Niles Animal Hospital awarded Business of the Year by Niles Chamber of Commerce 4/27/13

From the Niles Patch...

12 Niles Award Winners Named By Chamber of Commerce

From the Niles Chamber of Commerce:
With an overwhelming response from the community for nominations, the Niles Chamber of Commerce & Industry has selected the "2013 Niles Night of Roses – A Tribute to Home Grown Success" award recipients. This event celebrates the achievements of 12 who go above and beyond. Congratulate these 12 folks who have been chosen as going "above and beyond" in their service to the community, in various ways.

This year the Bob Wordel Living Legend Award is presented to Norm Stranczek. A Niles resident, an engineer and an irreplaceable gardener at Our Lady of Ransom, Mr. Stranczek leads one of the most responsive St. Vincent DePaul programs providing to the needy.  He takes his compassion for others to Africa where he annually spends time to build a school and community in Tanzania. 

Business of the Year: Niles Animal Hospital
A local veterinarian who is kind and compassionate towards both his patients and their owners, highly regarded in his field, Dr. Sakas cares for homeless animals, supports local rescues, and educates owners to best care for their pets.

Coach of the Year: Steve Greif
Greif has coached wrestling at Notre Dame College Prep for the past 13 years, challenging his athletes to build skills, maintain academics and strive for high performance. He always reminds his athletes “whatever you choose to do, be the best at it." 

Dynamic Parent Volunteer: Mary Krueger
Mary has been serving Culver School and the community for the past sixteen years as a hands-on volunteer. Mary is always involved in the “thankless” jobs that see the task through to completion. She is a volunteer for the Niles Baseball League, the Park District, Culver PTA, and serves as Culver School Board Secretary.

Fire Fighter Hot Spot: Byron Tull
A teacher and mentor to other fire fighters, Brian has been vital in recently saving two patients because of his quick thinking and decisive actions. He has a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and unlimited patience to help others.

Ken Scheel Chamber Member of the Year: Krystyna Koda
Owner and operator of Ridgewood Gardens, Krysytna has built a successful flower shop in Niles over the past twenty years and her extreme generosity has supported many local causes and community organizations in that pursuit.

Niles Citizen of the Year: Chris Zalinski
An active parishioner at St. John Brebeuf, Christopher has volunteered his time and the resources of his local landscaping business to maintain the Niles rain gardens and has been instrumental in the Village’s recycling program. He has given countless hours to the SJB gala and other fundraisers for the school and parish.

Niles Golden Senior: Lucille Kozanecki
A 55-year resident of Niles, Lucille is an inspiration to many, including homebound seniors and the illiterate seniors she helps. She works daily to give back to her community and bridges the generation gap to share her experiences with young people. 

Police Officer Special Agent: Roy Balsamo
Officer Balsamo has received numerous Department Commendations and distinguishing letters from citizens throughout his career for his dedication, initiative, leadership and professionalism.  He has been described as having an “outstanding level of concern for others, and invaluable kindness.”

Teacher of the Year: Mr. Richard Balentine
The Department Chair for Religious Studies at Notre Dame College Prep, Mr. Balentine inspires students outside the classroom. He takes students to build houses for Habitat for Humanity, and coordinated trips to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. One parent states, that because of Mr. Balentine, “students discover skills they never knew they had, along with an eagerness to serve others in need.”

Unsung Worker “Not Enough Hours in the Day”: Mark Williams
Mark took a failing teen center, oversaw its move to the mall, built its membership and later its expansion. Now, the growing center encourages teens to participate and work with each other. Mark has built a sense of belonging and keeps teens engaged and active. He has secured grants, donations and continues to engage members of the community to strengthen the teen center.

Youth of the Year: Melissa Anderson
A 16 year old high school student, Melissa excels at academics, has a positive attitude, and is active in her school and church. She is a Girl Scout, alter server, and has received awards for leadership. She is an inspiration and a role model.

Veterinary Clinics See Increase in Dogs Ingesting Marijuana

Something you kind of figured would happen!

Colorado veterinary clinics see increase in dogs ingesting marijuana

Posted:   04/24/2013 09:41:56 AM MDT
Updated:   04/24/2013 09:44:28 AM MDT

By Adrian Garcia
The Denver Post

A marijuana plant flourishes under grow lights at a warehouse in Denver on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010. (Ed Andrieski, AP)

In the 1998 cult-classic movie "Half Baked," characters played by comic Dave Chappelle and his friends get a Rottweiler so high on pot that the dog flies out the window after getting the munchies.

In real life, it's not so funny.

Marijuana is toxic to dogs, and Colorado veterinarians say the number of pets, usually canines, being treated after consuming pot is on the rise.

They're not sure whether pets are getting into marijuana more frequently, or if pet owners are just less fearful about seeking treatment now that adults in Colorado may legally possess small amounts of pot and thousands carry medical-marijuana cards.

Mesa Veterinary Clinic in Pueblo estimated that, so far this year, marijuana-related cases are up about 30 percent from past years. Animal Emergency Care Centers in Colorado Springs said it is seeing an increase in pot-related incidents, with 10 to 20 a month.

A study conducted by Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital and the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital found that marijuana toxicity cases quadrupled between 2005 and 2010. Researchers say the increase correlated with the increase in number of registered medical-marijuana users during the same period.

"We're at the point where we ask owners very specifically and multiple times if we think the dog has gotten into marijuana," said Natalie Adams, a vet at the Community Pet Hospital of Thornton.
Community Pet treats four to six animals a month for marijuana toxicity, up from one case every couple of months, she said.

Adams said cases in which an owner has given a pet weed to get them high just for fun are rare.
Instead, pets are victims of poor storage of pot. 

"Put it away, out of reach," Adams said. "Once they got into it once, they will be repeat offenders."
Dogs become agitated after they consume the drug. It affects their coordination and mood, said Jennifer Bolser, a vet with The Humane Society of Boulder Valley. It also may cause incontinence and a slower heart rate. If the pet consumes a large amount of pot, the psychoactive chemical, THC, can cause a dog to suffer seizures, go into a coma or die.

"As long as the dog is treated and decontamination occurs, with mild exposures the dog will not have any long-term effects," Bolser said.

Treatment can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands, if the pet requires hospitalization.
None of the veterinarians who treated pets sick with pot toxicity called police. Even if they had, there are no laws governing animal exposure to marijuana.

