Latest news with #WildCoastPetFoods
CBS News
19-02-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Raw pet food is recalled and warnings issued in two states after cats die of bird flu
Some lots of raw pet food sold in two states are being recalled after two indoor cats became ill with bird flu earlier this month and were euthanized due to the severity of their illnesses. Officials in Oregon and Washington issued public health alerts late last week after tests confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the felines, which lived in different households in Multnomah County, Oregon. Both cats had eaten the same brand of raw pet food before becoming ill, according to the notices. The virus was found in both the cats and food samples, including unopened containers, they said. As a result, Wild Coast Pet Foods is recalling Boneless Free Range Chicken Formula Lot #22660 and #22664 with a best-buy date of December 2025. People with the recalled product should dispose of immediately and contact the place of purchase for a refund. "If you currently feed our chicken formula and are concerned, I recommend cooking until 165 degrees, replacing with a non-poultry formula or replacing with a gently cooked formula," Tyler Duncan, founder of the company said in a statement posted on the company's website. Wild Coast's products are sold at retail stores throughout Washington and Oregon, with plans to expand to California, according to its website. Cats and HPAI Domestic and wild cats are particularly sensitive to bird flu. Dogs can also contract HPAI, but usually exhibit mild clinical signs and low mortality compared to cats, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "At present, HPAI has not been detected in dogs in the United States, but there have been fatal cases in other countries," the FDA stated. The agency in January cited several recent investigations indicating the virus had been transmitted to cats through food, with more than a dozen cats killed or sickened by HPAI, most often by consuming unpasteurized milk or raw meats. The Oregon Department of Agriculture offers the following tips to protect pets: Do no feed your pet undercooked or raw meat, including uncooked or freeze-dried meat-based diets, treats or animal products. Do not feed your pet raw (unpasteurized) milk or colostrum. Stop pets from eating birds or other wild animals. Wash your hands after touching raw meat or interacting with poultry, livestock or animals outside your home. Consider changing clothing and shoes after interacting with animals or birds and before interacting with your pets. Contact your veterinarian if your pet appears sick and let them know of potential exposures. Pets with HPAI infections may experience fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, seizure, incoordination, or blindness. If your pet has consumed this product and has any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately, The Washington State Department of Agriculture advised. The current human health risk is low, but people exposed should watch for symptoms like eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting, and pet owners or handlers showing these signs should contact their healthcare providers. The Wild Coast recall is not the first of its kind, with Northwest Naturals recalling a batch of pet food in December after a cat died of bird flu in Oregon. That late 2024 action involved 2-pound bags of Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food, marked with best if used by dates of 05/21/26 B10 and 06/23/2026 B1. The product was sold in a dozen U.S. states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington. It was also sold in British Columbia in Canada.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Raw pet food pulled after cats die with bird flu. Check these lots before feeding your pet
The Oregon Department of Agriculture urged pet owners to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast Raw pet food they have at home and stop feeding the product to their animals if they match certain lots after two cats were euthanized after eating it. The cats became severely ill with bird flu, authorities said, after they ate the same brand of raw pet food, the latest in a string of pet deaths linked to the virus. Testing confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in both cats, which lived in separate households, and samples of the raw food, the department said in a statement. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has also issued a public health notice warning consumers about the risk of some of Wild Coast Raw's products, which are produced in Olympia, Wa. Oregon health officials urged pet owners not to feed their animals undercooked or raw meat or raw (unpasteurized) milk, which is believed to have previously sickened and killed barn cats. Tyler Duncan, founder of Wild Coast Pet Foods, said in a statement that the company is halting sales of lot #22660 and #22664 of their Chicken Feline Formula with a best buy date of 12/2025. He said customers should dispose of the product and request a full refund from the place they purchased it. "If you currently feed our chicken formula and are concerned, I recommend cooking until 165 degrees, replacing with a non-poultry formula or replacing with a gently cooked