Pet food recalls typically don’t get the same level of media attention as recalls for products intended for human consumption, so it’s easy to miss pet food warnings issued to the public. I’m sure you’d be devastated if your beloved pet died from eating contaminated commercial pet food, as would I. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to stay informed about future pet food recalls. Simply visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new subscriber page and enter your email address (password optional) to receive timely updates. You can set your preferences to receive email releases immediately, daily, or weekly. You can also limit topics to only what you’re interested in such as pet food safety recalls (look under the veterinarian section).
Now for the recall at hand. There is currently a warning and a recall that you should be aware of for the following nationwide brands of dog, cat, and fish foods: Sportmix, Sportstrail, Nunn Better, ProPac, and Splash Fat Cat Fish Food. This is a voluntary recall by the manufacturer, Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. As of January 12, at least 70 dogs have died as a result of eating food tainted with Aflatoxins, which are poisonous and produced by a mold, Aspergillus flavus. For specific details and symptoms in animals caused by Aflatoxins, please refer to the FDA alert or the WebMD article.
Question of the Night: What kind of animal would you like as a pet, if only it were practical? (In other words, what kind of impractical pet would you love to be responsible for?)
