FDA Advises Pet Owners Not to Give Their Dogs Any Pig Ear Treats

Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they were investigating a link between pig ear treats for dogs and an outbreak of Salmonella infections in humans who had handled the treats.

Four weeks later, the FDA and CDC have made another alarming announcement: They are recommending that pet owners do not give their dogs any pig ear treats and that stores should stop selling them.

In early July, 45 cases of human infection linked to exposure to pig ear treats tainted with Salmonella enterica had been reported in a handful of states. As of today, that number has jumped to 127 cases in 33 states. Twenty-six of those people had to be hospitalized.

Although the FDA has not yet recalled any brands, two companies have voluntarily recalled their pig ear products. Pet Supplies Plus announced on July 3 that it is voluntarily recalling bulk pig ear products supplied to all of its stores by several different vendors. On July 26, Lennox Intl Inc announced that it is voluntarily recalling its Natural Pig ears products that were shipped to distributors and retail stores across the country from May 1 to July 3, 2019.

The FDA said in today’s announcement that it’s working with impacted firms to remove pig ear treats from the marketplace and to identify places where they may have been distributed. Some of the pig ear treats associated with the human Salmonella infections have been traced to sources in Argentina and Brazil.

Salmonella Infections Can Be Deadly

In most cases, Salmonella infections will clear up on their own, but as those 26 people can tell you, you might end up in a hospital. In the worst cases, it can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and other body parts. Salmonella infections can be deadly for very young and very old people, as well as for people with weakened immune systems.

The most common signs of a Salmonella infection in humans are diarrhea, nausea, fever and abdominal cramps. If you’re giving your dog pig ear treats and are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor.

Dogs can also get Salmonella infections. The symptoms are the same as those for humans, but infected dogs may have no symptoms at all. The problem is that dogs can easily pass the infection along to humans. “Once Salmonella gets established in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the animal can shed the bacteria, and the contamination will continue to spread,” the FDA notes. See your veterinarian if your dog shows the symptoms of a Salmonella infection.

If you think you or your dog has been sickened by a pig ears treat or any other pet product, you can report it on the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal.

Photo: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Firefighters Rush Dog Injured in Car Crash to Animal Hospital

If you’re going to be involved in a rollover crash with your dog beside you in your vehicle, one of the best places to end up would be near firefighters in a fire station, right?

That’s exactly what happened to a man who was driving with his Australian Shepherd in an SUV along a road in Canyon Country, Calif. He apparently somehow lost control, and the SUV crashed and rolled over. It landed on its side on the lawn of Los Angeles County Fire Station 128.

The firefighters ran out, pulled the man from the wreckage, and rushed him to a hospital in an ambulance.

Meanwhile, the Australian Shepherd had managed to jump out a window and was trying to hide near some stairs. The firefighters were able to successfully coax him onto a stretcher and took him, in another ambulance, to a nearby animal hospital in Santa Clarita. Their compassionate efforts were captured on video.

Both the man and his dog are in critical condition, according to the firefighters. If the car hadn’t ended up where it did, neither of the accident victims may have survived.

“Three of us worked together not only to provide care to the hurt Australian Shepherd but to also provide timely transportation to a local veterinary clinic,” Los Angeles County Fire Battalion Chief Nick Berkuta told CBS Los Angeles. “To have fire resources available immediately allowed for us to provide him with the best possible that we can.”

According to CBS Los Angeles, the dog wasn’t restrained inside the SUV. Being tossed around so violently during the crash probably contributed to his injuries — an important reason why it’s never a good idea to leave your dog unsecured in your vehicle. But do be aware that most car restraints for pets failed crash tests in a 2011 study by the non-profit Center for Pet Safety, perhaps because there currently are no government or industry standards for these safety devices. Still, it’s safer to use a restraint since it can prevent your dog from becoming a projectile, not only injuring himself but other passengers in the vehicle.

Here’s wishing the man and the Australian Shepherd speedy recoveries. Many thanks to the heroes at Los Angeles County Fire Station 128 for making sure they were both quickly treated for their injuries.

Photo: CBS Los Angeles/YouTube

Elderly Florida Man Rescues Golden Retriever from Alligator

As Buddy Ackerman was out for predawn walk in Palm Harbor, Fla., earlier this week with Oso, his daughter’s Golden Retriever, an 8-foot-long alligator slithered out from a retention pond and snatched Oso.

Ackerman was using a retractable leash to walk Oso, so he didn’t see the alligator attack as the dog was taking a potty break near the pond — but he heard Oso whimpering.

“He was squealing a good bit when the thing grabbed him,” Ackerman, a 75-year-old grandfather, told ABC Action News. “Me, I’m a nervous wreck, I go up and slip and fall on my rear end, and the two of us are tugging. Alligator is going one way, I’m going the other.”

Although it may not seem like the safest thing to do, Ackerman did just what many pet parents, or parents of pet parents, might do in such a horrible situation. He immediately began kicking the alligator’s snout. It worked: The gator “opened its mouth real wide and backed up a little,” Ackerman told ABC Action News. It dropped Oso and crawled back into the pond.

Speaking of not being the safest thing to do, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) warns residents not to allow their pets to swim, exercise or drink in or near waters that may contain alligators.

It’s also important to note that some veterinarians and animal welfare experts are opposed to retractable leashes because they can be dangerous. “There are many reasons to avoid or reconsider the use of a retractable leash,” writes Dr. Marty Becker, “starting with the fact that on this type of leash, your dog can get far enough away from you to either get into trouble or into harm’s way” — as Oso and Ackerman so scarily discovered. These leashes can also cause injuries to dogs and people, “from superficial burns and cuts to horrific amputations,” Becker writes.

