Tag Archives: salmonella contamination

Recall: Freshpet Dog Food

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On June 18, 2022, Freshpet Inc., of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, issued a voluntary recall of a single lot of dog food. The Freshpet Select Fresh From the Kitchen Home Cooked Chicken Recipe in 4.5 pounds bags is the only product involved in this recall.

Freshpet Recall Information from TheDogAdvisor.com

This recall was issued because due to potential contamination with Salmonella bacteria. According to the company, “Our Freshpet Team had designated this single lot for destruction, but a small portion of the lot was inadvertently shipped to retailers in limited geographic markets in the last two weeks.”

These potential markets may include:

  • Walmarts in
    • Alabama and Georgia.
  • Targets and other select retailers in:
    • Connecticut
    • Massachusetts
    • Maine
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New York
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont and West Virginia.

To date, Freshpet has not received any reports of illness, injury or adverse reaction.

What You Should Know About Salmonella

Salmonella poses a risk to animals ingesting the affected product (including dogs and cats) and can also be transmitted to humans. Pets infected with salmonella may display symptoms including:

  • Fever;
  • Lethargy and shock;
  • Diarrhea (which may last up to 3-4 weeks or longer);
  • Vomiting;
  • Weight Loss;
  • Dehydration; and
  • Mucus and/or blood in stool.

People infected with salmonella can also have:

  • Diarrhea;
  • Fever; and
  • Abdominal cramps.

For some people, their diarrhea may be severe enough to require hospitalization.

What to do Next with this Dog Food Recall

Consumers should immediately stop feeding any of the recalled products and dispose any affected product immediately in trash that is secured.

Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling any affected products or cleaning any potentially contaminated surfaces including freezers/refrigerators where the product was stored, bowls, utensils, bedding, toys and floors.

Dog parents who wish to request a reimbursement, can go here to do so (scroll to the bottom of the page). Or consumers may contact Freshpet at 800-285-0563 between 9am to 9pm Eastern Time, Monday – Friday for additional information.

Recall: midwestern pet foods: Multiple brands

NOTE: We try our best to bring you the important pet food recalls as they happen but it’s not always possible. We encourage our readers to subscribe to free, automatic pet food recalls through the following websites to protect your beloved pet immediately.


On March 26, 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods, Evansville, Indiana issued a voluntary recall of specific dog and cat food brands produced only at its Monmouth, Illinois Production Facility (identified in expiration date codes with an M”). The recall was issued because Salmonella contamination was discovered during routine sampling by the Company of finished products. Affected products were distributed to retail stores nationwide and to online retailers.

Cat and dog food brands affected by this voluntary recall include the following manufactured at the Monmouth Illinois Production Facility:

  • CanineX
  • Earthborn Holistic
  • Merdian
  • Pro Pac
  • Pro Pac Performance
  • Pro Pac Ultimates
  • Sportmix
  • Sportmix Wholesomes
  • Sportstrail
  • Unrefined
  • Venture
  • Wholesomes

The entire list of affected product brands and their Expiration Date/Lot Numbers can be viewed on the FDA website here. All other Midwestern Pet Foods are unaffected by this recall.

What You Should Know About Salmonella

Salmonella poses a risk to animals ingesting the affected product (including dogs and cats) and humans. Pets infected with salmonella may display symptoms including:

  • Fever;
  • Lethargy and shock;
  • Diarrhea (which may last up to 3-4 weeks or longer);
  • Vomiting;
  • Weight Loss;
  • Dehydration; and
  • Mucus and/or blood in the stool.

People infected with salmonella can also have:

  • Diarrhea;
  • Fever; and
  • Abdominal cramps.

For some people, their diarrhea may be severe enough to require hospitalization.

What to do Next

Consumers should immediately stop feeding any of the recalled products and discard them in a secure container where stray animals or wildlife cannot access them.

Consumers should also:

  • Clean their refrigerator/freezers where the product was stored.
  • Thoroughly wash their hands after handling any recalled products.
  • Clean and disinfect any:
    • Utensils;
    • Bowls;
    • Surfaces including floors; and
    • Pet bedding and toys.

Consumers may contact Midwestern Pet Foods Consumer Affairs at info@midwesternpetfoods.com or call 800-474-4163, extension 455 between 8am to 5pm Central Time, Monday – Friday for additional information.

Sources: The Truth About Pet FoodDog Food Advisor and the FDA.

Is it Safe to Handle Your Pet’s Raw Food?

