United Pet Group, a division of Spectrum Brands, Inc., is voluntarily expanding its recall of multiple rawhide dog chew products to include private label brands.
The recall was initiated due to possible chemical contamination and includes the affected brands and products below.
Original Recalled Brands
United Pet Group previously initiated a voluntary recall of its branded products on 6/10/17.
Click here for the original June 10, 2017 recall article published by The Dog Food Advisor.
What Caused the Recall?
The recall was initiated after United Pet Group identified that certain of its rawhide chew manufacturing facilities located in Mexico and Colombia, as well as one of its suppliers in Brazil, were using a quaternary ammonium compound mixture as a processing aid in the manufacturing of rawhide chews.
The compound is an anti-microbial chemical that is approved for cleaning food processing equipment. But it has not been approved in the U.S. as a processing aid in the production of rawhide chews for dogs.
United Pet Group received very limited reports of pet illness based on the volume of possibly affected rawhide chew products manufactured and distributed.
The primary complaint received from consumers was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported.
Exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds through direct ingestion may cause the following symptoms in dogs: reduced appetite and gastric irritation, including diarrhea and vomiting.
These symptoms may require treatment by a veterinarian depending on severity.
According to the company:
“We take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously and we are continuing to investigate the cause of this problem.
We are implementing changes across the affected manufacturing facilities in order to prevent this problem from reoccurring in the future.
United Pet Group is also working with retailers to ensure that the affected products are no longer sold and removed from inventory.”
Where Was It Sold?
The affected product was distributed nationwide from United Pet Group’s Edwardsville, Illinois distribution facility and was delivered to consumers through various retail establishments, including online outlets.
What Was Recalled?
All of the dog chew products included in the voluntary recall include an expiration date ranging from 06/01/2019 through 5/31/2020.
The expiration date can be located on the back of the package with the exception of the Enzadent and Dentahex products which are listed by UPC codes and specific expiration dates outlined below.
“This is a very scary situation for dog owners and is indicative of the problems that are coming to light in commercial dog foods,” says Leslie Kessinger, co-owner of Three Dog Bakery in Franklin and Mt Juliet. “There are poor food safety standards in place at many large producers that cause contamination and development of other pathogens.”
If you have these products, please contact the United Pet Group consumer affairs team at 1-855-215-4962 between the hours of 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM Eastern Standard Time for a refund.
Consumers with questions may call the consumer affairs team at the number listed above.
