United Pet Group, a division of Spectrum Brands, Inc., is voluntarily recalling multiple brands of packages of rawhide dog chew products that were distributed to retail outlets and sold online in the U.S. The recall was initiated by United Pet Group after it was identified that some of its rawhide chew manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Columbia, as well as one in Brazil, were using a quaternary ammonium compound mixture as a processing aid in the manufacturing of rawhide chews. The compound is an anti-microbial chemical approved for cleaning of 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.
Exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds in dogs through direct ingestion may cause reduced appetite and gastric irritation, including diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms may require treatment by a veterinarian depending on severity. United Pet Group received very limited reports of pet illness based on the volume of possibly affected rawhide chew products manufactured and distributed. The primary complaint received from consumers was that the affected product had an unpleasant odor. Diarrhea and vomiting were also reported.
This recall is limited to dog chews products that contain rawhide. The affected products were distributed nationwide from United Pet Group’s Edwardsville, Illinois, distribution facility and were delivered to consumers through various retail establishments and online. The products subject to the recall will have the following identifying information on the packages:
- Brand names American Beefhide, Digest-eeze, and Healthy Hide (including Healthy Hide Good-n-Fit, and Healthy Hide Good-n-Fun)
- Lot codes that start with AH, AV, A, AI, AO or AB, and which list expiration dates from 06/01/2019 through 05/31/2020
- Contact information United Pet Group, a Division of Spectrum Brands, Inc. 3001 Commerce St. Blacksburg, VA 24060 1-800-645-5154
- All package sizes and/or weights with the above lot codes and expiration dates are included in the recall
Consumers can get a refund by returning packages of product with the identifying recall information to the place of purchase, or by calling 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.
As part of the recall announcement, United Pet Group made this statement: “We take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously and we are continuing to investigate the cause of this problem. We are implementing changes across the affected manufacturing facilities in order to prevent this problem from reoccurring in the future. United Pet Group is also working with retailers to ensure that the affected products are no longer sold and removed from inventory.”
This voluntary recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.
