Crazy Plants: Bracatinga

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The bright yellow flowers of a bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella)

This fairly sizable plant is a relative of the far smaller sensitive plant, which responds to touch, making it an interesting plant for kids. The two species are in the same genus, though they look quite different. The bracatinga also appears to lack the characteristic movement of its cousin. Like just about every species in the genus Mimosa, the complex flowers look rather like puffballs. While many in the genus have pink or purplish flowers, the bracatinga has whitish to yellow flowers. The tree can grow to fifteen meters tall, sometimes more, and up fifty centimeters in diameter. A height of five meters can be reached in a little over a year. The plant can handle fairly acidic soil, but doesn't like too much water. Its leaves are nitrogen rich, and their decomposition after falling can be very good for the soil.

The bracatinga was a very important source of wood for the Brazilian railroads. Due to this use, and its rapid growth, the species is often planted as a source of fuel. It is also used as a shade tree and for ornamentation. It has also be used for making paper, fence posts, and, interestingly enough, as a food source for goats. The flowers can also be used for honey production.

Sources are Purdue University, Winrock International, World Agroforestry Centre, Encyclo, and Erika Styger, PhD. Image is from Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license.

Guess the Genotype #87

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Can you guess this dog's genotype? Its breed? You might be surprised.

Images were provided to me by Rachel H.

Gromit is a border collie, and I left one picture out before the break because it reveals an interesting surprise you might not expect from seeing the rest of the dog: Gromit is a tricolor.

Look at that foot!

It's not that uncommon for dogs to look quite different depending on the angle, and Gromit is one of them. Though at certain angles he looks like a solid liver, commonly called "red" in the breed, he isn't. I was told his tan points were more prominent when he was younger. I managed to track down some pictures, and it's very true! So, what's his genotype?

To begin, Gromit must be atat tan point. Recessive black does not appear to be in the border collie breed, so he should not be a carrier.

Next, he is obviously liver. All livers must be bb liver.

The red in his coat is moderate in intensity. Going with the theory that the Chinchilla locus controls red intensity, this should make him cchcch moderate red.

Gromit also has a mask. This, combined with his white markings, is what makes it so difficult to tell he's a tricolor. This mask is quire extensive, obscuring his "pips" (the tan above the eyes) and nearly all of his cheek markings. From what I can find, there are more borders without masks than there are with masks. Because of this, I suspect Gromit is EmE masked carrying non-masked. It could be possible he carries recessive red, but considering the fact that it isn't that common in the breed, I find it unlikely.

The white on this dog is very typical of border collies, and is the amount of white most people think of when they hear "border collie." This is Irish white, which would make him sisi Irish white.

Lastly, Gromit has ticking. It isn't very dense, which makes me suspect he is Tt ticked.

So, that's atat bb cchcch EmE sisi Tt or masked liver tricolor with ticked Irish white.

Something I did not discuss previously was a question posed to me by the person who sent me the images. Could he be a merle? He does have a small blue spot in his left eye, and his father was a merle. There is a small possibility he is and that whatever merling he has may be obscured by his white markings. However, cryptic merles of this sort are very unusual. It's more likely that he is simply missing some pigment in his eye for another reason. This can happen in dogs with white, though it is usually seen when the white markings touch at least one corner of the eye. I have seen dogs marked very like Gromit with a similar blue eye spot, and those dogs were from breeds that do not have the merle gene (like this basenji). It's very possible that the spot is related to the white spotting gene, or it could be from something else. It's difficult to say.

Thalidomide

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Though you may not immediately recognize the name, this drug is infamous for what it did not so long ago. Beginning in the late 1950's and ending a few years later, it was prescribed to pregnant women as a treatment for morning sickness. What doctors didn't know then was some of the chemical's properties would cause some serious problems.

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things can cause severe birth defects and lead to countless lawsuits

Thalidomide lead to approximately ten thousand birth defects as a result of its use. Though mothers were perfectly fine, the chemical interacted with the growing baby's body, resulting in such defects as misshapen ears or feet and even reduced, or worse, completely missing limbs. It was a major scandal, as you can imagine. Many parents blamed themselves for what happened, and there were even suicides. To make things worse, the company that made the drug was silent for years about what had happened. They didn't issue an apology until August 2012. That's right, August of this year. The apology led to a major backlash with many people, including a large number of those born with birth defects caused by Thalidomide use, saying it was "too little too late."

So, what makes the drug so bad? It has to do with something called chirality. Certain chemicals with the same formula (in the case of Thalidomide, C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₄) are able to bind in slightly different ways. These forms can result in minor changes to how our bodies react to them, or can lead to some surprising differences. For example, another chiral molecule, limonene, smells like oranges in one form (the R enantiomer), and the other form (the S enantiomer) smells more like turpentine. Why is this? The proteins in our body have receptor sights that are very specific shapes. If one enantiomer fits, it's highly likely that the other one will not. Instead, it's common for the two forms to react with completely different proteins and lead to very different results.

One defect resulting from Thalidomide

In much the same vein, Thalidomide causes very different reactions based on which enantiomer is present. The R form, seen to the right in the first image on this post, helps with morning sickness. The S form, to the left, is what caused all of the problems. It, unfortunately, got in the way of the normal development of a fetus.

Well, chiral molecules that occur in a racemic mixture (a mixture of both enantiomers) can be purified until only one enantiomer is present. So, why not do that? Then, it would treat morning sickness and not cause birth defects, right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even when pure R-Thalidomide is given, the body freely converts the drug back and forth between the R and S forms. So, even if a patient is given only the beneficial enantiomer, some of the bad enantiomer will end up floating around in their blood stream. Even the good form is dangerous.

