First up, Flint River Ranch is now in full production for the Duck and Oatmeal nugget dog food formula. We expect to be able to take orders and ship the new formula within the next 3 weeks. We’ll update our site as soon as this formula can be shipped.

Pricing for the formula will be as follows: 10lb bag – $23.49; 20lb bag – $42.99; 40lb – $73.99; 200lb – $309.99; and 520lb – $769.99.

More good news, for a limited time we’ll be including a free Duck & Potato Dog Food sample pack with each order of the Duck formula so that you can share the amazing new formula with your friends and associates.

We’ve also updated our FRR Duck and Potato Dog Food page with the complete ingredients list and nutritional information for the formula.

Saying Goodbye to the Senior Lite Formula

FRR Senior Lite
As we introduce our new Signature Brand Duck & Potato formula, we’ll also be phasing out our Senior Lite Dog Food formula in favor of our Senior PLUS Dog Food formula. The Senior PLUS formula is identical to the Senior Lite formula in terms of ingredients and formulation, while also offering the joint relief benefits of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements.

The FRR Senior PLUS formula with these two supplements has proven to help in maintaining fluidity of dogs’ joints while easing the strain and stress that an older dog faces in their joints, especially those dogs that are overweight or obese.

The Senior PLUS dog food formula has also become much more popular than the Senior Lite formula over the years and has received many more positive reports from dog owners when it comes to helping their dogs live healthier, more active lives.

While some will be sad to see the Senior Lite formula go, there’s good news to report as well — prices on the Senior PLUS formula will decrease to match the prices of the Senior Lite, so those currently ordering the Senior Lite formula will be able to order the Senior PLUS formula with its joint health benefits at no extra cost!

Texas-based Merrick Pet Care has issued a recall for its Beef Filet Squares for Dogs pet treats. While no illnesses have been reported in people or pets to date, 86 cases of the Merrick dog treats have been recalled following a sample testing positive for Salmonella.

Dogs infected by Salmonella may have diarrhea (possibly bloody) and show signs of vomiting or lethargy, while other dogs may only have decreased appetite or abdominal pain. Pets infected by Salmonella are at risk for infecting other animals and humans.

The Merrick recall is only for the company’s Beef Filet Squares for Dogs treats (also sold in some stores as Texas Hold ‘Ems) sold in 10 ounce plastic bags and marked with Lot #10084TL7 and a “best by” date of March 24, 2012 on the top of the bag.

Customers can return any unused portion of the recalled Merrick dog treats to the place of purchase for a full refund, and questions regarding the Merrick recall should be directed to Merrick Pet Care’s toll free number, 1-800-664-7387.

The newly recalled dog food formulas include all sizes and varieties of Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin dry dog food formulas with “Best By” dates that fall in the July 1st, 2010 to December 1st, 2011 range.

Eukanuba Naturally Wild Dog Food varieties recalled include Eukanuba Naturally Wild Salmon & Rice, Turkey & Multigrain, and Venison & Potato dry dog foods, and come in 4lb, 9.5lb, 15lb, and 30lb bag sizes, as well as 7 ounce sample packs.

Eukanuba Pure dry varities in the dog food recall include Eukanuba Pure Turkey, Pure Adult Maintenance, Pure Puppy Growth, and Pure Adult Large Breed dog food, and come in 4lb, 4.5lb, 15lb, and 30lb bag sizes. The Eukanuba Dog Custom Care – Sensitive Skin dog food formula recalled is available in 5.5lb and 28lb bag sizes.

The Iams Veterinary Formula Dry Cat Food formulas recalled are the Weight Loss Restricted Calorie, Intestinal – Low Residue, Optimum Weight Control D, Renal Multi-Stage, Urinary 0 – Moderate pH/0, and Urinary S – Low pH/S cat foods.

The Iams Veterinary Formula Dry Dog Food formulas recalled are the Intestinal – Low Residue, Optimum Weight Control D, Weight Loss Restricted Calorie, Renal Early Stage, Joint, Skin and Coat Response FP, Skin & Coat Response KO, Puppy Intestinal Low Residue, and Intestinal Low Residue Breeder Bag dog foods.

All of the Iams and Eukunba pet foods involved in the recall have been pulled from shelves due to potential salmonella contamination.
Salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea (possibly bloody), fever, and abdominal cramps, with most victims recovering within a week without treatment. Babies, elders, and those with weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

The recalled pet foods are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada. The recall doesn’t currently include Iams / Eukanuba canned pet foods, pet biscuits and treats, or pet care supplements.

