source=govdelivery

Information from the diamond site on the new recall  http://diamondpet.com/information/

As well, though rarely reported here, in Canada there are two cats dead and one seriously ill that have been reported due to Salmonella poisoning. There are some people that would have you believe it just causes upset stomach, please head the warning signs and do not take chances with your life or your pets life.   This is especially dangerous to the elderly and the very young or those with compromised immune systems. Most healthy adults can handle a bit of salmonella.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Still have doubts about Diamond? You should! READ THIS REPORT

diamond food
So in my email I received this report from the FDA should anyone have doubts  that this is not the safest company to be buying food from at this time. Go over the list of all foods produced by them and if your food brand is included, lot number or not, is it still worth the risk?  I say that dog owners everywhere should expect the product they pay big bucks for to be  safe  and free of defect or disease because it is being handled by humans on a daily basis. Some of these people are your children or your Grandmothers.

 STOP SITTING ON YOUR PIOUS FENCE AND ALLOWING OTHERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU!  ESPECIALLY THE MAKERS OF THE DOG FOOD!

       







Monday, May 14, 2012


As weeks have passed there have been changes in lot numbers and more dog foods have been listed as being recalled
This list is from the Dog food Advisor but you can go online to the FDA and find more information as it unfolds.  

Cat food has also been recalled but for different reasons.  You can find that here 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

SOLID GOLD DOG FOOD RECALL

Don't ya feel like you're singing the Sonny and Cher tune? 
"The beat goes on, the beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da"

Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc. Recalls Dog Food Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk


Contact:
Consumer:
(800) 364-4863
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 8, 2012 - Solid Gold Health Products for Pets, Inc., El Cajon, California, announced a voluntary recall of one batch of WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food and one batch of Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog, both with a Best Before date of December 30, 2012, and an “X” in the 11th digit of the date code.

Solid Gold is voluntarily recalling the products below, distributed in the United States and Canada. This voluntary recall is being done out of an abundance of caution as these products were produced at the facility that has been linked to recent recalls of Diamond brand pet foods due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets 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.

Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. People who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.

The products involved in this voluntary recall are:

Solid Gold WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food, 4 lb, 15 lb, and 33 lb, with a best before date of December 30, 2012 and batch code starting with SGB1201A31X.

4 lb identifying UPC 093766750005

15 lb identifying UPC 093766750012

33 lb identifying UPC 093766750029

Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Dog Food, 4 lb, 15 lb, and 28.5 lb, with a best before date of December 30, 2012 and batch code starting with SGL1201A32X 


4 lb identifying UPC 093766750050 

15 lb identifying UPC 093766750067 

28.5 lb identifying UPC 093766750081 

Best by dates (lot codes) can be found on the back of the bag in the bottom right-hand corner of 33 lb, 28.5 lb and 15 lb bags and the bottom of the 4 lb bags.

Other Solid Gold recipes, sizes or brands of food are not impacted by this voluntary recall.

Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, would like replacement product or have additional questions, may call us at (800) 364-4863 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM through 5:00 PM Pacific time).

Monday, May 7, 2012

More Recalls


From the FDA


-

Recall -- Firm Press Release


FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from
 the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. 
FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Wellpet LLC Voluntarily Recalls One Recipe Of Dry Dog Food Due To Salmonella 

