AJ Pet Products

NATURE'S VARIETY EXPANDS RECALL

2010-03-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

Nature's Variety has expanded it's nationwide voluntary recall of it's Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet's for dogs and cats dated "Best used by" 10/29/10 and 11/9/10 due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Pets infected can have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, be lethargic, fever or vomiting. People that handle the contaminated products can become sick as well. If people become ill, they should contact their health provider.

For more in depth information go to http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm203612.htm

AJ Pet Products promotes food and products that have never been recalled. To learn more about these products go to http://www.healthypetnet.com/HealthyPetNet/Home.aspx?realname=40029663&cat=0&hdr=&Ath=False

REPORTING PET FOOD COMPLAINTS

2010-03-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hopefully you will never need to report a complaint for food your pet has eaten. If you do however, here is a link for phone numbers that you can call in your respective state.
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm

If you do have a complaint about pet food, you want to give as much information as possible.

Many people store their pet food in containers for ease. If you have a complaint you will want to give the following information:

1.) The name of the pet food, including the lot number (by the expiration date), the expiration date, the size of package or container, when and where the food was purchased and how was the food handled by you (was it refrigerated, how you stored it and if you had to prepare it in anyway, how it was prepared).

2.) You want to tell the person on the other end of the hot line if there was a foul odor when you opened the food, if the package was swollen or opened when you bought the food and if there are any foreign objects in the food you want to describe them.

3.) You want to tell what kind of animal is sick, the species, weight and age. The previous health of your pet and if your pet takes supplements or any medication. Any pre-existing conditions your pet might have.

4.) How much of the product did your pet consume? Was your pet outside unsupervised where they could have eaten something you don't know about? What makes you think that the product you are complaining about is what made your pet sick? What was your veterinarians diagnosis? Results of any lab work done on your pet.

RECALL OF INJECTABLE VETERINARY DRUG

2010-02-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

A recall of an injectable veterinary anethesia came out in the news today. If you have a pet that needs surgery, be aware that ketamine hydrochloride has been recalled. Ketamine hydrochloride comes in a variety of names. Butorphanol is also recalled. Butorphanol is used as an opiate for pain.

If your pets are scheduled for surgery or taking pain medications, tell your veterinarian you know about these recalls and you want to make sure these medications are not being used on your pets.

HOW TO BRUSH YOUR PET'S TEETH

2010-02-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

Every veterinary visit should include having your pet's teeth checked. This can avoid heartache and pain in the future by knowing about your pet's dental health.

The first thing to keep in mind is you want to stay out of harms way when you brush your pet's teeth. Some pets just don't like to have their teeth brushed, especially in the beginning, and they have sharp teeth that you don't want to be subjected to.

You will want to have approved equipment such as pet toothbrushes and paste. You don't want to use human toothpaste. Some pet's don't like the mint that is in our toothpaste and the foaming agents in the fluoride can cause upset your pet's stomach. Pet toothpaste comes in flavors such as beef or chicken so it tastes good to the pet.

Let your pet become used to the toothpaste and brush before you start using them on your pet. Associate the toothbrush and paste with treats so the pet knows it's a good thing. Let them lick the toothpaste before you start brushing their teeth. Give them lots of praise as you do this. After the first step, let them lick the toothpaste off of their toothbrush. Again praising them. Be patient, this may take up to a couple of weeks.
Be sure to use a soft bristle toothbrush. You always want to be gentle when you brush you pet's teeth, especially at the beginning. Use your finger brush or pet toothbrush and start at the front of the mouth. Brush the teeth up and down as well as in a circular motion and move your toothbrush back towards the molars.

Some pets will let you open their mouths and brush the tops of the teeth, but not all pets are going to let you do that. The back of the teeth are not as susceptible to plaque as the front teeth.

Other things that can help with your pets plaque are dental treats for dogs as well as gourmet cat treats that even though they are for hairballs, the crunchiness of the nugget will help get rid of plaque. Rope toys as well as other chew type of toys help keep the plaque off the teeth because of the chewing action.

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH

2010-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Although dental health for your pet family members is important all year long, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) as well as several other veterinary groups sponsor National Pet Dental Health Month during the month of February.

Don't discount bad breath as simply smelly. Bad breath can mean a variety of health problems even affecting the internal organs of your pet. Did you know that the most common problem in pets diagnosed is periodontal disease? Periodontal disease can lead to painful infections in your pets mouth, which can spread and become life-threatening. Periodontal disease is an infection of your pets gums. Diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease in many cases are linked to periodontal disease. 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have peridontal disease by the age of two.