"This is sort of uncharted territory," said Meghan Hughes, spokeswoman for the Denver Environmental Health Department. "We just recommend that vets or members of the public contact Animal Control if an animal is in harm's way."

Animal doctors at Mesa Veterinary Clinic have had patients ask for medical-marijuana cards for their pets.
"We see dogs 14 to 15 years old pretty crippled up. If people think it helps their own pain, they think it's an option for their pet," said Mesa Clinic vet Tiffany Barr.

But Barr said there is no research suggesting dogs benefit from marijuana use.
Adrian Garcia: 303-954-1729, agarcia@denverpost.com, twitter/ adriandgarcia

Liz Wilson, Noted Avian Behavior Expert, Passes Away

Liz Wilson and I became friends over the years through our interactions in the avicultural community, quite often both speaking at various bird seminars across the country. She had a quick wit, was funny, possessed a sarcastic side,  had a no BS personna, was direct and forthright, opinionated about many things, and was supremely knowledgeable when it came to pet birds and their behavior. I learned so much about avian behavior through my interactions with her and was always excited when we would be speaking at the same seminars so I could learn more from her. The avicultural community lost an icon, I lost a friend.

Steve Dale, noted pet guru of all sorts of media, also had a great deal of interaction with Liz. He wrote a tribute to Liz, to which I contributed some comments. It is an excellent column, which is Steve's hallmark, and I have copied it below.

Parrot Lovers Mourn, Liz Wilson Passes Away

By Steve Dale, today at 8:56 am 

www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/

Liz Wilson was a pioneer in parrot behavior. While she had mixed feelings (at best) about larger parrot species (like Amazons or African grey's, for example) kept as pets. Still,  she also felt they deserved the best quality of life possible as pets, and worked to educate others to make that happen.. When I received parrot behavior questions from readers (to answer for my national newspaper column) Liz was one of my go-to people. She was always eager to teach. And she taught me, and millions through my columns and also radio shows....not mention the countless students she touched personally. Most people with pet birds are not likely to know Liz's name. But whether they know it or not, she's made a difference in the way which today their pet parrot is treated as a pet. Her contribution to parrot behavior is undeniable. With permission, I print this email which was sent to members of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants from executive director Marjie Alonso.

"It's with sadness that I report to you that Liz Wilson, the founder of our (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants) Parrot Division, passed away this weekend.

Liz Wilson was a certified veterinary technician and certified parrot behavior consultant, and lived and working with parrots for over 40 years, with 20 years of experience as a veterinary technician specializing in avian and exotic animal nursing.

With prior training in elementary education and psychology, Liz started working with behavior in companion parrots in 1989. She gained recognition internationally as a parrot behavior consultant thanks to her lectures, seminars, freelance writing and consultations with parrot owners. An experienced and entertaining speaker, she did extensive lecturing with avian veterinary conferences, avicultural conferences, companion parrot conferences, and bird clubs both here in the USA and in Europe.

She wrote extensively for Bird Talk Magazine and Birds USA, as well as the Amazona Quarterly, the Original Flying Machine, the Pet Bird Report, and Parrots Magazine. She wrote a "Parrot Psychology" column in Bird Talk Magazine beginning in 2001 and wrote extensively for the Northern Parrots website, as well as participating in their lively Q&A column. Her articles have been published in Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, China, Sweden and Russia.

In addition to numerous veterinary articles published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association [JAVMA], the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery [JAMS], and the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, she wrote or co-authored eight veterinary textbook chapters, including two for Dr. Greg Harrison's CLINICAL AVIAN MEDICINE (SPIX Publishing), and three for the MANUAL OF PARROT BEHAVIOR edited by Dr. Andrew Luescher (Blackwell Publishing).

Due to her devotion to helping parrots through helping colleagues (and herself) learn more about parrot behavior and working with parrot owners, she founded the Association of Parrot Behavior Professionals in 2001; in 2005, she moved this organization into the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants where it became the Parrot Division. She served the IAABC as the Parrot Division Chair, as well as the Treasurer, holding a position on the Board of Directors for three years. Despite her retirement, she remained active with the organization.

She was dedicated to parrot welfare, education and helping to re-home parrots when needed. In this capacity, she was named the Education Vice President of the Phoenix Landing Foundation in 2004. She was a member of the Parrot Education and Adoption Center and served on the adoption committees for both the San Diego, CA and Anchorage, AK chapters of PEAC.

Despite no longer working directly with veterinarians, she continued her membership of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, of which she had been a member since 1984. In addition to her work with parrot behavior, she was an adjunct faculty member in the veterinary technician department at Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, PA for a decade. She also worked extensively with wildlife rehabilitation for seven years.
She and her husband, David Hearn, had recently retired to her father's old house on a barrier island off the Georgia coast, where she watched the incredible variety of wildlife from every window of their home. Along with her husband, Liz is survived by her feathered companion of more than 40 years, a 60+ year-old female blue and gold macaw named Sam.

Kashmir Csaky, IAABC Parrot Division Chair said, 'Liz Wilson cast a bright light on the world of parrots. She touched us all. Every person with a parrot has felt her presence, even if they know it or not. They have read her words even if the words were past down from writer to writer, heard her advice even if it was past down from consultant to consultant. Her influence in the parrot world will remain even though she is now gone.

Liz was an atheist. She did not believe in God or an afterlife, but she did believe in ghosts. :-) Everyone and everything that has lived on this earth still remains in some form or another. We breath them in with every breath, we drink them in with every sip of water. They remain with us. While Liz did not accept the idea of an afterlife, I think the scientific concept of or molecules being recirculated is something that she would approve.

I cannot tell you how many times Liz has made me laugh, cry, think and see the beauty of the world. She has shared many jokes and videos on Parrot Opera, that were a reflection of who she was and they were amazing, inspiring, dark, uplifting and fun. I did not always agree with Liz, but I always respected and cared for her. She had, still has my admiration. I feel I must say more, so much more, but words cannot measure or describe Liz.'

Liz's influence will certainly remain here at IAABC and in the world at large. She enjoyed a glass of good bourbon, and so we'll raise our virtual glasses to this remarkable woman.

Famed parrot researcher Irene Pepperberg added, "Liz was an amazing, gracious woman who was always ready to help out; she was a terrific friend and colleague and will be sorely missed."

