United Pet Group is voluntarily recalling multiple brands of rawhide dog chew products due to chemical contamination.
The recall was initiated after United Pet Group realized that specific rawhide chew manufacturing facilities 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.
Affected products:
American Beefhide
- Lot codes: Start with AH (listed on the back of the package)
- Expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020
- Manufactured by: Salix Animal Health LLC, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
- All package sizes and/or weights.
- Only products that contain rawhide are affected.
Digest-eeze
- Lot codes: start with AH, AV, A, AI, AO, or AB (listed on the back of the package)
- Expiration dates: from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020
- Manufactured by: Salix Animal Health LLC, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
- All package sizes and/or weights.
- Only products that contain rawhide are affected.
Healthy Hide
- Includes Healthy Hide brand, Healthy Hide Good-n-Fit brand, and Healthy Hide Good-n-Fun brand on the label.
- Lot codes: AH, AV, A, AI, AO, or AB
- Expiration dates: from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020
- Manufactured by: United Pet Group, a Division of Spectrum Brands, Inc., 3001 Commerce St. Blacksburg, VA 24060
- All package sizes and/or weights.
- Only products that contain rawhide are affected.
United Pet Group received very limited reports of pet illness based on the volume of possibly affected rawhide chew products manufactured and distributed.
Exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds through direct ingestion may cause the following symptoms in dogs: reduced appetite, and gastric irritation including diarrhea and vomiting. The primary complaint received from consumers was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported.
The affected product was distributed nationwide from United Pet Group’s Edwardsville, Ill., distribution facility and was delivered to consumers through various retail establishments including online outlets.
Consumers who have purchased the products described above are urged to dispose of the product or return it directly to United Pet Group or to the retail establishment where they initially purchased the product for full refund. 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.
—Source: Dog Food Advisor
