Bravo! Issued a voluntary recall....

Vernon, CT – Bravo! announces a voluntary recall of select tubes of three of its poultry products for cats and dogs. The pet food is being recalled because two of the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, while the other product has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Both Salmonella and Listeria are organisms which can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and if there is cross contamination, in people, especially small children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people with Salmonella infection may only suffer short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Long term complications can include arthritis and other more serious ailments. Healthy people with Listeria infection may only suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The company has received no reports of illness in either people or animals associated with any of the three products.

The recalled products are distributed nationwide to distributors, retail stores, internet sales and directly to consumers, and they can be identified by the batch ID code located on the hang tag attached to the bottom of the plastic film tubes. The recalled products should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should return unopened frozen tubes of food to the store where purchased for a full refund. Pet owners should dispose of opened tubes of product in a safe manner (example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the washed plastic batch ID tag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Recalled Pet Food:

Product: Bravo Original Formula Chicken Blend frozen raw food
Product Numbers: 21-102, 21-105, 21-110
Sizes: 2 pound, 5 pound and 10 pound tubes
Batch ID code (on hang tag): 236
Reason for Recall: Salmonella, Listeria

Product: Bravo Original Formula Turkey Blend frozen raw food
Product Numbers: 31-102, 31-105, 31-110
Sizes: 2 pound, 5 pound and 10 pound tubes
Batch ID code (on hang tag): 236
Reason for Recall: Listeria

Product: Bravo Basic Formula Finely Ground Chicken frozen raw food
Product Number: 21-212
Size: 2 pound tube
Batch ID Code (on hang tag): 226
Reason for Recall: Salmonella, Listeria

Other Batch IDs for these same products are not involved in the recall.

Bravo! is issuing this action out of an abundance of caution and sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pet owners as a result of this announcement. This voluntary recall has been issued because the FDA detected the bacteria in samples during a recent review.

In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at:
http://www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/foodbornetips.htm.

People may risk Salmonella infection not only by handling these pet foods, but also by contact with pets or other surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap. Anyone who is experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella or Listeria infection after having handled the recalled product should seek medical attention. Consumers may report any complaints to FDA's local District Complaint Coordinator’s located on the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.

Healthy cats and dogs rarely become sick from Salmonella. Animals ill with Salmonella will display symptoms similar to the ones listed above for humans. People who have concerns about whether their pet has Salmonella or not should contact their veterinarian.

For more information on the Bravo recall, please visit www.bravorawdiet.com , or call toll free (866) 922-9222

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Homemade pet foods are a great alternative...

Homemade pet food is a good alternative as purchasing pet food gets more complicated. But it's not as simple as cooking up some chicken for your kitty.

"Any change in diets should be done cautiously because animals do well on consistent diets, and changing from one diet to another can be upsetting in and of itself," Mahr says. Furthermore, homemade diets don't always meet an animal's nutritional needs, and what's good for a dog may not be good for a cat.

Mahr recommends consulting your veterinarian or a pet nutritionist if you are considering making your own pet food. The American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition may be able to help you locate a pet nutrition expert in your area.

Susan Davis a certified clinical nutritionist in Lake Forest, California, who helps people develop homemade diets, says what she recommends for a 10-year-old senior dog is different from what she recommends for a puppy. Pets with diseases and other health problems also have particular nutritional needs. Some human foods, such as brown rice, lean meats and carrots, are okay to serve pets. But avoid giving animals sweets or junk foods. Some foods, like grapes, raisins, chocolate and mushrooms, are toxic to dogs and cats.

Scrutinizing pet food labels

Davis, who advocates a holistic diet for animals, offers pet owners advice for buying quality, healthy pet food. When reading labels, "the ingredients shouldn't include a lot of chemicals you can't pronounce, like ethoxyquin, which is a potential carcinogen," she says. "Also avoid anything that is called a byproduct or digest, such as fish digest or beef digest."

Try to avoid foods with the additives BHT, BHA and food coloring, Davis says. Look for brands that include canola oil or olive oil rather than animal fat.

The FDA does not consider ethoxyquin, BHT and BHA to pose a health threat to pets. However, the agency has asked pet food companies to voluntarily lower the amount of ethoxyquin they use in their products.

Because ingredients must be listed in weight descending order, look carefully at the label. "A lot of pet foods have fillers like soy, corn or wheat as the first ingredient, but if it is a protein product, the protein source should be the first ingredient," Davis says.

Learn more about Sojos homemade BARF mixes by visiting our store. Make your own in minutes and know your pet is safe. Use raw or cooked meats.

The grain-free alternative to kibble, Europa is a wholesome pre-mix that you combine with meat and water to create a fresh, homemade dog food. Europa works great for dogs with sensitivities to grains, and also as a great fruit and vegetable supplement to our other mixes. Click here to learn more.

Ingredients: Sweet Potatos, Carrots, Broccoli, Celery, Apples, Whole Egg, Flax Meal, Parsley Leaf, Calcium Carbonate, Carob Powder, Kelp Powder, Alfalfa, Ginger Root, Garlic




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