Avian veterinarians had enormous respect, Dr. Peter Sakas of Niles, IL said, "Having been involved in avian medicine for over thirty years I have crossed paths with many people, but when it came to the field of bird behavior, there was no one like Liz Wilson. She was a trained veterinary technician, in addition to being an avian behaviorist. She had keen insight into bird behavior, backed by scientific behavior principles, which made her uniquely qualified, and was recognized as a national expert.

"Liz had a 'no nonsense' approach about her, was blunt, and 'told it like it was.' Liz and I had quite a connection and became good friends over the years. But one thing I did endeared me to her. I was the Master of Ceremonies of an avian education seminar several years ago and Liz was a speaker. In my introduction I stated that 'as a behaviorist Liz is not a "cosmic' or 'touchy feely' type behaviorist, her work was shaped by years working as a veterinary technician and steeped in sound behavioral principles....in plain English, Liz Wilson is a meat and potatoes type behaviorist. Liz absolutely loved that introduction and told me that she used that to describe herself after that!  I was honored to have been her friend and I, as well as the avicultural community will sorely miss her."

It's never too late - parrot owners and veterinarians who treat birds should know the name , Liz Wilson.

Natura Pet Products Expands Their Food Recall

An expansion of a previously announced food recall.

Natura Pet Recalls Dry Food For Salmonella: List Of Natura Brand Pet Food And Treats Recalled

By Rebecka Schumann | April 20 2013

Natura Pet Products, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE:PG), announced Friday it is expanding its voluntary recall to encompass all dry pet food products and treats with expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014. The company announced its initial recall March 29.

• 
  Natura Pet

  Natura Pet Products, a unit of the Procter & Gamble Co., announced Friday it is expanding its voluntary recall to encompass all dry pet food products and treats with expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014.

Natura said the products could be contaminated with salmonella. "Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products," the company said.

Five brands are subject to the recall: California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Innova and Karma. "This action affects dry pet foods and treats only; no canned wet food or biscuits are affected by this announcement," Natura said.

"Your pet’s health and safety are our #1 priority. We are taking all actions necessary to ensure that our products meet both your expectations and ours," the company said on its online site. Referring to the recall, it added, "We are sorry for the disruption, but we simply want to ensure that every product meets our highest quality standards."

The Georgia and Michigan departments of agriculture both confirmed samples of the recalled listed products did contain traces of salmonella.

List Of Dry Pet Food Products Recalled
California Natural
-- All Sizes
-- All dry dog and dry cat food and treat varieties
-- All UPCs
-- All Lot Codes
-- All expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014
EVO
-- All Sizes
-- All dry dog and dry cat food and treat varieties
-- All ferret food varieties
-- All UPCs
-- All Lot Codes
-- All expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014
Healthwise
-- All Sizes
-- All dry dog and dry cat food and treat varieties
-- All UPCs
-- All Lot Codes
-- All expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014
Innova
-- All Sizes
-- All dry dog and dry cat food and treat varieties
-- All UPCs
-- All Lot Codes
-- All expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014
Karma
-- All Sizes
-- All dry dog food varieties
-- All UPCs
-- All Lot Codes
-- All expiration dates before and including March 24, 2014
List Of Treats Recalled
EVO Wild Cravings Herring & Salmon Formula Cat Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Turkey & Chicken Formula Cat Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Weight Management Cat Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Herring Formula Dog Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Red Meat Formula Dog Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Turkey & Chicken Formula Dog Treats
EVO Wild Cravings Weight Management Dog Treats
Innova Cat Treats

A Recall of Dog Biscuits Because of Fungal Contamination

Breeder’s Choice Recalls Active Care Biscuits

By Courtney Temple    April 16, 2013 at 02:50PM / (0) comments

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Print Breeder’s Choice, a Central Garden & Pet company, has issued a voluntary recall for a single batch of Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats due to mold discovered in one of the lots of dog biscuits.

The following product is included in the recall:

Product Code/SKU/ Material #: BCP-080

UPC Code:  0130104895

Size: 24 oz.

Product Name: Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats

Best Before Code: 19/Dec/2013

Product and product lots that do not appear above have not been affected.

According to a release from the manufacturer, the mold seems to have occurred due to varying dryer temperature settings for drying biscuits. This exposed the recalled product to excess moisture and has since been remedied.

Pet owners who fed their pets the recalled biscuits should watch for symptoms that may develop. Common symptoms associated with mold exposure include gastrointestinal issues such as loose stool. At the time of this release, there have been no reports of human or pet illnesses associated with this recall.

For more information, call the Central Customer Care line at (866) 500-6286 or visit goactivedog.com.

Many Animal-Related Expenses are Tax-Deductible

On this "Tax Day" some information about possible deductions for pet expenses. Do not get too excited however....

Many animal-related expenses are tax deductible

By Elizabeth Devitt

Many people consider pets to be members of the family. But at tax time, our four-legged dependents aren't deductible. There are, however, some animal-related expenses the Internal Revenue Service does allow. 

After a landmark 2011 U.S. Tax Court case, pet care volunteers can now deduct the cost of fostering animals. In Jan Van Dusen v. Commissioner, an Oakland-based cat lady successfully argued that the expense of caring for dozens of stray felines for a local rescue group should be deductible as a charitable contribution.
Any unreimbursed expenses, such as food or medical bills, have to be directly related to animal care, said Richard Panick, a spokesman for the IRS.

If you've already completed your forms ahead of Monday's midnight deadline, keep in mind animal expenses for next year. Keeping receipts and documenting those expenses are key. Claims of more than $250 should be backed by a letter from the 501(c)3 organization.

"Even with one or two foster pets, the food, supplies, and vet care adds up," said Sue Trapp, an eight-year volunteer for Animal Friends Rescue Project. Since 1998, the Pacific Grove-based group has helped find homes for strays from Stockton to Salinas.

Taxpayers with service animals, such as dogs from Guide Dogs for the Blind, can deduct the cost of food, care and training as medical expenses. Puppy raisers for service dog organizations can also claim qualified expenses when they itemize deductions.
 

Service animals aren't always dogs -- some are cats, monkeys and horses -- but they have to be specifically trained to do tasks that ease the disability of the owner. In any situation, people should be prepared to have documents that justify their claim, Panick said.

Pet care costs from a job-related move can be deducted along with other relocation expenses. As in other claims, keeping costs limited to those directly related to the move, and saving receipts, is important.

Adoption fees for pets aren't considered deductible. But any donations above the standard fee can be claimed. Similarly, volunteering your services can't be claimed, but any travel to and from providing those services is OK. For example, a professional dog trainer can't claim their usual fee for dog training services when volunteering for an animal shelter.

