Posts in Category: Dogs

According to the AVMA, devocalization of dogs should be a last resort in cases where behavioral modification has not been effective, and it should be performed only by a qualified, licensed veterinarian. “Barking is a normal behavior for animals, and that’s how they communicate,” said Dr. Sheilah Robertson, assistant director of the AVMA’s animal welfare division. “Nuisance barking or excessive barking usually has an underlying social issue.” The procedure may be the only option for families facing eviction or euthanasia of their pet, Dr. Robertson points out. AVMA is reviewing recommendations on devocalization as part of a regular review of all its policies. CBS News (11/12)

When Sue Perry adopted her dog Porter two and a half years ago from a rescue group, she noticed he had a hoarse, raspy bark. Her veterinarian confirmed the dog had been devocalized.

“He really has trouble breathing even on a very short walk, and he coughs,” Perry told CBSNews.com. “Before I really knew anything about this, they thought he had kennel cough. He gags so I have to monitor him closely when he is eating his food, and I have to water it down.”

“It’s horrible, it’s horrific,” she said. “Don’t do it. Devocalization should never be an option.”

Perry, in conjunction with the Coalition to Protect & Rescue Pets, has started a petition get the American Veterinary Medical Association to make sure it’s never an option.

Devocalization, or ventriculocordectomy, is a non-therapeutic surgical procedure that is undertaken to stop a pet from making loud noises, according to the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association. As a result, the animals make either low-pitched, harsh sounds or raspy, high-pitched squeals. Normally it is undertaken on dogs, but veterinarians have seen cats that have had the procedure done.

“As far as I can see, there are no benefits to this surgery,” Dr. Alex Klein, a veterinarian with the North Shore Animal League, said to CBSNews.com.

During the procedure, vocal chords are either partially or mostly removed through the oral cavity or through the larynx. With both procedures there are risks for infection, blood loss, scar-tissue growth and negative health effects from anesthesia. The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association said success for this type of surgery is low, and it is often undertaken more than once in the same animal.

“The consequences are the animal is in chronic pain, and they can’t breathe and can’t eat well,” Klein explained. “Then, the owners say they don’t want the animal anymore and dump it.”

The procedure is banned in the U.K., and in some U.S. cities and states including Massachusetts and New Jersey. It was once taught as a standard part of veterinary school education and is still legal to perform in most states. Klein doesn’t know any doctors who offers the surgery, but he has treated some dogs that have had the surgery done.

In the case of Perry’s dog, Porter has needed $2000 worth of surgery to remove scar tissue. While he can breathe a little easier, he can’t play with other dogs or even take regular walks because he risks heat stroke. But, at least Porter is still alive: One of Perry’s friends had a devocalized dog that choked and died while eating because the food went into his lungs. Perry’s petition on Change.org calls for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) to ban devocalization in the U.S., something that Klein wholeheartedly supports. At press time the petition has more than 133,000 signatures.

The AVMA states that dog devocalization should only be undertaken as a final alternative after other behavioral modification efforts have not worked and only by licensed and qualified veterinarians. A spokesperson for AVMA told CBSNews.com it is currently reviewing its policies on the subject, a process that done every five years for all of its recommendations.

Dr. Sheilah Robertson, a board-certified anesthesiologist and the assistant director of the AVMA’s animal welfare devision, admitted that there are no health benefits to the surgery.

“Barking is a normal behavior for animals, and that’s how they communicate,” she explained to CBSNews.com “Nuisance barking or excessive barking usually has an underlying social issue. Is it because a person leaves a dog alone for 12 hours? Does it have an anger issue is it because it hasn’t been socialized?”

However, for a family that is facing eviction or people who have no other choice than to euthanize the animal, it may be their only option, Robertson pointed out.

In her 30-year career, she said she’s only seen four or five animals that clearly had the surgery. That was mostly at a research facility, where researchers wanted animals to be quiet in the laboratory, she said.

