Category: Recalls

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Pet Food Recall: Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats For Dogs

Hartz is recalling 8 oz. bags of their Naturals Real Beef Treats fo Dogs.

The recall affects 75,000 bags with the lot number BZ0969101E.  If you have any bags with this lot number, you should carefully dispose of any unused product.

If you have any questions, you can contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.

What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and cross-contamination to humans is possible resulting in serious illness.

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Pet Food Recall: Merrick Recall Expanded

All 10 oz. bags of Beef Filet Squares treats and Texas Hold’ems treats are now being recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.

If you have purchased either of these, return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.


What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and cross-contamination to humans is possible resulting in serious illness.

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Pet Food Recall: Iams & Eukanuba

The recall of Iams Veterinary Prescription Renal Diet Cat Food has been expanded by Procter & Gamble to include many other varieties made in the same manufacturing plant due to possible salmonella contamination.  The recall now includes

  1. Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas–All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
  2. Eukanuba Naturally Wild—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
  3. Eukanuba Pure—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes
  4. Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin—All dry sizes & varieties, Best by: 01Jul10-01Dec11, All UPC Codes

There are over 60 varieties being recalled so be sure to check the lengthy list.

Interestingly Proctor & Gamble and the FDA have conflicting explanations as to why this news was made public yet again on a Friday where it gets less coverage over the weekend—dump & run.  Therese at PetSitUSA recieved email from Bev VanZant from P&G stating the FDA dictated the timing of the news release.  However, FDA representatives at the American Veterinary Medical Convention told Gina Spadafori from PetConnection:

the FDA has no power to force a mandatory recall,  and only after companies refuse to put out information on these so-called “voluntary” recalls — which are often the result of FDA arm-twisting — will the FDA put out information in advance of a company’s own efforts to share — or not share — the information.

Maybe someday all companies will put safety before profits.  Maybe?

What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans.

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Pet Food Recall: Iams Renal Diet Cat Food & Mice Direct Frozen Reptile Food


Iams is recalling their Veterinary Prescription Renal Diet Cat food due to salmonella contamination. FDA testing came up positive for salmonella in two lots. For information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).  These are the effected lots (lot codes are on the lower right corner on the back of the bag):

  • Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5lbs, Lot Code 01384174B4, UPC Code 0 19014 21405 1
  • Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5lbs, Lot Code 01384174B2, UPC Code 0 19014 21405 1


Mice Direct is recalling frozen mice, rats, and chicken due to possible salmonella contamination. According to the FDA, Human illnesses that may be related to the frozen reptile feed have been reported in 17 states. The recalled product should not be fed to animals, even after heating in a microwave oven, since the heating may not be adequate to kill Salmonella. The recall is based upon sampling by the FDA of frozen mice. The company continues their investigation.

The frozen reptile feed was distributed in all states, except Hawaii, through pet stores and by mail order and direct delivery.

Frozen reptile feed was shipped in plastic bags with the following product codes:

  • M-SP100, M-P100, M-PF100, M-F100, M-H100, M-W50, M-A50, M-JA25
  • R-P100, R-F50, R-PUP50, R-W50, R-S50, R-M20, R-L10,R-J5, R-C5, R-M3 followed by E9, F9, G9, H9, I9, J9, K9, L9 or A10, B10, C10, D10, E10, F10, G10
  • whole frozen chicks in 25 count bags.


What you need to know about Salmonella

Salmonella can cause serious illness in cats and dogs and there can be cross-contamination to humans causing serious illness in humans.

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The FDA Recall Policy

It’s important to understand how FDA recalls work.  These voluntary recalls are not exactly voluntary, which isn’t at all clear to most people.  There are two problems, first the recalls are called voluntary because the FDA has no power to demand a recall.  The FDA doesn’t actually require recalls, they request them.  If a company refuses, the FDA can seize product and shut down operations.*  So, technically all recalls are voluntary.  However, because of liability issues, companies pretty much have to conduct a recall or face litigation and a court ordered recall.  So not so voluntary.**  

And this is important because secondly, the term ‘voluntary’ implies the danger of the product may not be all that great, that the company had a choice about the recall, that the company is recalling the product out of the goodness of their heart.   

For more information, here is are:

*[“The FDA can order a recall only under unusual circumstances. These include, but are not limited to, infant formula recalls, medical tissue product recalls (such as skin graft cultures) and medical device recalls where there’s a significant risk to a patient if the device is not used in its mandated and recommended way.”]

**(The exception is if the company initiates the recall first and informs the FDA, which tends to happen when the company conducts their own internal testing.  This sort of recall IS voluntary in the true sense of the word.)

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