Photo credit: www.yahoo.com

Recall of Savage Pet Cat Food Due to Bird Flu Concerns

Savage Pet has emerged as the most recent cat food manufacturer to issue a recall, prompted by potential contamination linked to bird flu. This announcement came from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday, detailing specific products under scrutiny.

The recall affects both large 84-ounce and small 21-ounce boxes of Savage Pet’s raw chicken cat food, specifically identified by the lot code and best-by date of 11152026.

These products feature distinctive packaging that includes cardboard boxes shaped like a cat’s head, with the yellow outline serving as an indicator for the chicken variety. Distribution extends across several states, including California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

The FDA advised consumers who have purchased the recalled products not to feed them to their pets or consider donating them. Instead, the agency recommends returning the items to the point of sale for a refund. Pet owners who suspect their cats may have consumed the contaminated food are urged to monitor for any signs of illness related to the bird flu, which is scientifically referred to as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

Symptoms that may indicate infection include fever, lethargy, diminished appetite, inflamed or red eyes, respiratory difficulty, and neurological issues such as tremors or loss of coordination. It’s critical for owners to contact a veterinarian without delay if their cats exhibit these indicators.

While there have been no recorded cases of transmission to humans, pet owners should remain vigilant regarding their own health after handling raw pet food. Symptoms for humans could include eye irritation, respiratory issues, and generalized body aches.

This development follows another recall by Wild Coast LLC, doing business as Wild Coast Raw, which recently recalled its Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula raw pet food for similar reasons relating to bird flu risk.

The affected Wild Coast products were sold in either 16-ounce or 24-ounce containers and primarily distributed in Washington and Oregon. Their packaging is characterized by small white plastic containers featuring a green label. Identifiable lot numbers for the products include 22660, 22653, 22641, 22639, 22672, and 22664, with a Best By date of December 25. The recall was prompted by findings from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Washington State Department of Agriculture, which detected the H5N1 strain in affected products.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) had previously alerted the public about the risks associated with bird flu in cats, noting that felines are particularly vulnerable to severe illness from the virus. The AVMA has emphasized the need for awareness, especially due to the potential for transmission among cats, which remains a subject of ongoing research.

“Cats are known to be susceptible to the H5N1 virus, with documented cases linked to exposure from poultry or wild birds. As the current situation evolves, vigilance among pet owners is imperative,” the AVMA noted.

Source
www.yahoo.com