Clinical Signs of Illness

The information below is taken from FDA’s website. The link to their site is: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ReportaProblem/ucm182403.htm

c Diane Rich 2013

The new rules will be open for public comment for 120 days, and would be adopted as law within 60 days after the comment period closes. They would apply to all domestic and imported animal food, including pet food, pet treats, animal feed, and the raw ingredients that make those products.

That means, for instance, that the producers of chicken, corn and sweet potato jerky treats made in China and blamed for the deaths of 600 pets and illnesses in about 3,600, will have to meet strict new requirements before their products can be sold, officials said.

FDA has always had rules in place that prohibit adulterants in pet food. That’s why the agency has issued company-initiated recalls for salmonella-tainted bird food, for instance, or dog food contaminated with aflatoxin, a naturally occurring mold by-product.

But, until now, there’s been no requirement that companies analyze the potential food safety hazards of their products or that they follow current good manufacturing practices, or CGMPs, that specifically address animal food.

You can report complaints about a pet food product electronically through the Safety Reporting Portal or you can call your state’s FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

Please have as much of the following information available when submitting your complaint:

Consumers often transfer dry pet food into other containers for easier handling. If possible, please save the original packaging until the pet food has been consumed. The packaging contains IMPORTANT information often needed to identify the variety of pet food, the manufacturing plant, and the production date.

Exact name of the product and product description (as stated on the product label)
Type of container (e.g. box, bag, can, pouch, etc.)
Product intended to be refrigerated, frozen, or stored at room temperature
Lot number – This number is often hard to find and difficult to read. It is stamped onto the product packaging and typically includes a combination of letters and numbers, and is always in close proximity to the best by/before or expiration date (if the product has a best by/before or expiration date). The lot number is very important as it helps us determined the manufacturing plant as well as the production date.
Best by, best before or expiration date
UPC code (also known as the bar code)
Net weight
Purchase date and exact location where purchased.
Results of any laboratory testing performed on the pet food product
How the food was stored, prepared, and handled

Description of the problem with the product. Examples include:

Foul odor, off color
Swollen can or pouch, leaking container
Foreign object found in the product.

If you think your pet has become sick or injured as a result of consuming a pet food product also provide information about your pet, including:

Species (dog, cat, rabbit, fish, bird, other)
Age, weight, breed, pregnant, spayed/neutered
Previous health status of pet
Any pre-existing conditions your pet has
Whether you give your pet any other foods, treats, dietary supplements or drugs
How much of the suspected product your pet normally consumes
How much of the “suspect” product was consumed from the package?
How much of the product you still have
Clinical signs exhibited by your pet (such as vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy)
How soon after consuming the product the clinical signs appeared
Your veterinarian’s contact information, diagnosis and medical records for your pet
Results of any diagnostic laboratory testing performed on your pet
How many pets consuming the product exhibited clinical symptoms
Whether any pets that consumed the product are not affected
Whether your pet spends time outdoors unsupervised
Why you suspect the pet food caused the illness