At Diamond Pet Foods' Facility


Contact:
Consumer
877-227-9587

Media
Megan McCutcheon, Hunter PR
212-679-6600
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 4, 2012 - WellPet LLC announced a voluntary
 recall of one recipe of Wellness® dry dog food after being notified by Diamond Pet Foods regarding the presence of Salmonella
 in Diamond’s Gaston, South Carolina facility.
All Wellness products are tested for Salmonella and all lots tested negative prior to shipping to customers.
 The company is voluntarily recalling the select products below. This voluntary recall is being done out of an abundance
 of caution as these products were produced at the facility that has been linked to recent recalls of Diamond brand foods due to
 the threat of Salmonella.
Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic
 and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets 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.
Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their
 hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. People who believe they may have been exposed to 
Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody
 diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to
 be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people 
with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.
The products involved in this voluntary recall are:
Wellness Complete Health® Super5Mix® Large Breed Puppy, 15 lb. and 30 lb. bags and 5 oz. sample
 bags with best by dates of JAN 9 2013 through JAN 11 2013.
Best by dates (lot codes) can be found on the back of the bag in the bottom right-hand corner.
No other WellPet recipes, sizes or brands of food are impacted by this voluntary recall
"As a pet parent myself, I know how important peace of mind is when it comes to the health of our pets, and that is why 
we require that all of our products undergo testing forSalmonella, among other things," said Tim Callahan, chief executive
 officer of WellPet, the maker of Wellness® products. "All of these lots tested negative prior to being released for sale. 
We are voluntarily taking this additional step to further safeguard our dogs and to put our customers’ minds at ease."
The majority of Wellness natural products for pets are produced in WellPet's own modern state-of-the-art manufacturing
 facility in Mishawaka, Indiana. WellPet no longer purchases any products from Diamond Pet Foods.
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, would like replacement product
 or have additional questions, may call us at (877) 227-9587 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM 
Eastern time and Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 AM through 5:00 PM Eastern time).







Contact:
Consumer:
866-918-8756

Media
816-255-1974
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 4, 2012 - Apex Pet Foods announced today that it is issuing a voluntary
 recall of all dry dog food formulas manufactured on January 24, 2012.
Although there have been no animal or human illnesses related to Apex Dog Food and the product has not
 tested positive for Salmonella, the company has voluntarily initiated this recall out of caution to ensure
 the health and safety of consumers and their pets.
The following products are being recalled
DescriptionSizeProduction CodeBest By Date
Apex Chicken and Rice Dog40 lb.ACD0101B3224-Jan-2013
Apex Chicken and Rice Dog20 lb.ACD0101B32

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Dog foods that Diamond produces for

Here is a list of names that Diamond dog  food facilities supply. I suggest that if your dog eats any of the below foods you bring it back for refund or exchange. I don't say this because I know these foods are contaminated, I say this because I believe that the companies had to have known back in Oct. 2011 when humans became ill from this rare strain of salmonella and were telling the FDA that they did touch a dog food product made by Diamond and that the strain was found in an unopened bag of Diamond food.   It is now 7 months later and newer recalls are still going on. Can you trust that the food is indeed safe?

Not to complain but, hey I just spent the day shaving down the asses of my Newfoundlands knowing that the onslaught of diarrhea is yet to come from the sudden change I had to make in their diet. When I returned my 3 bags of food today there was very little dog foods left on the shelves  to pick from! 

 Next I will tell you to buy some canned pumpkin, plain yogurt, and rice because once these food changes  for not only myself with my 5 dogs but the rest of the dog population that is effected, you may see a shortage of the above items also as they help with diarrhea!

I cannot tell you how overwhelmed I found the manager of Tractor Supply to be in Bloomsburg over this matter.  I don't blame  him at all  as this is a trying situation so when you deal with the store employees remember to cut them a break , they were probably the last to know about this from the company , but  are  the first to gett the brunt of the back lash from the public. To try and make the refund process a bit easier I suggest asking for a store credit if you use the  store for other things as well as dog food. I like the products that Tractor Supply carries so if I don't use the card on dog food for now, I can buy another goodie I see that I like or I can just wait for this whole mess to be cleared up and put it toward food in the future.

Don't panic, but be informed and think ahead. 

Foods  produced by diamond 

     

Saturday, May 5, 2012

I AM SO BEYOND AGGRAVATED AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO!



Different Bag, Different Name
BUT THE SAME SHIT!





 Since the beginning of April there have been more recalls on dog foods, dog treats and human foods than Carter has liver pills.