There may be other circumstances, for search-and-rescue or guard duty dogs, in which deductions are also possible. A professional tax preparer or accountant should be consulted if any questions arise about valid deductions.

Beyond GPS: New Pet Devices with NFC (Near Field Comunication)

Beyond GPS: New Pet Devices with NFC (Near Field Comunication)

 

Laura Black

Chances are you probably know a “dog person” or a “cat person.” For these people, their pets are the center of their universe. Well, I am excited to say NFC (near field communication)—that’s right I said NFC—can help the pet people in your life become a little more eccentric.

Let’s face it the market for connected pet products is saturated with solutions that use GPS to locate lost animals. Even within the past month new connected merchandise including a dog fence and GPS collars, among others, have been making headlines. But a new option caught my eye recently that is taking a slightly different approach from many of the mainstream solutions on the market—a pet tag with embedded NFC technology.

The PetHub ID tag already has a QR code, a Web address, and the traditional phone number, but will be available with NFC technology starting next week—just in time for National Pet ID Week. NFC enables mobile devices to connect and transfer data by tapping them together. Individuals that stumble across a lost dog or cat can tap NFC-enabled phones to the tags to get detailed information about the pet.

Now, wait, isn’t the phone number printed on the tag all you really need? Maybe not. In case the person that has discovered the pet can’t get a hold of the owner by phone, NFC and QR codes can provide additional data about a pet that simply won’t fit on a tag. Such data includes multiple different phone numbers, critical medications, license and rabies tag information, microchip number, vaccinations, pet insurance status, and more.

With one out of three pets being lost at some point during their life and only about 17% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats that enter shelters being returned to original owners, according to the American Humane Assn., any data that can be made available in times of need can be very helpful. PetHub says its smart tags have a 97% return rate, with 25% being returned in less than an hour.

For pet lovers, these types of ID tags are simply another tool in an arsenal of many to ensure beloved animals don’t go missing for too long.

In a market inundated with GPS devices for tracking pets, I am excited to see an innovative new use of technology. Here’s hoping other markets will take a cue from this one. There are many options to get connected; sometimes it just requires thinking a bit outside the box.

Please Be Aware of This Identity Theft Scam!

Subject: Jury Duty -- Please Read This - TRUE

 

JURY DUTY

Pass this on to your grown children and anyone else you can think of. This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.   The caller claims to be a jury DUTY coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the Scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen. The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado , AZ and more. This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system.

The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud. Check it out here: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm And here: http://www.truthorfiction.com Yep! It's true

When to take Your Cat to the Emergency Room

From the Pet Health Network...

When to Take Your Cat to the ER

Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DAVCECC, DABT

Dr. Justine Lee gives you the rundown of things you should look for when deciding whether to take your cat to the ER. 


Ah, cats. We love ‘em, but less so at two a.m. when they’re dry-heaving all over our carpet. What if your cat still continues to vomit multiple times all night? When do you decide to bring your cat into the ER? Can you wait to take Felix to your veterinarian in the morning?

My simple rule? If your cat is hiding, seek immediate veterinary advice. Seriously. Hiding = bad. Cats hide their clinical signs of disease until it’s really severe, and by the time that you notice that they are hiding, it’s often really advanced, potentially end-stage disease.

Some sure signs to bring your cat to the ER include:

• Difficulty breathing (like open-mouth breathing, panting, or a respiratory rate over fifty breaths/minute [hint: count the number of breaths in fifteen seconds and multiple by four to get the total breaths per minute])
• Hiding (under the bed, in the closet)
• Not moving
• Straining or making multiple trips to the litter box
• Excessive grooming “back there” with the penis sticking out (seriously – this is really dangerous and is typically a feline urethral obstruction or urinary blockage, which I’ll talk about in a future blog)
• Lack of urine in the litter box for more than 36 hours
• Painful when picking up
• Profuse vomiting (more than 2-3 times in a night)
• Excessive drooling
• Sitting over the water bowl and not moving
• Seizuring or twitching
• Any kind of trauma
• Any kind of poisoning
• Any string hanging out of any orifice (For real. Please don’t pull and leave all orifices to veterinary professionals).

While this list isn’t complete, it’s a good initial guideline.

If you want to be the financial savvy owner (and I want you to be!), it’s best to go to your regular veterinarian before you end up with a more expensive emergency room visit. In other words, if you even have an inkling that something is wrong, better to go to your family veterinarian first rather than wait until Sunday night when your cat is really crashed out (leading to a more expensive hospitalization).

When in doubt, call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for counsel on whether to bring your cat in for an emergency visit. In fact, when in doubt, you can even go into the emergency room and potentially asked to be triaged (to make sure your cat is stable). Not all clinics will offer this, but I always have in the past as an emergency doctor. This is particularly important if you’re not sure if your cat has a urinary obstruction. Simply allow the emergency veterinarian to cop a feel of your cat’s bladder, and voila… if they don’t think your cat is blocked, they may “triage” you away to your family vet the next day.

When in doubt, it’s always safer to heed the side of caution, right? You won’t regret playing it too safe with your fuzzy feline.

When to Bring Your Dog to the Emergency Room

From the Pet Health Network......

When To Bring Your Dog to the ER

Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DAVCECC, DABT

Dr. Justine Lee discusses when it's a good idea to take your dog the the emergency veterinarian... and when it's not.

Alright, raise your hand if you don’t mind getting up at 2 A.M. to bring your dog in to the emergency veterinarian.

Didn’t think so.

Often times, as a pet owner, it’s hard to know whether your dog’s condition is a true medical emergency or not… or more importantly, if it warrants getting up in the middle of the night to seek medical attention from a veterinary professional you don’t know.

As an emergency critical care veterinary specialist, I’ll be honest in saying that some emergencies can wait to see your regular veterinarian the following morning (like diarrhea, midnight health certificates, itchy skin, urinary tract infections, etc.). However, there are certain situations where it is imperative that your dog go in to the animal ER, as sometimes it can be a potentially fatal problem without treatment.

I’ve seen a lot of emergencies that could have waited, but the pet owners were concerned enough that they didn’t mind the 2 A.M. visit, as it gave them peace of mind. Unfortunately, I’ve also seen some sad cases where pet owners waited too long, only to have animals die as they are being wheeled into the ER. It’s not worth chancing that you wake up to find your dog deceased in the middle of the night. In fact, no dog or cat should ever die at home, but that’s a whole other blog that I’ll elaborate on in the future.

