|
|
Salmonella poisoning, or at least the threat of Salmonella poisoning, has been in the news a great deal in the recent past. Numerous pet food recalls, all related to possible contamination with Salmonella, have been issued within the past few weeks. Human food products have not escaped being recalled due to the threat of potential Salmonella contamination, either.
Salmonella Poisoning Outbreak in People Associated with Pet Food Contamination
To add to the fear associated with Salmonella, the journal Pediactrics (September 2010, “Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Contaminated Dry Dog and Cat Food, 2006-2008”) is now reporting a documented outbreak of salmonellosis in people that was found to be associated with contaminated pet foods.
Even more frightening is the fact that almost half of the documented cases in the salmonellosis outbreak discussed in the Pediactrics article were children under two years of age. Certainly, it has to be a parent’s nightmare to see their child suffering from an innocent exposure to a supposedly safe product.
How Pet Food Products Become Contaminated with Salmonella
Usually the cooking process heats the pet food enough to kill any Salmonella organisms. However, frequently these foods are coated with flavorings or other products after the cooking process and if these products are contaminated, the entire food lot may become contaminated.
In addition, there is evidence that pets eating a raw food diet may experience a higher incidence of infection with Salmonella than pets eating a commercially prepared diet. Although, with pet food recalls seemingly becoming more frequent, some pet owners question this statistic.
Salmonella Poisoning in Dogs and Cats
In my veterinary practice, one of the common questions I hear from my pet parents is “How likely is it that my dog or will get salmonella poisoning and what signs should I look for?” Salmonellosis: Salmonella Poisoning in Dogs and Cats is a good source to answer these questions. This article describes the factors that determine whether or not a dog or cat is likely to become ill when exposed to Salmonella and the symptoms expected.
Protecting Your Family from Salmonella Poisoning
The other concern that many pet owners are expressing is “How can I protect my family against salmonellosis?” This question is even more important to answer in light of the Salmonella outbreak detailed in the Pediatrics journal. Salmonella Poisoning, Pets and Your Family will answer this question for you. This article provides tips and suggestions that will help you protect your family from becoming exposed to Salmonella through your pet’s food supply.
Share Your Experiences with Salmonella Poisoning and Pet Food Recalls
Have you, your family or any of your pets suffered from Salmonella poisoning? Have any of you been affected by any of the pet food recalls? We are also interested in hearing what you’re doing to protect your family and your pets. Please share your experiences with us as well as your tips by leaving a comment below. Don’t by shy.
About Lorie Huston, DVM
Lorie Huston is a veterinarian, pet health and pet care expert, professional writer, blogger, social media and blogging consultant, and SEO strategist.
If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to grab our RSS feed or subscribe by email to receive notifications when new content is added.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I protect my dog from salmonella by NOT feeding any commercial pet food. The amount of pet food recalls is really getting disturbing and the pet food industry really need to get their stuff together.
I cook human grade meat for Jersey and add the Honest Kitchen’s veggie mix for carbs & fiber. I make it myself so I know that it’s good.
Hi, Karen.
I certainly understand your concern about the number of recalls involving commercial pet foods. I think that there are a lot of pet owners who feel the same way you do and I do think there is cause for concern. I honestly think all of these recalls together with the melamine contamination fiasco several years ago have caused a lot of pet owners to rethink the safety of commercially prepared diets. Certainly, home-cooked meals for pets have become a much more popular option.
Woof! Woof! Thanks for the info …Happy BLOG HOP Weekend. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
Welcome, Sugar. Very nice to meet you
I protect my dog from salmonella by NOT feeding any commercial pet food. The amount of pet food recalls is really getting disturbing and the pet food industry really need to get their stuff together.
I cook human grade meat for Jersey and add the Honest Kitchen’s veggie mix for carbs & fiber. I make it myself so I know that it’s good.
@campbells recipes: Yes, there have been so many recalls due to Salmonella recently and not only in commercial pet foods. The human food market has definitely not been unhampered as well. For instance, all the eggs that were recalled recently. It’s definitely a scary proposition and I think a lot of people are worrying about contamination in their food supply. A lot of people feel as you do about the pet food industry also, especially after that big melamine disaster that killed so many animals a few years ago.
Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. I hope you’ll come back again soon.
Thanks for this great article, Lorie! I am always concerned about the possibility of salmonella poisoning. I feed my dogs and cats a wide variety of proteins: some cooked, some raw, some commercial canned. So, I’m vigilant about keeping the kitchen area clean and uncontaminated. I also house and co-educate with turtles, another cause for concern.
Interestingly, I wonder if folks who feed only commercial diets are quite as careful? When I throw down a handful of kibble, I often don’t wash my hands after I’ve touched it. Yet, if I’m feeding raw meat, I always wear disposable gloves. Hmmm…
That’s an interesting point, Mary. Certainly, there have been a number of recalls with commercial diets that have involved potential Salmonella contamination. I wonder how many pet owners consider that as well.
{ 2 trackbacks }