As the debate rages on about whether a raw diet* is good or not for our pets, below is an interesting study about the potential risk of humans getting sick or infected from handling their pet’s raw food. The study included over 16K pet households in 81 countries. The research is published in the BMJ journal Veterinary Record.

(*Raw food includes any meat, internal organs, bones and cartilage fed uncooked to pets.)

(Did you know that more than 60% of pet owners in the Netherlands feed raw?)

 


It’s safe to feed raw food to pets, finds new study.


 

RECALL: Darwin’s Natural Dog Food (What You Need to Know)

Yesterday, on March 26th, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to dog owners to avoid feeding 3 separate lots of Darwin’s Natural Raw Dog Food.

(NOTE: All 3 lots were manufactured in October/November of 2018.)

After a consumer complaint, the FDA collected and tested samples from 3 lots and all tested positive for salmonella.

Darwin's Pet Food

These frozen dog food products are manufactured by Arrow  Reliance Inc., doing business as Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. Products are sold online direct to consumers.

UPDATE: The company just issued a public response to the FDA’s warning; it can be read here

 

The Recall: The Affected Products/Lots:

Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs
Package: 5309(11)181019
Manufacture Date: October 19, 2018

Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Chicken Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs
Package: 5375(11)181106
Manufacture Date: November 11, 2018

Darwin’s Natural Pet Products Natural Selections Turkey Recipe with Organic Vegetables for Dogs
Package: 5339(11)181026
Manufacture Date: October 26, 2018

 

What You Should Know About Salmonella

Salmonella poses a risk to animals ingesting the affected product (including dogs and cats) and can also be transmitted to humans. Pets infected with salmonella may display symptoms including:

  • Fever;
  • Lethargy and shock;
  • Diarrhea (which may last up to 3-4 weeks or longer);
  • Vomiting;
  • Weight Loss;
  • Dehydration; and
  • Mucus and/or blood in stool.

People infected with salmonella can also have:

  • Diarrhea;
  • Fever; and
  • Abdominal cramps.

For some people, their diarrhea may be severe enough to require hospitalization.

What to do Next

Consumers should contact their veterinarian if their dogs have consumed any of these recalled products and are exhibiting any of the symptoms listed above.  Also, contact your own doctor if you are feeling any symptoms of salmonella.

The affected product should be thrown away immediately.

Consumers should thoroughly wash their hands after handling any affected products or cleaning any potentially contaminated surfaces including freezers/refrigerators where the product was stored, bowls, utensils, bedding, toys and floors.

 

Sources: The Truth about Pet Food, the Dog Food Advisor and the FDA.

 


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RECALL: Performance Dog Frozen Raw Pet Food

Bravo Packing, Inc. (of Carneys Point, NJ) has issued a voluntary recall for two  products: Performance Dog in the 2-lb and 5-lb plastic sleeves. The recall was issued for potential salmonella contamination.

Why the Recall

The recall was initiated after an FDA inspection collected and tested a sample which tested positive for salmonella. No human or animal illness has been reported to date.

The recall specifically involves:

Performance Dog Frozen Raw Pet Food in 2-pound and 5-pound plastic sleeves with the Manufacture Date Code of 071418. (This code is printed on the cardboard boxes containing the plastic sleeves, NOT on the individual sleeves. There are NO unique ID numbers of the sleeves.)

If customers purchased either of these recalled products after July 14, 2018, the FDA recommends throwing the product away to protect the health of your dog and yourself from potential contamination from salmonella.

Note: Performance Dog typically works with Tefco, a Brooklyn, NYC distributor which fulfills orders to brick-and-mortar retail stores and to consumers directly.


Product label, Bravo Performance Dog


What You Should Know About Salmonella

Salmonella poses a risk to animals ingesting the affected product (including dogs and cats) and can also be transmitted to humans. Pets infected with salmonella may display symptoms including:

  • Fever;
  • Lethargy and shock;
  • Diarrhea (which may last up to 3-4 weeks or longer);
  • Vomiting;
  • Weight Loss;
  • Dehydration; and
  • Mucus in stool.

What to do Next

Consumers with any questions should contact Bravo Packing, Inc., at 856-299-1044 (Monday-Friday, 6am-2pm EST or Saturday, 4am-9am EST) or via their website at http://www.BravoPacking.com.

 

Sources: Dog Food AdvisorFDA Website and Truth About Pet Food.

RECALLS: The Dog Food Recalls Continue …

Recent recalls include products made by:

  • K9 Natural
  • Vital Essentials
  • OC Raw Dog

Below are the latest recalls since our last blog post.