However, Klein said he’s heard of many cases where breeders will devocalize their young animals to make them easier to sell.

“The whole thing boils down to personal responsibility,” Klein said. “If you are going to get a dog that barks, the answer is not to cut its vocal chords out. You work with a trainer. This doesn’t really need to be on the list of things to do.”

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are working to identify the factors that explain the virulence of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, which affects animals and an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S. per year. Using advanced technology, the team is testing the pathogen’s 1,739 genes in an effort to find the ones responsible for its ability to spread so readily. The findings are expected to help develop vaccines, diagnostic tools and treatments

ScienceDaily (Oct. 25, 2012) — Investigators at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have accelerated the search for the bacterial genes that make the Lyme disease bacterium so invasive and persistent. The discovery could advance the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, which affects an estimated 30,000 Americans each year.

Scientists hope to use this information to unravel the mystery of how the spiral-shaped bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease. Ticks carry the bacterium and transfer it to animals and humans when the tiny spider-like creatures bite. The Lyme disease microorganism was discovered in 1981.

“We believe that this will be one of the most significant publications in Lyme disease in the next several years. This global approach will help ‘move the field forward’ and also serve as a model for other pathogens with similar properties,” said Steven Norris, Ph.D., the study’s senior author and the vice chair for research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the UTHealth Medical School.

The bacterium can invade almost any tissue in humans or animals and trigger an infection that lasts from months to years. Its symptoms include a reddish rash that often resembles a bull’s eye and flu-like symptoms. The disease can lead to nervous system problems, joint inflammation and heart abnormalities. Most instances of Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.

“Our long-term goals are to screen, identify and characterize the virulence determinants of the Lyme disease bacterium and thereby dissect the mechanism of pathogenesis in mammals and ticks,” said Tao Lin, D,V.M., the study’s lead author and assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the UTHealth Medical School. “With this information, we will have a clearer picture about the virulence determinants and virulence factors for this fascinating microorganism and the mechanism of pathogenesis behind this unique, invasive, persistent pathogen.”

Norris, the Robert Greer Professor of Biomedical Sciences at UTHealth, and Lin are running tests on the 1,739 genes in the bacterium to see which genes impact the microorganism’s ability to spread disease.

To do this, they mutated the bacterial genes and gauged the impact in a mouse infection model. Overall, 4,479 mutated bacteria were isolated and characterized. Whereas it took researchers about three decades to knock out less than 40 bacterial genes, Norris and Lin knocked out 790 genes in a comparatively short period of time; some genes were “hit” multiple times. A newly developed screening technique, which involves signature-tagged mutagenesis and Luminex®-based high-throughput screening technologies, can also be used to identify infection-related genes in other bacteria.

“This kind of study enables us to better understand the disease pathogenesis at the basic level,” said Charles Ericsson, M.D., head of clinical infectious diseases at the UTHealth Medical School. “In time, such understanding of virulence properties might enable us to develop vaccine candidates, better diagnostic tools and perhaps even targeted drug intervention.”

Norris and Lin are on the faculty of The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston.

Previously, Norris helped develop a method based on one of the bacterium’s proteins, called VlsE, for diagnosing Lyme disease. The test, which is now used worldwide, involves detection of VlsE-specific antibodies, which are often found in people and animals infected with Lyme disease.

Also participating in the study from UTHealth were Lihui Gao, D.V.M., Chuhua Zhang, Evelyn Odeh and Loic Coutte, Ph.D. Mary B. Jacobs and Mario Philipp, Ph.D., of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center collaborated on the study as did George Chaconas, Ph.D., of The University of Calgary in Canada. Mutated strains produced through this study are being made available to the scientific community through BEI Resources.