Some signs that warrant you getting up in the middle of the night and getting to an emergency vet ASAP include:

• Difficulty breathing, which may be manifested as blue gums, coughing of foamy, pink frothy liquid, panting constantly, or stretching the head and neck out while breathing
• Constant coughing and inability to rest through the night
• A distended, “bloated” abdomen
• Non-productive retching (which is classic for gastric-dilitation volvulus or “GDV”)
• Anxiety or restlessness (often a sign of pain or a GDV)
• Pale gums (which is often seen with internal bleeding or anemia)
• An elevated heart rate (> 160 beats per minute at home)
• A respiratory rate of > 60 breaths per minute at home while resting
• Crying out in pain
• Jaundiced (yellow gums)
• Not being able to move or walk or dragging of the back legs
• Extreme lethargy
• Any significant amounts of bleeding
• Any trauma
• Any poisoning or toxin ingestion
• Vomiting more than two or three times
• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Abnormal odor from your dog
• Fever
• Squinting, bulging, or painful eyeballs
• Straining to urinate, making multiple trips to urinate, squatting to urinate without producing any urine
• Collapse
• Anything that makes you worried
• Tremors or seizures
• Any abnormal behavior that you’re worried about (e.g., acting aloof or particularly clingy)

While this list isn’t all-inclusive, it gives you a good general idea to work with. When in doubt, call your veterinarian or emergency veterinarian, as the receptionist or veterinary technician may be able to help guide you and “phone triage” you (although they are obviously always going to bear on the side of caution).  Also, keep in mind that the sooner you diagnose and treat a problem, the less expensive it often is. 

If you do bring your dog in to the ER, make sure to bring a book or computer; just like a human ER, there is often a several hour wait to be seen, and at 2 a.m., some of your fellow humans are going to be less than appealing conversationalists.

When in doubt, if you’re concerned, bring ‘em in, because you know your dog the best.  The time is a small sacrifice for your dog’s health and your piece of mind.

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month

From Dr. Justine Lee......

Do you know April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month? If you don’t have a first aid kit for your household, now is the time to remember to get one! If you already have a first aid kit around, bravo! You can use this for your two-legged and four-legged members in your household.

Keep in mind, however, that while human first aid kits are typically sufficient, they may not have everything that you need specifically tailored for your dog or cat.

For a good pet first aid kit, check out the American Red Cross’s recommendations found here. But, don’t forget to add in these few extra key materials!
The top 5 extra added ingredients that I would include:

• A fresh, unexpired bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide. This isn’t for cleaning wounds necessarily, but rather for inducing vomiting if your dog gets into something poisonous! Accidental poisonings in our pets occur thousands of times a day across the world, so you always want to be prepared to induce vomiting if necessary. That said, never induce vomiting without consulting your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680, an animal poison control first), as sometimes it can make your pet worse.
• A bottle of liquid dish soap (e.g., Dawn, Joy, etc.). I personally always have a bottle of Dawn at the clinic – not for washing dishes, but for safely removing any potentially poisonous chemical or toxin from an animal’s fur or feathers. For example, if your cat accidentally had a dog flea and tick medication put on it, you’ll need to bath off this chemical immediately to prevent tremors and seizures. Likewise, if your pet rolled in something poisonous (like motor oil, etc.), you can safely bath it off with liquid dish soap.
• A can of canned tuna (in water) or a can of chicken broth. You’re probably wondering why this needs to be in a first aid kit. Well, several plants (e.g., Dieffenbachia, Poinsettias, etc.), household products (e.g., glow sticks) and household cleaners can cause severe foaming and drooling of the mouth due to irritation. By simply diluting the taste or chemical out of your pet’s mouth with something tasty (like the water from the tuna), it can safely flush out the mouth and esophagus. This is much safer than using a spray or hose to flush out the taste from your pet’s mouth, as there is a chance your pet could aspirate that fluid into their lungs.
• A few cans of dog or cat food and bottles of water. As a volunteer for disaster preparedness, I’m a firm believer that you need a “pet bag to go” in case of emergency. Making sure that you have pop-off lid canned food is important in case you need to feed your pet during a disaster. Don’t use dry kibble (which can go rancid after years) or cans that require a can opener (since you’re unlikely to remember to grab your can opener on the run!).
• A quart size bag full of kitty litter. Again, you never know when you have to evacuate quickly with your pet. Keeping a bag of kitty litter in your first aid kit or in your cat carrier is imperative in case you’re on the run.

My last few tips?

• Always pre-program your cell phone with the phone numbers to your veterinarian, your emergency veterinarian, and Pet Poison Helpline in case of emergency.
• Always pre-program the address of your veterinarian’s office and emergency veterinarian’s clinic into your car’s GPS, so you can get there immediately in case of emergency.
• Consider taking a pet first aid class, where you can learn basic CPR. In the meantime, check out my demonstration of Pet CPR on the Rachael Ray Show.

When in doubt, check out my previous blogs on when to take your cat to the ER and when to take your dog to the ER. By practicing preventative medicine, hopefully you can avoid having to perform first aid on your pets to begin with.

Another Salmonella Pet Food Recall

Is anything safe anymore????????

Another salmonella pet-food recall

Posted by Neena Pellegrini

Bravo! is recalling three of its raw-diet frozen pet foods because they could be contaminated with salmonella:
--Item #21-405 - 5-pound tube of Bravo! Chicken Balance frozen raw diet with a "best used by" date of 3-6-15 or 3-12-15 printed on package casing.

--Item #21-102 - 2-pound tube of Bravo! Chicken Blend frozen raw diet with a "best used by" date of 3-21-15 printed on the package casing.

-- Item #51-508 - 5-pound bag of Bravo! Beef Blend Burgers with a "best used by" date of 3-21-15 or 3-22-15 printed on the back panel of the bag.

Salmonella can sicken animals that eat these products, and humans are at risk for salmonella poisoning from handling contaminated pet products.

"The products involved in this recall all tested negative for pathogens by an independent third party prior to being shipped, but they were run on the same or next day of a product that tested positive for salmonella," the Manchester, Conn., company announced on its website Wednesday. "All of the product that tested positive is under our control and is not subject to this recall."

Wednesday's recall comes on the heels of huge recalls by other companies over possible salmonella contamination, including one by Bravo! in March.