P&G recommends that customers with potentially contaminated bags throw the food out immediately. Additional information and product refund inquiries should be directed to P&G’s toll free number at (877) 894-4458.

This isn’t the first pet food recall due to possible salmonella contamination. Just last month, Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food formula was recalled for the same reason.

And in 2007, a Salmonella outbreak that affected more than 70 people in 19 states was linked to contaminated dry dog food produced in a Mars Petcare pet food plant.

No other Iams formulas or other P&G pet foods are currently involved in the new recall, and none of the formulas involved in the recenty acquired Natura Pet Products, the parent company of Innova, Evo, California Natural, and Karma pet foods, have been recalled.

Still, with many Natura customers already questioning the acquisition and what it might mean for the long-term quality of the Natura products, three recalls involving P&G’s Iams and Eukanuba pet foods in two months likely won’t help ease concerns.

Salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea (possibly bloody), fever, and abdominal cramps, with most victims recovering within a week without treatment. Babies, elders, and those with weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable.

While no illnesses have been reported to date, the U.S. FDA has identified positive results on lot numbers 01384174B4 0 19014 21405 1 and 01384174B2 0 19014 21405 1 of the Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs formula.

P&G recommends that customers with potentially contaminated bags should throw the food out immediately. Additional information and product refund inquiries should be directed to P&G’s toll free number at (877) 894-4458.

The recall news follows last month’s Iams recall that resulted from potentially insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1) in the company’s Iams ProActive Health canned cat and kitten food.

This also isn’t the first pet food recall due to possible salmonella contamination. Just last month, Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog Food formula was recalled for the same reason.

And in 2007, a Salmonella outbreak that affected more than 70 people in 19 states was linked to contaminated dry dog food produced in a Mars Petcare pet food plant. Mars Petcare manufactures a number of pet foods, including Pedigree dog foods, the Goodlife Recipe cat and dog foods, Whiskas cat food, Cesar Canine Cuisine wet dog food, and Sheba wet cat food.

While no other Iams formulas or other P&G pet foods are involved in the new recall, Innova and Evo customers may be wondering what’s in store for them, as P&G in May moved to acquire Natura Pet Products, the parent company of Innova, Evo, California Natural, and Karma pet foods.

Many Natura customers had already been questioning the acquisition and what it might mean for the long-term quality of the Natura products, and a pair of Iams recalls in two months likely won’t help ease their concerns.

The recalled dog food formula was manufactured on December 17th, 2010, and was recalled following a positive test for salmonella by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although two lots of the dog food formula had tested free of contaminants with Natural Balance’s Buy With Confidence on-site lab, and confirmed later as free of contaminants by an independent laboratory, the finding of salmonella by the FDA was evidence enough to issue the voluntary recall.

There have not been any reports to date of dogs getting sick from the dog food.

The Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Chicken dog food was sold at retailers in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Consumers who have purchased the dog food can return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Cats fed the ProActive Health canned foods may be at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency, according the P&G. Thiamine deficiency can contribute to vomiting, a loss of appetite, weight loss, and excessive salivation. Prolonged cases can lead to falling or wobbly walking, excessive circling, ventroflexion of the neck (downward curing), and seizures. When treated promptly thiamine deficiency is reversible in most cases.

Proctor & Gamble recommends trashing the canned cat foods where the date on the bottom of the can falls between 09/2011 and 06/2012. Additional information and product refund inquiries should be directed to P&G’s toll free number at (877) 340-8826.

This isn’t the first case of a pet food recall for thiamine insufficiency. Last December, Diamond Pet Foods issued a similar recall for some bags of its Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball cat foods.

While no other Iams formulas or other P&G pet foods are involved in the recall, Innova and Evo customers may be wondering what’s in store for them, as P&G recently moved to acquire Natura Pet Products, the parent company of Innova, Evo, California Natural, and Karma pet foods.

Many Natura customers had already been questioning the acquisition and what it might mean for the long-term quality of the Natura products, and an Iams recall likely won’t help ease their concerns.

We have started our palatability and feeding studies on the “Duck and Potato” formula!  We expect that we’ll have the results and make any adjustments to this formula within the next two months.  Once these studies are complete and the final labels printed, we will add this formula to our lineup for purchase.