 


K9 Natural Ltd

On April 13th, K9 Natural Ltd of New Zealand voluntarily recalled four batches of its K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast (the 2.2 and 11lb bags) that were imported to the United States in June 2017. The recall was issued due to potential Listeria monocytogenes.

The recall involves:

K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast (2.2 lb bags):

Shipped to distributors/pet speciality retail stores in WA, CA, TX and CO with the batch #170517 and an expiration date of 17NOV2018.

K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast (11 lb bags):

Shipped to distributors/pet speciality retail stores in WA, CA, TX, CO and PA with the following batch numbers:

  • #150517 (expiration date of 15NOV2018)
  • #160517 (expiration date of 16NOV2018)
  • #170517 (expiration date of 17NOV2018)

There have been no reports of illness.

Customers with questions may contact the company via phone at 1 888 345 4680, M-F 8am-5pm PST & EST and S-S 14 &15 April 2018 8am-5pm PST & EST or email info@k9natural.com.

Click here to learn more about the K9 Natural recall.

 


 

Vital Essentials

For the third time,  another recall was issued on two Vital Essentials products: Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Toppers and Vital Essentials Frozen Beef Chub Entree for Dogs due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Salmonella can infect both dogs, cats and humans.

The recalled products can be identified with the following information:

 

Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Beef Toppers: Lot #13815, Best by 06/04/19

Vital Essentials Frozen Beef Chub Entrée: 5 lb., Lot #13816, Best by 12/27/18

Customers may notify their retailer for a replacement or refund or contact the company at 920-370-6542.

Click here to learn more about the Vital Essentials recall.


OC Raw Dog

OC Raw Dog of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, issued a voluntary recall of approximately 1,560 lbs of their Chicken, Fish & Produce Raw Frozen Canine Formulation due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The affected products were manufactured on October 11, 2017 with a Lot number of 3652 and a Use By Date of October 11, 2018.

The recalled Lot #3652 was shipped and sold to Independent Speciality Retailers in the following states: CA, CO, FL, MD, MN, PA and VT.

Click here to read more about the OC Raw Dog recall. 

NOTE: Another recall was also issued by OC Raw Dog for its Freeze-dried Sardines because the product exceeded FDA size restrictions (of 5 inches). (The FDA has determined that salt-cured, dried or fermented un-eviscerated fish larger than 5 inches have been linked to outbreaks of botulism poisoning between 1981 and 1987 and then again in 1991.)

Click here to read more about the OC Raw Dog recall for Freeze-dried Sardines. 

 


 

We try our best to keep our readers informed with the latest recall information (here on our blog and on our Twitter/Facebook pages); unfortunately that’s not always possible. To stay informed with the latest recalls, subscribe to one (we recommend all) of the recall alerts below.

Your pet is counting on you.

Dog Food Advisor

Truth About Pet Food 

American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMA)

US Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

RECALL: Loving Pets Air-Puffed Dog Treats

Loving Pets, a New Jersey-based manufacturer of pet treats located in Cranbury, is voluntarily recalling a limited number of dog treats for potential salmonella contamination.

The limited recall includes the following products:

  • Loving Pets Barksters: Sweet Potato and Chicken and Brown Rice and Chicken;
  • Loving Pets Puffsters Snack Chips: Apple and Chicken, Banana and Chicken, Sweet Potato and Chicken and Cranberry and Chicken;
  • Whole Hearted: Chicken and Apple Puff Treats.

(For the specific Item, UPC and Lot numbers of the affected products, click here to go to the Loving Pets Products website.)

Salmonella and the Risks

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is also a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having come into contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. Symptoms of possible salmonella poisoning in humans include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. While rare, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.

Pets poisoned with Salmonella may exhibit lethargy, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets may only show signs of decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected, but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers of salmonella and infect other animals or humans.

Contact your vet or doctor if you suspect salmonella poisoning for immediate help.

Why the Recall

The potential salmonella contamination was “discovered by the Loving Pet’s internal quality assurance team.”  The contamination was identified to a single finished ingredient supplied to Loving Pets from one of its USA-based suppliers.

According to a Press Release:

“Loving Pets produces its treats in small batches, in order to offer the highest quality and control in safety. To ensure the safety of its products, Loving Pets decided to be extra cautious and recall a wider range of lot numbers so that no possible contaminated product is available on the market.”

According to the Company’s website, no illnesses, injuries or complaints have been reported.

What to do Next

Consumers may return any affected treats to the retailer where the product was originally purchased.

For additional information, consumers may also call Cathy Vesey at 866-599-PETS (7387) or visit LovingPetsProducts.com.


To learn more about the Loving Pets recall, go to: