You’ve likely heard or seen of numerous FDA recalls for various food products. Usually this is due to some kind of contaminant or something causing illness in people. Did you know that there are pet food recalls as well?
There are a variety of reasons why pet food or treats may be recalled. Sometimes it’s due to elevated levels or insufficient levels of a certain ingredient or nutrient. Sometimes producers learn that a certain ingredient is bad. Or there was a contaminant in the factory. Some of these recalls affect not only the pets ingesting the product but the pet owners also handling the product!
Most recently, the following pet food companies have issued recalls due to suspected salmonella, aflatoxin contamination:
- Kasel Associated Industries
- Hy-Vee
- Nutri-Vet, LLC
- The Honest Kitchen
Hartz also recalled some of their dog treats in recent months due to low levels of antibiotic residue found in the treats.
Just because a company is listed on a recall list does not mean that all of their products are bad. You will want to investigate what types of recalls a company has had in recent years before nixing them off your list. Even companies such as Iams, Eukanuba, and Purina have had recalls in the past.
If you have an item that has been recalled, stopped using it immediately! Verify the lot number and date on the package with the product that was recalled. (Note: it is always a good idea to keep the original packaging if you dump the contents into another container) Call your veterinarian with the product ingested and recall information and ask if your pet should be seen.
Protect yourself by always washing your hands after handling any type of pet food or treat. Avoid feeding raw food diets and items such as pig’s ears, animal hooves, and bully sticks as the risk of contaminating yourself or your pet with E. coli or Salmonella is high. Do not leave canned or wet food out for long periods of time. If your pet does not eat it, either place it in the refrigerator or throw it out. If your vet recommends feeding foods such as chicken or hamburger, which is common for pets with stomach issues, make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked.
For more information on pet food recalls, visit www.fda.gov/safety/recalls
Scroll down and choose Animal Health. For recall information beyond the past 60 days, visit the FDA archives link above the recall lists.