Safe Handling Tips for Pet Foods and Treats

Consumers can take steps to help prevent foodborne illness, including Salmonella-related illness, when handling pet foods and treats. These products, like many other types of foods, can be susceptible to harmful bacterial contamination.

Salmonella in pet foods and treats can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and in people too, especially children, older people, and those with compromised immune systems. Salmonella in pet foods and treats potentially can be transferred to people ingesting or handling the contaminated products.

FDA has stepped up its efforts to minimize the incidence of foodborne illness associated with pet foods and treats. Pet owners and consumers can also help reduce the likelihood of infection from contaminated pet foods and treats by following safe handling instructions:

Buying

• Purchase products in good condition, without signs of damage to the packaging such as dents or tears.

Preparation

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with hot water and soap before and after handling pet foods and treats.
• Wash pet food bowls, dishes, and scooping utensils with soap and hot water after each use.
• Do not use the pet's feeding bowl as a scooping utensil—use a clean, dedicated scoop or spoon.
• Dispose of old or spoiled pet food products in a safe manner, such as in a securely tied plastic bag in a covered trash receptacle.

Storage

• Refrigerate promptly or discard any unused, leftover wet pet food. Refrigerators should be set at 40º F.
• Dry products should be stored in a cool, dry place—under 80º F.
• If possible, store dry pet food in its original bag inside a clean, dedicated plastic container with a lid, keeping the top of the bag folded closed.
• Keep pets away from food storage and preparation areas.
• Keep pets away from garbage and household trash.

Raw Food Diets

FDA does not believe raw meat foods for animals are consistent with the goal of protecting the public from significant health risks, particularly when these products are brought into the home or used to feed domestic pets; however, we understand that some people prefer to feed these types of diets to their pets.

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Health Information Web page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Diamond Pet Foods Voluntarily Recalls Limited Number of 
Dry Dog Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk  Recall is limited to one formula of Diamond Naturals distributed to 12 states; no illnesses reported

Contact:

Diamond Pet Foods  800-442-0402

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 6, 2012 -Diamond Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice. This is being done as a precautionary measure, as the product has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported and no other Diamond manufactured products are affected.  

Individuals handling dry pet food can become infected with salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers. 

Pets with salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. 

The product, Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice, was distributed to customers located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, who may have further distributed the product to other states, through pet food channels. 

 

Recall -- Firm Press Release

FDA Continues to Caution Dog Owners About Chicken Jerky Products

November 18, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is again cautioning consumers that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs. In the last 12 months, FDA has seen an increase in the number of complaints it received of dog illnesses associated with consumption of chicken jerky products imported from China. These complaints have been reported to FDA by dog owners and veterinarians.

FDA issued a cautionary warning regarding chicken jerky products to consumers in September 2007 and a Preliminary Animal Health Notification in December of 2008. After seeing the number of complaints received drop off during the latter part of 2009 and most of 2010, the FDA is once again seeing the number of complaints rise to the levels of concern that prompted release of our earlier warnings.

Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed occasionally in small quantities.

FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.

FDA, in addition to several animal health diagnostic laboratories in the U.S., is working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (VLRN) is now available to support these animal health diagnostic laboratories. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA continues extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified a contaminant.

The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem and its origin. Many of the illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator in their state or go to http://www.fda.gov/petfoodcomplaints¹.

Merrick Pet Care Recalls
Doggie Wishbone (Item # 29050, Lot 11031 Best By 30 Jan 2013)
Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact: Consumer: (800) 664-7387
Media: James Witcher, COO (806) 322-2806

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 8, 2011 - Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling a single lot of its Doggie Wishbone pet treat (ITEM # 29050, UPC # 2280829050, Lot 11031 Best By 30 Jan 2013) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.  Merrick Pet Care has made the decision to recall the Doggie Wishbone pet treats in the abundance of caution.  248 cases of this lot were manufactured and shipped to distributors in 10 states.  Those distributors have been notified.  Only one lot of Doggie Wishbone is affected by this recall.  No additional Merrick Pet Care products are involved in this recall. No other Merrick brand products are involved.

Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products.  Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

The Doggie Wishbone was shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US.  These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.

No illnesses have been reported to date and there have been no consumer complaints for this product. This issue was identified through routine sampling by the Food and Drug Administration.

At Merrick Pet Care, the safety and efficacy of our products are our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience due to this recall.   Consumers who have purchased the Doggie Wishbone with the lot code 11031 are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm CST.

Boss Pet Recalls Pig Ear Products Because of Possible Health Risk

Contact:Consumer:800-445-6347

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 17, 2011 - Boss Pet Products, Inc. announced that it is recalling its Diggers Natural Treat Pig Ear pet treats because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Boss Pet has been notified by one of its suppliers, Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc., that a batch of Keys’ pig ear treats tested positive for Salmonella. Keys Manufacturing has initiated a voluntary product recall in cooperation with the FDA and has identified several shipments of potentially affected products which Boss Pet shipped out under its Diggers brand in November, 2010 through April, 2011. So far, there has been a report of one dog in Missouri having Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals eating the product and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The recalled Diggers Natural Chews Pig Ears were sold in the following package sizes:
Bulk Pig Ears in boxes of 100 (UPC #0-72929-00038-6)
Bulk Pig Ears Shrink Wrapped in boxes of 50 (UPC #0-72929-99120-2)
2-Pack Bags shipped in cases of 12 bags (UPC #0-72929-99504-0)
4-Pack Bags shipped in cases of 12 bags (UPC #0-72929-00227-4)
8-Pack Bags shipped in cases of 12 bags (UPC #0-72929-99584-2)

These products have been distributed via truck to distributors in the following states:
MT, CA, WA, OK, TN, NY, KS, OH, TX, MS, AL, OR, UT, IA, MO, IL, IN, LA, and MN.