I visited the Diamond website upon the first recall made to see by whom their food was produced. Diamond’s site proudly stated they make their food in their own facilities. At the time it was a relief to my ears that they didn’t out source the making of their product however I did not look to see if Diamond manufactured for other brands!

Once the CDC got involved I knew things would get worse.  To date at least 14 people that we know of have been stricken with the rare strain of Salmonella in 9 different states. What’s worse is this illness started to affect people back in Oct. 2011! These people had contact with dog food a week prior to getting ill and at least 5 people remembered the brand of food they used.
The bacteria, salmonella infantis, is a rare strain and while many people recover, it can also be fatal.

While I appreciated that Diamond had done a voluntary recall of their dog food it bothers me that they knew what other products /brand names that they manufacture for and waited to recall them. You can’t tell me they did not know what other products they produced within that same contamination field or else how would they know what brands and  lot numbers to recall? Of course they knew, but like all else in America the almighty dollar comes first.  

We are now seeing that Natural balance, Candie, and other well known foods are being voluntarily recalled.

At this time no illnesses have been “reported”, which is the key word, but does this mean illness did not occur or just that no one knew why they were ill?   Occasionally humans and dogs get a bit of a stomach bug, they don’t eat for a day or two and have some diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Would one naturally assume that salmonella poisoning was the reason? No!

All of my dogs eat Diamond dog food and all had gone off their food for at least one day here and there over a period of time. While there was no diarrhea or bloody stool that I saw, the symptoms as stated by Diamond could vary from just a loss of appetite to fever, runny bloody stool and vomiting. So did my dogs only have one or two symptoms of Salmonella poisoning? How can I say for sure unless I send the remaining food in for testing?  Obviously what is left in the bags I will not be feeding to the dogs at this point.

So now what to do? When you suddenly change your dog’s food you are asking for stomach upset right down to diarrhea and vomiting. In order to try and keep the food normal for the dogs to avoid this stomach upset I sent my hubby out to Tractor Supply Co to buy their brand of food, 4 health,  which we had recently started to add into the dog’s dishes with our diamond food. We tried this food because of a slick sales pitch by an employee of TSC and because it was without grains which is similar to Diamond only the price was a bit lower. That’s another aggravating circumstance which I surely will address with TSC. 

With all the recalls going on I got to thinking that I should look on the 4 health bag of food to see who manufactures it.  All I saw on the bag was that it was the trademark of Tractor Supply Co of Texas LE. All rights reserved. It also said it was distributed by TSC  Brentwood TN. It said nothing of the company that actually produced it for Tractor Supply. So then I had to do some more digging, especially after I sent hubby on this special trip to pick this food up so we could stop giving the Diamond food immediately.

What gave me pause for thought also about the 4 health food is that this morning hubby had to pick up some diarrhea off the kitchen floor obviously from one of my girls as that is where they sleep. This in conjunction with Abby being ill last week so much so that she could not even get comfortable enough to lie down until pure exhaustion overtook her, had me even more concerned.  

Thus tonight after more digging I find that TSC has their food manufactured by none other than Diamond!

I would really like to know why we do not insist on such information being placed on each bag of dog food made and sold to us. Why should we have to go digging in a gutter for this information on our own? We certainly pay a pretty penny for quality food so why are we not insisting that disclosure of the producing company be put on the bag?  Diamond produces dog food in at least three different states and ships all over the US.  Their problem factory seems to be the South Carolina site but I do not think the problem will end there, and sadly this would not have been such an issue if it had not been for the illness of humans and the CDC’ s involvement.

It is time to stand up and make laws that no matter what you buy or whom you buy it for, if it is being sold as a product that can harbor contamination of any kind be it for human or animal, that because it is coming into your home all disclosures of the product should be mandatorily put on every bag, can, box, jug, and bottle!  Period! You cannot pass go and you cannot not collect 200 dollars lest you be fined up the ying~yang for not making such disclosures!