The study is titled “Analysis of an ordered comprehensive STM mutant library in infectious Borrelia burgdorferi: insights into the genes required for mouse infectivity.” The project described was supported by Award Number R01AI059048 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Allergic dogs are common visitors to veterinarian Brian Jenkins’ office, making up an estimated 20% of his clientele, and he can relate to their plight because he also suffers from allergies. The three categories of allergies in pets are flea allergy, food allergy and atopic dermatitis. While there is no definitive cure for allergic conditions, Dr. Jenkins says that with time and consistent treatment, many animals can experience relief from their symptoms.

Nan Sterner could not figure out what was wrong with Sadie.

Since she was a puppy, the 4-year-old golden retriever and poodle mix – a goldendoodle – was constantly scratching.

“She was itching and scratching all the time,” Sterner said. “I thought it was fleas.”

But Sadie was found to be flea-free. She was still scratching, though, to the point where she had red and irritated patches of skin all over her body, and even had some scratched-open sores.

So Sterner brought Sadie to Aloha Animal Hospital in Hanover to find out what was wrong, and she was relieved to discover that her condition is treatable.

“Sadie has a huge amount of allergies,” said Dr. Brian Jenkins, veterinarian and co-owner of the animal hospital.

Some cats and dogs suffer from allergies, and often are allergic to the same things as people, like trees, grasses, weeds, and pollen, Jenkins said. While people usually suffer the effects of allergies through their respiratory systems, cats and dogs feel it in their skin.

And over the last year, with continuous warm and often wet weather, those allergies seem to be worse, and Jenkins is seeing more and more cases coming into his office all the time.

The good thing is while allergies are no fun, they are treatable.

Treating pet allergies

Even pets who have not shown signs of allergies before might be scratching their coats and looking for relief from the itching this year.

Jenkins said allergies have a threshold. An allergen might have no effect on a dog or cat in a normal year may flare up with more exposure.

Pets typically have three different kinds of allergies. One is a flea allergy, in which they have a reaction to flea saliva.

Along with common allergens, fleas have been thriving with weather conditions over the last year.

A second allergy is one that’s often difficult to diagnose, which is a food allergy. Most allergies start in the first few years, but food allergies can start at any time. Dogs are usually allergic to beef, followed by dairy and wheat. Cats are also allergic most to beef and dairy, as well as fish.

But the third and more common allergy, and the one Jenkins likes to study, is atopic dermatitis – or the skin allergy.

These allergies typically hit pets that are between 6 months and 3 years old. And they can be seasonal, caused by things like weeds, grass, mold or pollen, or they can be caused by things like dust that are present throughout the year. Tree pollens are particularly bad in Hanover this time of year, Jenkins said. And he said he is seeing lot of allergies to ragweed now, too, as well as sagebrush and a whole host of molds and spores.

“You won’t cure an allergy, but you can treat it,” Jenkins said.

One way to treat these is through the use of steroids, which is quick and cheap, but it can have negative side effects, such as ulcers, vomiting, diabetes and skin and coat problems.

Jenkins treats Sadie, and many of the pets he sees, with topical treatments for the skin, as well as allergy shots. It can be time consuming, and a financial commitment, but it’s often the best way to keep allergies under control, he said.

Every pet and each allergy is different, and Sadie is a pretty extreme case, too, suffering from a whole list of allergies, he said. But even with an extreme case like Sadie, and with the help of an owner who constantly monitors and applies medication, treatment can been successful, he said.

A doctor who understands

Allergies are not fun for pets. Or people. Jenkins takes a special interest in treating allergies because he has suffered from them since he was a little kid.

And as an allergy sufferer, he’s empathetic with what pets are going through when they come in his office with allergies.

He’s allergic to many of the same things as Sadie – particularly ragweed, which he said is vicious this time of year.

Like Sadie, he goes to his doctor for treatment, and is able to keep it under control.

Though he’s a general practitioner of veterinary medicine, and does not specialize in allergies, he takes a special interest in it. And with the hundreds of dogs and cats that come through his doors, he said he could open an allergy clinic if he wanted to. About 20 percent of the dogs he sees have some form of skin allergies.