The best prevention is brushing your pets teeth daily. That will be discussed in greater detail in the next blog. Regular visits to your veterinarian are also important for dental check ups.

DISCLOSURE ABOUT LAST BLOG

2010-02-14T18:18:00.000-08:00

This is a disclosure regarding the last post. I did not write the last post, it was copied from the Oregonlive.com.
The author was Lynne Terry from the news room.

Raw pet food recalled over salmonella fears

2010-02-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

Raw pet food recalled over salmonella fearsBy Lynne Terry, The Oregonian February 12, 2010, 9:34AMA company specializing in raw pet food -- which backers say is healthier than cooked products -- is recalling frozen chicken over salmonella fears.

Nature’s Variety, headquartered in Lincoln, Neb., said it is pulling its chicken formula raw frozen diet for both dogs and cats. The chicken was sold in retail stores nationwide and online.

The recall covers:

3-lb. chicken medallions (UPC# 7 69949 60130 2) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10 6-lb. chicken patties (UPC# 7 69949 60120 3) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/102-lb. chicken chubs (UPC# 7 69949 60121 0) with a "Best If Used By" date of 11/10/10
The company said it received a customer complaint about a particular batch after its pet developed digestive problems. The call prompted a salmonella test, which turned up positive in another batch of the food.

The raw pet food diet known as BARF, or biologically appropriate raw food, is popular among owners who say it promotes health, longevity and cuts down on vet bills. But raw meat, especially chicken, carries a risk of salmonella.

The bacteria can cause health problems in both pets that eat the food and owners who might become poisoned after handling it.

Sick pets could become lethargic and develop diarrhea or vomiting. Some pets may lose their appetite, develop a fever or abdominal pain. If you suspect an issue, contact your veterinarian.

The company can be reached at 800-374-3142.

2010-02-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

This policy is valid from 14 February 2010

   This blog is a sponsored blog created or supported by a company, organization or group of organizations. For questions about this blog, please contact Tracy Robinson.

    This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsored content. Adsense with Google, Ads with Amazon.com, Trilogyonline.com/HealthyPetNet.

    The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners. If we claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

    We have a financial interest in the following that are relevant to our blogging: Trilogyonline/HealthyPetNet for food and treats. A store for pet supplies and products with Amazon.com.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

HOW LONG IS YOUR PET FOOD IN STORAGE BEFORE IT GETS TO YOUR PET

2010-02-13T20:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what stages your pets food goes through before it gets to your home?

In the last blog we talked about the beginning of commercial pet food. After the human grade crops go to market, the crops that are left for pet food are put in silos for months. As mentioned before, this produces mold and mildew on the crops making this a breeding ground for mice and other rodents. By the time the crops get to the manufacturing plant there are dead rodents and feces along with the mold all through the food.

Pet food is made in such mass quantities that powerful, harmful chemicals such as BHA and BHT are added to assure long shelf lives sometimes for up to two years! When these pet foods are waiting to go to the store, it is not uncommon for them to be stored in tractor trailers or warehouses with no temperature control.

When the food finally get to the store, who knows how long the food sits on the store shelves before it is bought. Sometimes when the food is in the store, it is put in the window where the sun hits it or under the heater, neither of these spots are good for storage.

So as you can see, many pet foods not only have no nutritional value, they can be and often are very harmful to your pets.

If you would like to see an alternative to these problems, www.ajpetproducts.biz
has information on pet food and treats that are the healthiest, freshest available.

NEW GENERATION PET FOOD

2010-02-12T13:12:00.001-08:00

Pet food has come a long way since it's first inception. People used to just feed their pets table scraps, pets were "garbage disposals" for the leftovers.

HOW DID PET FOOD EVEN START??

Around the time of WWII is when pet food first made it's debut. It actually came about by accident, sort of. Farmers had left over crops that were not fit for human consumption. The idea of making those crops into pet food came about. These crops were corn and wheat. After the edibale crops were taken to market, the food deemed for our pets was put in silos. Sometimes for months at a time. This meant a lot of mold, mildew and rodents running around in the silo's. After the produce was finally taken to the plant and made into pet food, it would sit in warehouses or tractor trailers for up to 2 years!! The pet food companies had to put harsh preservatives in the food so it could last. These preservatives included BHA and BHT which are known carcinegeons. Unfortunately, in modern times, these practices still run rampent. If you watch this short video, "The Truth About Pet Food", you will never look the same at what your feeding your pets.

Tracy