Am I pissed off? YOU BET!  My Sunday will now consist of looking for new food for my 4 legged kids, one without grains, lest the feet licking and allergies start all over again!


Here is the site for Diamond recalls, I suggest you keep it handy and check it often http://diamondpetrecall.com/#

The CDC site
   


The following brands have issued a voluntary recall. More information will be following as it is released.

The below Diamond Pet Dry Dog Food Brands - To determine if what you have is
affected, you should check the production codes on the back of bags that
have a number "2" or a "3" in the 9th or 10th digit and an "X" in the 11th digit.
The best-before dates for the recalled brands are December 9, 2012 through
April 7, 2013. Please note- not all Diamond brands were produced on the affected plant manufacturing lines. Phillips receives products from numerous Diamond plants. Also, no cat or can skus are affected. 

* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul - All skus
* Country Value - All Skus
* Diamond - All Skus
* Diamond Naturals - All Skus
* Premium Edge - All Skus
* Professional - All Skus
* Taste of the Wild - All Skus

The below Wellness sku with a Best by Date of January 9, 10, & 11th 2013:

Wellness Large Breed Puppy in 15 pound and 30 pound 

May 4th, 2012- No other Wellness skus were affected.

Please note that no salmonella cases have been reported on Wellpet. They are recalling for the safety of the pet and the pet parent.

The below Natural Balance Skus:

5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; March 12, 2013

15 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; December 14, 2012; March 5, 2013; March 6, 2013

28 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 13, 2012; December 14, 2012; March 5, 2013; March 6, 2013; March 7, 2013; March 8, 2013; March 12, 2013

5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

15 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog; Best By Date: December 10, 2012; December 21, 2012; December 22, 2012

5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

15 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012; December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Bison Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012; December 17, 2012; December 18, 2012; December 28, 2012; December 29, 2012

5 LB Natural Balance Vegetarian Dog; Best By Date: December 9, 2012

28 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Large Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 12, 2012; December 20, 2012; December 21, 2012 

5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 21, 2012

12.5 LB Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Dog Small Breed Bites; Best By Date: December 21, 2012


May 4, 2012- Please note that only these 5 flavors of Natural Balance were affected. The other flavors are produced on other lines and plants.

Please note that no salmonella cases have been reported on Natural Balance. They are recalling for the safety of the pet and the pet parent.

The below Canidae skus with production codes that have both a number "3" in the 9th or 10th digit and an "X" in the 11th digit with a best before dates of December 9, 2012, through January 31, 2013 which are being recalled.

Canidae Dog, All Life Stages

Canidae Dog, Chicken Meal & Rice

Canidae Dog, Lamb Meal & Rice

Canidae Dog, Platinum


A message from Canidae: 

It is with regret that we are reporting a voluntary recall on a limited production run of CANIDAE dry dog food produced out of the Diamond Pet Foods South Carolina plant. Even though not one of our products have been tested positive for Salmonella, it is out of pure precaution that this product is being removed from the market place. We are working diligently to make this process as seamless as possible for you, our retailers and consumers.

Although there have been no animal or human illnesses related to Canidae Pet Food, and the product has not tested positive for Salmonella, the company has voluntarily initiated this recall out of caution to ensure the health and safety of consumers and their pets.

Following is an example of how to read the production code and best before date:

Production Code Best Before Date
FDE0104R5 3X TS 10 - January - 2013 

The recall affects only products distributed in the following Eastern U.S. states which were manufactured at the Diamond Pet Food Gaston, South Carolina plant. Further distribution to other pet food channels may occur:

Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee

Canidae Pet Foods apologizes for any potential issues this may have caused pet owners and their pets.

The company stated: “We have taken corrective actions at our Gaston, S.C., facility and voluntarily expanded the recall out of concern for our customers and their pets.”

