FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

[Nanook]

I don't know why I was surprised to see this on the network evening news tonight, I have often wondered about the stability of dry dog food contents and am careful to rotate food, keeping the freshest on top. I scrub my bins every month when I add the new food and put the remnants of the last bag on top, but we can only do so much, after all. Tonight's news announces there is salmonella in pet foods and it is being spread to humans through having dishes on the table/counter/not washing hands after feeding pets. The following article is just one of many when you type salmonella pet food in Google. I have an appointment on Friday with my holistic/Veterinarian/chiropractic vet and am anxious to hear what she has to say. I will be back and let you know..

ABC News Salmonella in pet food

It will be very interesting to see what happens next! They say they will start pulling food off the shelves? That will drive the costs up astronomically and all this makes me wonder what is really going on.

[Nanook]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

PS...This same salmonella does not affect our pets (so they say), only humans.

[Tulip]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

I wasn't concerned about salmonella, but I am a bit anal about keeping her dishes separate from mine. I also switched from plastic to ceramic because I think it is less likely to absorb germs. She always has her own sponge too lol.

I'm not too concerned about catching anything from the food though because it doesn't ever come in contact with anything I ingest.

I have not been washing out the bin where I store her food so I'll start doing that now. Good timing on that tip because it's low on food now.

[WitchyOoman]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

I'd love to know why they don't just enforce keeping pet food salmonella-free?
Or does that make too much sense?

[Nanook]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

Tulip & Witchy, stay tuned. I am very much looking forward to seeing what happens next. I think they just opened a whole pandora's box. Did you know when you read "chicken meal" "lamb meal" etc..what the label says, is they are throwing the whole animal in the food, beaks feet bones and all.

Last night I was doing some initial research on this and what i found was startling. I am always careful of my cleaning/kitchen conditions as I have always wondered about this. I use stainless steel bowls and clean with bleach which I always thought of as overkill, but I guess not!

Witchy, I am with you...the pet food needs to be salmonella FREE! ..also, there are reports of humans eating dog food because they can't afford a meal.

Google is our friend! Go search dog food salmonella and go from there...

2011 recalls & withdrawls:

October 04, 2011 Thumb Oilseed Recalls Soy Flour (Utilized To Manufacture Human and Animal Food) Due To Salmonella Contamination
August 08, 2011 Merrick Pet Care Recalls Doggie Wishbone (Item #29050, Lot 11031 Best by 30 Jan 2013) Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk
July 29, 2011 Nestlé Purina Recalls Limited Number of Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk
July 29, 2011 Ridley Block Operations Announces Voluntary Recall in Oklahoma and Texas
June 27, 2011 Nestlé Purina Recalls Limited Number of Dry Cat Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk (Shipped Only to Colorado, Idaho and Oregon)
June 03, 2011 Bravo! Issues Nationwide Recall of Bravo! Pig Ears Dog Chews Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk
May 28, 2011 Primal Pet Foods Issues Nationwide Voluntary Recall On Feline Chicken & Salmon Formula With A "Best By" Date Code Of 043112-17
May 17, 2011 Boss Pet Recalls Pig Ear Products Because of Possible Health Risk
May 17, 2011 BLACKMAN INDUSTRIES, INC. RECALLS PRIMETIME BRAND 2 CT., AND 5 CT. PREMIUM PIG EARS AND KC BEEFHIDE BRAND 20 CT. PREMIUM PIG EARS BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK.
May 03, 2011 Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc. Recalls Pig Ears for Pet Treats Because Of Possible Salmonella Health Risk
March 08, 2011 Jones Natural Chews Co Recalls Pig Ear Dog Chews Because Of Possible Salmonella Health Risk
February 28, 2011 Wellpet LLC Voluntarily Recalls Certain Lots Of Canned Cat Food
January 28, 2011 Feed Manufacturer Issues Limited Voluntary Recall of a Horse Feed Product Distributed in California, Nevada, and Oregon
January 28, 2011 MERRICK PET CARE RECALLS JR TEXAS TAFFY PET TREAT (ITEM # 27077, ALL LOTS UP TO AND INCLUDING 10364) BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

Please post other articles you all find about potential and past problems here, and I will as well as time permits!

[Nanook]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

The companies and recalls on this list are NOT just the cheapo brands of food either. Merrick and Primal, for example..are very expensive. Primal makes a frozen RAW food available at better pet salons and stores and are kept frozen. Actually, I think I have some in the corner of my freezer from last year. though the concept of RAW and frozen meat are appealing, the cooking smell is not!

[WitchyOoman]

Re: FDA to Test Pet Food for Salmonella: Important!

I may have to start cooking dog and cat food once again ---

For the dog: ground beef with greens and white rice

For the cats: chicken or ground beef with white rice, moistened with a bit of broth