Any breed is susceptible, he said, but allergies are particularly common among golden retrievers, labs, Boston terriers and shih tzus.

But there’s hope for all allergy sufferers.

“Dogs and cats are allergic to many of the same things as people,” Jenkins said. “And they can be treated in some of the same ways.”

While there is no silver bullet to treat all allergies, he said with time, patience, and constant treatment, allergies can be brought under control.

And dogs like Sadie can continue to live happy, itch-free lives

In two months, a national monument will be dedicated to all the dogs that have served the country in combat since World War II. The bronze monument, designed by John Burnam and created by sculptor Paula Slater, features a handler flanked by four dogs representing breeds commonly used in wars. Burnam, who served in Vietnam with military dogs and wrote two books about the topic, spent years pursuing the idea of a national monument for dogs before legislation authorizing the monument was introduced in 2007 and signed into law the next year.

LOS ANGELES — The act of Congress is in the books, the bills are paid, the sculptures are being cast, and one of the biggest parades in the world will start a glory tour and countdown to dedication.

The first national monument to pay tribute to military dogs will be unveiled in California in just two months. The U.S. Working Dog Teams National Monument will honor every dog that has served in combat since World War II.

Pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas that can be fatal in severe cases — causes pain, vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite and a fever in dogs and may be caused by ingesting a fatty meal, such as turkey from the holiday table, writes veterinarian Kristel Weaver. Diagnostic tests including blood work and ultrasound help veterinarians diagnose pancreatitis. Treatment involves withholding food to rest the pancreas as well as giving pain medication and antibiotics, according to Dr. Weaver. Cats also can suffer from pancreatitis, but it’s usually not associated with eating a high-fat meal, and cats tend to have more subtle symptoms than dogs

Over the holidays we frequently hospitalize dogs and cats with pancreatitis. Even if your cute little one is looking up at you with big, sad eyes it’s better for them not to eat the greasy turkey leftovers. This month’s article is all about pancreatitis.
What is pancreatitis and what causes it? Pancreatitis results from swelling and inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas not only produces hormones like insulin but also digestive enzymes. These enzymes are normally inactive until they reach the intestinal tract. But when the pancreas becomes inflamed they activate prematurely and digest the pancreas itself, causing a lot of damage.
How do I know if my dog has pancreatitis? Dogs with pancreatitis vomit, aren’t interested in food, and have a painful belly. They might show their abdominal pain by walking with a hunched back or stretching out in the prayer posture. They might also be lethargic, have diarrhea, or a fever. Your veterinarian will use a combination of history, examination, blood work and ultrasound to diagnose pancreatitis.
How is pancreatitis treated?
Based on severity, pancreatitis is usually treated with a combination of fluids, pain medications, anti-nausea medications, and antibiotics. Food is withheld for the first one to two days to “rest” the pancreas and give it a chance to heal. Moderate to severe cases of pancreatitis require hospitalization on IV fluids, whereas mild cases might be treated as outpatients. Severe pancreatitis can be fatal despite aggressive treatment.
Are some dogs more predisposed to pancreatitis than others? Yes, dogs with diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, or high lipids are more likely to get pancreatitis. Dogs that are obese or that eat a rich, fattening meal are also predisposed. Dogs who have had a previous episode of pancreatitis are more likely to get it again. Any dog can get pancreatitis and sometimes we cannot identify a reason why.
Do cats get pancreatitis too? Yes! Cats also get pancreatitis. When cats have pancreatitis it is different from dogs in several ways. First, they don’t usually have a history of eating a rich or fattening meal. Second, they often have a chronic problem instead of a sudden attack. Third, they are not typically vomiting and often only shows signs of a poor appetite and lethargy. Diagnostics and treatment are similar for cats and dogs.
If you want to give your pet something special for the holiday buy a special treat from the pet store. It may be hard to resist those pleading eyes but your pet’s health is worth it! I hope you and your entire family have a wonderful Thanksgiving without an emergency visit to the veterinary hospital.

