Natura Pet is recalling several brands of pet food for possible contamination with Salmonella, the company announced today. The recall includes both dog and cat food sold under the brand names Innova, EVO, Healthwise and California Natural. You can see a complete list of the recalled products, along with UPC numbers and lot numbers at the FDA web site.
The company posted the recall on its webpage, saying “it pains us to inform you of the first recall in our company’s 21-year history.” During recent testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Salmonella was discovered in one of the products. The company believes that the problem is not widespread and at this time, no human or pet illnesses had been reported in conjunction with the recalled products.
Salmonella is a bacteria that, if ingested, can cause an infection called salmonellosis. A pet with salmonellosis will have symptoms including lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea which may be bloody. Some pets may experience a decrease in appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Others may show no sign of illness, but can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. Contact your veteranarian if you have concerns about your pet.
Humans can contract Salmonella by handling contaminated pet food or from touching a surface the food contacted. It’s important to wash hands after feeding your pet. If you place bowls on the counter before filling them make sure to wipe the counter clean with warm soapy water or with a cleaner recommended for your counter’s surface. If you have a pet food spill, make sure to clean up the area thoroughly.
Shocking! Salmonella is certainly not to be underestimated. My chocolate lab got it several years back from an incident like this and it was agonizing. I hope stories like this raise people’s awareness and caution.