Salmonella Outbreak in Dog Food Causes Illness of Six Infants, Prompting Nationwide Recall of Pet Food Brands

Infections caused by salmonella are extremely widespread. In the United States, it is the one that is responsible for the most cases of sickness that can be traced back to food. However, foods contaminated with salmonella are hard to determine since there is no evidence of it in your sight, smell, or taste. Recently, salmonella from pet food brands reportedly caused the illness of several infants, leading to the nationwide recall of these products.

Nationwide Recall of Pet Food Brands

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Salmonella infections in pets can cause various symptoms, including lethargy, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. There is also a possibility that some of them will experience abdominal pain, fever, and loss of appetite. An unknown number of dogs became ill or passed away in 2019 after consuming canned food recalled across the nation due to elevated levels of vitamin D, which can cause calcium to accumulate and is detrimental to the kidneys of dogs. This year, at least seven batches of dog food have been recalled after it was discovered that some contained salmonella or dangerously high quantities of vitamins. As mentioned, when people come into contact with contaminated pet food, they also endanger themselves.

Based on a notice published on Monday, Oct. 30, by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the latest recalls include one that was issued by Mid America Pet Food of Mount Pleasant, Texas, which involved three lots of Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula. The product recall was issued after random sampling revealed the presence of salmonella, which can make pets as well as people who come into contact with it sick.

Infant Illness Caused by Salmonella Outbreak

According to News 5 Cleaveland, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that salmonella has been confirmed in seven people across the seven states: Minnesota, California, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, and Florida. Out of the total cases, six of them are infants. Moreover, five of the people claimed to have been exposed to dogs, and three of the individuals acknowledged giving Victor pet food to their dog companions. There was also one individual sent to the hospital, but there have been no recorded fatalities.

On the other hand, the CDC stated that in this epidemic, individuals got infected from touching recalled dog food, contacting things like dog bowls that held the dog food, or touching the feces or saliva of dogs who had consumed the recalled food. Furthermore, additional information from Medical Press stated that salmonella bacteria cause infections in around 1.35 million people in the United States each year, most commonly due to the consumption of infected food or water. Although symptoms often go away on their own, over 26,000 people in the United States are hospitalized each year due to the condition.

Accordingly, the CDC highlighted that because infants' immune systems are still developing, they have a greater risk of serious salmonella infection. Thus, this organization recommended that pet owners keep recalled pet food in an airtight garbage bag before disposing it. It should be accomplished to prevent the bacteria from spreading to wild animals. They also asserted that the owners of pets should also clean any surfaces, including food bowls, that may have been in contact with the pet's food at any point.