Interestingly enough, Thalidomide has not been completely taken off of the market. It is used to treat such diseases as leprosy, and is being researched as a treatment for cancer. It carries strong warnings about its potential for birth defects, but the side effects on the average, non-pregnant person are minimal. They are mainly limited to such things as dizziness and drowsiness.

Sources are the Thalomid Information, International Myeloma Foundation, PubMed Health, RxList, Drug Bank, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ouvaton, Chirality & Odour Perception, MedicineNet, The New York Times, and Reuters. Images are from Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licenses or are copyright free: one, two.

Ebon, Ebon, Ebon

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So, I haven't really felt like I've had anything interesting to say lately. I drafted a few posts, but they were dry and I hated them, so thus the lack of...anything. I also got angry with my camera because it's making it more difficult for me to upload pictures. That didn't help.

Anyway, I'm going to get back into the swing of things. Here's some recent stuff with Ebon. Forgive me if the images are slow to load. My old uploading method automatically compressed the images down nice and small, but now I would have to compress them manually. So, these are not compressed at all. Hopefully I can work out an easier way of doing this.

Ebom at the fountain in the big park downtown. The last time we were here, the fountain was decorated for Christmas

Ebon enjoying the water

Here, you can see where the spout is

And now for the coolest water fountain I've ever seen. It has three levels: one for adults, one for children, and one that's the perfect height for dogs! It's the only one like this in the park, with all of the others being the standard one- or two-level types. Even though there is only one, I'm glad they have it. The city's pretty dog friendly, and little touches like this make lives much easier for dog owners.

I do wonder, though, if this is kind of a leftover from when the park was even friendlier for dog owners. It used to allow provisional off-leash time, but there's now an ordinance that all dogs must be on lead at all times. I might have to take Ebon's long-line with me one of these days and make use of the huge green space at this park, while still obeying the laws.

After the park, we stopped at a nearby natural food market that's the sole supplier of certain products. Ebon got to drink out of my squeeze bottle while taking a little rest in the shade.

That's it for our park day, but I do still have a few things to share:

I'm skirting the leash laws at the condo by using Ebon's long-line to play fetch. It was actually made for me by my dad out of old clothesline and a couple of strong clasps. It serves its purpose. I wish it was longer, though, and didn't tangle as easily.

I also taught Ebon how to open and close his kennel door a while ago. He learned it super quickly, and now absolutely loves to tug on the toy I tied to the door. Earlier today, I asked him to go and open the door. He then, without any prompting, went inside and closed the door behind him. Then, when I tried to open the door, he kept closing it again.


I love this dog.

Guess the Genotype #88

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So, I discovered today that a number of e-mails from y lovely readers were somehow lost in my inbox. I'm not sure how, but I swear I had never read some of them before. One of these e-mails is the source of today's Guess the Genotype. Can you guess this puppy's genotype? Its breed?

Image provided to me by Little Walken

This puppy's mother is a mix that is believed to have Australian shepherd, border collie, rough collie, Labrador retriever, and/or golden retriever in her ancestry. The father of the litter is unknown. So, what's this puppy's genotype?

To begin, since there is both red and black in the coat, the dog must be expressing some form of the Agouti locus. In this case, the puppy is sable. It is also quite possible that the pup carries the tan point gene due to one or more of its likely ancestors. Because of this, I am going to guess the pup is Ayat sable carrying tan point.

This puppy also has rather intense red pigment in its coat. Going with the theory that this is controlled by the Chinchilla locus alone, this would make it CC dark red.

This puppy also has a mask. Since momma doesn't have a mask, and a number of puppy's siblings don't have masks, I suspect that this puppy is EmE masked carrying non-masked.

Next, the pup is clearly brindle. Since the mother isn't brindle, and several siblings are not brindle, I suspect the pup is kbrk brindle carrying non-brindle.

This puppy us also merle. The patches are fairly minimal, but the ones on the face make it obvious the gene is in action. Since there aren't any signs of the puppy being double merle, it must be Mm merle.

Lastly, the puppy has white markings. They are a pretty classic example of Irish white, but the genes behind this are in question. The mother has Irish white, and the litter has everything from virtually no white at all to minimal piebald markings. Due to this, I think this puppy is sisp Irish carrying piebald.

So, that's Ayat CC EmE kbrk Mm sisp, or masked brindle merle with white.

Recalls and Alerts: July 9, 2011

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This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.
Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.

United States

• Allergy Alert: Posh Bakery recalls Whole Foods Market Butter Mini Croissants and Chocolate Mini-Croissants due to an egg wash that was undeclared on the product label.


• Consumer Product Safety Recall: Mizuno USA Inc. recalls Mizuno Supreme Series and Ballpark Pro baseball and softball gloves, because some of the gloves were found to contain a variety of molds.

Canada

• Food Safety Recall: Albion Fisheries Ltd. (Vancouver, BC) recalls Mussel N/ Shell Honey Mussels (5 lb; Lot #181951), due to the presence of marine biotoxins. The recalled mussels were distributed to hotels, restaurants and institutional customers in Alberta and British Columbia.


• Pharmaceutical Product Health Advisory: Health Canada reminds the public, particularly women of child-bearing age, of the risks to children whose mothers take a valproate drug, used to treat epilepsy, while pregnant. There is a rare, but well known risk of birth defects in children whose mothers took a valproate drug while pregnant. Also, some recent studies have found that children whose mothers took a valproate drug tend to score lower on cognitive tests than children whose mothers took other anti-epileptic medications.

Europe

• Allergy Alert (Ireland and UK): The Food Safety Authority of Ireland and the UK Food Standards Agency announce the recall of Donegal Catch Limited Edition Fish Fillets in a Golden Breadcrumb (Best Before Sept. 2012; Batch Number L 1 066), because a packaging error has resulted in some packs containing product with undeclared milk.


• Food Safety Recall (Belgium): AFSCA has ordered the recall of Nicola Spanish potatoes (2.5Kg bags), sold in Lidl stores, because these potatoes contain an elevated level of fosthiazate, a chemical used to control nematodes.


• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Ren-Diet recalls Fenugreek seeds (125g bags; Expiry 24 May 2012; Lot #28551), because the bags contain seeds from the same batches of fenugreek seeds from Egypt believed to be the source of E. coli O104:H4 outbreaks in Germany and France.


• Food Safety Recall (Finland): Inex Partners Oy recalls Weibulls Mix seeds for sprouting (55/75g bags; Expiration date 09/30/2013 or 30/09/2014), because the product contains fenugreek seeds originating in Egypt.


• Food Safety Recall (Netherlands): The Food Safety Authority announces a recall of Sperli brand fenugreek seeds or mixed seeds containing fenugreek bought at two garden centers, because the packages contain seeds potentially contaminated with EHEC (E. coli O104:H4).


• Food Safety Recall Update (Italy): Carrefour recalls several production lots of Prosciutto cotto affettato di alta qualità alla brace 150g (please navigate to il fatto alimentare for affected production lot details), because the prosciutto may contain unacceptable levels of Listeria monocytogenes.


• OTC Product Safety Recall (France): Laboratoire Pierre Fabre Medicament recalls Laboratoire Pierre Fabre Medicament Cliptol Gel, 50g (Topical preparation; Lot #G00123 to G00136, inclusive, G00139, G00142 and G00143), because of an error in the precautions for use labeling.


• Outbreak Alert (Switzerland): Thirty-five military recruits are suspected to have been infected with norovirus and are receiving medical assistance in the infirmary.


• Outbreak Alert Update (France): Four people remain hospitalized in Chu de Bordeaux after becoming infected with E. coli O104:H4. In all, about 10 people have been hospitalized during this outbreak due to either bloody diarrhea or hemolytic uremic syndrome.


• Outbreak Alert Update (France): Steak Country brand frozen hamburger steaks sold in Lidl stores are now believed to have caused 19 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome across France - 18 of them in the Nord - Pas-de-Calais - Picardie regions. One case has been reported from Strasbourg.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0904): Salmonella Saint Paul in chilled duck breast pepper and pepper skewers from France; distributed to Belgium and France.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0905): Fosthiazate in nicola potatoes from Spain; distributed to Belgium.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0906): Diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning toxins in whole queen scallops from the UK; distributed to Spain and the United Kingdom.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0907): High Enterobacteriaceae count in vanilla ice cream from Italy; distributed to Hungary, Italy and Sweden.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0908): Enterococcus in bottled natural mineral water from Italy; distributed to Germany.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Alert (PRC): Authorities have halted the sale of 31 brands of water after they failed safety standard tests, including excessively high total bacterial or coliform counts.


• Food Safety Enforcement Notice (Japan): The Tottori Prefectural Government will ban restaurants and butchers from serving or selling raw beef liver after recent deadly food poisoning cases involving raw beef served at Korean-style barbecue restaurants.


• Food Safety Alert (Japan): More than six times the legal limit of radioactive caesium has been found in beef from Fukushima prefecture. The meat was sampled from one of 11 cows shipped to Tokyo.


• Outbreak Alert (PRC): Forty-two kindergarteners in Zhejiang Province have been sickened in an alleged case of food poisoning at an unlicensed kindergarten.

Australia and New Zealand

• Water Safety Alert (New Zealand): Auckland Council has identified two toxic sea slugs on rocks at Matiatia Bay on Waiheke Island. Beachgoers should avoid touching or handling sea slugs at beaches across the Auckland region. Toxic sea slugs killed several dogs on beaches of Auckland's North Shore during the past two winters.


• Weight Loss Product Safety Alert (Australia): The Therapeutic Goods Administration warns the public that OxyELITE Pro capsules - marketed as having super weightloss properties - contains therapeutic quantities of the prohibited prescription-only substanct, Yohimbine. In Australia, supply of OxyELITE Pro capsules is illegal.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

• A&P


• Big Y® World Class Market®


• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.


• Bloom


• Brookshire's


• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)


• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.


• EDEKA (Germany)


• Food City


• Food Lion


• Giant Food LLC


• Gros Cidac (Italy)


• Hannaford Brothers Co.


• Harris Teeter


• H-E-B


• The Kroger Company*


• Lucky Supermarkets


• Price Chopper


• Publix


• Raley's


• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.


• Sainsbury's


• ShopRite


• Stop & Shop


• Sweetbay Supermarkets


• Target


• Top Food & Drug


• Tops Friendly Markets


• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.


• Wegmans


• Whole Foods Market


• WinCo Foods


• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

Recalls and Alerts: July 12, 2011

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This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.
Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.


United States

• Allergy Alert: B&G Foods, Inc. recalls Las Palmas Green Enchilada Sauce (19-ounce; All sell-by dates on or prior to December 13, 2013), because the product may contain an undeclared allergen, according to a report by Giant Eagle.


• Allergy Alert Update: Posh Bakery (Santa Clara, CA) recalls Butter Mini Croissants and Chocolate Mini-Croissants (12-pack, 12-ounce clear plastic clamshell containers with Whole Foods Market labels; all best-buy dates prior to and up until July 6, 2011) due to an undeclared egg wash. One allergy reaction has been reported. The recalled baked goods were sold in 26 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California.


