FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — Natura Pet Products is expanding a recall of dry pet foods over a possible salmonella risk to animals and people.

The company, a unit of Procter & Gamble Co., first announced a voluntary recall in March of its dog, cat and ferret foods because they may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria. The company’s recall now includes all dry pet food products and treats with expiration dates prior to and including March 24, 2014.

Salmonella can affect animals that eat contaminated products and there is a risk to people who handle contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after exposure.

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.

The company recommended that , that consumers contact a veterinarian, if a pet has consumed the recalled product and has those symptoms.

Humans infected with salmonella may suffer nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, as well as abdominal cramps and fever.

Natura said there have been no confirmed reports of illness tied to the product, but it is actively investigating consumer complaints.

The company said testing confirmed salmonella in some dry pet food and cat treats, but it decided to also recall product made around the same time out of an abundance of caution.

The recall includes dry pet foods and treats only; no canned wet food or biscuits are involved. The products were sold through veterinary clinics and certain pet specialty stores in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Costa Rica, as well as online.

A complete list of the recalled foods is available online at http://www.naturapet.com . Customers should throw away affected pet foods. More information is available from Natura at (800) 224-6123.

GET THE RECALL DETAILS FROM NATURA

 

Every year thousands of pets are lost or stolen. Many are never reunited with their owner. Name tags and collars can fall or be taken off. Without permanent identification there may be no way for your pet to find its way home.  If your pet is microchipped, theres a better chance it’ll return home safely.

What is a microchip?

A microchip is a tiny computer chip, about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under the skin of your pet between the shoulders. Anesthesia is not required and most pets don’t feel the injection. The chip is made of a biocompatible material that will not disintegrate, rust or cause an allergic reaction. It also won’t relocate from its point of injection. Any animal can be microchipped!

How does a microchip work?

Every microchip has an identification number. This number is stored into a database and if you have registered your information, your pet will be connected to you. If someone finds your pet that has a microchip, the identification number will come up when scanned. Most veterinarians and shelters have scanners. The vet or shelter worker who scanned your pet will then contact the microchip company to find out your contact information and then your pet will be returned to you.

Croydon Pet Hospital offers microchips for $50

I still wonder about companies that don’t realize that we are now in the Internet Age. There is no more hiding behind voicemail, endless gatekeepers and clueless “customer service” employees.

Anyone in the know can freely post just about anything on the web and be in the news by nightfall because of Social Media. Here ARE 3 bullet points from an article on the What’s Next? Blog. Probably read it before Petco knew the article existed!

Here’s a quote from the article:

Dear Petco, Nature’s Variety and Diamond Pet Food: you need to read The Cluetrain Manifesto. It was written in 1999 by Chris Locke, Doc Searls, David Weinberger and Rick Levine. It said, in part:
“A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies.”

I’ll post the link to the entire article so you can read for your self where you can find more information about this.

o Petco has issued a recall of stainless stell dog bowls because of possible radioactive contamination.

o Nature’s Variety has issued a recall of several of its kibbles due to an “off-odor smell that may develop over time.”

o Diamond Pet Food recalls keep expanding, and now include tainted cat foods. Brands Diamond manufactures include Canidae, Diamond Naturals, Kirkland (sold by Costco), Natural Balance, Solid Gold and Wellness.

The bowls are contaminated with Cobalt-60, a radioactive material commonly used in industrial gauging equipment. Petco states it doesn’t know how the material got into the stainless steel bowls, but the company thinks it came from scrap metal.

Scrap metal? What? Last time I checked, radioactive waste materials were supposed to be classified as “Hazardous Radioactive Waste” and stored in Nevada! (Just kidding about the Nevada part)! Anyway, it’s certainly not supposed to be recycled!

Please pass this along. Radioactive Pet Bowls, now, that beats all!

Due to the mild winter we had last year,the risk of your pets getting a tick-bourne disease is higher this 2012 summer. Read this article to find out what veterinary practioners are doing to detect and fight off these blood-sucking creatures.

Croydon Pet Hospital has a preventative wellness plan for your pets!! This plan is an affordable way to get preventative care for your loved ones by allowing you to make monthly payments. You can also recieve discounts up to 15% on out-of-plan services. Want to learn more?? Come join us at Croydon Pet Hospital!!

 

Well Pet Plan Awareness!!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

1pm-4pm

Free Food, Drinks, & Music !!!

 There will be a raffle drawing and many prizes to win. Don’t forget to bring your pets!! 

Enroll your pet on a well pet plan this day only between 1pm-4pm and recieve a $20.00 gift card & FREE pet pedicures for 1 year!

This will be an event you don’t want to miss; so we hope to see you there!!!

As we all know, Valentine’s Day is near. Why not give a special treat to the love of your life, your pets!! Try a new recipe that your pets will enjoy!

 

Red Velvet Pupcakes for Dogs

Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 cup of apple sauce (preferably natural without sugar)
• 1/3 cup of beet puree or beet juice
• 1 1/2 cup of wheat flour (all purpose white will work too)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese for frosting

Preparation:

1.  Preheat over to 350
2.  In a large bowl, combine honey, oil, apple sauce, beet puree or juice and egg
3.  Gradually add flour
4.  Mix thoroughly until everything is combined
5.  Spoon mixture into cupcake pan
6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
7.  Let them cool on a rack
8.  For frosting, add the cottage cheese to a food processor or blender and puree cottage cheese until smooth about 30 seconds to 1-minute
9.  Frost and serve

 

Valentine’s Tuna Treats for Cats

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk
• 1/2 can tuna or 1/2 cup chopped chicken (cooked)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or cod liver oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup water
• catnip (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheets with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, mash the tuna (or chicken) into smaller pieces. Then add flour and milk. Mix well.
3. After all is mixed, pour in water and oil. Mix well again.
4. Now, beat the egg in a separate dish until egg gets a foamy texture. Add to mix.
5. Mix well. (The dough mix will be sticky.)
6. Using your fingers, shape dough into small bite size balls, about the size of a marble. Put balls on the greased cookie sheets. Flatten balls with hand, and shape into little hearts.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove heart treats from oven, then wait five minutes and turn treats over so other side will cook. Bake 10 more minutes or until golden brown in color.
8. Place treats on cookie rack to cool. Cool for 15 minutes.