Brands included in the recall include:

* Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
* Country Value
* Diamond
* Diamond Naturals
* Premium Edge
* Professional
* 4Health
* Taste of the Wild

To determine if their pet food is recalled, consumers should check the production codes on the back of bags that have a number “2” or a “3” in the 9th or 10th digit and an “X” in the 11th digit. The best-before dates for the recalled brands listed above are December 9, 2012 through April 7, 2013.

The following graphic illustrates how to read the production code and best-before date:

The recall affects only products distributed in the following U.S. states and Canada. Further distribution through other pet food channels may have occurred.

* Alabama
* Florida
* Georgia
* Indiana
* Kentucky
* Massachusetts
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Mississippi
* New York
* North Carolina
* Ohio
* Pennsylvania
* South Carolina
* Tennessee
* Virginia
* Canada

The Kirkland Signature products included in the recall include:

* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Lamb, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Adult Dog Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Mature Dog Chicken, Rice & Egg Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Dog Formulated with Chicken & Vegetables (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Maintenance Cat Chicken & Rice Formula (Best Before December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Super Premium Healthy Weight Cat Formula (December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)
* Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Formula for Dogs (December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013)

To determine if their pet food is recalled, consumers should check the production codes on the back of bags must have both a number “3” in the 10th digit and an “X” in the 11th digit. The best-before dates for the recalled brands listed are December 9, 2012 through January 31, 2013.

The following illustrates how to read the production code and best-before date:


The recall affects only products distributed in the following U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Canada.

* Alabama
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New York
* North Carolina
* Pennsylvania
* South Carolina
* Tennessee
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Canada
* Puerto Rico

Teaching and Using Trigger Words to Avert Trouble






A trigger word is what I use when I want to change my dog’s frame of mind. It is what I use because I run a multiple dog household. Having 6 to 7 inside dogs at a time is normal here and changes among them can take place due  a dog’s age, a sudden illness, if dogs are not sexually altered, or if there have been changes in the house such as new child or new pet. There are a multiple reasons why dogs suddenly shift ranks among them and a rift divides one dog from another. I first started training trigger words when I had, 1 Cocker Spaniel, 4 Newfoundlands, and 1 Golden Retriever. The Cocker had a tendency to act out, I believe it was just his personality and I allowed his personality to continue rather than nip it in the bud.   SHAME ON ME!

My Cocker Spaniel Cody would growl at anyone or anything that he perceived as coming into his space. He was a fear aggressive dog and if he felt threatened he lashed out. Of course looking back, it was quite funny to see a 20 lb dog make four 150 lb Newfoundland’s run for dear life, but in reality, if I had not done something to change Cody’s mentality, eventually this pack of dogs would have turned on him and that could have been his demise!

Before my Newfoundland’s came along, Cody was used to being with older dogs that were not rambunctious, the Newfs however, were pure terror, young and very rambunctious, which in itself is a book I am sure!  

One day while Cody lay on the couch, Bentley, the father Newf, came into the room and went to sniff Cody. (We knew Bentley had very  little common sense to begin with but this was really stupid on his part!) Cody gave his normal low growl and Bentley I suspect having had enough of Cody’s attitude, jumped onto the couch and stood over Cody’s little black body. In my mind’s eye I could see this horrible scene playing out before me, so  I reached in between the two dogs and grabbed Cody’s harness and of course this lead to a canine puncture in the top of the hand by Cody.

I admit, it is a stupid move to break up a dog fight and I don’t recommend it, however if I allowed the two dogs to come together I would probably have ended up with a very expensive Vet bill or a dead Cocker Spaniel! So instead, I ended up with an expensive ER hospital bill as through the night hours my hand blew up like a balloon and had gotten infected to the point that I could no longer tell where my knuckles were!  Either way, for me personally, it was a lose, lose situation and a hard lesson learned but one not forgotten!
             After a straight line into the vein from two bags of antibiotics, medication to go home with, a wound flush, and 1,200.00 dollars later, I realized something had to be done!