The good news is that neither Oso or Ackerman suffered any serious injuries during the attack. As for the gator, Ackerman called the FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) hotline and reported it. An alligator that looked like Oso’s attacker was trapped by wildlife officials later that day.

Ackerman’s daughter, Jody, says her dad is a hero. “Osi and I are so very grateful that nobody was hurt,” she told ABC Action News.

“I’m chalking it up to good luck,” Ackerman told the Tampa Bay Times. “I was worried more about my daughter and how she would feel.”

Photo: @abcactionnews/Twitter

Pig Ear Treats Could Be Causing Human Salmonella Infections

 

JULY 31, 2019 UPDATE: The FDA and CDC announced today they are advising pet owners not to give their dogs any pig ear treats, and for stores to stop selling them.

Years ago, I gave my dog Larry pig ear treats to munch on because I heard they were safe for pets. But the stench and the fact that they were actual pig ears were a big turn-off for me, so I soon found a better alternative: odorless, nearly indestructible Kong toys (affiliate link).

Now there’s another reason why you might want to think twice before giving your dog pig ear treats. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it’s investigating a link between these treats and Salmonella infections in humans.

Forty-five human cases of Salmonella enterica serotype have been reported in several states, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is working with the FDA on the investigation. Twelve people had to be hospitalized. Many of the people who got sick had been exposed to pig ear treats.

Samples of pig ears taken from bulk bins in retail stores by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development tested positive for several strains of Salmonella, the FDA reports, although not for Salmonella enterica serotype. Still, the test results are pretty alarming. 

Salmonella infections can be deadly for very young and very old people, as well as people with weakened immune systems. In most cases, the infection will clear up on its own, but as those 12 people can tell you, you might end up in a hospital. In the worst cases, it can spread from the intestines to the bloodstream and other body parts.

The most common signs of a Salmonella infection are diarrhea, nausea, fever and abdominal cramps. If you’re giving your dog pig ear treats and are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor.

Dogs can also get Salmonella infections. The symptoms are the same as those for humans, but infected dogs may have no symptoms at all. The problem is that dogs can easily pass the infection along to humans. “Once Salmonella gets established in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract, the animal can shed the bacteria, and the contamination will continue to spread,” the FDA notes.

If you still want to give your dog pig ear treats, the FDA warns that you should be sure to pick up the ears when your dog’s not chewing them, keep them away from small children, clean all areas that came into contact with them, wash your hands after touching them, and don’t let your dog lick anyone or any surfaces in your home. (Good luck with that.)

The FDA is not yet recalling any brand of pig ear treats. Two years ago, four brands were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination.

If you think you or your dog has been sickened by a pig ears treat or any other pet product, you can report it on the FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal.

Photo: Karen/Flickr

FDA Warns that Some Dog Food Brands Could Be Linked to Heart Disease

If you feed your dog food from Acana, Zignature or Taste of the Wild, take note: The U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) has issued a report warning that these and some other brands may be linked to a very serious form of canine heart disease.

The FDA announced about a year ago that it had received “highly unusual” reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) – a condition that enlarges the heart – in dogs whose breeds aren’t genetically prone to this potentially deadly disease.

As I wrote for Care2.com at the time, all the dogs had eaten unidentified commercial pet food with the main ingredients of peas, lentils, other legume seeds, and potatoes – products that are usually labeled as “grain free.”

At the time, the FDA was looking into whether DCM could possibly be connected to dog food whose main ingredients are legumes (such as peas or lentils), legume seeds or potatoes.

A year later, the FDA has announced that it received 560 confirmed reports of DCM in dogs from January 2014 to the end of April 2019. Over 20% of those dogs died. Cats were also affected: Of the 14 reported cases, five cats died.

Now the FDA is naming the dog food brands most of those dogs ate. In the majority of the reported cases, the dogs had eaten dry food, but raw, semi-moist and wet foods were also represented.

These are the brands listed by the FDA and the number of cases reported for each:


Photo: FDA

The agency has not yet asked for any of these products to be recalled. In the meantime, for the health of your dog, you might want to consider buying a different brand.

If you’ve been feeding your dog Acana, Zignature or Taste of the Wild pet food and your dog is coughing, lethargic or having breathing difficulties, see a veterinarian immediately.

What is DCM?

DCM causes a dog’s heart and its chambers to become dilated, making it more difficult for the heart to pump. This can cause the heart’s valves to leak and fill the dog’s chest and abdomen with fluids, which can lead to congestive heart failure and possible death. Fortunately, if it’s caught early enough, DCM can be treated with heart medication and a change of diet.

The disease typically affects large dog breeds, like Great Danes, Boxers, Newfoundlands and Doberman Pinschers. With the exception of American and English Cocker Spaniels, it is less common in medium and small dogs. Yet the FDA has received reports about all sizes of dogs and mixed breeds showing signs of DCM.

Some of the dogs in the cases reported to the FDA had abnormally low blood levels of the amino acid taurine, a nutritional deficiency that can lead to DCM. The FDA believes a lack of taurine in the pet food could be the reason for so many reports of DCM. The Lab is recovering, thanks to taurine supplementation and a change in diet.

Are grain-free diets for dogs a good idea? Dr. Julie Churchill, a nutritionist with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, doesn’t see any benefit.

“My take away is don’t look at that list and just say, ‘My dog is not eating that brand,’” she told CBS Minnesota. “Remember that those are only the brands that have been reported.” Good advice.

Portions of this story were originally published on Care2.com.

Photo by Ludwig Willimann from Pixabay

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