• Food Safety Recall Update: USDA posts retail distribution list for boneless, fully cooked ham products recalled by Carolina Pride Foods, Inc. due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.


• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Sogo Foods Inc. (San Jose, CA) that a September/October 2010 inspection of the company's food manufacturing facility revealed misbranding of two products and also determined that products were prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to heath.


• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns Mai's Bakery, Corp. (Monterey Park, CA) that a March 2011 inspection of the company's manufacturing facility revealed serious violations of FDA's Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulation for manufacturing, packing, or holding human food.


• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns First Commercial Kitchen, L.L.C. (Waipahu, HI) that a December 2010 - February 2011 inspection of the company's food processing facility determined that your facility produced acidified foods and revealed that you have significant deviations from the requirements of the Acidified Food regulations, causing the company's acidified food products to be adulterated, in that they have been prepared, packed, or held under unsanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby they may have been rendered injurious to heath.


• FDA Warning Letter: FDA warns BioSan Laboratories, Inc. (Derry, NH) that a December 2010 - January 2011 inspection of the company revealed significant violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations in Manufacturing, Packaging, Labeling, or Holding Operations for Dietary Supplements.

Canada

• Outbreak Alert (Ontario): One patient at the Guelph General Hospital has died after suffering from a hospital-acquired infection with Clostridium difficile. The hospital declared a C. difficile outbreak on July 5th, after discovering 11 cases in May and June. The outbreak total now stands at 15 cases.

Europe

• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Select Salmon A/S recalls Smoked Halibut (Lot #17411; Best before 15.07.2011), due to evidence of Listeria monocytogenes contamination.


• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Biogan A/S recalls Organic fenugreek seeds (1-kg bags; Best before 05-10-2012, 21-02-2013 and 16-04-2013) because the seeds came from Egypt and may be contaminated with E. coli O104:H4.


• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Fausol A/S recalls Hornum Sprouts, Asia-Mix (30g; Item #1328), because the product contains fenugreek from Egypt and may be contaminated with E. coli O104:H4.


• Food Safety Recall Expanded (Finland): Raisio Nutrition Ltd. expands its previous recall of Oat Oats, Organic Wheat Paahtopalat product, 260g pack. The recall was expanded to include the Best before date 08/20/2011 and batch ID #L02.25. The recalled packages have been buckling and may be contaminated.


• Food Supplement Safety Notification (EU #2011.0909): Metal strips in calcium tablets with vitamin D3 from Germany, processed in Hungary; distributed to the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0910): Salmonella in frozen pork meat from France; distributed to Sweden.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0912): Undeclared sulphite in frozen prawns from Spain; distributed to Italy.


• Allergy Alert Notification (EU #2011.0915): Undeclared milk ingredient in bread-crumbed fish fillets from France; distributed to Ireland and the United Kingdom.


• Animal Feed Safety Notification (EU #2011.0917): Aflatoxins in maize gluten with raw material from China; distributed in Switzerland.


• Food Safety Notification (EU #2011.0920): Mercury in sliced swordfish from Spain; distributed to Italy.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Alert (Taiwan): Taipei City health officials report that 5.6% (3 out of 54 samples) of iced snack and beverage ingredients failed tests for "problematic" food additives. Officials have ordered the three offending items - marble-sized black tapioca balls, taro beads, and konyaku - off the market.


• Pharmaceutical Product Safety Recall (Hong Kong): Orient Europharma Co. Ltd. recalls Navelbine Injection 10mg/1ml (Batch 1P109), and Navelbine Injection 50mg/5ml (Batches P507 and P508), as part of a worldwide recall due to and out-of-trend result in content of an active ingredient.


• Outbreak Alert (PRC): Spoiled leftovers served at an unlicensed kindergarten has been blamed for an episode of food poisoning that hospitalized 42 children in east Zhejiang Province.

Australia and New Zealand

• Food Safety Recall (Australia): Haigh's Manufacturing Pty Ltd recalls Haigh's Aprichoc Chocolates (300g cardboard gift box; Best before 29 OCT 11), due to the possible presence of undeclared nuts. The recalled chocolates were sold in Haigh's Chocolate Shops in New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

• A&P


• Big Y® World Class Market®


• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.


• Bloom


• Brookshire's


• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)


• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.


• EDEKA (Germany)


• Food City


• Food Lion


• Giant Food LLC


• Gros Cidac (Italy)


• Hannaford Brothers Co.


• Harris Teeter


• H-E-B


• The Kroger Company*


• Lucky Supermarkets


• Price Chopper


• Publix


• Raley's


• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.


• Sainsbury's


• ShopRite


• Stop & Shop


• Sweetbay Supermarkets


• Target


• Top Food & Drug


• Tops Friendly Markets


• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.


• Wegmans


• Whole Foods Market


• WinCo Foods


• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

Recalls and Alerts: July 13, 2011

To contact us Click HERE
This is a mirror of eFoodAlert on WordPress. To subscribe to automatic email alerts, please go to the eFoodAlert on WordPress blog page and complete the EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION form.

Here is today's list of food safety recalls, product withdrawals, allergy alerts and miscellaneous compliance issues. The live links will take you directly to the official recall notices and company news releases that contain detailed information for each recall and alert.


United States

• Food Safety Recall: Food City advises that Food Club Red Enchilada Sauce, 10 oz has been recalled.


• Outbreak Alert: barfblog reports that Manatee County Health Department is investigating a case of Vibrio vulnificus infection contracted from eating oysters.

Canada

• Allergy Alert: CFIA warns the public that Healthy Times brand Brown Rice Cereal for Baby (6 oz/170g pkg; Product of USA; Lot 02711; Use by 15 JAN 2013) contains undeclared gluten, and is being recalled by the Canadian importers of the product. One allergic reaction has been reported. The recalled product was distributed in Ontario and may have been distributed nationally.