The purpose of a trigger word

The purpose of a trigger word is to take the dog’s mind off of a negative and put it in a more positive frame. In the instance above with Cody and Bentley, had Cody known a trigger word I could have used it at that instant and trouble could have been avoided as Cody’s mind would have been put on something positive and Bentley would have gone away.  To some, a trigger word seems like I am rewarding the dog for bad behavior, but if used correctly it can really avert trouble between to household dogs. When used correctly it does not cause more aggression by the dog.

You can use a trigger word for a variety of circumstances to get the dogs attention but  this in no way means that you don’t have to continue to teach basic obedience, no skimping!



Teaching a trigger word
(I used my clicker to teach Cody his trigger word as he already knew that sound as his marker. See www.clickerlessons.com to get started with a clicker)   

To teach a trigger word, you want to associate it with  a word the dog really loves. In this case Cody loved food so my trigger word was biscuit. It did not have to be a biscuit that I gave him, I could have given him a cheerio and the response would have been the same because he was a food hog. ( I say was because Cody did pass away of old age a few years back)
A trigger does not always have to be a word, it can be a sound. The sound of a biscuit jar or treat bag being opened also works, but chances of you walking around with a  treat jar in your hand is less likely than say, oh I don’t know, always having your voice!

To start, say the dog’s name and the trigger word, then back that trigger word up immediately with what you are going to give him. If you use 'Ball' as a trigger word because your dog loves balls, you need to have many handy when you train. It is imperative that once you say the trigger word you back it up immediately! Once the trigger word is learned you can take the time to walk to another room and get the ball or treat.

Here's how it should work and  I will use biscuit as an example because I have food hounds. You say, “Fido Biscuit” in the most upbeat positive voice possible. Fido looks at you because the tone of your voice alone tells him something good is going on and you immediately give Fido a biscuit. Do this repeatedly until you are sure he knows that the trigger word means something special is coming his way, when you are sure he’s got it,  then go about your business and ignore the dog for a while.  Call him to you again when he is not paying attention to you by saying his name and the trigger word. If he has gotten this down, he should come running to you and be in a very good mood with his tail a waggin’!

When I think back on the Cody /Bentley episode I look at it like this, would Cody have wanted to get the crap beat out of him by a 150 lb dog or did settling down and grabbing a biscuit sound better? I can tell you that after Cody learned his trigger word, the biscuit always sounded a better choice to him!

Use of the trigger word

 A trigger word must be used before the dog’s mind has been allowed to move too far forward into attack mode.  If however it is at the point where the dog’s mind has moved too far forward, then don’t use the trigger word and just stay out of the fight if it is a fair fight. I don’t want anyone to get that same large hospital bill that I did unnecessarily!

Also this is not something you want to use when you are out and about with other dogs who are off lead or getting in your dog’s face as you have no idea what might trigger a strange dog to attack. This is to be used for your home circumstance when the family dogs are not getting along.  Most people are familiar with their family dogs, and if you watch closely you will know when it is time to use a trigger word.

In the video link below is a most recent encounter between mother and daughter Newfies. The mother has not been feeling her best so her eating habits have changed. She is not up to having her dinner, but she also does not want her daughter to eat.  You will see the mother corner her daughter, put her head over the daughter’s neck and hold her there. If I were to step in at that point and touch or grab the mother’s collar, it could have escalated to a bad scenario.  If I had been in the room when the tension first started, I could have averted it by using the trigger word. But in fact, I walked in at a point that the mother had already cornered her daughter so I had to wait for the mother to back off just a bit before using the trigger. The daughter did exactly what she should have done to avoid a fight which was look away and be still. However knowing the mother as I do, any other movement by the daughter toward the area where the food dish was, even though it was hidden behind the blue mat, the mother would again have started with the daughter. The mat was up because I had just finished sweeping the floor. Until I had the time to move the dish up high, the mother would have continued to try and dominate the daughter.

So there you have it. Teaching a trigger word is easy! Hmm, if only there were trigger words for spouses that would have them instantly do what we ask of them!  Until next time, happy training!