Is Victor food still recalled in USA

VICTORNews

We all want the best for our dogs, and we know it can be difficult to select a formula for sporting dogs that will help them achieve peak performance and take care of their nutritional needs.To help find the best match, our Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Supply Chain, Michael Keith, is answering common nutrition questions we get from sporting dog owners in Gun Dog Magazines article, Top 5 Questions Gun Dog Owners Should be Asking for Choosing the Proper Dog Food, you can read the article below.

Gun Dog: What Should We Feed our Sporting Dogs for Optimal Performance?

Michael Keith (Senior Vice President of Nutrition and Supply Chain, VICTOR Super Premium Pet Food):

While it would be nice, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the best formula to feed a hunting dog. Much like humans, each dog has a unique metabolism and energy need; however, we do know that active hunting and sporting dogs perform best when eating a high-fat, high-protein diet.

When selecting a kibble for your gun dog, remember that protein and fat percentages are important, but dont get caught up in the numbers. A good place to start is looking at brands that use high-quality ingredients and then search for a formula that will deliver, at a minimum, 28 percent protein and 20 percent fat, to meet the caloric requirements of your active sporting dog.

The key to feeding for performance is making sure your dog is getting the calories they need. Again, theres no universal answer, but a solid reference is (based on a 50-lb. dog): 1,450 calories for a non-active dog, 1,800 calories for a dog with moderate exercise, and 2,200+ calories to support a hard day of hunting.

Created specifically for the nutritional needs of hunting and working dogs, VICTORs Realtree MAX-5 PRO formula delivers on the desirable 30/20 protein to fat breakdown, but if your hunting dog needs more calories then look into our EDGE ENERGY formula, which is our most calorie-dense formula, at 28/22 protein to fat.

Use the eye test to make sure youre feeding your dog the right number of calories. Do they look physically healthy? If theyre starting to slim down or get too plump, that will signal that you need to change their caloric intake.

GD: How Often Should We Feed Our Dogs During Hunting Season?

MK:Research tells us that the answer for canine athletes is very similar to human athletes. It typically takes 10 to 12 hours for food to be completely digested, so if youre looking to go on a morning hunt, youll want to feed the night before to allow the nutrients to be absorbed appropriately.

Think about what it takes for you to perform at a high level. If you eat a very light dinner, then a large feast for breakfast right before jumping into a workout, you probably wont perform your best. The same goes for our dogs. To get their best performance we want to allow time for their bodies to accept the nutrients theyre getting from their food so it can be properly utilized.

GD: What Should We Look for in a Dog Food Brand Regarding Safety and Standards?

MK:The basics are important, you want to make sure the brand uses high-quality ingredients, is meeting the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) regulations, and offers quality food that will help your dog perform.

But, its important to dig a bit deeper into brands and find out more, like where the kibble is made, where the ingredients are sourced from and what kind of safety measures go into manufacturing the product. Ask how often their ingredients are tested and what kind of safety history the brands products have.

We share much of this information right on our website, and our customer service team is available by phone to answer your questions. Within a few clicks on our website, youll see that VICTOR proudly produces every bag of kibble in our own Texas-based facility using a majority of ingredients that come from ranches, farms, and other trusted suppliers who are within a days drive of our plant. We also proudly share that we regularly test our ingredients and finished products to ensure our food is continually meeting our own high standards.

The answers to these questions will help you understand if the values and strengths of the brand youre looking into align with what youre looking for in the nutrition thats fueling your sporting dog.

GD: Does Age Matter When Choosing a Dog Food?

MK:Yes. Puppies have specific nutritional needs, and similarly, older dogs have unique needs of their own.

When selecting a formula for a puppy, youll need to look for a puppy specific formula (sometimes referenced as a growth diet) or choose an all-life stage blend. Then, as your puppy grows, their needs will change, so at about six to 12 months if they were on a puppy food, youll need to transition them to an all-life stage formula.

Adult and senior dogs also have specific needs, like joint support. For adult hunting dogs that are highly active, youll want to look for a food with added glucosamine and chondroitin to help support their joints. Early inclusion of these supplements in their diet can help keep their joints healthy and prevent long term damage from hard days in the field, season after season.

Remember, when you transition your dog to a new food, even when its from the same brand, its important to do it over a period of time. We suggest taking one week to 10 days to make the switch. Youll want to gradually increase the amount of the new formula each day. Not taking the proper time to transition can cause digestive issues, and these issues can sometimes be interpreted as a problem with the new formula, when really your dog is simply reacting to the change in diet being made too abruptly.

GD: What Are Signs That I Might Not Be Feeding the Right Dog Food?

MK:What we see on the outside of our dogs is a good indicator for whats happening on the inside. If youre noticing things like a dull and flaky coat, digestive issues, lethargy, and weight problems (underweight or overweight), thats a strong signal theyre missing something in their nutrition.

Weight issues can often be controlled by changing the number of calories your dog is consuming. Keep in mind that its not necessary to change formulas during hunting season. You can feed the same formula all year, youll just need to adjust the amount youre feeding so it meets your dogs increased caloric needs during the hunting season.

There are a lot of options on the market, and it can be overwhelming to find the perfect food for your dog. If youre looking to find a new food for your gun dog, our customer service team is available to offer personalized recommendations based on your specific dog, their activity level, and other individual needs.