• Personal Hygiene Product Safety Recall: Procter & Gamble recalls Oral B Anti-Cavity Dental Rinse - Alcohol Free, and Oral-B Anti-Bacterial with Fluoride - Alcohol Free Daily Use Mouthrinse, due to possible microbial contamination.

Europe

• Food Recall (Belgium): Quality Nuts BVBA recalls pine nuts (sold from October 2010 through December 2010) after the bitter variety Pinus Armandii was found in certain packages.


• Food Safety Recall (Denmark): Econova Garden AB (Sweden) recalls Weibull Mix Spire Mixture (seeds for sprouting; Product code number 7651), after the Swedish firm learns that the seed mixture contains fenugreek seeds from the batch implicated in the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak.


• Outbreak Alert Update (Switzerland): Norovirus has been confirmed as the cause of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that sickened a total of 60 military recruits last week.

Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands

• Food Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The distributor and importer were warned by the Centre for Food Safety to recall San Bu Bridge Kaiping Preserved Bean Curd (1,000g per bottle; Product of China; Best Before July 29, 2012 and November 29, 2012), manufactured by Kaiping Chuang Feng Trading Company Limited of Guangdong, after the Centre for Food Safety found elevated numbers of Bacillus cereus in samples drawn from the two recalled production lots.


• Proprietary Medicine Safety Recall (Hong Kong): The Department of Health instructs Chaisentomg Pharmaceutical Factory Limited to recall five powdered medicines, as they were found to exceed the stated product weight.

Some supermarket chains post recall notices on their web sites for the convenience of customers. To see whether a recalled food was carried by your favorite supermarket, follow the live link to the supermarket's recall web site.

• A&P


• Big Y® World Class Market®


• BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.


• Bloom


• Brookshire's


• Costco Wholesale Corporation (US stores)


• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.


• EDEKA (Germany)


• Food City


• Food Lion


• Giant Food LLC


• Gros Cidac (Italy)


• Hannaford Brothers Co.


• Harris Teeter


• H-E-B


• The Kroger Company*


• Lucky Supermarkets


• Price Chopper


• Publix


• Raley's


• Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc.


• Sainsbury's


• ShopRite


• Stop & Shop


• Sweetbay Supermarkets


• Target


• Top Food & Drug


• Tops Friendly Markets


• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.


• Wegmans


• Whole Foods Market


• WinCo Foods


• Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.

*The Kroger umbrella encompasses numerous supermarket, marketplace and convenience store chains, listed on the Kroger corporate home page.

Feline's Pride food recalled due to salmonella

To contact us Click HERE

Feline’s Pride Issues Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 1, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is announcing a voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

When consumed by humans, Salmonella can cause an infection, salmonellosis. The symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, minimal diarrhea, fever, and headache. Certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly susceptible to acquiring salmonellosis from such pet food products and may experience more severe symptoms.

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 product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This recall affects only those orders placed and shipped from June 10 through June 17, 2010.

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

This product should not be fed to pets but should instead be disposed of in a safe manner (e.g., in a securely covered trash receptacle). People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

People should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the pet food – especially those made from raw animal protein such as meat or fish -- to help prevent infection. People may risk bacterial infection not only by handling pet foods, but by contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday –Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.

Feline's Pride expands food recall due to salmonella

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From FDA:

Feline’s Pride Expands Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 15, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is expanding its July 1, 2010 voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10 to include the product produced on 6/21/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

When consumed by humans, Salmonella can cause an infection, salmonellosis. The symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, minimal diarrhea, fever, and headache. Certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly susceptible to acquiring salmonellosis from such pet food products and may experience more severe symptoms.

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 product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This expansion of the recall affects those orders placed and shipped from June 21 through June 26, 2010 (produced on 6/21/10).

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

People should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the pet food – especially those made from raw animal protein such as meat or fish -- to help prevent infection. People may risk bacterial infection not only by handling pet foods, but by contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday -Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.

▼▲ Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb »

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Some people are spending focus to Lamb And Rice Dog Food. The Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb is a product that has been trendy from the majority buyers. If you are choosing or searching for this unit. We are gratified to provide you with particulars of Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb purpose of helping to make your obtain.

Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb

List Price : $72.47
Price :
Note: This price update on September 13, 2012
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Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb

Product Description

Nutro Natural Choice Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - Puppy

Small Bites Puppy Chicken Meal, Rice & Oatmeal Formula features high levels of linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat. Like all Natural Choice products, this formula contains no ground yellow corn. It includes chicken protein and high levels of linoleic acid for healthy skin and coat and strong muscles.

Available in 5 lb., 17.5 lb. and 35 lb. bags.

• 17.5-lb bag

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Lamb And Rice Dog Food

Tag: Nutro Natural Choice Small Bites Puppy - Chicken, Rice & Oatmeal - 17.5 lb

╫► One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula - 34lb »

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My mate says to me on the subject of Lamb And Rice Dog Food and he announced the item is One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula - 34lb. When I listen to my close friends dialogue about the functions of the merchandise. Morning, I came to the conclusion to buy One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula - 34lb. Soon after implementing this merchandise, I am really fulfilled. Detail of attraction are while comes after.

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Note: This price update on September 16, 2012
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One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula - 34lb

Product Description

One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula

Purina One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Formula has real lamb that contributes protein for strong muscles, including a healthy heart. Highly digestible rice provides healthy energy with antioxidant rich nutrition for immune health and omega fatty acids and Vitamin E for healthy skin and coat.