formula," Duncan said. Duncan said Wild Coast mainly sources its chicken meat from California and only buys human-grade poultry manufactured in facilities inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The company is working with a third-party lab for internal screening for bird flu in its food. Raw food for pets is all the rage. Is the fad worth the risk of bird flu, salmonella? California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency over the bird flu outbreak which has wiped out millions of the state's chickens and turkeys in recent months and infected about two-thirds of the state's dairy herds since the end of August. Last month, Los Angeles County health officials warned residents about another brand of pet food, Monarch Raw Pet Food, sold at farmers markets in California after the H5 bird flu virus was detected in product samples and was believed to have sickened five cats. That warning came a week after another brand, Northwest Naturals, recalled a line of raw and frozen chow linked to the death of another cat in Oregon that contracted bird flu. U.S. Food and Drug Administration studies dating back to 2012 have found that raw pet foods are far more likely to carry disease. Despite pet deaths, recalls and health authority warnings, raw pet food has grown into a $3 billion industry in the U.S. Domestic cats have been known to carry bird flu since 2004. But the death rates seen in the current U.S. outbreak seem dramatically higher than what's been seen around the world, Kristen Coleman, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, previously told USA TODAY. Before, about half of cats died, but now about 90% seem to be dying, said Coleman, who has been tracking those deaths. Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Michael Loria and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Company stops selling some raw pet foods after cats die with bird flu
USA Today
18-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Two Oregon cats euthanized after contracting bird flu linked to raw pet food brand
Two cats in Oregon were euthanized after they ate the same brand of raw pet food and became severely ill with bird flu, state officials said late last week. The Oregon Department of Agriculture urged pet owners to check the lot numbers on Wild Coast Raw pet food they have at home and stop feeding the product to their animals if they match the affected lot. Testing confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in both cats, which lived in separate households, and samples of the raw food, the department said in a statement. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has also issued a public health notice warning consumers about the risk of some of Wild Coast Raw's products, which are produced in Olympia, Wa. Oregon health officials urged pet owners not to feed their animals undercooked or raw meat or raw (unpasteurized) milk, which is believed to have previously sickened and killed barn cats. Tyler Duncan, founder of Wild Coast Pet Foods, said in a statement that the company is halting sales of two lots of their Chicken Feline Formula with a best buy date of 12/2025. He said customers should dispose of the product and request a full refund from the place they purchased it. "If you currently feed our chicken formula and are concerned, I recommend cooking until 165 degrees, replacing with a non-poultry formula or replacing with a gently cooked formula," Duncan said. Duncan told Reuters Wild Coast mainly sources its chicken meat from California and only buys human-grade poultry manufactured in facilities inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Duncan told the outlet the company is working with a third-party lab for internal screening of bird flu in its food. Raw food for pets is all the the fad worth the risk of bird flu, salmonella? California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency over the bird flu outbreak which has wiped out millions of the state's chickens and turkeys in recent months and infected about two-thirds of the state's dairy herds since the end of August. Last month, Los Angeles County health officials warned residents about another brand of pet food, Monarch Raw Pet Food, sold at farmers markets in California after the H5 bird flu virus was detected in product samples and was believed to have sickened five cats. That warning came a week after another brand, Northwest Naturals, recalled a line of raw and frozen chow linked to the death of another cat in Oregon that contracted bird flu. U.S. Food and Drug Administration studies dating back to 2012 have found that raw pet foods are far more likely to carry disease. Despite pet deaths, recalls and health authority warnings, raw pet food has grown into a $3 billion industry in the U.S. Domestic cats have been known to carry bird flu since 2004. But the death rates seen in the current U.S. outbreak seem dramatically higher than what's been seen around the world, Kristen Coleman, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, previously told USA TODAY. Before, about half of cats died, but now about 90% seem to be dying, said Coleman, who has been tracking those deaths. Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Michael Loria and Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY; Reuters