A version of this article first appeared in Gun Dog Magazine, you can see it here.

Three dog food brands recall packages due to salmonella contamination

Multiple dog food products have been recalled recently due to salmonella contamination.

The Food and Drug administration announced last Monday that Mid America Pet Food is recalling three lots of Victor Super Premium Dog Food Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula dry dog food after third party inspectors found the lots were contaminated with salmonella.

This recall is separate from the September salmonella related recall from the same company.

The previous week Blue Ridge Beef recalled packages of its Breeders Choice #2 log dog food that was found to be contaminated.

TFP Nutrition recalled bags of its Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe dry dog food on Oct. 21 due to salmonella contamination.

Pet owners are advised to dispose of the recalled products in a manner that prevents it from being consumed by pets or wildlife and to sanitize any surfaces that the products may have come in contact with.

How to identify recalled dog food products

Three sizes of the Victor Super Premium Dog Food Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula are included in the recall with the following lot codes:

• 5-pound bag, lot code 1000016890
• 15-pound bag, lot code 1000016891
• 40-pound bag, lot code 1000016892

Each bag has a best by date of 6/12/2024.

The Blue Ridge Beef recall is for Breeders Choice #2 packages marked:

• Lot# 8/2/24 UPC 8 54298 00193 1

The TFP Nutrition recall is for 50 pound bags of the Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe dog food and is targeted at the following production codes:

• BEST BY 10 2024 3277 TFP
• BEST BY 10 2024 3278TFP

Symptoms of and treatment for salmonella disease

While humans likely aren't consuming the dog food directly, salmonella can still spread through contact, especially if you fail to thoroughly wash your hands after handling contaminant products or surfaces that have come in contact with it. In humans, signs of salmonella poisoning include:

• Bloody diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than three days without improving
• Diarrhea and fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit
• Excessive vomiting, especially if it prevents you from keeping liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, including dry mouth and throat, infrequent peeing and feeling dizzy when standing up
• Stomach cramps

These symptoms most commonly occur between six hours and six days after exposure. Though most people recover in four to seven days, those with weakened immune systems, including children younger than 5 and adults over 65, may experience more severe symptoms that require medical treatment or hospitalization.

The symptoms somewhat vary in infected pets, who can be carriers even when appearing healthy and infect other animals or humans. Because of this, the FDA suggests that you contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog potentially consumed these products, even if they aren't showing signs of illness. Some symptoms to look for in your dog include:

• Lethargy
• Diarrhea or bloody diarrhea
• Fever
• Vomiting
• Decreased appetite
• Abdominal pain

Keep up to date with all the latest product recalls across food, drugs, vehicles, home products and more with ourrecall database.

Victor Super Premium dog and cat food

Lot code/Notes

Mid America Pet Food, Mount Pleasant, Texas, is expanding its October 30, 2023, voluntary recall to include additional pet food products, with Best By Dates before 10/31/24, made at its Mount Pleasant facility, due to the products potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Voluntarily recalled brands produced at the Mount Pleasant facility include: Victor Super Premium Dog Foods, Wayne Feeds Dog Food, Eagle Mountain Pet Food, and some Members Mark varieties with Best By Dates before 10/31/24. Recalled products were distributed to distributors and retailers throughout the United States.

CDC reports that, as of November 1, 2023, seven people infected with the strain of Salmonella have been reported from seven states. Six of seven cases reported were in children one year of age or younger. Five of these cases reported exposure to dogs and three reported feeding Victor pet food to their pets. Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 14, 2023, to August 19, 2023 (see timeline). One person was hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

A retail sample of Victor brand Hi-Pro Plus dry dog food collected by the South Carolina State Department of Agriculture and analyzed by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control matches the strain of Salmonella found in the seven ill people.

Click Additional Information below to see the full list of recalled dog and cat food and the lot numbers.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Summary

Company Announcement Date:

October 30, 2023

FDA Publish Date:

October 30, 2023

Product Type:

Animal & VeterinaryFood & Beverages

Reason for Announcement:

Recall Reason Description

Potential Salmonella contamination

Company Name:

Mid America Pet Food

Brand Name:

Product Description:

Product Description

Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula

Company Announcement

Mid America Pet Food, Mount Pleasant, Texas, is voluntarily recalling three lots of Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula produced at its Mount Pleasant, Texas production facility because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. This voluntary recall was initiated after a third-party conducted random sampling and product associated with three lots tested positive for Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products 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.

No human or pet illnesses have been reported to date.

Products were distributed to various distributors and retailers in the United States. The affected product includes:

Lot code information is found on the back of the bag. Images of product are below.

No other products are included in this recall. This recall is separate from and unrelated to the Mid America Pet Food recall for Salmonella on September 3, 2023.

Retailers and distributors should immediately pull the recalled lots from their inventory and shelves. Do not sell or donate the recalled products.

Do not feed the recalled products to pets or any other animals. Destroy the food in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access. Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and storage containers. Always ensure that you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food.

Contact Mid America Pet Food Consumer Affairs at [email protected] or 1-888-428-7544 from 8 AM to 5 PM Central Time, Monday through Friday for additional information.

This is a voluntary recall being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Company Contact Information

Consumers:

Mid America Pet Food Consumer Affairs

1-888-428-7544

[email protected]

Media:

Tim Schramm

908-370-4771