Available in 8 lb., 18 lb. and 34 lb. bags.

• Dogs
• Dog Food
• Dry Food

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Lamb And Rice Dog Food

Tag: One Total Nutrition Lamb & Rice Adult Formula - 34lb

╞╩ Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds »

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Many individuals are compensating awareness to Lamb And Rice Dog Food. The Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds is a product that has been preferred from a large number of shoppers. If you are buying or locating this unit. We are content to present highlights of Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds purpose of building your acquire.

Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds

List Price : $18.20
Price : $11.28
Note: This price update on September 22, 2012
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Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds

Product Description

Purina ONE Healthy Puppy Formula - Puppy FoodPurina ONE Healthy Puppy Formula gives you the nutritional tools you need to proactively manage your dog's health and long, active life through wellness and special formulas, all backed by the latest scientific research. Veterinarians at Purina have identified Six Signs of Optimal Pet Health, and Purina ONE is formulated to deliver all six. For puppies, a proper balance in all these areas is ideal. Purina ONE Healthy Puppy Formula is designed to support your puppy's overall health, in addition to supporting strong muscles and healthy organs. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your veterinarian for assistance in assessing your dog's health. Six Signs of Optimal Pet HealthBody Condition: Indicated by a lean body and strong muscles.Purina ONE Nutritional Source:Optimal protein level helps maintain lean body mass for strong muscles and ideal body condition.Vitamin fortified for healthy growth and development.Overall Health & Immune System: Indicated by overall health and well-being.Purina ONE Nutritional Source:With fish oils, a rich source of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids and essential nutrients to nourish the skin, heart, liver, and kidneys for lifelong health.Antioxidant-rich, complete and balanced nutrition helps develop a strong immune system.Bone Health: Indicated by bone strength.Purina ONE Nutritional Source:Enriched with vitamins and minerals, including calcium and phosphorus, to contribute to healthy bone development.Digestion: Indicated by nutrient digestibility.Purina ONE Nutritional Source:High-quality ingredients, including real chicken and rice, support your puppy's developing digestive system for healthy growth.Scientifically formulated for optimal nutrient absorption so more nutrients go to work inside your puppy and less pass through as waste.Skin, Coat & Eyes: Indicated by condition of skin, coat, and eyes.Purina ONE Nutritional Source:Complete nutrition with omega 6 fatty acids makes

• Real chicken is the #1 ingredient
• Contains Omega-6
• Vitamins and minerals for strong bones
• Antioxidant rich nutrition for a healthy immune system

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Lamb And Rice Dog Food

Tag: Purina One Smart Blend Healthy Puppy Formula, 8-Pounds

■◌▫ California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food »

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List Price :
Price : $46.55
Note: This price update on September 24, 2012
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California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food

Product Description

Pure & Simple Nutrition for your Special Dogs

California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Adult Formula is carefully made with fresh, whole ingredients and contains no by-products or artificial preservatives.

100% lamb meal is used as the only animal protein source in California Natural to provide a Pure & Simple food.

Wholesome brown rice and sunflower oil provide efficient sources of energy to support exercise and endurance.

• 30-lb bag

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Lamb And Rice Dog Food

Tag: California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food

●●► California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food »

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California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food

List Price :
Price : $46.55
Note: This price update on September 26, 2012
Check current price Click Here » at Amazon.com

California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food

Product Description

Pure & Simple Nutrition for your Special Dogs

California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Adult Formula is carefully made with fresh, whole ingredients and contains no by-products or artificial preservatives.

100% lamb meal is used as the only animal protein source in California Natural to provide a Pure & Simple food.

Wholesome brown rice and sunflower oil provide efficient sources of energy to support exercise and endurance.

• 30-lb bag

See All Buying Option
At Amazon.com

Lamb And Rice Dog Food

Tag: California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Large Bites Dry Adult Dog Food

Why Tortoiseshells are Tortoiseshells

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Tortoiseshell cats display a wide range of markings

Most people who are familiar with cats know about tortoiseshells: those patchy, red and black kitties. Not necessarily as well known is the fact that virtually all tortoiseshells are female. Why is that?

Torti with lots of black

In domestic cats, the basic black and red pigment genes are actually located on the X chromosomes, and are thus sex-linked. Since cats are like us and their sex is determined by the X-Y system, males have only one X chromosome, while females have two of them. A lot of cats will have all chromosomes of the same type, which will lead to the cat having all red pigment or all black pigment. However, the genes are also basically co-dominant, which leads to both colors being expressed in females that have both a red X and a black X. However, things are a bit more complicated than that.

The exact mechanism behind a tortoiseshell's patch coat is actually quite fascinating. As with all X-Y animals, females don't necessarily benefit from having more than one copy of the X chromosome. The extra dose of genetic material can actually be problematic, so the body undergoes what it needs to for what is called dosage compensation. Basically, the body only wants to work with one chromosome at a time in each cell. Due to this, cells will undergo X-chromosome inactivation, packaging the material into a tiny bundle that is not usable. This little bundle is known as a Barr body.

A cell nucleus with a Barr body. Xi is the inactive chromosome in a Barr body, while Xa marks the active one

Torti-tabby ("torbie") with lots of red

Barr body formation is directly linked to the patchy coloration of tortoiseshells. Where the cat has an active black chromosome, the fur will be black pigmented. Where the cat has an active red chromosome, the fur will be red pigmented. Also, the chromosomal inactivation happens at varying stages of development. After it happens, all cells that come from the initial chromosonally inactivated cell will be of the same type. So, if a chromosome become inactive very early in development, it will lead to a large patch of fur that's the same color. Later inactivation leads to smaller patches. This is how tortoiseshell cats can have such variation in the size of their patches.