 

Croydon Has Gone Mobile With Its Clients!

The next time you visit our Animal Hospital, take a look at the 3 wall posters to the right of the reception desk. They are not there only for decoration, that’s our “Interactive Mobile Wall”. (See image below).

 

What’s This All About?

All Smartphones, yes, even yours, have an internal camera that can be used to scan a QR Code, (the little square codes, like the one to the left, you see popping up all over the place). An understanding of the deeper explanation of the QR Code is really not necessary to use them, however, in simple terms, a QR Code is a barcode similar to the horizontal ones you are used to in the grocery stores.

Take out your Smartphone, activate the Barcode Scanner and scan one of the codes, you will soon be on your way to interacting with The Croydon Pet Hospital.

Some older Smartphones, going back two or more years, may not have Barcode Scanners pre-installed. No problem. On the posters are very easy directions to get one downloaded in about 5 minutes.

So, the next time you’re in, go over to the posters and “Interact with us”. It will give you something to do while we tend to your four-legged family member, okay?

February is Pet Dental Month!

We are offering 50% off all dental cleanings during the month of February please contact the office to schedule your dental exam.

410-760-1746
CroydonPH@gmail.com

 

During the Holiday Season, we sometimes forget that our 4-legged friends and family cannot partake of the rich foods we bring to the table. Some of us know that it not okay but as we do even with our own diets, we rationalize, “A little bit won’t hurt Rover or Kitty”. Doing so is quite dangerous.

In addition, the holiday decorations we all love so much can be deadly to small pets. Dr. Lorie Huston, author of the Pet Health Care Gazette discusses Potential Household Risks for Pets During the Holidays in the article below.

GreeniesNashville, TN -The GREENIES® Brand has partnered with veterinarian Dr. Lorie Huston, author of the Pet Health Care Gazette and veterinary expert for petMD’s The Daily Vet, to share insights about the health hazards pet owners may not be aware of for pets during the holidays and tips on how to protect against them

Holiday Havoc—The holidays can be a stressful time for pets. In many households, the holidays bring frequent visitors and major changes in the daily routine. As such, it’s important to provide pets with a private area of their own. This should be a room or area of the home where guests are not allowed.

Pets will find comfort in being able to retire to a quiet place where they can escape the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Above all, it’s important for pet owners to allow a little extra time during the holidays to pay special attention to their pets.

Poisonous Plants—Though seemingly harmless, holiday plants can be highly toxic for our four-legged friends. Poinsettia ingestion can cause mild intestinal problems for pets and irritation to the mouth and stomach. Pets that ingest certain types of mistletoe can become ill as well. Other plants like holly, amaryllis and lilies are also known to be quite toxic to pets, so make sure that when decorating the house, these items are in areas not frequented by pets or at levels pets cannot reach.

Dangerous Decorations—Items like tinsel and ribbons may be potential choking hazards for pets, and tree ornaments, usually fragile in nature, can be hazardous if broken. Water used at the base of live Christmas trees is often stagnant and may contain fertilizers or other preservatives that can upset a pet’s stomach. Lastly, curious pets can run into trouble when investigating candles or potpourri, so be sure to keep these items out of a pet’s line of sight!

Fattening Foods—While it may be tempting to share a holiday meal with your dog or cat, it’s probably best to rethink that strategy as many holiday foods can be unhealthy for pets. Things like chocolate, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts and even onions can be toxic to pets. Xylitol-containing sweets and gums can make pets very ill, and foods with high fat content have been known to cause pancreatitis, especially in dogs. Seek out nutritious and purposeful treats when shopping for holiday goodies, like those offered by the GREENIES® Brand.

Being aware of these holiday health hazards equips pet owners with the knowledge they need to make this holiday season a healthy and safe one for pets. For more tips, visit www.greenies.com and www.lorie-huston.com.

Read more about Dr. Lorie Huston and The Nutro Company here: Veterinarians Friends.

Have additional questions about pet health and nutrition? Visit out website at GLEN BURNIE ANIMAL HOSPITAL, we are here to help anyway we can.

 

It’s that time of year… Our homes are full of Christmas spirit and yummy holiday smells! Why leave out our furry family members in all the holiday cheer? Add this dog friendly tasty treat to your list of cookies to make this holiday season:

Oatmeal Crunchies
Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 Cups Oatmeal (uncooked)
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup Beef or Chicken Stock
• ¼ Cup Meat Drippings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine Meat Drippings, Stock and Milk in a large bowl and beat with a fork or spoon.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and oatmeal. Pour liquid ingredients into dry and mix well. Press the batter onto a greased cookie sheet with sides.

Cut into geometric shapes with a knife. Bake for one hour. Then, turn off the oven but leave the biscuits in the oven to harden overnight. Refrigerate afterwards.

2-3 dozen depending on size and shapes

Optional:

Add well shredded carrot or 1/4 cup peanut butter to the mix just before pouring into the cookie sheet.

Happy Holidays From Our Family to Yours!

Croydon Pet Hospital

Your Animal Hospital of choice!