As of yet, we don’t have the specifics worked out for this formula but it will be an excellent formula.  It will be one of the most nutritious formulas we’ve produced and will include some ingredients we haven’t previously used.  We’ll be listing the final ingredients as soon as the formula is fixed for all to study.

How excited are you about the new formula?  Will you be looking to try it out right away or taking a wait-and-see approach instead?

Our question to you is this — are you still interested in Pet Force and its extremely effective dog and cat urine stain removal capabilities?  How likely would you be to purchase it online if we’re able to supply it at A+ Flint River Ranch?

Here’s a bit more information about Pet Force Pet Cleaner.  Pet Force is designed to remove particularly tricky odors and stains, especially from pet accidents. Pet Force provides superior stain removal for urine, vomit, feces, cat spraying and marking, food, grease, blood, grass, juice, wine, coffee laundry and other types of stain problems.

Pet Force works on all carpet types and also below the carpeting, getting into the padding and the sub-floor where the bacteria attack the waste that other products can’t reach. In this way, Pet Force ensures complete and total removal of unseen odor spots that your pet would otherwise still be able to detect. Pet Force also prevents mold from occurring.

We’re also excited to be the first and only Flint River Ranch site to offer online ordering for shipping Flint River Ranch pet foods to Alaska and Hawaii, enabling customers in these two states to efficiently and easily order Flint River Ranch dog foods and cat foods for delivery directly to your door.

Because UPS charges additional fees for shipping to Alaska and Hawaii, shipping fees will apply to Flint River Ranch orders shipped to Alaska or Hawaii based on the total number of boxes to be shipped. We always strive to ship orders in as few boxes as possible to reduce shipping costs for our customers. Our online ordering system will automatically calculate the shipping fees based on the quantity and types of Flint River Ranch ordered.

Flint River Ranch shipments to locations in all other states will remain unchanged — the shipping cost is included in our pricing, with no additional fees added for shipping or handling.

At A+ Flint River Ranch we’re always striving to offer more than the competition while ensuring our prices remain lower than other sites. Our new exclusive online system for pet food delivery to Alaska and Hawaii customers is just one of many factors that we believe help set A+ Flint River Ranch apart from the competition, and we’re excited to be able to now extend all of these benefits to our friends in Alaska and Hawaii as well:

• Discounts for new customers, seasonal specials, and gift promotions
• Exclusive Online Auto-Ship Services System for viewing and modifying automatic shipments
• More efficient and more personalized customer service coupled with an easier to use website that features:
  • Expedited order processing for the quickest possible delivery times
  • UPS shipping information, with date of arrival notifications>
  • Online order tracking with real-time shipping status via UPS
  • A streamlined, easy to use, efficient shopping cart
  • Online customer account management
  • Extremely prompt, helpful reponses to customer service inquiries within 24 hours

Order Flint River Ranch Today!

Flint River Ranch

Natura’s brands will join P&G’s existing Eukanuba and Iams pet food brands in a move to improve P&G’s poisition in the holistic and natural pet food market. Specific terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but Natura officials did report they feel P&G is the ideal company to help take its brands to “the next level of growth.”

While formulas and ingredients likely won’t change much for Natura’s product line, at least not in the short term, it’ll be interesting to see how customers react to their specialty brands joining with more mainstream pet foods in the Eukanuba and Iams lines. It will also be interesting to see how P&G positions Natura’s natural dog foods and cat foods with some of the all natural pet food formulas currently offered by P&G like its Eukanuba Naturally Wild Dog Food and Iams Healthy Naturals Dog Food formulas.

Another question involves how P&G will expand the distribution of Natura’s products, which typically sell in pet specialty stores and directly through veterinarians, into the mainstream via “big chain” stores such as PetSmart and PETCO.

The acquisition is also a bit of a surprise, as some in the industry have recently questioned P&G’s desire to remain in the pet food business. Pet care and pet products is a relatively small segment for P&G, and it hasn’t performed as well as other areas of the company’s business.

What’s your opinion of the Natura Pet Foods acquisition by Procter & Gamble?

Update: Examiner.com has a good article about the Natura Pet Products sale that summarizes many of the Natura customer worries: “that mass-marketing the product will reduce the quality of its production, that the formula will change, that ingredients will become lower grade, and that changes will not be quickly or honestly communicated to consumers. Additionally, Procter & Gamble has a poorly regarded history of animal testing and rumors of animal cruelty in the production of some of its other brands, most notably, Iams and Eukanuba.”