Natura Pet Foods Expands Their Pet Food Recall!

From the FDA......

Natura Pet Expands Voluntary Recall of Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

Contact
Consumers:
(800)224-6123
www.naturapet.com

Media:
Jason Taylor
(513)622-3205

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 29, 2013 – Natura Pet Products is voluntarily expanding its recall of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed to date.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the 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 signs 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 these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Sampling conducted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of Salmonella in additional dry cat food and a cat pet treat. In an abundance of caution, Natura is also recalling product made in the surrounding timeframe. This affects dry foods only; no canned wet food is affected by this announcement.

The affected products are sold through veterinary clinics and select pet specialty retailers nationwide and in Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Costa Rica, as well as online. The dry cat food expiration dates for this expanded recall range from 1/1/2014 to 3/24/2014. The dry cat treats have expiration dates from 7/1/13 to 9/27/13.

Consumers who have purchased these pet foods should discard them. For additional information, consumers may visit www.naturapet.com. For further information or a product replacement or refund call Natura toll-free at 800-224-6123. (Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM CST).

The included lot codes are: Expiration Date: 12/14/13 thru 3/24/14

Brand	Size	Description	UPC Code	Lot Code(s)
California Natural	30LB	CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG HERRING & SWEET POTATO FORMULA	7 51485 39704 7	3050A70001
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG KANGAROO & RED LENTILS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39940 9	2362A70001, 3059A70001, 3044A70001, 3079A70001
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG KANGAROO GRAIN FREE BLNGL	7 51485 12564 0	3015A70001
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG RICE AND LAMB MEAL LOW FAT FORMULA	7 51485 39354 4	3022A70001
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG SALMON MEAL & PEAS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39378 0	3015A70001, 3031A70001, 3030A70001, 3017A70001, 3016A70001
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL & RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82352 2	3057A70001
		CALIFORNIANATURALS DOG FOOD GRAIN FREE SALMON LARGE BAG ADULT	7 51485 12565 7	3015A70001, 3017A70001
	15LB	CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82356 0	3073A70002, 3072A70002
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG KANGAROO & RED LENTILS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39941 6	2362A70002, 3059A70002, 3044A70002, 3045A70002
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG RICE AND LAMB MEAL LOW FAT FORMULA	7 51485 39355 1	3022A70002
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG SALMON MEAL & PEAS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39379 7	3030A70002, 3014A70002
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL & RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82353 9	3056A70002
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT HERRING AND SWEET POTATO FORMULA	7 51485 82357 7	3044A70002, 3043A70002
	5LB	CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82387 4	3072A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82377 5	3042A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG KANGAROO & RED LENTILS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39942 3	2362A70003,3059A70003,3044A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG RICE AND LAMB MEAL LOW FAT FORMULA	7 51485 39335 3	3022A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG SALMON MEAL & PEAS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 39380 3	3030A70003, 3026A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL & RICE FORMULA	7 51485 82380 5	3056A70003, 3057A70003
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT HERRING AND SWEET POTATO FORMULA	7 51485 82391 1	3044A70003
	4oz	CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 15885 3	3072A70004
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG KANGAROO & RED LENTILS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 15987 4	2362A70004, 3044A70004
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG RICE AND LAMB MEAL LOW FAT FORMULA	7 51485 15882 2	3022A70004
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL DOG SALMON MEAL & PEAS FORMULA GRAIN FREE	7 51485 15877 8	3030A70004
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL & RICE FORMULA	7 51485 15888 4	3057A70004
		CALIFORNIA NATURAL CAT HERRING AND SWEET POTATO FORMULA	7 51485 15891 5	3043A70004, 3079A70004
EVO	13.2LB	EVO DOG HERRING & SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 12681 4	3010A70002, 3065A70002
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 12676 0	2363A70002,3058A70002,3079A70002
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 12606 7	3059A70002,3011A70002,3023A70002, 3044A70002,3002A70002,3024A70002
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12601 2	3064A70002, 3030A70002
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 12617 3	2364A70002, 3060A70002, 3043A70002, 3042A70002
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 12686 9	2356A70002, 3036A70002
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12671 5	3045A70002,3046A70002,3016A70002
	15.4LB	EVO CAT AND KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41400 3	2356A70002,2366A70002,3052A70002,3053A70002, 3054A70002,3058A70002,3059A70002,3037A70002, 3071A70002,3072A70002
		EVO CAT HERRING AND SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 41410 2	2361A70002,3054A70002,3071A70002
		EVO CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41405 8	2355A70004,2356A70004,2366A70004,3053A70004, 3059A70004,3038A70004,3037A70004,3073A70004
	2.2LB	EVO CAT AND KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41402 7	2361A70004,3053A70004,3073A70004
		EVO CAT HERRING AND SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 41412 6	3060A70004, 3044A70004
		EVO CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41407 2	3060A70004, 3044A70004
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12604 3	3030A70004, 3065A70004
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12674 6	3045A70004, 3016A70004
	28.6LB	EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12600 5	3064A70001,3030A70001,3065A70002
		EVO DOG HERRING & SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 12680 7	3014A70001, 3017A70001, 3010A70001, 3065A70002
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 12675 3	2363A70001,3058A70001,3079A70001
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 12605 0	3059A70001,3023A70001,3044A70001,3045A70001, 3003A70001,3002A70001,3079A70001
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 12616 6	2366A70001, 3059A70001, 3060A70001, 3043A70002
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 12685 2	2356A70001, 3036A70001
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12670 8	3045A70001, 3016A70001, 3011A70001, 3046A70001
