Is Your Pet’s Food Safe? Recent Recalls You Should Know About
Recent FDA Announcement
A few days ago, the FDA issued a release about a company called Inmar. This company has multiple FDA-regulated products, including pet food. They have disclosed dealing with a documented rodent problem at their facility. Additionally, due to excessive hot weather, they couldn’t guarantee that they were able to keep the products cool enough. When dealing with rodents and warmed-up pet food, there’s a much higher risk of salmonella contamination. No one wants salmonella — I certainly don’t want my pet Tula to get it. Salmonella can be pretty serious; however, if you and your pets are healthy, the risks are minimal. In young or old animals, or those that are immunocompromised, you could see much more serious secondary clinical signs. It can go septic, affecting the heart and joints.
Unspecified Brands and Potential Risks
Unfortunately, the press release was vague about the specific brands affected. It mentioned numerous pet food products but did not name any brands. These FDA-regulated products were sold to salvage buyers, which are usually products near their expiry date and not sold by retail stores. They are then sold at discounted prices by this distributor. Online searches about Inmar pet food show links between major brands like Purina and Hills. Purina, now owned by Nestle — a massive international conglomerate — was highlighted. Nestle reported that pet food sales significantly contribute to their growth, with Purina being a major player.
What to Do If You Have Recently Purchased Pet Food
If you have purchased pet food at a discount in the last few weeks — for example, Dog Chow, Cat Chow, or Pro Plan, now on sale for significant discounts — I would advise not to feed it to your dog or cat. Check the packaging for signs of tampering, such as holes or unusual smells. If any of these signs are present, stop feeding it immediately. If your pet shows gastrointestinal signs possibly from salmonella, like fever or bloody diarrhea, make sure to see your veterinarian immediately.
Conclusion
It’s concerning that the FDA would issue a recall without naming the specific brands affected. As a pet food consumer, you deserve better transparency. Thank you so much for watching this edition of my channel. Don’t forget to subscribe, hit the Bell for notifications, and click the link below to receive a copy of my free book about the most recent pet food recalls.
I have used Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health base for the past 5 years and my Pekingese girl has done well on it. They sell human grade food and their customer service is the best. I don’t know of any other company that I would trust for my baby’s food!
That’s great that you have trusted pet food and diet plan.
One of our male cats (about 1 & a half y/o) has a recurring cough/wheeze issue. It happens sporadically & we haven’t noticed anything that might be triggering it.
We tried a homeopathic feline cough remedy but unfortunately it seemed to have no effect.
Our older female cat (about 15 y/o) had a runny nose and the feline homeopathic for that seems to have worked on her.
We use grain-free dry cat food from Tractor Supply–we always study the ingredients.
We are living on small Social Security checks and can’t afford fresh food for my disabled adult daughter’s 4 assistance cats. (They help her feel more normal; she’s house-bound.)
I hope you can point us in the right direction!
We don’t trust pharmaceuticals so we’re looking for a natural solution.
Thanks for all your great advice!
An air purifier has been very helpful for wheezing/ coughing in my cats…??
I did self medicate with a few things, and here are 2 things that you can also consider ( for yourself and pets)
Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus) — While probiotics won’t directly relieve your cough, they may help underlying conditions. Some evidence suggests that Lactobacillus may help prevent colds and flu, and possibly reduce allergy to pollen. One study found that children in daycare centers who drank milk fortified with Lactobacillus had fewer and less severe colds. Another study of children in daycare found those who took a specific combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium had fewer flu-like symptoms.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) — Thyme has traditionally been used to treat respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis and to treat cough. Two preliminary studies suggest that thyme may help treat acute bronchitis and relieve cough. Thyme is approved by the German Commission E to treat those conditions. Thyme oil is considered toxic and should not be taken by mouth.
Source: Cough | University of Maryland Medical Center
The Thyme comes in capsules, and can give you a bit of a herbal after taste, but I really perked up after starting on it.
Worth considering.
The pet doses
For upper respiratory tract infection, traditional uses include drinking tea, made by steeping 1-2 grams of dried herb in 150 milliliters of boiling water for 10 minutes, then cooling, given twice daily. Tincture: 5 drops/ 10lbs twice daily; or herbal capsules- a pet dose would be 1/4 of a capsule per 10lbs daily
Doctor Jones,
So very grateful for all you do for us fur baby parents.
You also have the very best customer service.
Thank you so very much for everything.