Health Highlights: Feb. 6, 2017

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

‘Hunk of Beef’ Dog Food Recalled

Possible contamination with pentobarbital has led to the recall of certain lots of 12-oz Hunk of Beef dog food.

To date, reports indicate that five dogs became ill and one died after eating the food, according to Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food.

Dogs that consume pentobarbital can suffer drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, nausea, and possibly death.

The recalled lots of dog food were made during the week of June 6-13, 2016 and distributed to retail locations and sold online in Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

The recall includes products with lot numbers that start with 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB, and 1816E13HB, and have an expiration date of June 2020. The second half of the barcode reads 20109, which can be found on the back of the product label.

For more information, contact the company at 1-847-537-0102.

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Scientists Plan March on Washington

Thousands of scientists are expected to participate in the March for Science in Washington, D.C. and other locations on April 22 — Earth Day.

The march is to promote publicly funded, openly communicated and evidence-based research, according to the Washington Post.

To date, marches are being planned in more than 100 cities in at least 11 countries. The March in Washington, D.C. will end with a rally on the Mall that will feature speakers and tents where scientists will share their research with the public.

A major catalyst for the march is Trump administration policies such as ordering government researchers not to communicate with the public and the possible removal of climate change pages from the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, the Post reported.

“We feel that the time has passed for scientists to, in good conscience, stay out of this fight,” march co-organizer Caroline Weinberg, a public health researcher and science writer.

“There is no need to be partisan — politicians on both sides of the aisle are guilty of positions that fly in the face of scientific evidence — but it is not possible to ignore policy when it affects not just your jobs but the future of your field,” she told the Post.