Anyone who has a furry friend at home knows just how much care and love it takes to look after them. And, of course, one of the most important aspects of pet care is making sure they eat a healthy and nutritious diet. However, due to several recent recalls, thousands of dangerous and possibly fatal bags of dog food are circulating throughout the USA right now.
Just this year, there have been at least seven recalls for dog food. Typically, a recall occurs when a company finds traces of salmonella or an excess of certain vitamins in a certain batch, both of which can cause illness and even death if consumed.
And it’s not just our furry friends that can get hurt; according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47 people in 20 states became ill in 2012 due to a bad batch of dog food that contained salmonella.
In order to protect yourselves and your dog, it’s crucial to know exactly which companies have and are issuing recalls, the specific batches that are considered dangerous, and what you need to do to safely dispose of the contaminated food.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced just last month that the Mid America Pet Food of Mount Pleasant, Texas, found salmonella in three of their batches, including in their Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula. The batches have an expiration date of June 12, 2024, and have one of these three lot numbers: 1000016890, 1000016891, or 1000016892. Mid America Pet Food has also recalled batch number 1000016385 of their Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Hi-Pro Plus, with an expiration date of April 30, 2024, due to salmonella.
TFP Nutrition of Nacogdoches has also reported salmonella contamination in its Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food in batches 3277 TFP or 3278 TFP with expiration dates in October 2024.
The CDC has explained that salmonella bacteria is a real problem throughout the country in pets and humans; in fact, almost 1.3 million Americans are affected by salmonella every year, including over 26,000 trips to the hospital and, sadly, around 420 deaths.
Dogs or cats that are infected with salmonella often experience lethargy, diarrhea, fevers, abdominal pain, and vomiting. And these symptoms are quite similar for humans, including children.
In order to ensure your home is completely rid of this dangerous bacteria, it is crucial to safely dispose of any infected dog food. To do so, the CDC encourages people to make sure that the dog food is removed carefully so that no pets, strays, wildlife, or children have access to it. As well as completely sanitize any bowls or cutlery that touched the contaminated food.
If you have a dog in your home, it’s essential that you continue to follow any FDA announcements or recalls regarding your dog food of choice to keep your family and your furry loved ones safe at all times.