A tortoiseshell with fairly even color distribution

Believe it or not, looking for Barr bodies is one of the easiest ways to determine if an individual has a sex chromosomal abnormality. Women with no Barr bodies are likely to be XO, while those with more than one would be XXX, XXXX, or higher. Males with Barr bodies are likely XXY, and multiple Barr bodies would be XXXY or higher. Of course, this only works for those with unusual numbers of X chromosomes and another sort of test must be done for multiple Y's.

A calico cat

Calico cats are almost exactly like tortoiseshell cats, with the only difference being the addition of the gene for white markings. 

If you see a male tortoiseshell or calico cat, it's likely to have a chromosomal abnormality such as Klinefelters syndrome (XXY) or some sort of mutation. There have been more than a few male tortoiseshells that have been found to be either chimeras, which have the DNA of two separate individuals, or mosaics resulting from some sort of mutation.

Also an interesting feature of tortoiseshells is that they cannot really be cloned. Since their coloration is based on random chromosome inactivation, the offspring will never look the same as its parent. In fact, it's more likely that the clone will be solid black or red rather than tortoiseshell since whatever cell that is collected from the donor will have already undergone the inactivation. Indeed, the first ever cloned cat, though cloned from a calico tabby, ended up a simple, uni-colored, black-pigmented tabby.

Sources are Texas A&M, Memorial University, Kimball's Biology, University of Miami, Messy Beast, Cat Fanciers' Association, Berkley, io9, and Dr. Sophia Yin. Images are from Wikimedia Commons under creative Commons licenses: one, two, three, four, five, six.

Response Cetyl M Joint Action recalled

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Response Products Voluntarily Recalls Advanced Cetyl M Joint Action Formula for Dogs Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact:
Trisha Hanson
1-877-266-9757

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 12, 2010 - Response Products, Broken Bow, NE is voluntarily recalling Cetyl M for Dogs, lot numbers 1210903 and 0128010, due to a possible Salmonella contamination from the hydrolyzed vegetable protein component provided by Basic Foods of Las Vegas, NV. Tests conducted by Basic Foods to detect Salmonella produced negative results; however, Response Products has determined to recall the above-referenced lots.

People who handle dry pet food and/or treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews 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.

Cetyl M for Dogs was distributed nation-wide through direct sales, retail stores, veterinarians and online retailers.

The above-referenced lots of Cetyl M for Dogs were distributed in either a 120-count bottle (shipped between January 8, 2010 and April 2, 2010) or a 360-count bottle (shipped between February 11, 2010 and April 2, 2010). The affected lot numbers are as follows: #1210903 and 0128010. The lot number can be found directly above the bar code on the label. These lots were sent out in the time periods as set out above. This product is in tablet-form, is approximately the size of a dime and is light brown in coloring.

To date, Response Products has received no reports of illness associated with the use of this product. Response Products recently learned that the FDA and Basic Foods of Las Vegas, NV, the producer of one of the components of the affected product’s vegetable beef flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, had detected Salmonella in Basic Food’s facility and had issued a recall on said component. The manufacturer of the vegetable beef flavoring used in Cetyl M for Dogs, tested the hydrolyzed vegetable beef protein for Salmonella and the results were negative. However, due to the concern regarding Salmonella in Basic Foods’ facility, it decided to recall two lots (only one lot affected our product) of said vegetable beef flavoring. The finished product manufacturer of Cetyl M for Dogs had tests performed on both the raw materials used to make our product and also the finished product, and all tested negative for Salmonella, however, it has issued a voluntary recall on two lots (see lot numbers listed above) of Cetyl M for Dogs.

Response Products requires that testing for Salmonella and other harmful pathogens is completed during the manufacturing process. Even though the testing performed at each level of the process showed negative results for Salmonella, in an effort to produce the highest quality product for our customers, Response Products ceased distributing the dog product in the above-referenced lots and is issuing a voluntary recall on its Cetyl M for Dogs in the affected lot numbers. In addition to the testing listed above, Response Products sent samples from said lots, as well as from lot produced after those lots, to an independent laboratory, and all samples received a negative result for Salmonella.

Response Products continues to investigate the cause of the problem and continues to be committed to producing a high-quality, effective product for dogs.

Consumers who have purchased the listed lots of Cetyl M for Dogs are urged to contact Response Products or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact Response Products at 1-877-266-9757, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST.

How to Identify and Avoid Phony Practitioners

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How to Identify and Avoid Phony Practitioners

Seems like everyone who wants to can be a doctor these days, no schooling required. A dictionary definition of a doctoral degree is:
• any of several academic degrees of the highest rank, as the Ph.D. or Ed.D., awarded by universities and some colleges for completing advanced work in graduate school or a professional school
• an honorary degree conferring the title of doctor upon the recipient
• a degree awarded to a graduate of a school of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science

It’s that second definition that is most troublesome, because it means that anyone can open up a virtual school and award doctoral degrees for whatever level of work – or dollars- they think sufficient.

The field of naturopathic medicine is shot through with such fraud. Only 16 states license naturopathic doctors. The licensing process requires graduation from a 4 year naturopathic school with virtually the same curriculum as that of a medical school, with natural treatments substituted for drugs and surgery.

These institutions have been accredited or are in candidate status for accreditation by one of the regional accrediting agencies approved by the US Department of Education. In addition, all of the naturopathic medicine programs of the member schools have been accredited (or are candidates for accreditation) by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME).

