These direction will help you grow your very own Shih Tzu….

How to grow a Shih Tuz:

Step 1: Get Strawberry pot.
Step 2: Plant a small Shih Tzu.
Step 3: Feed and Water often.
Step 4: Love the Shih Tzu.

Kasel Associated Industries Recalls Boots & Barkley American Beef
Bully sticks Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

via:http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm320569.htm

Photo Credit: Roopesh Sheth http://www.flickr.com/photos/roopeshsheth/5159364041/

 

Contact

Consumer:
1-800-218-4417

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 21, 2012 – Kasel Associated Industries of Denver, CO is voluntarily recalling its BOOTS & BARKLEY 6 COUNT 5 INCH AMERICAN BEEF BULLY STICKS product because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products and humans are at risk for salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the pet products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these symptoms after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has any of these signs, please contact your veterinarian.

The recalled American Beef Bully Sticks were distributed nationwide through Target retail stores from April through September 2012.

The product comes in a clear plastic bag containing 6 bully sticks marked with bar code number 647263899189. Kasel Industries is recalling all lot numbers because the following lot codes tested positive through analysis by the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture: BESTBY20APR2014DEN, BESTBY01JUN2014DEN, BESTBY23JUN2014DEN, and BESTBY23SEP2014DEN.

No illnesses have been reported to date in animals or humans in connection with this problem.

The recall was the result of a routine sampling by the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture which revealed that the finished products contained the Salmonella bacteria. The company has ceased the production and distribution of the product while FDA and the company continue investigating as to the source of the contamination. No other products made by Kasel Associated Industries are included in the recall.

Consumers who have purchased the 6 count 5 inch packages of Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Kasel Associated Industries at 1-800-218-4417 Monday thru Friday from 7am to 5pm MDT.

Candace Thaxton from Ohio believes that tainted Chicken Jerky from China killed her 10 year old pug, Chansey.  She believe the same product also sickened her five month old puppy.

“Thaxton says Chansey, who was named after her son’s favorite Pokemon character, died of kidney failure after several months of eating the Waggin’ Train brand dog treats. After the puppy the family acquired to replace Chansey suffered kidney problems, too, she saw the FDA warning about the dog treats and concluded the problems were caused by the treats the family fed both dogs.” — quote from cleveland.com.

On Monday the family along with other pet owners from Ohio have joined US senator Sherrod Brown in asking the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate the pet treats and to withdraw them from the market.

According to Brown; The pets suffer from symptoms such as decreased appetite and activity, vomiting, renal failure, and in some cases, death.

In a letter from Brown to FDA commissioner Margaret H. Hamburg;

“I urge you to promptly pursue efforts to find the contaminant in these pet foods, alert customers of the dangers of these products, and make sure the products found harmful are pulled from the retail market,”

Representative Dennis Kucinich also from Ohio also sent a letter to Hamburg last week:

“The FDA must not wait to issue a voluntary recall until it is able to definitively identify a causal agent…  The FDA has clearly established an association between consumption of the chicken jerky and illness and death. It is simply not feasible to expect every dog owner to be aware of a modestly publicized warning from the FDA.”

Starting in 2007 the FDA has issued a number of warnings about chicken jerky products for dogs (also called chicken tenders, strips and or treats) that have sickened or killed pets.  The FDA says they are still investigating the problems and have not yet determined a cause for the illness.  According the the FDA; The illnesses may have another cause.

FDA spokeswoman Tamara Ward stated; “No specific products have been recalled or implicated because we have not detected a contaminant.  The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem and its origin. If we find evidence of any contaminant, the FDA will take appropriate action and notify the public.”

The FDA advised that if you feed chicken jerky products to your dog that you should watch for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.

Thaxton, who is the owner of Chansey, the dog who passed away, got a new puppy to replace Chansey.  Shortly after getting the puppy; the dog suffered kidney problems also.  It was at this point that Thaxton saw the FDA warning about the dog treats and she came to the conclusion that they were to blame for the illness in both dogs.

“I think they should be pulled off the market and examined until they find out what is making our dogs sick, and compensation should be made,”  – said Thaxton.

A spokesman for Waggin’ Train who is made by Nestle Purina; said the company’s chicken jerky treats are safe to feed as directed.  Spokesman Keith Schopp also noted that the FDA has been unable to find a definitive cause that would link illness to chicken jerky products.  He stated that the company uses high quality ingredients from China.  They claim to inspect the sites in China and to monitor quality.

I’ve been alerted that a Chicken Jerky Product called Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Jerky is also made in China and may also be making dogs ill. I found this blog post with more details about the problems this person had with Milo’s Kitchen Chicken Jerky.

If you have information about additional products that may be making dogs ill, please contact me with details.

SPEAK OUT and help save other dogs from getting sick or dying:  Action Steps:

1. The first step is the easiest and one that everyone can do; Please visit change.org and sign the Petition.

Additional Steps you can take:

2.  Do not buy Chicken Strips or other pet food made in China.

3. If you have purchased such products; return them and demand a refund.*

4. Contact Waggin’ Train and ask them to stop selling Chicken Jerky from China until they can determine the cause of the problem and solve it.

Waggin’ Train Customer service: 866-283-2923
Waggin’ Train Contact Form: http://www.waggintrainbrand.com/contact.html (NOTE: Appears broken as of 2/7/2012)

5. Contact Nestle Purina, parrent company for Waggin’ Train and ask them to stop selling Chicken Jerky from China until they can determine the cause of the problem and solve it.

Purina: 1-800-778-7462 (1-800-7PURINA)
Purina Contact Form: http://register.purina.com/content/ContactUs

6. Contact the US FDA and urge them to remove these products from the market until they can determine a cause for the illnesses and reach a soluton.

FDA: 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)
FDA Spokes Person Tamara Ward: 301-796-7567 tamara.ward@fda.hhs.gov

7. Contact your Senator and urge them to Join Senetor  Sherrod Brown and Representative Dennis Kucinich from Ohio in asking the FDA to take direct action to save pets.

Find your Senator and their contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Please leave a comment and let us know you have taken action by signing the petition and or completing the additional action steps!

*If you have fed such a product, I suggest that you stop feeding, but keep the product for at least a period of time in case your dog becomes ill.  Having the product available for testing may be helpful if your dog becomes ill.