Castleberry recall includes Natural Balance Dog Food

Augusta, GA---The Castleberry Food Company is now expanding their recall of possibly contaminated foods to include certain Natural Balance brand pet food products which the company co-packs for the dog food company.

It includes certain types of the 15 ounce cans. The flavors are:

* Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Irish Stew with Beef

* Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Chinese Take Out with Sauce With Vegetables and Chicken

* Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs HOBO Chili with Chicken and Pasta

* Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Southern Style Dumplings with Chicken and Vegetables

Dr. Thomas Walker with the Highland Animal Hospital says, "The trouble is it's a toxin that's in there not just a bacterial infection, it can cause problems with the nervous system and brain."

While there haven't been any reported outbreaks in the area much like humans, the results could be fatal. "If you have small dogs it'll effect them more severely, like people botulism effects more children than adults because theres more toxin per pound," he said.

According to the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, symptoms could appear after 12 to 24 hours or as even long as two weeks. Common symptoms to look for include: muscle paralysis
difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing, visual disturbances and generalized weakness.

If you notice any of these abnormalities in your pet you should contact your veterinarian immediately. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the disease has only only been seen occasionally in dogs and has not been reported in cats, but ferrets are highly susceptible to the botulinum toxin.

If you have any questions you can visit Castleberry's Web site at www.castleberrys.com or call toll-free at 1-800-203-4412 or 1-888-203-8446.

lil Country Paws

FDA says food recall URGENT Health Threat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A recall of canned meat products and dog food made at a Georgia plant due to botulism fears could involve tens of millions of cans that pose an urgent public health threat, U.S. officials said on Monday.

U.S. food regulators appealed to consumers and retailers to find and dispose of the cans.

Two people in Texas and two others in Indiana remain seriously ill and hospitalized with botulism poisoning associated with eating Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, officials said.

"This is a very big recall," David Elder of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's office of regulatory affairs told reporters, deeming it an "urgent public health matter."

"These products can hurt people. And they have to be off the store shelves. And consumers have to discard any that they have at home," Elder added.

U.S. officials said an outbreak of botulism due to a commercially canned food is extremely rare and has not occurred in the United States in more than three decades.

Castleberry's Food Co. said on Saturday it had voluntarily expanded a recall of hot dog chili sauce and canned meat products originally announced on July 18 due to a risk of botulinum toxin, a bacterium that can cause botulism.

Castleberry's is a unit of Connors Bros. Income Fund's Bumble Bee Foods division.

The recall by Castleberry's originally affected 10 products. The expanded move involves more than 80 types of stew, chili, hash and other products as well as pet food sold under a variety of brand names.

"You're talking about tens of millions of cans that may have been involved. That doesn't mean that's how many are still out on shelves. But that's sort of the scale," added Robert Bracket, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

TRACING SHIPMENTS

U.S. regulators are trying to track down distribution records from the company, Bracket said, adding that officials view this as a nationwide recall.

Botulism is a potentially fatal illness. Symptoms include dizziness, double vision, difficulty in breathing and abdominal problems.

The cans that sickened the four people were produced at the plant on May 7 and May 8, officials said.

Connors Bros. said it will keep the plant in Augusta, Georgia, closed until given the all-clear by health officials.

"Production will not resume until FDA is satisfied that all conditions that resulted in this recall and these dangerous products have been corrected," Elder said, adding that the FDA last inspected the plant in February.

Officials said 16 out of 17 cans that have been tested have turned up positive for the bacterium that causes botulism.

"The decision was made to add an additional layer of protection and to assure the highest margin of safety by recalling all products produced on this line, regardless of the best-by date on the can," said Dave Melbourne, Castleberry's senior vice president.

Consumers with any questions are urged to view Castleberry's Web site www.castleberrys.com. A toll-free hotline is also available at 1-800-203-4412 or 1-888-203-8446.

lil Country Paws

Are your pets protected this flea season?

Tick Tips: Ticks are arthropods, not insects. They are related to scorpions, spiders, mites and daddy-long-legs. Scary! There are approximately 80 tick species found in the US and about 12 are of real concern to pets and people.

