FDA Warns Pet Owners After Dog Food Recalled Over Salmonella Risk

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning to pet owners after TFP Nutrition initiated a voluntary recall of its Retriever All Life Stages Mini Chunk Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food due to potential salmonella contamination.

The affected product being recalled was manufactured on October 4, 2023, and October 5, 2023, at the company's Nacogdoches, Texas, facility. It was subsequently distributed in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah and contains "3277 TFP" or "3278 TFP" on the second line of the date code.

According to the FDA, no dog or human illness has been reported to date in relation to the recalled food. All of the products affected by the recall have been removed from store shelves. Tractor Supply Company, the chain stocking the affected food, said no other products have been affected by the voluntary recall.

The decision to initiate the recall was made after a single sample tested positive for salmonella in a random sample test conducted by the Office of the Texas State Chemist.

In a statement the FDA warned: "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."

It said: "Rarely, salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis (a heart infection), arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms."

Any consumer who develops any of these symptoms after having had contact with the product is urged to contact their healthcare providers.

Those concerned over whether the product they purchased is included in the recall, or those seeking a replacement or refund, can contact TFP Nutrition, toll-free, at 1-800-330-3048, Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CST. They can also go to tfpnutrition.com/recall for further information.

Salmonella is a bacterium that can result in illness or death in humans and animals. The very young, elderly and infirm are most at risk of developing life-threatening symptoms.

Much like humans, dogs with salmonella infections can often experience lethargy and struggle with diarrhea or even bloody diarrhea as well as fever and vomiting. In some instances, pets will have only decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while many animals don't get sick from salmonella, they remain capable of carrying the bacteria in their intestines while appearing otherwise healthy.

The bacteria can then reappear in their feces and contaminate pet fur and other parts of the body as well as anything in the area where the animals live and walk. This then poses a problem for pet owners who come into contact with the infected pet.

Pet owners can help to prevent this spread by washing their hands after touching any animals, pets or otherwise.

Newsweek has contacted TFP Nutrition for comment via email.