Dr. Kristel Weaver is a graduate of the Veterinary School at the University of California, Davis where she received both a DVM and a Master’s of Preventative Veterinary Medicine (MPVM). She has been at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care in San Ramon since 2007. She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and their daughter, Hayley. If you have questions you would like Dr. Weaver to answer for future articles, please email info@webvets.com.

Facing a diagnosis of an autoimmune condition in their pet, the owners of a small dog ask veterinarian John de Jong for advice. Dr. de Jong explains that their dog likely has one of two conditions — immune mediated hemolytic anemia or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura/immune thrombocytopenia. He writes that in animals with such conditions, the body targets its own blood tissue, and he suggests following their veterinarian’s recommendations for treatment.

By Dr. John De Jong / Ask the Vet Sunday, November  4, 2012

Why do dogs prefer some toys over others? A recent study found the critical component was human interaction with the dog and the toy. Other features of the toys offered to the dogs such as size, shape, color, texture and sounds were important points of interest, but they mostly resulted in only transient attention. “For an animal as social as a dog, toys only become really exciting when they are part of a game with a person,” said John Bradshaw, a researcher in the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School. For dogs left alone, the most appealing toys are those that make noise, or chewy toys, especially those meant to be eaten.

Ever bring a new toy home for your dog — only for the gizmo to end up neglected and ignored on the floor?

It turns out there could be a way to avoid such flops in the future with new research detailing which toys will either interest or bore canines. The study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, sheds light on why dogs ignore some toys after just a minute of investigation, while other toys become coveted favorites.

“Because we think that dogs perceive toys in the same way that wolves perceive prey, they prefer toys that either taste like food or can be torn apart, however the latter can cause health problems if the dog accidentally swallows some of the pieces,” co-author John Bradshaw, a researcher in the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School, told Discovery News.

Co-author Anne Pullen, also at the University of Bristol, added that dog toys should be “soft, easily manipulable toys that can be chewed easily and/or make a noise.”

As for what toys cause many dogs to grow bored, Pullen said, “Dogs quickly lose interest in toys with hard unyielding surfaces, and those that don’t make a noise when manipulated.”

Prior research has looked at other dogs, but Labradors were chosen for this study “because they’re are very popular pets,” Merrill told Discovery News.

Bradshaw added that Labradors, due to their breeding, are one of the most playful breeds “and we had to be sure that the dogs we studied would play with the toys for a few minutes at least, otherwise we couldn’t have measured what would get them playing again once they’d lost interest in the original toy.”

They presented the dogs with toys of varying types, including different colors and odors. The researchers then gave the dogs a unique toy that contrasted with whatever one the canines were playing with first.

It was clear that all of the dogs showed intense, but transient, interest toward nearly all new toys. Dogs appear to be hard-wired to explore any novel object — toy or not. In the case of toys, the problem is that dogs can become habituated to them quickly, which leads to boredom and neglected toys.

Changing the delay from habituation to presentation of the second toy, between 10 seconds and 15 minutes, did not affect the dogs’ duration of play. No single toy characteristic altered the test results much either, suggesting that getting used to the stimulus qualities of a toy — be they through smell, sound, color, texture — is the clincher for canine boredom.

If that happens, there’s only one solution: the owner needs to jump in and play with the dog and toy too.

“For an animal as social as a dog,” Bradshaw explained, “toys only become really exciting when they are part of a game with a person. Few toys will sustain a dog’s interest for long if the owner is not around to offer encouragement.”

He added, “If a dog has to be left on its own, it is most likely to enjoy toys that can be chewed, make a noise when played with, or are designed to be eaten as they disintegrate (such as a chew).”

At least one of the many reasons why dogs make such good pets is that they are renowned for routinely engaging in play, even as adults. Certain other animals mostly only play when they are juveniles, growing out of the behavior as they get older.