	3oz	EVO CAT WILD CRAVINGS TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA TREATS	7 51485 41470 6	3052A70005,3016A70005,3007A70005,3035A70005, 3036A70005,3068A70005
		EVO CAT WILD CRAVINGS TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT TREATS	7 51485 41475 1	2347A70005, 3015A70005, 3024A70005, 3078A70005
		EVO CAT WILD CRAVINGS HERRING AND SALMON FORMULA TREATS	7 51485 41480 5	3004A70005,3028A70005,3003A70005,3005A70005, 3029A70005,2342A70005,3078A70005,3079A70005
	6.6LB	EVO CAT AND KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41401 0	2355A70003,2356A70003,3001A70003,3002A70003, 3052A70003,3053A70003,3058A70003,3038A70003, 3039A70003,3072A70003
		EVO CAT HERRING AND SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 41411 9	2361A70003,2362A70003,3053A70003
		EVO CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41406 5	3059A70003, 3044A70003
		EVO DOG HERRING & SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 12682 1	3012A70003
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 12677 7	2363A70003,3058A70003,3078A70003
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 12607 4	3002A70003,3059A70003,3023A70003,3024A70003, 3017A70003,3045A70003
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 12603 6	3030A70003, 3064A70003
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 12618 0	2366A70003, 3059A70003, 3060A70003, 3043A70003
		EVO FERRET FOOD	7 51485 12687 6	2356A70003,3036A70003,3037A70003
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 42101 8	2355A70003,3002A70003,3052A70003,3058A70003, 3038A70003,3072A70003
	4oz	EVO CAT AND KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 12672 2	3045A70003
		EVO CAT HERRING AND SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 15250 9	2355A70004,2366A70004,3052A70004,3058A70004, 3038A70004,3073A70004
		EVO CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 15251 6	2357A70004, 2361A70004, 3054A70004, 3073A70004
		EVO DOG HERRING & SALMON FORMULA	7 51485 15252 3	3059A70004,3044A70004,3077A70004
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 15206 6	3011A70004
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA LARGE BITE	7 51485 15204 2	3058A70004, 3079A70004
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 15201 1	3059A70004, 3045A70004, 3011A70004, 3002A70004
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 15200 4	3064A70004, 3030A70004
		EVO DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 15205 9	2366A70004, 3043A70004
		EVO DOG RED MEAT FORMULA SMALL BITE	7 51485 15255 4	2356A70004, 3036A70004
Health Wise	5LB	HEALTHWISE PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 15202 8	3045A70004, 3016A70004
		HEALTHWISE CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN MEAL AND RICE FORMULA	7 51485 70732 7	2353A70003, 2362A70003, 3031A70003, 3071A70003
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 5148 570775 4	3057A70003
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA WEIGHT CONTROL	7 51485 70712 9	3031A70003
		HEALTHWISE DOG LAMB MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 70722 8	2362A70003
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA ACTIVE	7 51485 70742 6	2362A70003, 3043A70003
	16.5LB	HEALTHWISE CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN MEAL AND RICE FORMULA	7 51485 70702 0	3064A70003
	17.5LB	HEALTHWISE PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 70780 8	3057A70002, 3067A70002
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 70711 2	3031A70002
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA WEIGHT CONTROL	7 51485 70721 1	2361A70002
		HEALTHWISE DOG LAMB MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 70741 9	2361A70002, 2362A70002, 3043A70002, 3031A70002
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA ACTIVE	7 51485 70701 3	3065A70002
	35LB	HEALTHWISE PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 70730 3	2362A70001,3031A70001,3071A70001
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 70710 5	3031A70001, 3072A70001
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA WEIGHT CONTROL	7 51485 70720 4	2361A70001
		HEALTHWISE DOG LAMB MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 70740 2	2361A70001, 2362A70001, 3043A70001, 3032A70001
	38.5LB	Healthwise Chicken & Oatmeal 38.5# Bonus Bag	7 51485 70704 4	3070A70001, 3072A70001
	18.5LB	Healthwise Chicken & Rice 18.5# Bonus Bag	7 51485 70770 9	3067A70002, 3072A70002, 3079A70002, 3067A70001, 3068A70002
	4oz	HEALTHWISE PUPPY CHICKEN MEAL AND BROWN RICE FORMULA	7 51485 15443 5	2362A70004, 3031A70004
		HEALTHWISE CAT AND KITTEN CHICKEN MEAL AND RICE FORMULA	7 51485 15445 9	3056A70004, 3057A70004
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 15441 1	3031A70004
		HEALTHWISE DOG CHICKEN MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA WEIGHT CONTROL	7 51485 15442 8	2362A70004
		HEALTHWISE DOG LAMB MEAL AND OATMEAL FORMULA	7 51485 15444 2	2362A70004, 3043A70004
Innova	12LB	INNOVA DOG SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12363 9	2361A70002,3036A70002,3030A70002
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  BEEF & LAMB MEAL FORMULA	7 51485 12731 6	2361A70001,3057A70002,3058A70002, 3037A70002,3023A70002,3022A70002, 3073A70002
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12728 6	2363A70002,2364A70002,3052A70002, 3059A70002,3007A70002,3073A70002
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 12725 5	3003A70002, 3004A70002, 3043A70002, 3063A70002
		INNOVA CAT PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 41398 3	3010A70002, 3065A70002
	30LB	INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BITE FORMULA	7 51485 12320 2	2354A70002,2355A70001,2355A70002, 2363A70001,2364A70001,3049A70001, 3050A70001,3066A70001, 3067A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY & CHICKEN LARGE BITE (BL)	7 51485 12552 7	3015A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY & CHICKEN LARGE BREED (BL)	7 51485 12554 1	3015A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA	7 51485 12704 0	2353A70001,2354A70001,3038A70001, 3057A70001,3058A70001,3010A70001, 3004A70001,3073A70001,3074A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR 8 FORMULA	7 51485 12323 3	3015A70001, 3058A70002, 3014A70001, 3037A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR PLUS 11 FORMULA	7 51485 12326 4	2352A70001,2353A70001,3051A70001, 3052A70001,3023A70001,3024A70001 ,3003A70001,3073A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SMALL BITES FORMULA	7 51485 12367 7	3032A70001, 3030A70001, 3029A70001, 3078A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FORMULA	7 51485 12329 5	3030A70001, 3017A70001
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 12332 5	2356A70001, 3057A70001, 3064A70001, 3037A70001
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA	7 51485 12740 8	2356A70001,3051A70001,3003A70001, 3015A70002,3066A70001,3065A70001
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 12714 9	3064A70001,3044A70001,3063A70001
		INNOVA DOG FOOD BASE TURKEY AND CHICKENN LARGE BAG PUPPY	7 51485 12553 4	3015A70002
		INNOVA DOG FOOD BASE TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BAG ADULT	7 51485 12554 1	3010A70001
			7 51485 12555 8	3015A70001
