The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued advice to dog owners following the voluntary recall by Mid America Pet Food of three lots of Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula, because of a potential salmonella contamination.
The affected products come from the company's Mount Pleasant, Texas, production facility and were distributed to various retailers and distributors in the United States.
The affected product was identified as 5-pound, 15-pound and 40-pound bags of the Victor Super Premium Dog Food, Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula with a best-by date of June 12, 2024. The lot numbers affected are 1000016890, 1000016891 and 1000016892.
The voluntary recall was initiated after a third party conducted random sampling and found three lots of the product tested positive for salmonella, according to an FDA statement. No other products are included in the recall, which is separate from another, unrelated Mid America Pet Food recall over salmonella concerns on September 3.
The FDA is instructing retailers and distributors to "immediately pull the recalled lots from their inventory and shelves" and not to "sell or donate the recalled products."
"Do not feed the recalled products to pets or any other animals. Destroy the food in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot access," the agency said.
It went on: "Wash and sanitize pet food bowls, cups and storage containers. Always ensure that you wash and sanitize your hands after handling recalled food or any utensils that come in contact with recalled food."
No human or pet illnesses have been reported to date. The voluntary recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA.
Any dog owners with concerns about the recall can contact Mid America Pet Food Consumer Affairs at info@mapf.com or 1-888-428-7544 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday, for additional information.
Newsweek has contacted Mid America Pet Food for comment by email.
Those concerned that they may have been infected with salmonella are advised to look out for the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping or fever.
In rare cases, salmonella can lead to more serious conditions such as arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms.
The FDA recommends that anyone exhibiting these kinds of conditions after having contact with this product should seek help from a health care provider.
Salmonella can also affect dogs, with symptoms including lethargy, diarrhea, fever, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain are also signs of an infection.
While many animals don't get sick from salmonella, they are capable of carrying the bacteria in their intestines while appearing otherwise healthy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bacteria can then reappear in their feces and contaminate pet fur and other parts of the body, as well as areas where the animals live and walk, which can then cause problems for pet owners who come into contact with the infected pet.
Pet owners can help reduce these risks by washing their hands after touching any pets or animals.
Uncommon Knowledge
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