Big Bark All Natural Beef Jerky Treats for Dogs Recalled Due to Salmonella

Grill-Phoria LLC of Loveland, Colorado is recalling approximately 200, 3.5 oz bags of Big Bark All Natural Beef Jerky Treats for Dogs because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. These bags were distributed and manufactured between September 20, 2014 through January 2, 2015, and do not have lot codes.

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. Most people recover from salmonellosis in four to seven days without treatment, but some groups are at higher risk of developing more severe symptoms. These high-risk groups are: children under 5 years of age, the elderly, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems.

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.

Big Bark All Natural Beef Jerky Treats for Dogswas distributed in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Oklahoma through Nor-Sky Pet Supply LLC through independent pet stores. The product is under the Big Bark label and is in a standup pouch that is 3.5 oz in weight labeled as All Natural Beef Jerky Treat. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The recall is a result of a routine sampling program by the Colorado Department of Agriculture which revealed that the finished tested positive for Salmonella. Grill-Phoria has ceased the production and distribution of the product as the company continues their investigation as to what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Big Bark All Natural Beef Jerky Treats for Dogs (3.5 oz Bag) are urged to return the bag to the store that you purchased it from and get a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Grill-Phoria at between the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (MST) Monday through Friday at 970-663-4561

Dog Treats Recalled Due to Salmonella

Jump Your Bones, Inc. of Boca Raton, Florida is voluntarily recalling Jump Your Bones brand name Roo Bites (Cubes) because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No pet or consumer illnesses from this product have been reported 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 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.

The affected lots of Jump Your Bones Pet Treats were distributed to retail pet food stores nationwide and through pet food retailers/distributors.

The affected products are sold in Boutique Bags and online stores. The products affected by this recall are only identified with the following UPC codes:

63633010041 for 80g. / 2.82oz. including samples of .32 oz.

Consumers who have purchased the above product of Jump Your Bones, Inc. pet treats are urged to stop feeding them and return product to place of purchase for a full refund or dispose of them immediately. For further information about the recall please call (888) 249-6755 from Monday – Friday 9am – 5PM EST.

Study Found Drug That Treats Alcohol Addiction

The generic anticonvulsant medication gabapentin shows promise as an effective treatment for alcohol dependence, based on the results of a 150-patient clinical trial of the medication. Conducted by scientists supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, the study found that alcohol dependent patients using gabapentin were more likely to stop drinking or refrain from heavy drinking than those taking placebo. Gabapentin is already widely prescribed to treat pain conditions and epilepsy.

“Gabapentin adds to the list of existing medications that have shown promise in treating alcohol dependence,” said Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., acting director of the NIAAA. “We will continue to pursue research to expand the menu of treatment options available for alcoholism in the hopes of reaching more people.”

A report of the study, led by Barbara J. Mason, Ph.D., of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in La Jolla, Calif., appears in the Nov. 4, 2013 edition of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr. Mason and her colleagues randomly assigned alcohol dependent patients to receive a moderate or high dose of gabapentin (900 milligrams or 1,800 milligrams) or a placebo. Over the 12-week treatment, patients receiving the 1,800-milligram dose were twice as likely to refrain from heavy drinking (45 percent vs. 23 percent) and four times as likely to stop drinking altogether (17 percent vs. 4 percent), compared to placebo. Participants receiving gabapentin also reported improved sleep and mood and fewer alcohol cravings. The medication appeared to be well tolerated with few side effects.

Participants who received the 900-milligram dose of gabapentin saw similar but less dramatic improvements in their drinking levels, sleep, mood, and cravings when compared to the 1,800-milligram dose.

“The results of the study on gabapentin showed similar or greater positive outcomes when compared to existing FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]-approved treatments for alcohol dependence,” said Dr. Mason, Pearson Family Professor and co-director of the Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research at TSRI, who led the new research. “Plus, it’s the only medication shown to improve sleep and mood in people who are quitting or reducing their drinking, and it’s already widely used in primary care — that’s an appealing combination.”

Alcohol use disorders affect about 18 million people in the United States and have an estimated societal cost of $225 billion each year, primarily from lost productivity, but also from health care and property damage costs. Currently, three medications are approved by the FDA for treating alcohol dependence: disulfram, an older drug that blocks the metabolism of alcohol and causes nausea; acamprosate, which helps support abstinence and can ease symptoms of withdrawal; and naltrexone, which can help people reduce heavy drinking.

At Least 21 People Sick from Pet Treats

                                     

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is announcing a voluntary recall of Joey’s Jerky brand Chicken Jerky due to possible Salmonella risk. A total of 21 people in Merrimack and Hillsborough Counties have been identified with the same strain of the illness, but no deaths have occurred.

Joey’s Jerky is produced in New Hampshire and the manufacturer, Kritter’s Kitchen Kreations, LLC, has voluntarily recalled all of the product. Joey’s Jerky was sold at the following six stores: America’s Pet in Hudson, Blue Seal in Bow, K9 Kaos in Dover, Osborne’s Agway in Concord, Sandy’s Pet Food Center in Concord, and The Yellow Dogs Barn in Barrington.

DHHS is asking people to check if they have any of these jerky treats at home and to discard them.

Through investigation and interviewing the ill people, the DHHS Bureau of Infectious Disease Control determined that the jerky treats were implicated in spreading Salmonella. Confirmation through laboratory testing of the jerky is pending at the New Hampshire Public Health Labs.

Dogs exhibiting symptoms of Salmonella infection may appear lethargic, dehydrated and afflicted with diarrhea. In Humans the salmonella bacterium causes a diarrheal illness Salmonellosis, which can be serious in some patients. Symptoms also include fever and abdominal cramps within 12-72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts from 4 to 7 days. Although most people recover without treatment, severe infections may occur that may move to other body sites and in rare cases can cause death unless the person is treated promptly with antibiotics.

“While uncommon, pet food and treats can sometimes be contaminated with Salmonella, which is why it is important for pet owners to wash their hands after handling pet food and treats,”