	15LB	INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BITE FORMULA	7 51485 12321 9	2354A70002,2355A70002,2363A70002, 3049A70002,3050A70002,3053A70002, 3066A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SMALL BITES FORMULA	7 51485 12335 6	3004A70002
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41392 1	2362A70002,2363A70002,3052A70002, 3036A70002,3037A70002,3071A70002
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41389 1	2354A70002, 2362A70001, 2363A70001, 3046A70002, 3070A70002
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 41607 6	2353A70002, 3023A70002, 3071A70002, 3070A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA	7 51485 12705 7	2354A70002,3057A70002,3010A70002,3011A70002, 3037A70002,3004A70002,3074A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR 8 FORMULA	7 51485 12324 0	3058A70002, 3037A70002, 3038A70002, 3014A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR PLUS 11 FORMULA	7 51485 12327 1	2352A70002,2353A70002,3051A70002,3007A70002, 3023A70002,3003A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FORMULA	7 51485 12330 1	3030A70002, 3016A70002
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 12333 2	2356A70002,3057A70002,3037A70002
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA	7 51485 12741 5	2356A70002,3050A70002,3003A70002,3015A70002, 3066A70002,3065A70002
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 12715 6	3064A70002,3044A70002,3031A70002
	5LB	INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  BEEF & LAMB MEAL FORMULA	7 51485 17732 3	2361A70003, 3057A70003, 3036A70003, 3023A70003, 3073A70003
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12729 3	2363A70003, 2364A70003, 3052A70003, 3059A70003, 3007A70003
		INNOVA DOG SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12364 6	2363A70003, 3036A70003, 3029A70003, 3065A70003
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 12726 2	3063A70003,3043A70003,3003A70003
		INNOVA CAT PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 41399 0	3011A70003,3022A70003,3065A70003
	2.2LB	INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41387 7	2363A70004, 3052A70004, 3036A70004, 3072A70004
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41391 4	2354A70004, 2363A70004, 3045A70004, 3072A70004, 3071A70004
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 41603 8	2353A70004, 3071A70004
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BITE FORMULA	7 51485 12376 9	2354A70004, 3049A70004
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SMALL BITES FORMULA	7 51485 12373 8	3004A70004
		INNOVA KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41372 3	3024A70004
	25LB	INNOVA DOG SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12362 2	2357A70001,2361A70001,2363A70002,3064A70001, 3030A70001,3036A70001,3065A70001
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  BEEF & LAMB MEAL FORMULA	7 51485 12730 9	2361A70001,3058A70001,3023A70001,3022A70001, 3036A70001,3073A70001
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12727 9	2366A70001,3001A70001,3038A70001,3052A70001, 3059A70001,3008A70002,3007A70002
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 12724 8	3064A70001,3031A70001,3043A70001
	3oz	INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN TREATS	7 51485 41301 3	3016A70005, 3007A70005, 3017A70005, 3008A70005, 3053A70005
	6LB	INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41301 3	2362A70003,2363A70003,3051A70003,3052A70003, 3036A70003,3071A70003
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41390 7	2354A70003, 2364A70003, 3045A70003, 3046A70003, 3071A70003
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 41608 3	2353A70003, 3023A70003
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BITE FORMULA	7 51485 12322 6	2354A70003,3049A70003,3066A70003
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR  8 FORMULA	7 51485 12325 7	3058A70003,3037A70003,3015A70003
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR PLUS 11 FORMULA	7 51485 12328 8	2353A70003, 3051A70003, 3031A70003, 3003A70003
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SMALL BITES FORMULA	7 51485 12336 3	3004A70003, 3032A70003
		INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FORMULA	7 51485 12331 8	3031A70003, 3016A70003
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 12334 9	2356A70003,3057A70003,3038A70003
		INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA	7 51485 12742 2	2356A70003, 3051A70003, 3015A70003, 3003A70003
		INNOVA KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 41371 6	3025A70003
	2LB	INNOVA CAT PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA	7 51485 41404 1	3010A70004, 3065A70004
	4oz	INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 15995 9	2363A70004, 3052A70004, 3036A70004, 3037A70004, 3072A70004
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA WEIGHT MANAGEMENT	7 51485 15988 1	2354A70004, 2363A70004, 2364A70004, 3046A70004, 3071A70004
		INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR FORMULA	7 51485 15998 0	2353A70004, 3023A70004
		INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 15313 1	2364A70004, 3008A70004
		INNOVA DOG SALMON & HERRING FORMULA	7 51485 12365 3	2362A70004, 4065A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BITE FORMULA		7 51485 15990 4	2354A70004, 3049A70004, 3054A70004, 3066A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA		7 51485 15300 1	2354A70004, 3057A70004, 3011A70004, 3003A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR 8 FORMULA		7 51485 15992 8	2353A70004, 3051A70004, 3023A70004, 3003A70004, 3074A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SENIOR PLUS 11 FORMULA		7 51485 15310 0	3004A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN SMALL BITES FORMULA		7 51485 15989 8	3030A70004, 3016A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FORMULA		7 51485 15311 7	2356A70004, 3057A70004
INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA		7 51485 15994 2	2356A70004, 3051A70004, 3015A70004, 3080A70004
INNOVA PUPPY TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED FORMULA		7 51485 15302 5	3044A70004
INNOVA DOG TURKEY AND CHICKEN LARGE BREED SENIOR FORMULA		7 51485 15301 8	3003A70004
INNOVA DOG PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA		7 51485 15312 4	3003A70004
INNOVA CAT PRIME GRAIN FREE  CHICKEN & TURKEY FORMULA		7 51485 15315 5	3011A70004, 3065A70004
INNOVA KITTEN TURKEY AND CHICKEN FORMULA		7 51485 15316 2	3025A70004
Karma	7LB	KARMA DOG ORGANIC CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 60102 1	3017A70003,3008A70003,3018A70003
	4oz	KARMA DOG ORGANIC CHICKEN FORMULA	7 51485 15001 7	3008A70004

				EXPIRATION DATE 7/1/13 thru 9/27/13
Innova	3oz	INNOVA CAT TURKEY AND CHICKEN TREATS		All Lot Codes

 

About Natura Pet Products

Natura Pet Products is recognized as a trusted name behind natural and holistic pet foods and treats. Founded more than 20 years ago by John and Ann Rademakers and Peter Atkins, Natura is dedicated to providing the best natural nutrition. Natura is committed to making premium pet foods and treats based on nutritional science and high-quality ingredients, combined with trusted manufacturing processes, for complete pet health. Lines include: Innova®, California Natural®, EVO®, HealthWise®, Mother Nature® and Karma®. To learn more about Natura Pet Products visit www.NaturaPet.com.
Media Contact: Jason Taylor 513-622-3205