The recall is a result of a reported illness to one dog in Missouri. Subsequently, Boss Pet has been working with the FDA to identify any products that might contain the bacteria while the manufacturer of the product and the FDA are continuing the investigation to determine what caused the problem.

Consumers who have purchased Diggers Natural Chews Pig Ear products are urged to return them to their place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Boss Pet at 1-800-445-6347 during normal business hours (9:00 AM – 5:00PM ET) or on our website at www.bosspet.com¹.

FDA Advises Veterinarians of Recent Recall of Human Drug, Phenobarbitol

Drug is Prescribed for Animals Extralabel

March 10, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has become aware of a human drug recall for Phenobarbital tablets. Phenobarbital is prescribed by veterinarians as an extralabel use for treating seizures in animals.

On February 5, 2011, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals voluntarily recalled several lots of Phenobarbital 32.4 mg and Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets 10 mg/500 mg due to a label mix-up between the two drug products. Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets were incorrectly labeled as Phenobarbital tablets 32.4 mg. As a result of this mix-up, pets may unintentionally be given Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen tablets instead of the intended drug, Phenobarbital.

CVM has recently received 3 serious adverse event reports involving dogs treated with Phenobarbital tablets manufactured by Qualitest Pharmaceuticals. One report cited two of the three affected lot numbers for the recalled product. The remaining two reports did not provide the lot numbers.

FDA is Warning Pet Owners on the Dangers of Xylitol Ingestion in Dogs and Ferrets

February 18, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning consumers about the risks associated with the accidental consumption of xylitol by dogs and ferrets. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol approved for use in many common products, including sugar-free baked goods, candy, oral hygiene products, and chewing gum.

Xylitol can be found in many over-the-counter drugs such as chewable vitamins and throat lozenges and sprays. It can also be purchased in bulk bags for use in home baking. These products are intended only for human use.

FDA is aware of complaints involving dogs that experienced illness associated with the accidental consumption of xylitol. Xylitol is safe for humans but it can be harmful to dogs and ferrets.

FDA is advising consumers to always read the label on products and to not presume that a product that is safe for humans is safe for your pet.

The FDA reports included clinical signs such as a sudden drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), seizures and liver failure. If you suspect your pet has ingested xylitol, some signs to look for are depression, loss of coordination and vomiting. The signs of illness may occur within minutes to days of ingesting xylitol. Owners should consult their veterinarian or pet poison control center immediately for advice if they know or suspect that their pet has ingested a human product containing xylitol.

Consumers who wish to report animal illness, please contact the FDA consumer complaint coordinator¹ in your state or use the Safety Reporting Portal².

Keep Kids, Pets Away From Skin Sprayed With Evamist.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says children and pets should not be exposed to Evamist, a drug for women that is sprayed on the skin to treat hot flashes caused by menopause.

The agency also wants consumers to take precautions to ensure that children and pets do not make contact with skin where Evamist has been sprayed.

Evamist contains the estrogen hormone estradiol. It is sprayed inside the forearm between the elbow and wrist.

FDA, which issued its warning on July 29, 2010, says it is reviewing reports of adverse events in children and pets who were inadvertently exposed to Evamist.

Adverse events reported in unintentionally exposed children include

• premature puberty, nipple swelling, and breast development in girls
• breast enlargement in boys

FDA has also received reports of inadvertent exposure in pets. Pets exposed to Evamist may exhibit signs such as mammary/nipple enlargement and vulvar swelling.

"Women using Evamist need to be aware of the potential risks to children who come in contact with the area of skin where this drug is applied," says Julie Beitz, M.D., a director of drug evaluation with FDA. "It is important that people know to keep both children and pets away from the product to minimize exposure."

Advice for Consumers

FDA recommends that women using Evamist

• not allow children to come in contact with the area of the arm where Evamist was sprayed
• not allow pets to lick or touch the arm where Evamist was sprayed. Small pets may be especially sensitive to the estrogen in Evamist. Contact a veterinarian if your pet shows signs of nipple and/or vulvar enlargement, or any other sign of illness
• wear a garment that covers the arm where Evamist was sprayed if they know they cannot keep a child or pet from making contact with it
• talk with their health care professional if they have questions about the possibility of exposing a child to Evamist
• read the patient package insert when picking up a prescription for Evamist

If Contact Occurs

If a child comes in contact with the part of the arm where Evamist was sprayed, FDA recommends

• washing the child's skin with soap and water as soon as possible
• contacting the child's health care professional if the child begins to have any of the following signs or symptoms: nipple or breast swelling or breast tenderness in girls, or breast enlargement in boys. Be sure to tell the health care professional that the child may have been exposed to Evamist

You can report any side effects from the use of Evamist to FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program online or by mail, fax, or phone.
o Regular Mail: Use postage-paid, pre-addressed FDA form 3500
o Fax: 1-800-FDA-0178
o Phone: 1-800-332-1088
 
At this time, it is unknown whether unintended exposure can occur with other topical (applied to the skin) estrogen products.

FDA continues to review adverse event reports and evaluate ways to reduce unintended exposures.

This article appears on FDA's Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Don't forget about the cleanliness of your pet's dishes!  You wouldn't eat off the same plate every day, or drink out of the same glass without washing it.  Don't forget to wash your pet's food bowl between meals every day, and the water bowl every day or so.  Dogs and cats have bacteria in their mouths, just as people do, and the bacteria can be transferred to dishes.  Food left in the dishes can provide the microbes with an environment to multiply, and can produce illness in people who handle the dishes.  The same for handling and storing food.....your pets leftovers should be stored in a closed container, and refrigerated if it is moist or canned food.