York Area Pet Bird ClubOur press secretary, Kim received the following from the Center of Veterinary Medicine concerning the salmonella outbreak in Peanut Butter and Pet Foods. The links within the text of the message contain links to some but not all pet foods that have been recalled. Please use caution if you give any of your pets, including your birds, anything with peanut butter in them or on them. For the sake of your pets, we hope you don't give them anything with peanut butter but if you do, the message below also tells you what signs to look for if your pet(s) would seem ill from it. To our fellow bird clubs, this may be something that you might want to consider putting on your websites or in your newsletters. It may also be wise to include a section on how to handle pet foods and the warning signs of how salmonella affects pets. Read on... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to investigate potential Salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at the Blakely, Georgia facility of Peanut Corporation of American (PCA), and is informing pet owners that the recall also includes some pet food products. Many companies that received peanut butter or peanut paste from PCA have in turn issued recalls. A searchable list of all products being recalled can be found at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm which includes a separate category of pet food product recalls www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm#PetFood. As the investigation continues and new information becomes available, CVM will update its list of recalled products. In addition, CVM is reminding consumers of steps they can take to help prevent foodborne illness, including Salmonella-related illness, when handling pet foods and treats. These include hand washing with hot water and soap before and after handling pet foods and treats and washing pet food bowls and utensils after each use. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis. 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. Well animals 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. The FDA has not received any reports of illness associated with the pet food products. Copyright © 2006-2009 York Area Pet Bird Club |