On April 6, 2012, Diamond Pet Foods recalled some of their dry dog food for Salmonella contamination. Since then, many other brands have been involved in this recall, including some brands of cat food, and an outbreak of Salmonella Infantis has sickened 14 people and hospitalized 5 in nine states. One person has been sickened in Canada.
All of the food has been manufactured at the Diamond plant in Gaston, South Carolina. The recall includes many states in the United States, provinces in Canada, and Puerto Rico.
There are two ways humans can get sick from contaminated dog food, according to Dr. Jeff Bender, veterinarian at the University of Minnesota: by handling the food itself and not washing hands afterwards, and by coming into contact with infected feces.
Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly, with warm water and lots of soap for at least 20 seconds, after feeding him or handling the food, and scooping poop. And always wash your hands before preparing food, serving food, or eating and drinking. Cross-contamination is very common and is very difficult to prevent.
The brands included in the recall are:
- Diamond Naturals Lamb & Rice
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light
- Diamond Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food
- Premium Edge
- Country Value
- Diamond
- Diamond Naturals
- Professional
- 4Health
- Taste of the Wild
- Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
- Kirkland Signature Dog and Cat Food
- Wellpet’s Wellness Complete Large Breed Puppy
- Natural Balance
- Apex Chicken and Rice Dog
- Canidae
- Solid Gold
Please check the packages of any dog or cat food you buy. The recalled foods all have a Production code with a number “2” or “3” in the 9th or 10th position and the letter “X” in the 10th or 11th position. The best-before dates are December 9, 2012 through April 7, 2013.
In fact, the company says that if you purchased any of these brands after December 9, 2011 in these states and provinces, discard the product. But it is possible that the food has been distributed through channels to other states and provinces.
- Alabama
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- British Columbia, Canada
- New Brunswick, Canada
- Ontario, Canada
- Quebec, Canada
- Puerto Rico
Animals who contract salmonellosis may or may not show symptoms. If your pet has decreased appetite, fever, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, or vomiting, take her to your veterinarian.
And if you or anyone in your family experiences the symptoms of salmonellosis, including fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea, see your doctor immediately.
For questions, call Diamond Pet Foods at 1-866-918-8756. You can request a refund if you have purchased these products.
It’s a shame we can’t find out about these recalls sooner. By the time we hear it on the news, our pets have already eaten the food and are sick. I hoping there is a quick way distributors are contacted and they, in turn, contact who they have supplied with these products so it can be pulled from the shelves.
our pets mean the world to us senior citizen that are alone ,,take more care in thier food,,,