On the other hand, the naturopathic schools that offer long distance education say that their courses are approved by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB). These graduates are not eligible for professional licenses. Strangely, the ANCB's website states "Due to ANCB's stringent application and certification requirements, ANCB is the certification organization preferred and recommended by the leading schools of Traditional Naturopathy, including Clayton College of Natural Health and Trinity College of Natural Health" [both are online diploma mills]. Does this seem a little incestuous?

Now naturopathy has come to veterinary medicine. One online diploma mill requires a “recognized Master's degree in a natural health field” to enter ‘doctoral’ programs offered there, but no definition of what this means. The accreditation for this school is through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (Texas). That’s all.

We even need to worry about people making up certifications on their own. I once taught a course online on herbal medicine that was open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians. A technician, after finishing the course, granted herself a “Dip.Vet.Bot.Med” on her website, where she was offering animal health consultations. This was new to me as the instructor of the course. Presto – certified in herbal medicine after a 4 week introductory course!

So how do we judge the quality of the educational experience for practitioners of animal medicine? Let’s compare the curriculum and experience of the diploma mill to that of a veterinarian who is familiar with naturopathic principles:

Veterinary education (in the U.S.):
• Requires an undergraduate (college) degree from a university or college accredited by the US Department of Education, with a concentration on chemistry, biology and physics.
• 3 years of full time, in residence schooling that includes about 6 hours daily of didactic lectures, labs and contact with instructors who hold advanced degrees or certifications in their fields
• Required textbooks are comprehensive specialized reviews of medical science
• 1 year of full time clinical experience under direct supervision of faculty who are specialists in their fields
• Regular competency exams culminating in national and state board examinations that must be passed in order to obtain a license to practice.
• Further education on herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy and other natural modalities requires well over 100 hours of study for certification each. A recent survey of 300 veterinarians who practice natural or integrative medicine revealed that 61% of veterinarians with at least 6 years of integrative practice experience have accumulated at least 250 classroom hours in integrative medicine. Of these practitioners, more than 30% have taken more than 500 hours of class room training.

Diploma mill doctoral degree:
• 200-300 hours (claimed) of self study
• Faculty - just a few of the school’s own graduates - available by phone or email
• Required textbooks are simple compilations for pet owners, typically available at your local book store
• Final exam is 3-5 questions, open book

Graduates holding a “VND” or “Doctor of Veterinary Naturopathy” degree have been taught that it is illegal for them to diagnose or prescribe in order to treat animal disease, so they position themselves as educators. Of course, the fact that they suggest treatment recommendations after learning symptoms, and the fact that they often sell just the natural remedies needed certainly could not be viewed as prescriptions (please know that I have on my most ironic smile right now). In addition, they make these recommendations without seeing the animal, which could vitally change the prescriber’s overall assessment. Yes, some veterinarians also do this, but most have medical records or direct communications from a veterinarian who has seen the animal, which solves that problem.

Any veterinarian understands the pet owner’s desire for second opinions and to have a team behind their pet’s medical care. But you can do better by your pet if you stock that team with professionals who have received comprehensive and well rounded veterinary and natural medicine education. Look for the initials below:

Veterinary degree: VMD, DVM, BVSc, MVB, VetMB or BVetMed, BVM&S or BVMS, Dr.Med.Vet
Natural medicine certifications (post graduate training offered only to veterinarians):
Acupuncture: CVA, FAAVA
Herbal Medicine: CVCH (Chinese herbal medicine), CVHM (Western herbal medicine)
Homeopathy: CVH, VetMFHom, CertIAVH
Chiropractic: cAVCA, IVCA, CVSMT
Physical therapy/rehabilitation: CCRT, CCRP
Chinese massage (tui na): CVTP

Nonveterinarians holding the “VND degree” and those who follow them may well wonder why we can’t all just get along. The argument would be that they offer only information that is complementary to that of veterinarians, and that they are only educating pet owners on how to better care for their pets. The situation feels to me much like medical practice in the US in the early 1900s. There were many private medical schools and many different educational experiences, and people had many different types of practitioners to choose from.

In the course of determining which type of practice and schools should be the recipient of grant money, the Rockefeller Foundation hired Abraham Flexner to thoroughly investigate all medical schools in the country for the first time. The report is eye-opening. Most of the naturopathic and homeopathic schools presented their students with very poor experiences – most did not require a college degree; none of the faculty was full time, and few of the students had access to actual patients in a mentoring atmosphere. Some of the schools were described as filthy, with libraries of only a few old books. By contrast, the schools that offered the best education required college degrees and 4 years of didactic and bedside education. If your mother developed a serious medical condition in the 1920’s, which type of graduate would you have wanted to see her?

These are not complementary veterinary professions. And I can already hear the defense - 'those veterinarians are just worried about competition'. No we're not. We're worried about what happens to sick pets whose owners don't know the difference between in-depth veterinary and natural medicine knowledge and a fake. If they know the difference and choose a "VND", the pet still suffers, but the owner is making an informed choice. The trouble is - most owners don't. So if that internet expert with a Dr. in front of her name offers consultations and sells supplements, it's a good idea to look for those letters, then make your decision.

Feline's Pride food recalled due to salmonella

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Feline’s Pride Issues Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 1, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is announcing a voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

When consumed by humans, Salmonella can cause an infection, salmonellosis. The symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, minimal diarrhea, fever, and headache. Certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly susceptible to acquiring salmonellosis from such pet food products and may experience more severe symptoms.

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 product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This recall affects only those orders placed and shipped from June 10 through June 17, 2010.

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

This product should not be fed to pets but should instead be disposed of in a safe manner (e.g., in a securely covered trash receptacle). People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

People should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the pet food – especially those made from raw animal protein such as meat or fish -- to help prevent infection. People may risk bacterial infection not only by handling pet foods, but by contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday –Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.