Pet Food Recall: Tips to Keep Your Cat & Dog Food Safe

The pet food recall has dog and cat lovers asking how do I keep my pet safe?  Tens of thousands of people were calling their vets and animal hospitals for help.  Vets and their assistants are overworked, but are willing to help.  Call them.  They get their updates each day, sometimes each hour, and they have answers for your particular pet.  Remember, they are the ones that treat your animal, and give them their yearly vaccinations, they are the experts. 

Now you may be considering feeding your pet some sort of homemade food.  That may be fine but be careful.  You may do more harm.

Pet Food Recall: Tips to Keep Your Dog & Cat Food Safe

Veterinarians say such measures should only serve as a temporary solution until the food scare blows over, since preparing balance meals for pets can be a complicated process.  It's "kind of like canning, said FDA spokeswoman Julie Zawisza. "You have to think about bacterial contamination. And how do you make sure it's nutritionally appropriate and balanced for the animal?"

"We wouldn't object," Zawisza added. "We'd say be knowledgeable about what you need."  There are several homemade recipes online, but sue common sense and again, contact your
veterinarian if there is any questions.

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WHSV ABC 3 cites Dr. Lisa Miller say homemade remedies can be used, but sparingly. "Short term your probably okay, if we're talking about one to two weeks of feeding it till this blows over, hopefully; but long term; its hard to recommend because it’s just hard to have a quality balanced diet over time."

Miller says pets should be given grains, like bread and pasta, mixed with vegetables. Pets need a balanced diet, just like us.  "Homemade food can be nutritious and balanced you do have to make sure you’re using a qualified recipe made by a veterinary nutritionist to make sure your getting enough vitamins and minerals in the dog."

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Here is a list of some of the foods that have been recalled:

--Menu Foods recalled all "cuts and gravy"-style dog and cat food produced at its facility in Emporia, Kan., between Dec. 3 and March 6. The products, sold under nearly 100 labels, constitute the bulk of the recall.

--Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled canned cat products that are co-manufactured by Menu. This includes some, but not all, Science Diet savory cuts.

--P&G Pet Care recalled specific 3-ounce, 5.5-ounce, 6-ounce and 13.2-ounce canned and 3-ounce and 5.3-ounce foil pouch wet cat and dog food products with code dates 6339 through 7073, followed by the plant code 4197.

--The only dry cat food involved is Hill's Pet Nutrition-manufactured Prescription Diet m/d Feline, the 4-pound bag with product code 52742 42770 and the 10-pound bag with product code 52742 42790.

--Del Monte Pet Products recalled its pet treats sold under the Jerky Treats, Gravy Train Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels brands, as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands, including Ol' Roy, Dollar General and Happy Trail.

--Nestle Purina PetCare recalled Alpo Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food.