Flea Bytes: There are more than 2,000 known species of fleas in the world, but the one that most commonly bugs pets and people are known as the cat flea: Ctenocephalides felis.
They are wingless, but can jump amazing distances. One little flea was reported to have jumped over 4 feet.

For every flea you find, chances are there are another 100 or so nearby. One female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day. Adult fleas, the ones you see crawling on your pets, account for only 5% of an infestation.

Fleas and Ticks carry serious diseases that threaten your pets and humans. They can cause anemia in pets, flea allergy dermatitis, a serious skin ailment in affected pets. They are responsible for transmitting Bartonella, the bacteria that is the most common cause of Cat Scratch Disease in people. When your animal considers biting themselves to relieve the itchy crawly feeling they are having from an infestation, a flea may be swallowed which will cause intestinal flea worms another common problem of flea infestation.

Ticks carry Lyme Disease, a tick-borne ailment that's a serious threat to your pet and people.

K-9 Advantix Dog Under 10 lbs. 3 pk. $33.00
11 to 20 lbs. $35.00

21 to 55 lbs. $37.00
55 and over $39.00

K-9 Advantix Dog Under 10 lbs. 6 pk. $48.00
11 to 20 lbs. $50.00
21 to 55 lbs. $52.00
55 and over $54.00

What is K9 Advantix®?
K9 Advantix® (also known as Advantix®) is a monthly spot-on which offers convenient and effective flea and tick control that:

* Kills and repels ticks, limiting the chance of tick-borne diseases and paralysis.
* Kills adult fleas and flea larvae in the environment, usually within 24 to 48 hours.

* Controls flea allergy dermatitis by killing fleas and flea larvae.
* Controls lice Trichodectes canis and Linognathus setosus for up to 6 weeks.
* Repels and kills mosquitos (Anopheles, Culex, Aedes spp) and sandflies (Phlebotomus, Culicoides spp).

K9 Advantix® is suitable for puppies over 7 weeks of age. DO NOT USE ON CATS.

Manufacturer: Bayer Healthcare, Bayer Australia Limited. Active Ingredients: Imidacloprid + Permethrin. Product packaged for the Australian market. All products come to you in NEW AND UNOPENED CONDITION, and are the same as those sold in Australian Veterinary Clinics.

lil Country Paws

Grand Opening Special...

To celebrate our grand opening, you will receive a 30% discount on your total order. Simply enter code simplytempted at checkout to receive your 30% savings.

Enrapture your senses and nourish your soul with Simply Tempted Bath & Body!

Simply Nourishing!
Simply Healthy!
Simply Invigorating!
Simply Tempted...

Our fantastic line of products include a luxurious assortment of bath and body products, as well highly-scented candles and the most delicious gourmet food mixes! All at the same cost or less than mass-produced goods purchases in retail outlets!

We invite YOU to be tempted by our soothing line of bath products which include:

* Shea Butter Soaps
* Soothing Bath Salts
* Artistic Chunk Soaps
* Goat's Milk Soap

Pamper yourself today with our nutrient-rich body products which are created with the highest quality fragrance and essential oils to bring you spa-quality bath products in the privacy of your own home. Treating your skin to our skin-soothing soaps and salts can benefit from the natural ingredients we use:

~ Shea Butter: Nourishes the skin with Vitamins A, E and F, which can be very effective in helping to alleviate wrinkles, scars and burns.

~ Dead Sea Salt: Contains calcium and magnesium, which helps to combat stress and fluid retention, & slow down your skins aging process.

~ Goat's Milk: Contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which are known for their restorative and rejuvenating qualities.

We also carry other delightfully natural products, including:

* Aromatic Soy Candles
* Uplifting Room & Linen Sprays

Fill your home with the most tempting scents! Our high quality fragrances last twice as long as store-bought products and the soothing smells last for hours and hours. We developed our products under the most rigid conditions to make sure they are the best you can buy!

And don't forget to try our mouth-watering line of gourmet dip and drink mixes for your cupboard! Provide highly nutritious dips that your family will LOVE you for!

At Simply Tempted, we don't simply provide you with tempting products, we provide you with peace of mind and body.

Click here....