United Pet Group issues recall for five brands of rawhide dog chews

United Pet Group has issued a voluntary recall for multiple brands of rawhide dog chew products that were distributed to retail outlets and sold online in the U.S.

The recall was issued after United Pet Group identified that certain rawhide chew manufacturing facilities located in Mexico and Columbia, and one its suppliers in Brazil, were using an ammonium compound mixture as a processing aid in the making of the 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.

This recall is limited to dog chew products that contain rawhide. Only products with lot codes listed on the back of the package that start with AH, AV, A, AI, AO, or AB and which list expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 are affected by this recall. This includes all package sizes and/or weights.

The primary complaint received was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported from owners.

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 affected product was distributed nationwide from United Pet Group’s Edwardsville, Illinois distribution facility. All of the dog chew products included in the voluntary recall identify an expiration date ranging from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020 located on the back of the package.

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.

Cox Media Group