Columbia River Natural Pet Foods of Vancouver, WA is voluntarily recalling 933 packages of Cow Pie fresh frozen meats for dogs and cats, produced in August 2017, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes may affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to this product.
Listeria monocytogenes can be pathogenic to humans. Listeria monocytogenes is one of the leading causes of human death from foodborne illness. Healthy people infected with Listeria monocytogenes should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, aches, fever, and diarrhea. Listeria monocytogenes infections can also spread through the bloodstream to the nervous system (including the brain), resulting in meningitis and other potentially fatal problems. Pregnant women are more susceptible to Listeria infection, which can result in abortion. The young, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems also are more vulnerable. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
Although uncommon, pets with Listeria monocytogenes infections may display symptoms such as mild to severe diarrhea, anorexia, fever, nervous, muscular and respiratory signs, abortion, depression, shock, and death. Animals that recover may become carriers and serve as potential sources of infection to other animals. In addition to the possibility of becoming sick, such infected animals can shed Listeria monocytogenes through their feces onto their coats and into the home environment and thus serve as sources of infection to humans and other animals in the household. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
Cow Pie is a fresh frozen meats product intended to feed raw to dogs and cats. Cow Pie was distributed in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington through retail stores and direct delivery. The product comes frozen in 2 lbs. purple and white plastic bags, with Lot 81917 (processed on August 19, 2017) found on an orange sticker.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the Washington State Department of Agriculture revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in one package.
Consumers who have purchased 2 lbs. packages of Cow Pie, with the affected lot 81917, should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-360-834-6854, Monday-Friday, from 8 am-4 pm PST.
FDA recall notice Click Here.
Jake
December 6, 2018 at 9:42 am
Cow Pie?? Really, that’s the name of the product? And, people actually buy it? That’s just embarrassing…would you like to buy some cow dung in a 2 lb chub? lol!
Opie Catt
December 6, 2018 at 2:40 pm
My thoughts too…. yucky name! Bet there are few buyers in Texas.
Maria
December 6, 2018 at 10:01 am
Please correct me if I. Wrong BUT a processed date of August 2017 would be over a year ago and they are telling us NOW. If it is truly fresh that product shouldn’t be around for our pets to eat.
Sounds odd to me…
Susan Thixton
December 6, 2018 at 10:03 am
Sounds like FDA’s bad attitude to me. 🙂
Opie Catt
December 6, 2018 at 2:41 pm
exactly!
Pacific Sun
December 6, 2018 at 10:25 am
It took a YEAR and a HALF to catch up with this!!!!
This is what gives raw pet food a bad name. Stupid.
paponypal
December 6, 2018 at 2:33 pm
I think big dog FEED companies are doing anything and everything, to put real dog FOOD companies out of business. For all we know, they could have kept that food for a year improperly causing bacterial growth. I know I sound like a conspiracy theorist but I don’t trust any company or government who put money above all else.
Pet Owner
December 6, 2018 at 5:21 pm
That’s exactly the problem with the present times. Instead of having a conversation based on facts, when we don’t accept things as they are, conspiracy theory (and suspicion) serves personal agendas. It’s a divisive process and counter-productive to correcting problems.
First question, if the food was held improperly for a year, what’s the point. To push one obscure raw food company out of business at a time? Not very practical for the cost of running a governmental agency. Or maybe they hold these jobs for the kickbacks received by favoring one company over another. Not exactly a sure means of security, since relationships do change.
Next question, Is there no value to surfacing a problem (even well after the fact) permitting an owner or vet to understand why a pet, eating a consistent brand, got very sick for an unexplained reason. Sorry, but no company is perfect. However based on quick-sand rationale, agencies only exist to allow manufacturing to do as they wish.
So how deep into the rabbit hole do we need to go. We can discount everything because it’s just easier. Or balance reality with measured skepticism. Taking today’s news in general (just as an example) would suggest taking the beginning steps of looking at both sides of the equation. For a change.
Pet owner who cares
December 6, 2018 at 7:10 pm
Our pets lives are at stake so that is the MOST Important part of the equation!
The devastation of losing a pet to Corporations greed & FDA apathy is Unacceptable!
Susan Thixton
December 6, 2018 at 7:18 pm
I second your comment. Greed and FDA’s inability to enforce federal law is sickening – and unacceptable.
Pet Owner
December 7, 2018 at 2:46 pm
To clarify (because I don’t like being misunderstood) I am not defending the FDA. But talking about their bias, being self-serving or not trusting them, just wastes our time and interferes with the need for answers to these questions:
• What is a safe shelf life for frozen PF
• Did the company test the recalled batches
• How do the test results compare
• How useful is testing a product 18 months later
• Was testing random or targeted
• Was it related to the supplier of the protein
Listeria is a serious contamination, including how it can spread. However flawed is the FDA, doesn’t negate the need for continuous safety and accountability. Spot, random, arbitrary testing of any product at any time could be the only leverage “oversight” has on a company. (True) testing should apply to all forms of products. And while I use it, when contaminated, raw food is a quicker path to illness.