Two children in Minnesota are sick with Salmonella Reading infections after Raws for Paws raw ground turkey pet food was fed to pets in their home, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. That pet food was recalled February 5, 2018 by the manufacturer, as Food Poisoning Bulletin told you earlier today.
The children got sick in January. One child’s infection resulted in osteomyelitis, which is a painful and serious bone infection. That child was hospitalized and is recovering at home now.
The same strain of Salmonella Reading that made the children sick was found in samples of Raws for Paws Ground Turkey Pet Food for Pets. Laboratory work was conducted at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Health. That pet food, which was made by a Minnesota company, has been recalled.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented clients sickened with Salmonella infections, said, “No child should suffer with this illness.” Call 612-338-0202 or 1-888-377-8900.
Attorney Fred Pritzker, who has represented the families of children sickened by contaminated pet food said, “Osteomyelitis is a serious complication of a Salmonella infection that can cause long term complications. This child will need long term care to prevent fractures and other problems.”
The press release states that the contaminated pet food was produced on October 12, 2017 and was sold at the Raws for Paws website. Some of this product may have been resold after the initial purchase.
The recalled product is packaged into one-pound and five-pound sealed plastic chubs. The chubs are packaged into regular Turkey Pet Food cases which have codes 9900008 and 9900009. This product is also sold in Pet Food Combo Pack cases, which also contain other pet food products. That product has case codes 9900014 and 9900015.
Consumers who bought this food directly from the company have been notified of the recall. But others may not realized that the pet food in their homes is included in the recall. If you do not know the lot number but you purchased this food on or after October 12, 20107, throw it away in a sealed container or return it.
After you dispose of the food, wash pet dishes, floors, and the area where your pet eats should be cleaned and disinfected. Salmonella bacteria can survive for weeks on surfaces in the home, and that poses a health risk to pets and people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend feeding a raw meat diet to pets for exactly this reason. Not only can handling this food make you sick, but your pets can become carriers, even if they appear perfectly healthy. Animals can shed pathogenic bacteria in their feces, and then it can get onto the animals’ fur.
The symptoms of a Salmonella infection include diarrhea which may be bloody, abdominal pain, and fever. Symptoms usually begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure, but can occur up to two weeks later. About 28% of Salmonella patients require hospitalization. Invasive infections, such as the osteomyelitis suffered by one child in this outbreak, can occur, along with sepsis or meningitis.
The experienced attorneys at Pritzker Hageman, America’s food safety law firm, successfully represent people harmed by adulterated food products in outbreaks throughout the United States. Its lawyers, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have won hundreds of millions of dollars for survivors of foodborne illness and families of children sickened by pathogenic bacteria, including some of the largest verdicts and settlements in American history. personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against pet food manufacturers, retailers, grocery stores, food processors, restaurants, daycare centers, schools, and others. The firm’s recent trial victory on behalf of a child with E. coli poisoning and hemolytic uremic syndrome is the biggest recovery of its kind. The firm also publishes Food Poisoning Bulletin, a respected source for food safety news and information. Pritzker Hageman lawyers are regularly interviewed by major news outlets including the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal.