Dolce is an 8-year-old German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix who works for the FBI. He’s not your typical K9 officer. He doesn’t sniff out drugs or bombs, or work on crime scenes in the traditional role. Instead he calms people with his lovable nature and listens as they speak. Dolce is the Bureau’s one and only therapy dog.

His handler and owner Rachel Pierce, is a child psychologist. She joined the FBI five years ago, having previously worked for the Department of Defense and law enforcement. She got Dolce in 2004 from a local shelter because she was looking for a puppy she could train to be a service dog, as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.

“I thought it would be nice to have a dog that did some things around the house for me when my symptoms flared up,” she said. “There are days I can’t move or even lift a sheet,” says Pierce.

Dolce easily passed his service-dog training. When it became clear to Pierce how much Dolce loved people she thought he could be an excellent therapy dog as well. She spent several years training him, and he graduated with flying colors. “He’s a good service dog, but he’s an amazing therapy dog,” says Pierce.

The pair now work in the Bureau’s K9-Assisted Victim Assistance Program together. They work in the field with victims of a wide range of crimes such as child pornography, kidnapping cases, violent robberies, and white-collar crime cases as well as death notifications. With his lovable personality, Dolce excels at comforting crime victims and their families.

Dolce also goes to scenes of violent crime, to de-escalate the chaos and stress of the situation. Just the presence of a dog can produce a calming effect. “It can lower blood pressure and make you feel more relaxed,” explains Pierce. A calm witness can better help investigators with information about the crime.

Having seen the positive influence Dolce has had on victims and their families, she suggested a therapy-dog program to leadership, who embraced the idea. Pierce then set about to create and implement a therapy dog program. It became the first of its kind for the Bureau.

Last year, Rachel Pierce and Dolce received the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence for “distinguished service for assisting victims of crime.” Dolce is not retiring just yet, but Pierce is training her new puppy, Kevlar, to take over Dolce’s important work. Pierce also hopes to see the therapy dog program expanded to other FBI offices. “I know a lot of other victim specialists around the country who would be interested in training and working with a therapy dog. I would love to see that happen.”

Charlee Bear Products

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2012

Consumer Contact:  1-800-396-8893    info@charleebear.com

CHARLEE BEAR PRODUCTS RECALLS “PROTEIN CRUNCH BARS” BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

ST. FRANCIS – Wis.

– Charlee Bear Products announced today that it is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its Protein Crunch Bar products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The following products are being recalled

Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Carrots

5.5 oz packages; UPC Code: 8710890000

Lot number 19812; Best by date: 07-16-2015

Lot number 19912; Best by date: 07-17-2015

Lot number 20012; Best by date: 07-18-2015

Lot number 20212; Best by date: 07-20-2015

Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Sweet Potatoes

5.5 oz packages; UPC Code: 8710890001

Lot number 20112; Best by date: 07-19-2015

There have been no reported animal or human illnesses related to these products.

The potential for contamination was noted after a finished product sample of Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Carrots (Lot no. 19812) tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. Charlee Bear is recalling that lot number and, out of an abundance of caution, the additional lot numbers identified above, all of which are manufactured by a contract manufacturer that is not otherwise involved in the production of any other products in the Charlee Bear line.

Please note that this recall applies only to these lots of Charlee Bear

Protein Crunch Bars.

The recalled Charlee Bear

Protein Crunch Bars were distributed nationally in September and October 2012.

Charlee Bear recall/ADD ONE

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. 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.

Individuals handling contaminated product can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.

No illnesses have been reported to date in animals or humans in connection to these products.

Consumers who have purchased these specific recalled lots of Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions should visit

www.charleebear.com, email info@charleebear.com or call 1-800-396-8893.

At Charlee Bear, providing safe, wholesome, nutritious all-natural products is our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience this voluntary recall may have caused and are working diligently to address the situation.

October 30, 2012 – WellPet LLC of Tewksbury, MA has announced the withdrawal of a limited number of one of its dry kibble products due to possible moisture contamination.